LG213-5-SP-CO:
Research methods for language and linguistics
2016/17
Linguistics
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
15
-
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
LG219
BA QX31 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL),
BA QX41 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) (Including Foundation Year),
BA QX51 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) (Including Placement Year),
BA QXH1 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) (Including Year Abroad),
BA QQ13 English Language and Linguistics,
BA QQ15 English Language and Linguistics (Including Placement Year),
BA QQ16 English Language and Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA QQ3D English Language and Linguistics (Including Year Abroad),
BA QQ23 English Language and Literature,
BA QQ24 English Language and Literature (Including Foundation Year),
BA QQ32 English Language and Literature (Including Year Abroad),
BA QQ35 English Language and Literature (Including Placement Year),
BA Q100 Linguistics,
BA Q101 Linguistics (Including Year Abroad),
BA Q102 Linguistics (Including Foundation Year),
BA Q103 Linguistics (Including Placement Year),
BA RQ93 Modern Languages and English Language,
BA RQ99 Modern Languages and English Language (5 Years Including Foundation Year),
BA RQ91 Modern Languages and Linguistics,
BA RQ98 Modern Languages and Linguistics (5 Years Including Foundation Year)
The module provides an introduction to research methods in language and linguistics. It familiarises students with the steps involved in undertaking a research project in language and linguistics: reviewing the literature, formulating research questions and hypotheses, choosing a suitable research design, data collection methods and analysis techniques, and reporting findings. It builds on the first-year module LG113-4-AU 'Skills for Linguists'.
Aims:
The module is aimed at enabling students to develop their own research project, that is, the final-year linguistics project that will become compulsory from 2017/18. This aim will be achieved by introducing students to the conventional structure and sections of a research report, including the purposes of each section, by offering practice in identifying and formulating research questions and/or hypotheses, and by offering an overview of research designs and methods, including data collection methods/instruments and data analysis methods and tools.
Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of the module, students will have achieved the following:
1) Awareness of basic concepts in linguistics research, different research designs, methods, data collection and analysis tools;
2) Ability to write a literature review;
3) Ability to identify and formulate research questions/hypotheses
4) Ability to choose a research design, data collection techniques and analysis methods that are suitable and appropriate for addressing specific research questions/hypotheses;
5) Awareness of how to structure and write a research report.
No information available.
No information available.
No additional information available.
The module has a 1 (lecture) + 1 (seminar) format, with a 1-hour lecture for the whole group of students followed by a 1-hour seminar at least one day later, taught in three smaller groups. The exception is Session 7 (see above), which consists of a 2-hour lab session taught in three smaller groups.
Syllabus:
1. Research in language and linguistics: Basic concepts
Theory and data; research questions and hypotheses; reviewing literature; how to arrive at research questions and/or hypothesis based on the literature.
2. Writing a literature review
Summarising and critical evaluation; how to prepare a literature review; what (not) to do when drafting a literature review.
3. Introduction to research methods
Overview building on material covered in 'Skills for Linguists': General characteristics of quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods research; types of research design: longitudinal vs. cross-sectional; advantages and disadvantages of each.
Types of data: (semi-)naturalistic data, controlled data elicitation (response times; accuracy); advantages and disadvantages of each.
Scoring and coding data, e.g. analysing language performance: accuracy, complexity, fluency.
4. Data collection instruments: Language data
Types of research instruments that can be used to collect language data – offline measures, such as corpora, language proficiency tests, grammaticality judgements; online measures, such as processing measures/response times. Examples and advantages/disadvantages.
5. Data collection instruments: Participant data
Types of research instruments that can be used to collect participant data – demographic questionnaires; behavioural and attitudinal questionnaires; interviews.
Individual differences either as a research topic or as a control variable/avoiding confounds.
6. Software and tools for data analysis
Overview of data analysis software: How to choose the relevant software for specific material/data sets. What to use for recording interview or stimuli for an experiment (e.g. Audacity, Praat); how to present experimental stimuli (DMDX, Adobe Premiere); how to analyse data (Excel, SPSS, R, ELAN, NVivo).
7. Practice session: Data analysis with Excel – 2-hour lab session in 3 groups
Using Excel: Basic descriptive and inferential statistics; tables and graphs; the notion of statistical significance.
8. Research design: How to answer a research question
Examples of research questions and hypotheses. How do you set up a study to answer them? What methods do you use? What data collection instruments do you need? What data analysis tools do you use?
9. Qualitative research methods
Introductory overview of basic concepts in qualitative research: Transcription and coding; data display; interpretation and evidence. Examples: diary data or observation schedules.
10. Writing a research report
Overall presentation and organisation of a research paper, typical sections and their purposes, referencing.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Extended project proposal |
|
80% |
| Practical |
Quiz |
|
20% |
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 Karen Roehr-Brackin, Dr Claire Delle Luche, Dr Doug Arnold, Professor Florence Myles
Prof Florence Myles, tel 01206 872228, email fmyles@essex.ac.uk
Yes
No
No
No external examiner information available for this module.
Available via Moodle
Of 42 hours, 36 (85.7%) hours available to students:
6 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s).
Linguistics
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