Research methodology: Linguistics and Literary Studies

9 ECTS credits
251 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1024019ANR for all students in the 1st and 2nd semester at a (A) Bachelor - preliminary level.

Semester

1st and 2nd semester

Enrollment based on exam contract

Impossible

Grading method

Grading (scale from 0 to 20)

Can retake in second session

Yes

Taught in

English

Faculty

Faculty of Languages & Humanities

Department

Linguistics and Literary Studies

Educational team

Stefanie Keulen
Kayra Maes
Birgit Van Puymbroeck (course titular)
Anastasia Lada

Activities and contact hours

26 contact hours Lecture
173 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study

Course Content

This course introduces students to the basic skills of a researcher in the fields of linguistics and literary studies. Classes and assignments are practical and hands-on. They focus on

- how to find, understand and correctly refer to scholarly literature;

- how to create and assess a thesis statement, state of the art and research question;

- how to select appropriate methods;

- how to practically use/apply a selection of methodological frameworks, approaches and techniques (including relevant software).

Course material

Digital course material (Required) : Slides on Canvas, possibly extra reading material.
Handbook (Required) : Research Methods in Linguistics, Litosseliti, L., 3nd. Ed., Bloomsbury, 9781350043435, 2023
Handbook (Required) : Literary Theory and Criticism: An Introduction, Stevens, A. H., 2nd. Ed., Broadview Press, 9781554815371, 2021
Handbook (Required) : Jane Eyre, Brontë, C., Norton, 9780393264876, 2016

Additional info

The course is taught in English.

It is essential that students actively participate in the classes and complete the assignments.

Learning Outcomes

General Competences

- Students are able to find scholarly literature related to linguistic and literary research.

- Students can draft a(n annotated) bibliography according to the conventions within the fields of linguistics and literary studies (APA, MLA).

- Students can critically reflect on research problems in linguistics and literary studies.

- Students are familiar with different types of research designs within the domains of linguistics and literary studies.

- Students can apply different methodological approaches and know how to use concepts and tools for conducting research in linguistics and literary studies correctly and appropriately.

- Students know what scientific integrity means and take this into account in tasks and assignments. In particular, they know how to avoid plagiarism and reference the potential use of generative AI.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 80% of the final mark.
SELF Practical Assignment determines 20% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Written exam with a relative weight of 80 which comprises 80% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Practical Assignment category, the following assignments need to be completed:

Assignments with a relative weight of 20 which comprises 20% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Written exam: 80% of the overall grade.

The written exam consists of open questions and multiple choice questions.
The multiple-choice part will be graded by positive scoring with Higher Pass Mark. No points will be deducted for a wrong answer. On the other hand, getting points by guessing is calculated in the end point by increasing the pass limit (= cut-off score). For example, the cut-off score for a multiple-choice exam with 40 four-choice questions is 25. In that case, you will have to answer 25 of the 40 questions correctly to get a 10/20. The cut-off score for the exam and the exact conversion table will be communicated in a timely manner on Canvas and in the exam instructions. The exam strategy is simple because of this method: Do your best on the entire exam, answer questions you don't know or partially know to the best of your ability, without worrying about possible deduction of points.

Assignments throughout the academic year: 20% of the overall grade

If the student is too late or absent without a legitimate reason for a specific assignment, they obtain 0/20 for this specific assignment.
In case the student fails the course, the exams parts for which they failed need to be retaken.
The same assignments, deadlines and score distribution apply to all students.

For further specification regarding the possible admission of the use of generative AI per examination form, see the syllabus for this course.

Allowed unsatisfactory mark

The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context