2024/25 Taught Postgraduate Module Catalogue

LING5410M Foundations of Syntax

15 creditsClass Size: 50

Module manager: Valentina Brunetto
Email: v.brunetto@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

This module is not approved as an Elective

Module summary

This module introduces students to the formal study of syntax. Syntax is the component of grammar that determines how words combine into larger units and how parts of sentences relate to each other. Approaching human language from a descriptive rather than a prescriptive point of view, the study of syntax increases students’ understanding of linguistic systems (in general) and of the languages they speak (in particular).

Objectives

This module aims to provide students with a strong grounding in the study of syntax from a generative perspective. This includes introducing students to how language is structured and to core aspects of scientific reasoning, as well as training students to carry out syntactic analyses of data from English and other languages.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, students will be able to :
1. understand how language is structured
2. carry out basic comparative syntactic analysis
3. analyse phrase structure and grammatical features in familiar and unfamiliar languages
4. apply theoretical concepts to the analysis of linguistic data, using scientific reasoning

Skills Learning Outcomes

On completion of the module students will be able to:
5. demonstrate core academic literacy skills (academic writing and speaking)
6. demonstrate digital literacy skills
7. demonstrate work-ready skills (problem solving, time management, active learning)

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	10	1.00	10.00
Seminar	5	1.00	5.00
Private study hours			135.00
Total Contact hours			15.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			150.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

The seminars provide a forum for supporting and monitoring students’ progress. Students are offered the option of completing a formative writing assignment on which they get written feedback, prior to the submission of their summatively assessed coursework.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Analysis Task: data sets with questions	50.00
Online Assessment	Sentence analysis in English	50.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

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: 29/04/2024 16:16:00

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