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2016/17 Undergraduate Module Catalogue
LING2500 How Texts Work
20 creditsClass Size: 18
Module manager: Dr Bethan Davies
Email: b.l.davies@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2016/17
Pre-requisite qualifications
ENGL1020 orENGL1160 or
LING1100
This module is mutually exclusive with
LING3140 | Discourse Analysis |
LING3500 | How Texts Work |
This module is approved as a discovery module
Module summary
What makes a text a 'text'? This module looks at the resources we use to make meaning at the discourse level, including ways of thinking about non-linguistic resources such as context. This will involve micro-level linguistic analysis, analysis of the medium of communication (spoken, written, multimodal), and the consideration of larger organising structures like genres and scripts and how these all affect the interpretation of text and talk.Objectives
The emphasis in this module will be on the practical analysis of authentic texts, through which we will look at the complexity of the relationship between texts, text producers, text interpreters and the context in which the text is situated. The aim of this module is to get students to think about the myriad different aspects that are important to text production and understanding, and how linguistics tries to account for these.Learning outcomes
On completion of this modules, students should be able to:
- Undertake a basic analysis of a written or spoken text from a number of different perspectives
- Understand that different analytical methods carry different theoretical assumptions
- Select an appropriate analytic method for a text-type/analytical purpose
- Discuss the role of context in the production and interpretation
Skills outcomes
Students will have developed:
- The ability to use a range of analytical methodologies from this field of linguistics
- A greater understanding of the ways in which texts are structured
- A greater understanding of the importance of context to our understanding of texts
Syllabus
This module will cover a broad range of approaches to the analysis of discourse, looking at features within clauses and sentences as well as higher- level structures. It will consider both spoken and written language, seeing the medium of text production as crucial to its design and intended interpretation. Topics covered will include models of conversation (Conversation Analysis, Exchange Structure Model), linguistic features to guide the interpreter (cohesion, information structure), ways of thinking about resources for interpretation (context, genre, coherence) and the importance of the medium (spoken, written, electronically mediated, layout and design).
Teaching methods
Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
Lecture | 15 | 1.00 | 15.00 |
Seminar | 5 | 1.00 | 5.00 |
Private study hours | 180.00 | ||
Total Contact hours | 20.00 | ||
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200.00 |
Private study
- 4 hours reading per lecture/workshop (60 hours)- 15 hours preparation on set readings for seminars
- 20 hours preparation for non-assessed exercises
- 50 hours preparation for essay
- 35 hours preparation for examination.
Students will be expected to undertake independent reading outside of class; guidance will be given on this.
There will also be preparation for the seminar classes and for practical data analysis sessions in lectures.
There will also be substantial individual preparation for the coursework assignment and the exam.
Opportunities for Formative Feedback
Progress will be monitored through students' contributions to analyses and discussions in both lectures and seminars. They will get verbal feedback on these contributions. They will also be provided with written feedback on their coursework assessment before their exam at the end of the semester.Methods of assessment
Coursework
Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
Essay | 2500 words | 50.00 |
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 50.00 |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
Exams
Exam type | Exam duration | % of formal assessment |
Standard exam (closed essays, MCQs etc) | 2 hr | 50.00 |
Total percentage (Assessment Exams) | 50.00 |
Should be scheduled at the same time as LING3500. Resits will take the same format as first sits.
Reading list
There is no reading list for this moduleLast updated: 18/04/2016
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- Undergraduate module catalogue
- Taught Postgraduate module catalogue
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- Taught Postgraduate programme catalogue
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