Corpus Linguistics: Methods, Applications, and Empirical Language Research 3305-JK-SEM-LIC

KNOWLEDGE:
Students know and understand:
• basic terminology, theories and methods related to corpus linguistics and empirical language research relevant to Iberian studies (K_W03);
• basic concepts and principles in the field of intellectual property and copyright protection, especially regarding digital linguistic resources and corpora (K_W09).

SKILLS:
Students can:
• read and understand academic texts in Spanish related to linguistics and corpus studies (K_U01);
• present their own views, research findings and analyses in Spanish (K_U02);
• recognise and analyse various types of Spanish-language texts using corpus-based methods and appropriate linguistic terminology (K_U03);
• independently acquire knowledge and develop research skills using digital corpora, dictionaries, academic databases and linguistic software tools (K_U04);
• write and edit a BA dissertation in Spanish using corpus-based methodologies and appropriate academic sources (K_U05);
• prepare oral presentations in Spanish related to empirical linguistic research and corpus analysis (K_U06);
• use basic terminology in corpus linguistics, applied linguistics and related fields relevant to Hispanic studies (K_U07);

SOCIAL SKILLS:
Students are ready to:
• critically assess their own knowledge and research competences and recognise the need for continuous academic and professional development (K_K01);
• plan and organise individual research projects, cooperate in teams, and follow the principles of academic integrity and professional ethics (K_K02);
• actively participate in the academic and cultural life related to the Spanish-speaking world using traditional and digital media (K_K03);
• monitor and critically interpret contemporary linguistic phenomena occurring in the Spanish language and its varieties through empirical research methods (K_K04).

Attendance and active participation in the seminar are compulsory.

SEMESTER I
Classes are conducted regularly in the form of group seminar meetings. During the semester, students discuss methodological issues related to corpus linguistics, present and refine their BA dissertation projects, and analyse selected empirical research methods and corpus-analysis tools.

The requirements for passing Semester I are:
• defining the topic of the BA dissertation;
• preparing and submitting a detailed dissertation proposal;
• presenting the research questions of the planned corpus-based study;
• compiling relevant digital resources related to the dissertation topic.

SEMESTER II
Classes take place at least once every two weeks in the form of group meetings. Students present the progress of their dissertation research and discuss corpus data, analytical procedures and preliminary findings. Alternate sessions may be devoted to individual consultations, depending on students’ research needs.

The requirements for passing Semester II are:
• presentation and discussion of research results based on corpus data;
• submission of the completed BA dissertation.

The final seminar grade is entered into the USOS system only after the dissertation has been submitted through the APD system.

In accordance with Resolution No. 98 of the University Council for Education (dated December 8, 2023), the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in coursework and thesis preparation is permitted only with the instructor’s approval and must align with the objectives of the course. The purpose, scope, and method of using AI must be clearly defined and explicitly acknowledged in the submitted work, including a clear indication of where AI tools were used. Students are fully responsible for the content of their work, including compliance with copyright laws, accuracy and reliability of sources, avoidance of bias, and adherence to academic integrity standards.

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The literature will be tailored to the individual interests and research topics of the seminar participants.

Basic bibliography:
• O'Keeffe, A., & McCarthy, M.J. (Eds.) (2022). The Routledge Handbook of Corpus Linguistics (2nd ed.). London: Routledge.
• Rojo, G. (2021). Introducción a la lingüística de corpus en español. Londres: Routledge.

Additionally, the content of the classes will be supported by the following authors:
• Granger, S., Gilquin, G., & Meunier, F. (Eds.). (2015). The Cambridge Handbook of Learner Corpus Research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• McEnery, T. & Hardie, A. (2012). Corpus Linguistics: Method, Theory and Practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Nowikow, W. (ed.) (2017). Gramática contrastiva español-polaco. Łódź: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.
• O'Keeffe, A., & McCarthy, M.J. (Eds.) (2010). The Routledge Handbook of Corpus Linguistics. London: Routledge.
• RAE & ASALE (2010). Nueva gramática de la lengua española. Madrid: Espasa.
• Sinclair, J. (1991). Corpus, Concordance, Collocation. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Stefanowitsch, A. (2020). Corpus Linguistics: A Guide to the Methodology. Berlin: Language Science Press.
• Tognini-Bonelli, E. (2001). Corpus Linguistics at Work. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.

Digital tools and resources:
• AntConc. Available at: https://www.laurenceanthony.net/software/antconc/ — corpus analysis and concordancing software.
• UAM CorpusTool. Available at: https://www.corpustool.com/ — software for linguistic annotation and corpus analysis.
• Sketch Engine. Available at: https://auth.sketchengine.eu/ — a platform for corpus exploration, lexical analysis, and collocational research.