2022/23 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LING3200 Linguistics Dissertation

40 creditsClass Size: 44

Module manager: Dr Chris Norton
Email: c.norton@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2022/23

Pre-requisite qualifications

Satisfactory completion of Year 2 of a BA Linguistics programme.

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Objectives

Students will carry out and complete a piece of original research in linguistics guided by a supervisor, thus gaining in-depth knowledge of a specific area chosen by themselves.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students should be able to:
‒ Design and execute a linguistics research project, using appropriate methodology
‒ Show awareness of ethical issues in research
‒ Construct a coherent argument
‒ Summarise and synthesise complex information
‒ Critically evaluate literature, evidence and/or data
‒ Develop and test hypotheses (where appropriate)
‒ Demonstrate awareness of how the outcomes of their research contribute to the extension of current knowledge
‒ Write up the project using appropriate academic style and conventions for presenting information.
‒ Plan and organise their time
‒ Apply academic knowledge to a real-world environment

Skills outcomes
Students will have developed:
- Specialist knowledge and/or skills in their chosen topic area
- The capacity to analyse, systematise and examine critically linguistic data (whether collected by the student, or collected by other linguists)
- Research skills, including: finding and retrieving information, organising material and judging its worth to the project
- The ability to manage quantities of complex information in a structured and systematic way
- A basic understanding of an appropriate statistical analyses
- The capacity to work independently, and reason critically
- The ability to use an appropriate academic style
- Good time management and organisational skills

Syllabus

In semesters 1 & 2, students will attend a series of classes which are designed to prepare them for developing and carrying out a piece of linguistics research. Topics will include: what makes a research project, library resources, research methodologies, research ethics, project planning, constructing effective arguments, evaluating others' research, analysing data, writing up the project. They will also have individual meetings with the module leader in the first half of semester 1 to discuss their ideas and get advice on the suitability of their project.

Students are assigned to supervisors in approximately week 7 of semester 1. They are recommended to meet four times with their supervisor during the period they are undertaking their project. In semester 2, students are required to write a plan for the contents of their dissertation (week 4, semester 2) and are encouraged to submit a draft of part of the dissertation for comment (1500wds, before Easter vacation).

Students will be required to present at the Dissertation Conference in May.

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Supervision	8	0.50	4.00
Lecture	8	1.00	8.00
Lecture	9	2.00	18.00
Private study hours			370.00
Total Contact hours			30.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			400.00

Private study

Students will develop and carry out a project supported by their supervisor. This will include finding and understanding the relevant literature, developing an appropriate methodology, collecting data (where necessary), analysis of materials and the writing up of the project.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Individual student progress is monitored in a number of ways, firstly by meeting with the module leader in semester 1, and individual meetings with the assigned supervisor in semesters 1 & 2. Secondly, there are a number of targets that students need to meet throughout the year: this enables monitoring of their organisation and also offers opportunities for focused feedback. These milestones are the submission of: an initial project statement and formative proposal, a revised project proposal with ethics plan (compulsory) in Semester 1; in Semester 2, a formative presentation, a dissertation plan (compulsory) and an extract of the dissertation for feedback (advised, but optional) during Semester 2. Students are also required to present at the undergraduate dissertation conference, after the submission of their dissertation.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay or Dissertation	11,000-word dissertation	100.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Resits will take the same format as first sits. A mark of 40V should be recorded for any student who does not present at the May Dissertation Conference (without good reason).

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 07/09/2022

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