RESEARCH SKILLS IN HIGHER EDUCATION: DEVELOPING DISCOURSE ANALYSIS COMPETENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF MEDIA STUDIES

The first two decades of the 21-century have brought about expeditious information exchange in every scientific and professional domain. The benefits of globalisation alongside evolving technical and digital devices have boosted international relations, thus contributing significantly to the way we communicate. Professionals and researchers are well aware of the fact that the choice of linguistic tools may predetermine the results we might achieve and the image we create. However, the level of that awareness among students of the School of International Journalism remains unclear. Hence, it has become crucial to focus on the issue of language training along with knowledge transfer on methods, techniques and means of communication which create a certain perception, whether positive or negative. The paper provides important insights into the language for specific purposes methodology within the context of Higher Education. The principal focus is on approaches to teaching would-be journalists basic research techniques aimed at developing critical thinking and analytical skills, interpreting political discourse in mass media communication, and building up sustainable linguistic competence in the rapidly growing global arena, notwithstanding the reverse `slowbalisation' trend.