ELIT211 Audience, Language and Thought

Course Summary Course Objectives Learning Outcomes Course Materials Teaching Methods Weekly Topics Course Schedule Office Hours Assestment ECTS Calculation Course Policies Learning Tips Print Syllabi Download as PNG

ELIT211 Audience, Language and Thought

Syllabus   |  International University of Sarajevo  -  Last Update on Feb 02, 2026

Referencing Curricula

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English Language and Literature

Academic Year
2025 - 2026
Semester
Spring
Course Code
ELIT211
Weekly Hours
1 Teaching + 2 Practice
ECTS
6
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Mode Delivery
Face-to-face
Prerequisite For
-
Teaching Mode Delivery Notes
-
Cycle
I Cycle
Prof. Jane Doe

Vesna Suljić

Course Lecturer

Position
Associate Professor Dr.
Email
vsuljic@ius.edu.ba
Phone
033 957 317
Assistant(s)
-
Assistant E-mail
-

Course Objectives

• Analyze the relationship between linguistic structures and cognitive processes in media contexts • Apply theories of audience reception and interpretation to various media forms • Evaluate how language choices in media texts influence audience understanding and response • Critically assess the role of cultural and social contexts in shaping media interpretation • Conduct original research on language, cognition, and audience engagement with media

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:

1
Evaluate the role of bias in the credibility of arguments, distinguishing between fact and opinion
2
Apply critical thinking skills to individual situations, cultural practices, and/or global events.
3
Demonstrate an ability to use appropriate terminology, define concepts and apply skills across a range of contexts and areas of knowledge to identify and solve problems
4
Interpret and evaluate individual and group differences and similarities and explain how they may be influenced by factors such as race, gender, national origin sexual orientation, age, class, religion and/or disabilities
5
Construct oral and written communication arguments that include a claim with reasons, logical structure, use evidence effectively, move the audience, and respond to objections and alternative views.

Course Materials

Required Textbook

Machin, D., & Mayr, A. (2020). How to Do Critical Discourse Analysis: A Multimodal Introduction (2nd ed.). Sage Publications. McQuail, D., & Deuze, M. (2020). McQuail's Media and Mass Communication Theory (7th ed.). Sage Publications.

Additional Literature
Catalano, T., & Waugh, L. R. (2020). Critical Discourse Analysis, Critical Discourse Studies and Beyond. Springer

Teaching Methods

Lectures
Class discussions
In-class activities
In-class and take-home research assignments/projects
And presentations.

Weekly Topics

This weekly planning is subject to change with advance notice.
Week Topic Readings / References
1 Introduction to the course, Syllabus
2 Semiotics, Visual Communication Machin & Mayr: Chapters 2,3
3 Representing People Machin & Mayr: Chapter 4
4 Representing Action Machin & Mayr: Chapter 5
5 Concealing and Taking for Granted Machin & Mayr: Chapter 6
6 Rhetoric, Metaphor, Truth Modality, Hedging Quiz 1 Machin & Mayr: Chapter 7
7 Narrative Analysis Machin & Mayr: Chapter 8
8 MIDTERM EXAM
9 Advanced Framing: Genre and Style Machin & Mayr: Chapter 9
10 From text to Audience- Encoding/Decoding McQuail & Deuze: Chapter 14
11 Audience Research Methods McQuail & Deuze: Chapter 15
12 Interpretive Communities and Cultural Context McQuail & Deuze: Chapter 9
13 Digital Audiences and Participatory Culture Quiz 2 McQuail & Deuze: Chapter 6
14 Students' presentations
15 Students' presentations - Exam Revision

Course Schedule (All Sections)

SectionTypeDay 1Venue 1Day 2Venue 2
ELIT211.1 Course Tuesday 09:00 - 11:50 A F1.23 - -

Office Hours & Room

DayTimeOfficeNotes
Monday 08:00 - 12:00 A F3.25
Wednesday 08:00 - 12:00 A F3.25

Assessment Methods and Criteria

Assessment Components

30%x1
Final Exam
AI: Not Allowed

Alignment with Learning Outcomes :  1  2  3  4  5

20%x1
Presentation
AI: Consult Instructor

Alignment with Learning Outcomes :  1  2  3  4  5

10%x1
Quiz 2
AI: Not Allowed

Alignment with Learning Outcomes :  1  2  3  4  5

30%x1
Midterm exam
AI: Not Allowed

Alignment with Learning Outcomes :  1  2  3  4  5

10%x1
Quiz
AI: Not Allowed

Alignment with Learning Outcomes :  1  2  3  4  5

IUS Grading System

Grading Scale IUS Grading System IUS Coeff. Letter (B&H) Numerical (B&H)
0 - 44 F 0 F 5
45 - 54 E 1
55 - 64 C 2 E 6
65 - 69 C+ 2.3 D 7
70 -74 B- 2.7
75 - 79 B 3 C 8
80 - 84 B+ 3.3
85 - 94 A- 3.7 B 9
95 - 100 A 4 A 10

Late Work Policy

Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.

ECTS Credit Calculation

📚 Student Workload

This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:

Attending lectures

45 hours ⏳ (15 week × 3 h)

Quizzes+Presentation

50 hours ⏳ (10 week × 5 h)

Revision

13 hours ⏳ (13 week × 1 h)

Midterm

21 hours ⏳ (3 week × 7 h)

Final Exam

21 hours ⏳ (3 week × 7 h)

150 Total Workload Hours

6 ECTS Credits


Course Policies

Academic Integrity

All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.

Technology & AI Policy

Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.

Communication Policy

All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [ELIT211] in the subject line.

Academic Quality Assurance Policy

Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.

More info

Learning Tips

Engage Actively

Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.

Read and Review Purposefully

Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.

Think Critically in Assignments

Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.

Ask Questions Early

Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.

Syllabus Last Updated on Feb 02, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo

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