MA Seminar: texts and tasks (2019)

REQUIREMENTS for passing this class: MAseminar_requirements

On 16.01. we will talk about writing your thesis. Please read this chapter to prepare:
DoingSociolinguistics016

Also in this class, Professor Karpiński will talk about his current projects and possible topics for MA theses.

Introductions to linguistics recommended:

  1. Yule, George. The Study of Language. Sixth edition, Cambridge University Press, 2017.
    Very student friendly, already a classic, but with constant updates. Covers a wide range of fields, but each topic is treated rather shortly.
  2. Fasold, Ralph W., and Jeff Connor-Linton, eds. An Introduction to Language and Linguistics. Second Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2014.
    More information on each topic, chapters written by known experts of the field
  3. McCabe, Anne. An Introduction to Linguistics and Language Studies. Equinox Pub, 2011.
    Accessible online through our university library.
  4. McGregor, William. Linguistics: An Introduction. Second edition, Bloomsbury Academic, 2015.
  5. O’Grady, William, et al., editors. Contemporary Linguistics: An Introduction. Seventh edition, Bedford/St. Martins, Macmillan Learning, 2017.
  6. Mike Barry. 20019. Introduction to Linguistics. mikebarry.com/IntroLing.pdf – the file on the Internet seems to be a pre-print version; a bit formal, but linguistic data from a variety of languages, which is a plus.

Topics for December

Each student has to prepare at least one topic, by reading at least one of the indicated texts and being ready to answer questions about it and doing indicated tasks.

Topic: Questionnaires – 19.12.2012

  • Chapter 8 of Doing Sociolinguistics (file under “Corpuslinguistics”)
  • Chapter 6 Surveys and interviews (Natalie Schilling), from Podesva & Sharma
  • Section on questionnaires in the book “A gentle guide to research methods” (starts p. 141)
  • search the Internet for advice on how to make questionnaires in linguistics and for examples of questionnaires used in linguistic research; prepare the most interesting find so that you can talk about it in class;

Topic: Corpus linguistics – 12.12.2019

  • Chapter 13 Creating and using corpora, from Podesva & Sharma
  • Chapter 5 Corpus methods in linguistics, from Litosseliti
  • Questions for both chapters: QuestionsCorpus
  • a shorter text: Chapter 7 from Doing Sociolinguistics: DoingSociolinguistics7_8
  • Try corpora of different languages here: https://www.sketchengine.eu/
    Login -> via institution -> Choose Adam Mickiewicz University -> your AMU username and password

Topic: Sociocultural perspectives and Discourse analysis – 05.12.2019

  • Chapter (7 and) 8 of J. K. Hall, Teaching and Researching Language and Culture, London 2002 (the book can be borrowed from the library, but here are the chapters): JK_Hall2002TeachingAndResearchingLanguageAndCulture
  • Baxter: Discourse-analytic approaches to text and talk, in Litosseliti, 117-137
  • Ehrlich & Romaniuk: Discourse Analysis, in Podeshva & Sharma, 460-493

Texts

G. Rugg and M. Petre. 2007. A Gentle Guide to Research Methods

https://www.academia.edu/7860571/linguistics (Podesva & Sharma)
https://www.academia.edu/8780781/Research_Methods_in_Linguistic (Litosseliti)

Hall 2002, Chapters 9 and 10: HallChapter9_10

Presentation on experiments in linguistics (28.11.2019): Experiments2019

For November 21, please read Chapter 4 from “Doing Sociolinguistics” (Cahpter 2, if you haven’t yet done it).
DoingSociolinguistics004

For 24 October we agreed that everybody finds a research article (or thesis, or other work) which represents empirical research in linguistics. Those who are ready may present this research (briefly: research question – data – method – results – discussion).

In addition, please install the program Zotero on your computer and if possible bring your computer to class.

For 10 October, please read:

Jane Sunderland. 2010. Research questions in linguistics. In Research methods in linguistics, ed. Lia Litosseliti, 9-28. London: Bloomsbury.
Sunderland 2010

Prepare your answers to the following questions:

  • Why do we need research questions?
  • Where do research questions come from?
  • What is the difference between research question and topic?
  • Explain different kinds of research questions.
  • Explain with examples what the author of the following quote had in mind: “Are you doing research on, with or for your participants?”
  • What does operationalizing research questions involve?
  • When is a research question original?

Formulate three research questions for any topic that interests you.