Introduction to Research

studia pierwszego stopnia

English in Public Communication

semestr 4

studia stacjonarne

obowiązkowe

Realizowany zdalnie

ECTS points in relation to student’s duties:

total ECTS: 4

1,5 ECTS – 45 hours: participation in lectures (100% online)

2 ECTS – 50 hours: preparation

0,5 - 15 hours: consultations

Course description

The course is dedicated to introducing students to a variety of research methods applied in literary studies, cultural studies and language studies

Course objectives:

- introducing leading methods of research in humanities,

- preparing students for their own research project in their 3rd year of study.

The purpose of the literature studies part is to make students familiar with the leadning literary theories, which have shaped the field since the second half of the twentieth century. The main concepts and research categories, as well as the pioneers of the selected methodologies will be discussed. Moreover, the key aspects of literary criticism will be outlined to help the learners apply the theories in analysis and interpretation of some works of literature.

The aim of the linguistic research focus is to equip the students with the knowledge about basics of the paradigms and methods used in linguistic studies. The students will be exposed to an overview of different methodologies and research techniques. This includes the basic concepts and terminology. The student will be able to design a basic research project, conduct analysis and present results.

The aim of the socio-cultural research fucus is to familiarize students with the basics of social research and possibilities to apply such an approach within linguistics. Students will be exposed to an overview of basic paradigms within social sciences (as positivism and interpretivism) and their consequences for the research practice. Students will learn how to create a questionnaire and perform an interview. Presented theories and methodologies will be supplemented with examples from various research.

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Course content:

Literary component:

1. Author-oriented theories, Psychoanalytic criticism

2. Reader-oriented theories, Text-centred theories: Formalism, Structuralism,

3. Semiotics, Deconstruction, Post-structuralism.

4. Context-oriented theories: Marxist criticism, New historicism, Cultural materialism, Feminist criticism, Gender theory, Men's studies, Queer theory, Post-colonial criticism, Critical Race Theory, Ecocriticism.

Linguistic component:

1. The main research orientations within the subject field

2. Theoretical models and research paradigms: quantitative, qualitative, formative and critical

3. Methodologies and analytic categories: from hypothesis to design of the study

4. Research procedures: data sampling, analytical tools, methods of presentation and discussion.

5. The scope and results of research: conclusions.

6. The issues to be explored, limitations, criticism.

Socio-cultural component

1. Culture - notion of the term and ways of researching its aspects

2. Analysis of visual materials (pictures, films, adverts) - steps and types of analysis

3. Methods of propaganda and their application in the reasearch of culture

4. Hidden curriculum - the notion and its application in the research of culture

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Methods of instruction/ forms of classroom activity:

lecture, multimedia presentation, discussion, ICT tools/e-learning/MSTeams

Reading list:

Literary studies:

Castle, Gregory. The Blackwell Guide to Literary Theory. Blackwell Publishing 2007.

Cuddon, J. A. A Dictionary of Literary Terms and Literary Theory. Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.

Klarer, Mario. An Introduction to Literary Studies. Routledge, 2004.

Malpas, Simon and Paul Wake. The Routledge Companion to Critical Theory. Routledge, 2006.

Richter, David H. A Companion to Literary Theory. Wiley-Blackwell, 2018

Linguistic research:

Litosseliti, Lia, ed. 2010. Research Methods in Linguistics. London: Continuum

Wray, Alison & Aileen Bloomer. 2006. Projects in linguistics. London: Hodder Arnold.

Macaulay, Ronald. 2009. Quantitative methods in sociolinguistics. Basingstoke: Palgrave.

Rasinger, Sebastian. 2008. Quantitative research in linguistics. London: Continuum.

Sealey, Alison. 2010. Researching English language. London: Routledge.

Socio-cultural research

Stokes, Jane, How to do media & cultural studies, Los Angeles ; London ; New Delhi ; Singapore ; Washington : SAGE, 2013

Hartley, John, Communication, cultural and media studies : the key concepts, London ; New York : Routledge, 2011

Longhurst, Brian, Introducing cultural studies, Harlow : Pearson Education Limited, 2008

Pratkanis, Anthony R., Wiek propagandy : używanie i nadużywanie perswazji na co dzień, Warszawa : Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN, 2008

Williamson, Judith, Decoding advertisements : ideology and meaning in advertising, London : Marion Boyars, 1994.

Learning outcomes acc to PRK 2019

Knowledge

Student knows and understands

1. the place and significance of the communication studies among humanities and their analytical and methodological tools (k_W01/P6S_WG)

2. main methods of analysis and interpretation of public communication tools, including cultural conditions of English speaking countries (k_W04/P6S_WG)

Skills

Student can

3. formulate research problems and use appropriate tools and methods to analyse and discuss them (k_U06/P6S_UK)

4. use the acquired knowledge and skills to deepen their academic interests in the interdisciplinary dimension (k_U09/P6S_UU)

Social skills

Student is ready to

5. critically evaluate and solve problems arising from the implementation of professional tasks such as preparation for own research (k_K02/P6S_KK)

Forms of evaluation of learning outcomes :

Written test - 100% of the final grade (Outcomes: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7)

EACH COMPONENT IS EQUALLY REPRESENTED IN THE WRITTEN EXAM

Criteria of assessment

51-60% - 3,0

61-70% - 3,5

71-80% - 4,0

81-90% - 4,5

91-100% - 5,0