Linguistics: Research Tools

Uitgebreide vaknaam	English Linguistics: Research Tools
Leerdoelen	As part of this course, English linguistics students transition from being students to being researchers. As such, after this course, the learner: (1) Has knowledge of tools appropriate for linguistic research (2) Can determine the type of research best suited for a given English linguistic research question (3) Can decide on an appropriate tool for the type of research (4) Can analyze the results using appropriate quantitative or qualitative tools (5) Can discuss and write up results in an academic genre appropriate for linguistics
Omschrijving	Research Tools for linguistics aims to provide students with both quantitative and qualitative tools to conduct research in English Linguistics. After an overview of the types of research that can be done in linguistics and ethical, theoretical, and practical considerations, sessions will be devoted to setting up specific research studies in line with students' experience (e.g., questionnaires, corpus-based study, experimental designs). Interspersed, there will be sessions on how to organize and statistically analyze data obtained. As such, the course is highly recommended for those students with a keen interest in the linguistics track of our degree programme and/or who are aiming to write their BA thesis in English linguistics. It is also highly recommended for students wishing to pursue an MA or Research MA degree in linguistics. Course materials: No set course book will be used in this course. Instead, research papers will be analyzed in terms of report structure and employed methods. Course assessment: The course will see biweekly research assignments pertaining to course topics and research methods (to be announced in the first session): - Research assignment 1 (to be handed in at the end of week 3) - Research assignment 2 (to be handed in at the end of week 6) Each of these research assignments constitutes 20% of the course grade. At the end of the course, students integrate what they learned in writing a research proposal for an English linguistics study, which constitutes 50% of the final course grade. They also present this proposal to their peers in the final week of the course in a conference poster format (10% of the final grade). As part of the proposal, students stipulate a research question they wish to explore, as well as methods they plan on using. In this process, all methodological choices are justified based on what students learned throughout the course. Students need not have passed all course components with a sufficient grade, as long as the average is a pass mark. In case of a course fail, the research proposal may be rewritten in the resit period of the following block). Weekly outline: Week 1: Science in transition – students to researchers Topics discussed: - Things to consider in conducting independent research - This week includes a research ethics workshop - Formulating effective research questions - An overview of the different types of linguistics research Week 2-6: To be determined: various types of research (questionnaires, experiments, corpora), and introduction to statistics Week 7: Your research proposal Throughout the course, students work on their research ideas. This is the week in which those ideas can be worked out (to be handed in as a full research proposal by week 10 of the course) and when they receive feedback on those ideas from both their peers and the course instructor. In the final session, all students present their research ideas in poster form in class.
Uren per week	4
Onderwijsvorm	werkcollege (2x2 uur werkcollege)
Toetsvorm	digitale toetsing, wekelijkse opdrachten (digitaal 3 uur)
Vaksoort	bachelor jr 2
Coördinator	G.J. Poarch, PhD.
Docent(en)	G.J. Poarch, PhD.
Entreevoorwaarden	Toegang tot het tweede jaar, d.w.z. minimaal 45 ECTS behaald uit de propedeuse van de BA Engelse Taal en Cultuur.
Opmerkingen
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type Course units for exchange students 3 semester II a keuze Ba English Language and Culture 2 semester II b keuze