2017/18 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LING2131 Psycholinguistics

20 creditsClass Size: 30

Module manager: Dr Catherine Davies
Email: c.n.davies@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2017/18

Pre-requisite qualifications

ENGL1030 Foundations of Language Study
OR
ENGL1021 Analysing English
OR
MODL1060 Language: Structure and Sound
OR
PSYC1601 Introduction to Pyschology
OR
PSYC1607 Cognitive Psychology

Module replaces

LING3130 Psycholinguistics

This module is approved as a discovery module

Module summary

Psycholinguistics lies at the interface between psychology and linguistics. It is a huge field of study, encompassing both clinical (experimental) and theoretical research. The main areas of focus for this module are non-human communication, innateness and the biological basis for language, and language acquisition & breakdown. In exploring these issues, several important questions are addressed, including: Are humans biologically endowed with the capacity for language? How do children acquire language? What can we learn about the way the brain processes language by looking at language and other cognitive impairments?

Objectives

The module aims to:

(1) familiarise students with the field of psycholinguistics, the study of the relationship between language and psychology
(2) acquaint students with the main theoretical issues that underlie the field, particularly relating to modularity of mind, the nativist debate and the Continuity debate.
(3) cover major developments in psycholinguistics in the past 50 years which underpin current research;
(3) explore the relationship between psycholinguistics and other adjacent fields of study, including theoretical linguistics, cognitive science and language evolution;
(4) develop students' analytical skills through practical analyses of experimental data and source readings;
(5) develop students' writing and research skills through an assessed essay on a topic in psycholinguistics.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
- be familiar with a broad range of concepts and terminology from the field
- apply various aspects of experimental design and methodology relevant to psycholinguistics
- read and show critical awareness of source literature in scientific journals
- be able to analyse relatively complex experimental data
- possess skills enabling them to do research in psycholinguistics

Skills outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:

-conduct practical analyses of experimental data;
- understand and use a broad range of concepts and terminology from the field
- apply various aspects of experimental design and methodology relevant to psycholinguistics
- read and show critical awareness of source literature in scientific journals
- understand and discuss very basic statistical approaches to psycholinguistic data analysis

Syllabus

Psycholinguistics lies at the interface between psychology and linguistics. It is a huge field of study, encompassing both clinical (experimental) and theoretical research. The main areas of focus for this module are language acquisition, language breakdown, and the biological basis for language. In exploring these issues, several important questions are addressed:
- Are humans biologically endowed with the capacity for language?
- How do children acquire language? Are first and subsequent languages learned via the same processes, or by different processes?
- What can we learn about the way the brain stores and processes language by looking at language disorders?
- To what extent is the capacity for language a uniquely human trait?
-What is the relationship between language and Theory of Mind?

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Class tests, exams and assessment	1	2.00	2.00
Lecture	15	1.00	15.00
Seminar	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			178.00
Total Contact hours			22.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Private study

(1) Preparing for lectures (reading): 15x5 hours = 75 hours
(2) Preparing for seminars: 5x4 hours = 20 hours
(3) Preparing for and writing a 2500-word essay: 45 hours
(4) Preparing for final exam: 38 hours

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students are given informal feedback on practical work and on their understanding of research papers and lecture content in seminars. Students submit a 2500-word essay in week 11 and receive formative feedback on the essay before they take the final exam. Students are also given the opportunity to discuss their essay plan with the lecturer before submission, and they are given the opportunity to meet with the module leader after the exam. Attendance is recorded throughout the module.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	2,500-word essay	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		50.00

Non-submission of coursework will result in an automatic fail on the module. Resit of each element requires resubmission of an equivalent assignment for a maximum possible pass.

Exams

Exam type	Exam duration	% of formal assessment
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc)	2 hr 00 mins	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Exams)		50.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 15/05/2017

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