Research Methods in Linguistics CLIL - Lecture 3301-L2RML-CLIL-W
The course consists of a lecture and a complementary class. It introduces students to qualitative and quantitative research methods in linguistics, alternating between rational and empirical perspectives, as well as theory and application. It highlights the diverse and multidisciplinary character of the study of language and underscores the methodological overlap between linguistics and other disciplines such as history, literature, pedagogy, psychology, sociology and natural sciences.
During lectures and classes, students will be introduced to the foundational concepts underlying experiment design and scientific reasoning. They will be presented with the basic rules of a scientific investigation, starting from the formulation of the research problem and questions, through the choice of research methods and techniques, ending with data collection, their analysis, interpretation and presentation. They will acquire basic knowledge of research tools used in various domains of linguistic study (e.g. computational linguistics, usage-based linguistics, historical linguistics, sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, language acquisition). The course will help students make informed decisions about their future paths of study.
The lecture is divided into two modules which discuss the following topics:
Module 1 - Basic elements of language research:
1. The scientific method and the practice of science;
- What is the scientific method? How does it work for linguistics and its different branches?
- Distinctions between a theory, a model, and the phenomenon
- Paradigms in linguistic research
2. Categories in thought, language and research;
- From general problems to research questions and hypotheses
- What is a usage-based model of grammar?
- Examples of hypotheses and research questions
3. Elementary distinctions in linguistic research methods;
- Introspection
- The importance of studying language in use and the limitations of intuition
- Choosing the right approach for your problem: quantitative and qualitative approaches; case studies and sample analyses
4. Operationalization of theories;
- Units, items and categories of analysis in linguistic;
- Corpora and other types of datasets;
5. Linguistics and the social world
- Approaches to the analysis of discourse;
- Types of research questions addressed by discourse analysis;
6. Multimodal data analysis: Gesture
7. Multimodal data analysis: Language image-relationships
Module 2 - Basic elements of psycholinguistic research
1. Types of research into language acquisition and use
- Empirical research as a method in coping with uncertainty
- Objects of research in applied linguistics
- Types of research (exploratory/confirmatory; basic/applied; qualitative/ quantitative; cross-sectional/ longitudinal)
2. The research process
- Basic research steps:
- Research questions (exploratory, descriptive, relational, causal) and hypotheses
- Variables and their operationalization
3. The research process: basic designs
- Understanding research design (experimental, quasi-experimental, correlational, causal-comparative)
- Variable control in research (dependent, independent, confounding variables)
4. Correlational and causal-comparative studies
- Hypothesis testing, normally distributed data vs skewed data
- Correlations vs. group comparisons
- Interpreting correlation coefficients and p-values
5. Experimental and quasi-experimental studies
- Control and experimental groups in a classic experiment
- What are manipulation and randomization?
- How to design a well-planned experiment?
- Experiments in applied linguistics and psycholinguistics
6. Experimental research: between- and within-subject designs.
- Is the control group always necessary?
- Comparing experiment designs in applied linguistics
- Ways of data gathering in in psycholinguistic research
- Threats to internal validity and reliability
7. Qualitative research & triangulation
- Main types of qualitative research.
- Triangulation and its role
- Can qualitative and language data be analysed quantitatively?
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge
Students will be able to:
K_W01 identify the place and specificity of Linguistics against the background of other academic disciplines within the humanities
K_W04, describe the relation between language, literature, and historical and cultural processes on an advanced level
K_W07 explain principles of designing linguistic studies, with special focus on selecting appropriate methods and tools in formulating research questions and testing research hypotheses and related fields of study within the humanities and social sciences
Abilities
Students will be able to:
K_U01 employ the terminology and methodological tools from linguistics, especially in relation to data collection and analysis
K_U02 employ the methodology of linguistics within English studies, respecting the ethical norms and copyright law
K_U04 implement knowledge to describe a problem and identify means to solve it, thereby completing a project in linguistics. Specifically they should be able to collect and analyse linguistic data
K_U05 collect information from various sources, critically assess a source and usefulness of information; analyse and draw generalizations on the basis of information so obtained, especially in the field of linguistics
K_U08 Participate in group projects, related to the collection and analysis of linguistic data; collaborate with others and be a team leader in conducting collaborative research, presentations and other tasks included in the curriculum
K_U09 present knowledge and communicate in a cohesive, precise and linguistically correct manner in the English language at level C1 as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
K_U011 design their own development
Social competences
Students will be ready to:
K_K02 undertake life-long learning and personal development, applying skills and competences to select subjects and projects optimally suiting one’s personal interests
K_K03 value responsibility for one’s own work and respect the work of others, adhering to the professional and ethical norms in science, and various forms of professional work involving linguistic skills
K_K04 apply the skill to critically assess communicated content to think and act independently in various social situations, especially in relation to the collection, analysis, and interpretation of linguistic data
K_K05 function effectively in social and cultural interactions, through various forms and media, thanks to the ability to express oneself in a cohesive and lucid manner
Assessment criteria
Final test (based on the lecture and classes).
Attendance is obligatory. Two absences are allowed.
Bibliography
Cameron, L., & Maslen, R. (Eds.). (2010). Metaphor analysis: Research practice in applied linguistics, social sciences and the humanities. Equinox Pub.
Dörnyei, Z. (2007) Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford: OUP.
Evans, V., & Green, M. (2011). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. Edinburgh Univ. Press.
Gonzalez-Marquez, M., Mittelberg, I., Coulson, S., & Spivey, M. J. (Eds.). (2007). Methods in cognitive linguistics. John Benjamins.
Lakoff, G. (1987). Women, fire, and dangerous things: What categories reveal about the mind. University of Chicago Press.
Loewen, S. & Plonsky, L. (2016) An A-Z of Applied Research Methods. London: Palgrave.
Mackey, A. Gass, S. (eds.) (2012) Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition. A practical Guide. Wiley-Blackwell.
Perry Jr, F. L. (2011). Research in applied linguistics: Becoming a discerning consumer. Routledge.
Taylor, J. (2002). Cognitive Grammar. Oxford University Press.
Wallace, M., & Wray, A. (2011). Critical reading and writing for postgraduates (2nd ed). SAGE Publications.
Wray, A. & Bloomer, A. (2006) Projects in Linguistics. A Practical Guide to Researching Language. London: Hodder Education.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: