Research Skills

Module overview

The aims of this module are to further develop the research, study and time management skills you will need for a substantial independent research investigation.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Formulate a research problem and design a manageable independent study to investigate it
Reflect critically on the research process
Develop appropriate data collection and analysis procedures
Conduct a systematic literature review

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

Search literature effectively and develop and maintain a bibliographic database
Use information technology appropriately to support data collection and analysis
Manage a substantial independent project

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

A specialist topic in applied linguistics/ English language teaching relevant to your personal interests and context
Research methods and ethical issues relevant to the investigation of your topic
Current theoretical approaches relevant to your chosen topic
Current empirical studies, policies and/or practices relevant to your topic

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include: - Lectures on project development and research methods; - Tutor led seminars on aspects of project design. Learning activities include: - Identifying your area of interest and formulating your research problem; - Library and internet research and development of your own specialised bibliography; - Developing and sharing specific fieldwork skills relevant to your project; - Taking part in group evaluative discussions and acting as ‘critical friend’ to peers.

Study time
Type	Hours
Independent Study	126
Teaching	24
Total study time	150

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Boréus, Kristina, and Göran Bergström (2017). Analyzing Text and Discourse: Eight Approaches for the Social Sciences .. Thousand Oaks CA: SAGE Publications.

Brown, J D and Rodgers, T S (2002). Doing Second Language Research. Oxford University Press.

McDonough, J and McDonough, S (1997). Research Methods for English Language Teachers. Arnold.

Sarah J Tracy (2019). Qualitative Research Methods: Collecting Evidence, Crafting Analysis, Communicating Impact ,. John Wiley & Sons.

Cohen, L, Manion, L and Morrison, K (2007). Research Methods in Education. Routledge.

Bell, J (1999). Doing Your Research Project: A guide for first-time researchers in education and social science. Open University Press.

Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research methods in applied linguistics. Oxford University Press.

Richards, K (2003). Qualitative Inquiry in TESOL. Palgrave.

Mackey, A and Gass, S M (2005). Second Language Research: Methodology and design. Lawrence Erlbaum.

Walliman, N (2001). Your Research Project: A step by step guide for the first-time researcher. SAGE Publications.

Assessment

Assessment strategy

Assessments designed to provide informal, on-module feedback - Discussion with tutors of draft annotated bibliography and dissertation proposals; - Group discussion and feedback on research topic, fieldwork plans and draft instruments.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Dissertation proposal	50%
Report	50%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	50%
Dissertation proposal	50%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Report	50%
Dissertation proposal	50%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External