Research Methods in Linguistics CLIL 1 3301-L2RML-CLIL1
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.
Classes will be divided into modules. In each module, students will learn about the practical aspects of doing research in selected areas of linguistics: how to plan and conduct a study, what tools to use, and how to effectively gather and analyse data. The course involves extensive practice in the use of spoken and written English for academic purposes.
Type of course
Course coordinators
Term 2024Z: | Term 2023Z: |
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 one’s 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
Assignments, tests (classes).
Final test (based on the lecture and classes).
Bibliography
Adjukiewicz, K. (1949). Zagadnienia I Kierunki Filozofii Teoria Poznania, Metafizyka. Wydawnictwo Antyk.
Biber, D. (2012). Corpus-Based and Corpus-driven Analyses of Language Variation and Use. Oxford Handbooks Online.
Binkert, P. J. (2003). Linguistic Analysis: Lecture Notes And Workbook For Lin180. Oakland University, Rochester Michigan.
Carnie, A. (2021). Syntax: A generative introduction. John Wiley & Sons.
Cameron, L., & Maslen, R. (Eds.). (2010). Metaphor analysis: Research practice in applied linguistics, social sciences and the humanities. Equinox Pub.
Chomsky, N. (1956). Three models for the description of language. IRE Transactions on information theory, 2(3), 113-124.
Chomsky, N. (2009). Syntactic structures. De Gruyter Mouton.
Dancygier, B. (Ed.). (2017). The Cambridge Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics. Cambridge University Press.
Dörnyei, Z. (2007) Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford: OUP.
Evans, V., & Green, M. (2011). Cognitive linguistics: An introduction. Edinburgh Univ. Press.
Górska, E. (2021). Understanding Abstract Concepts across Modes in Multimodal Discourse: A Cognitive Linguistic Approach. Routledge.
Lakoff, G. (1987). Women, fire, and dangerous things: What categories reveal about the mind. University of Chicago Press.
Langacker, R. W. (2008). Cognitive grammar: A basic introduction. Oxford University Press.
Loewen, S. & Plonsky, L. (2016) An A-Z of Applied Research Methods. London: Palgrave.
McEnery, T et al. (2006). Corpus-Based Language Studies: An Advanced Resource Book. London: Routledge.
Mackey, A. Gass, S. (eds.) (2012) Research Methods in Second Language Acquisition. A practical Guide. Wiley-Blackwell.
Müller, S. (2020). Grammatical theory: From transformational grammar to constraint-based approaches. Language Science Press.
Newman P. and Ratliff M. (eds.) (2001). Linguistic Fieldwork. Cambridge: CUP.
Peirce, S. (2017). Illustrations of the Logic of Science. Charles S. Peirce Society. Transactions of the Charles S. Peirce Society, 53(4), 626-631.
Perry Jr, F. L. (2011). Research in applied linguistics: Becoming a discerning consumer. Routledge.
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: