ENG4100 – English Language Research: Methods and Thesis Outline
Course description
Course content
The course gives an introduction to research methods in English linguistics, with special emphasis on corpus linguistics. It also focuses on the formulation of research questions and the formal requirements of a master thesis.
Learning outcome
After completing this course you will have:
- formulated your own research questions;
- learned how to write up a piece of research;
- gained insight into research methods within English linguistics;
- acquired practical experience in the use of corpora;
- reviewed ways of working with electronic text corpora in different types of language studies;
- learned how to use computer tools for analysing corpora and handling corpus data.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
This course is only for students admitted to the master program Europeiske spr?k or LeP/LaP.
The minimum number of attendants for the course is 3, the maximum 15.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Admission to the master programs in language or LP.
Overlapping courses
10 credits overlap with ENG4107 – Corpora in Language Research: Theory and method (discontinued)
Teaching
The course is taught throughout the semester with 2 hours seminar per week, 28 hours in all. In four of the weeks the focus will be on language research in general and on writing a thesis outline, and in the remaining ten weeks the focus will be on corpus linguistics.
Attendance is obligatory at least 11 out of 14 seminars. Additional absences must be justified by documentation given to the exam coordinator.
Students must write a thesis outline (1-2 pages) for their master thesis project. This is an obligatory requirement for the course and must be approved by the teacher. Read more about guidelines for compulsory activities.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
The exam is a three-day take-home exam. The exam question will normally include a limited corpus investigation in which relevant corpus tools are applied. Quotations, references and examples must be properly presented. Both language and content will be part of the assessment.
The assignment will be published in Fronter, and you must also submit your paper in Fronter. Read more about submission procedures.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
Resit an examination
Withdrawal from an examination
A term paper or equivalent that is passed may not be resubmitted in revised form.
If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
Feedback from our students is essential if we are to provide the best possible education. As a student at the University of Oslo you will be asked to participate in various types of evaluation of our courses. Every time a course is given, we ask students to participate in mid-term evaluations, and periodically we ask them to participate in periodic evaluation of the course.