107531 - COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION

Subject type: Mandatory

Coordinator: Ana Beatriz Pérez Zapata

Trimester: Third term

Credits: 4

• English

The subject is taught in English. All assignments and exercises, as well as the language of communication in class, are done in English.

The course introduces the student to the theory and practice of oral and written communication and in a variety of contexts, which can range from writing a formal report to an informal talk with an investor. The student will acquire an understanding of the rules of communication that govern each context and will learn to communicate with maximum effectiveness. The course aims for the student to identify their own communicative style and for the student to develop and adapt it to each context. At the same time, the course aims to improve the student's communication skills to the highest level by exposing students to real and simulated environments.

The subject is contextualized in the area of ​​Production and Business of the Degree in Design and Production of Videogames. The course content begins with an introduction to communication theories, followed by a review of the fundamentals of written, visual and oral communication. It also covers body expression in communication and persuasion and storytelling techniques. The subject has a theoretical-practical nature: the student must put into practice written, oral and corporal communication in different contexts, applying the knowledge acquired in the lectures. The different activities are designed for the student to develop and improve his communication skills. The feedback given to the student by the teacher and other classmates is a key tool to improve the student's communication skills. The subject does not require prior knowledge or subjects, beyond a minimum level of English to be able to communicate orally in this language.

1. Fundamentals of communication
   • The importance of communication
   • Communication theory
   • Shooting guard
   • Acts of language
   • Provide feedback
2. Written communication
   • Types of documents
   • Structure of a written document
   • Bibliographic references
   • Examples of written documents (CVs, cover letters ...)
3. Visual communication
   • Death for PowerPoint
   • The keys to good visual support
   • The visual tools
   • The presentation of data with visual impact
4. Oral presentation: contents
   • Types of oral presentations
   • Audience identification and segmentation
   • The message
   • Discourse structure
5. Oral presentation: form and body language
   • The fear of presenting in public
   • Oral expression
   • Body language
   • Respiration
   • Rhythm
   • Appearance
6. Storytelling
   • Attention and storytelling
   • Stories and branding
   • Elements of a story
   • The journey of the hero
   • Archetypes
   • “I have a dream” and other shocking speeches
7. Rhetoric and Persuasion
   • Introduction to rhetoric
   • The theory of persuasion
   • Win-win persuasion
   • Examples

The grade of the subject is calculated:

• A1- Laboratory practices: 30%
• A2- Individual works: 30%
• A3- Communication project: 40%

Most of the activities will be presented in class, with prior preparation by the student. At the beginning of the course, students will know the calendar of these activities along with their deadlines. In most cases, if a student does not present a particular activity in class, there will be no second chance to present. In some special cases, students will be allowed to submit a recorded video or written report where they can practice the missed activity. However, the note will be penalized if it is delivered outside the established deadline. If a student does not attend one of the activities and cannot deliver it, the grade for the activity will be 0. Students need to have at least 4/10 in their activities to pass the course.

The communication project must be developed around one of the topics of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) selected in the subject. 

Class attendance is mandatory. If the student attends less than 70% of the classes without just cause, he will not pass the course, regardless of his performance in the activities.

Pease, A., & Pease, B. (2017). The Definitive Book of Body Language: How to Read Others' Attitudes By Their Gestures. Pease International.

Watzlawick, P. (2011). Pragmatics of Human Communication. WW Norton & Co.

Cicero. The Speaker (2001). Classics of Greece and Rome. Publishing Alliance.

Berckan, B., Krause, C., Röder, U. (2005). The art of public speaking. How to earn respect with serenity. Barcelona: Integral.

Núñez, A. (2007). You better count it! Stories as communication tools. Storytelling. Barcelona: Active Company.

Kerr, C (2002). Death by Powerpoint: How to Avoid Killing You Presentation and Sucking the Life Out of Your Audience, Your Effective Tip-Kit for the Effective Use of Powerpoint. Execuprov Pr

Studer, J. (1996). Oratory, the art of speaking, lecturing, convincing. Madrid: Editorial El Drac SL

Heinrichs, J. (2007). Thank you for arguing. What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson can teach us about the art of persuasion. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Duarte, N. (2010). Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences. John Wiley and Sons.

Carnegie, D. (2016). How to make friends and influence people. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Morris, D. (2016). The naked monkey. Debolsillo.

Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2010). Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Take Hold and Others Come Unstuck, Random House Lcc Us.

Ramon-Cortés, F. (2012). The island of the 5 lighthouses. A tour of the keys to communication. Porch. Atrium.