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2012/13 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LING3140 Discourse Analysis

20 creditsClass Size: 36

Module manager: Dr Bethan Davies
Email: b.l.davies@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2012/13

Pre-requisites

ENGL1030	Foundations of Language Study
LING1080	Linguistics 2

This module is mutually exclusive with

LING2250

Discourse Analysis

This module is approved as an Elective

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, images), 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 real 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 the module is to give the student an insight into the multiple ways in which texts are structured, and how these can be understood using linguistic analysis.

Learning outcomes
On completion of this module, the student should be:
- familiar with the core concepts needed to describe texts, the importance of context to the interpretation of a text, and how interpretation can be affected by the design of a text;
- able to make a competent analysis of a written or spoken text from a number of different perspectives;
- aware of the assumptions underlying different models of discourse analysis, and the effect this can have on the methodology as a whole.

Syllabus

This module will cover a broad range of approaches to the analysis of discourse, looking at lexical choice and grammatical structure as well as structures above the sentence. It will consider both spoken and written language, seeing the medium of text production as crucial to its design and intended interpretation.

It will include models of conversation such as conversation analysis and the exchange structure model; ways of thinking about text, such as information structure and cohesion; ways of thinking about resources for interpretation, such as context, genre and coherence; ways of thinking about medium, including graphical features of texts.

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

- 3 hours reading per lecture (45 hours)
- 10 hours preparation on set readings for seminars
- 15 hours preparation for non-assessed exercises
- 45 hours preparation for essay
- 35 hours preparation for examination.

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

- Progress will be monitored through seminar exercises and discussion.
- Written feedback on the coursework assessment will be returned before the examination.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Essay	3,000 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 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: 06/02/2013

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