Overview

This module provides students with a comprehensive understanding of corpora in linguistic studies, covering both theoretical and practical aspects. It aims to equip students with the necessary skills to employ corpus-based approaches in their research projects. The course introduces technical aspects, delves into diverse linguistic studies utilizing corpora, and emphasizes discussions on methodologies, results, and implications in tutorials. Topics covered include corpus linguistics, analysis techniques like concordance and keyword analysis, statistical integration, grammatical, synchronic, and diachronic studies, sociolinguistics, critical discourse analysis, language variation, translation studies, and language education, particularly in TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language).

Students in this module, depending on assessment topics, research question(s) and methodologies will have to opportunity to utilize the department labs, specialized software and resources, when carry out their assessments. This can include access to and the use of; high-level statistical modelling and analysis software and a wide range of concordance software and specialised corpora for many languages.

This module introduces students to the theoretical and practical issues of using corpora in linguistic studies and helps them to develop the background, knowledge and skills needed to develop and utilize a corpus-based approach in their own research projects. The goals of this module are two-fold. First the students will be introduced and become familiar with the technical aspects of course based approaches and research. Then, attention will be directed to looking at how corpora and corpuses-based approaches are used in a range of linguistic and language-oriented studies. The lectures will provide students with the “big picture”, i.e., different research domains will be explored, central topics are summarized, important studies discussed, and open questions outlined. In the tutorials, students discuss key studies in detail and reflect on methodologies, results, and implications.

The following topics will be covered:

1. Introducing corpus linguistics, corpus design, types of corpora and corpus annotation
2. Corpus analysis: concordance, wordlist, keyword analysis
3. Integrating stats and making statistical claims
4. Corpora in grammatical studies
5. Corpora in synchronic studies
6. Corpora in diachronic studies
7. Corpora in sociolinguistic studies
8. Corpora in critical discourse analysis
9. Corpora in language variation research
10. Corpora and translation studies
11. Corpora in language education - focus on TEFL.

Students in this module, depending on assessment topics, research question(s) and methodologies will have to opportunity to utilize the department labs, specialized software and resources, when carry out their assessments. This can include access to and the use of; high-level statistical modelling and analysis software and a wide range of concordance software and specialised corpora for many languages.

Assessment Strategy

-threshold -C: The answer must show a basic knowledge and understanding of the relevant key areas and principles of research methodologies and questions as applied in corpus-based approaches. The answer must show evidence of some background study of primary sources going beyond material discussed in lectures. The answer must be relevant to the research topic chosen.

-good -B: Data and/or review of literature must be collected, organized, and analysed with care and an appreciation must be shown of some of the problems involved with collecting data and/or preparing a review of literature. The answer must show a better-than-average standard of knowledge and understanding.The answer must show evidence of background of primary sources. Assertions must be supported by reference to a theory and/or empirical research.The answer must show evidence of analytical thinking. The answer must have a coherent structure that is adhered to in the most part; relationships between successive parts must be generally easy to follow.

-excellent -A: Data and/or review of literature must be evaluated critically in a logical manner.The answer must have an originality of exposition and understanding; the author’s own thinking should be readily apparent. The answer must show clear evidence of extensive reading of primary sources. The answer must show a clear line structure in which each successive stage is explicitly linked and the reader is explicitly told why these parts are relevant to the study.

Learning Outcomes

• Analyse and critique corpus-based studies in linguistics and related disciplines that examine language use, reference, categorization, comprehension, cognition and synchronic and diachronic change and or patterns.

• Compare and contrast the types of research and research questions commonly used in corpus-based approaches to language variation, use, form, register and style.

• Explain and apply the core concepts, ideas, terminology, and approaches relating to the use of corpora and corpus-based approaches in the study of language.

• Identify and employ the basic principles underlying the scientific method in general and empirical data driven approach in particular..