LG215-5-SP-CO:
English Language Processing
2026/27
Language and Linguistics
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 18 January 2027
Thursday 25 March 2027
15
13 May 2026
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA Q120 Linguistics with Data Science,
BA Q122 Linguistics with Data Science (Including Placement Year),
BA Q123 Linguistics with Data Science (Including Year Abroad),
BSC Q120 Computational Linguistics,
BSC Q121 Computational Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BSC Q122 Computational Linguistics (Including Placement Year),
BSC Q123 Computational Linguistics (Including Year Abroad)
This module focuses on psycholinguistics, the study of how humans learn, represent, comprehend, and produce language. We will see evidence for the way we process language mostly from studies on English speakers, whether they are typical adults, children, the aging population and also aphasics, that is, speakers that have language impairments following brain lesions.
This module has a strong focus on research methodology leading up to the elaboration, conduction and analysis of a first psycholinguistic experiment as group work.
Specific questions to be addressed include:
- How do we perceive and recognise speech?
- How are words and concepts stored in our mind?
- How do we recognise written words?
- How do we comprehend sentences and texts?
The aims of this module are:
- Introduce both the theories and the research methods used in psycholinguistics, and discuss the major findings in the field.
- Practice research methods principles with the elaboration of research questions and hypotheses
- Discover the procedures to plan, elaborate, conduct and analyse a behavioural experiment
- Learn new assessment methods with short essays and a poster.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Define core terms and concepts in language processing research, describe commonly used empirical methods and discuss the core assumptions of relevant theoretical models;
- Understand psycholinguistic experimental data;
- Summarise and present empirical results clearly and accurately;
- Critically evaluate theoretical approaches and research methods used in language processing research, and
- Present ideas in a structured and coherent way, using appropriate style and terminology, and demonstrating clarity, precision, accuracy and originality.
- Practice the scientific research method with the conception, elaboration, conduction and analysis of a psycholinguistic experiment.
Syllabus Information
- Introduction: experimental methodology and research methods in psycholinguistics
- Lexical and sentence processing: how to elaborate research questions and hypotheses
- Reading: how to understand results involving neuropsychological patients
- Bilingualism: experimental methods in adults and children
- Aphasia and right hemisphere processing: how to present research data with posters
- Aging
- Language development: innateness and sign language
- Phonological development: Typical and atypical children’s speech production
- Syntactic development
- Language disorders
This module is part of the Q-Step pathway. Q-Step is an award which you can gain simply by enrolling on specific modules and will signal to employers your capability in quantitative research. Learn more about the Q-Step pathway and enhance your degree now.
This module will be delivered via:
- One 2-hour lecturer/seminar per week.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Problem Set 1 |
19/02/2027 |
25% |
| Coursework |
Problem Set 2 |
12/03/2027 |
25% |
| Coursework |
Project |
09/04/2027 |
50% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Charles Redmon, email: c.redmon@essex.ac.uk.
Dr. Charles Redmon
Charlie Redmon, c.redmon@essex.ac.uk, Room: 4.346
Yes
Yes
Yes
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 38 hours, 38 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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