96830 - Corpus-Assisted Discourse Studies in English (CL1)

Learning outcomes

The student knows the basic features (terms, concepts, methods and techniques) of corpus-assisted discourse studies; s/he is able to understand, analyze and evaluate complex written texts and oral speeches belonging to various specialized text types and genres; s/he is able to use the competences acquired through the corpus-assisted empirical analysis of discourse, to make and evaluate translation, revision and drafting choices.

Course contents

The module introduces students to the basics of corpus linguistics and allows them to practice its methods through extensive corpus-assisted discourse analysis work. The acquisition of the competences and capacities outlined in the learning outcomes is favoured by the provision of hands-on activities in which theoretical notions and methods are applied to different registers and text types.

The module, which aims to increase the students' awareness of their own expressive means and to improve their discourse analytical skills, has two parts. Part A, taught by Anna Marchi, covers the theoretical and methodological bases of corpus linguistics. Part B, taught by Cinzia Bevitori, deepens and extends the competences acquired in part A, applying them to corpus-assisted discourse analysis of selected text types.

Lastly, academic writing competences are specifically focused upon in a 20-hour seminar ("lettorato"), devoted to them.

Readings/Bibliography

Baker, P. 2023 (2^nd ed.). Using Corpora and Discourse Analysis. London: Bloomsbury

Egbert, J., Larsson, T. & Biber, D. 2021. Doing Linguistics with a Corpus. Methodological Considerations for the Everyday User. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Heritage, F. & Taylor C. (eds) 2024. Analysing Representation. A Corpus and Discourse Textbook. London: Routledge.

Other readings will be chosen jointly by the lecturers and the students, based on the areas of application of corpus linguistics focused upon. Students will be encouraged to actively search for relevant literature, and to share it with the class.

Teaching methods

The module is structured around a) a series of lectures covering the main theoretical and methodological aspects of corpus linguistics, and b) extensive hands-on, workshop-like lessons in which students apply the knowledge gained in the lectures by building and using their own corpora and by consulting existing ones available in the public domain.

Hands-on activities are based on case-studies, examined autonomously or in small groups. Peer support and the lecturers' scaffolding create a learner-centred environment conducive to the development of relational and problem-solving skills.

Assessment methods

Success in learning is assessed through observation and interaction in class and through unassessed coursework such as oral presentations and short writing exercises, along the lines of the final exam. The exam consists in the preparation of a short paper on a research project involving the use of corpus-assisted methodologies and techniques.
The paper should be between 2,000 and 3,000 words, with a list of (at least 3) references (not included in the word count). It should provide a clear outline of the aim of the paper, including clearly articulated research question(s), details about the research approach and method(s), and preliminary results.
The paper will be submitted by mail (at least 1 week) to both course teachers who will make a preliminary joint assessment to be followed by a brief interview with the candidate about the work during one of the sessions, resulting in a final assessment grade.

Students with specific learning difficulties (SpLD) or with disabilities that can affect their ability to attend courses are invited to contact the University service for students with disabilities and SLD at the earliest opportunity -- ideally before the start of the course: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students . The University service will suggest possible adjustments to the course work and/or exam, which must then be submitted to the course leader so they can assess their feasibility, in line with the learning objectives of the course. Please note that adjustments to the exam must be requested at least two weeks in advance.

Assessment criteria

Formal/linguistic aspects (language skills)

• 15 points: excellent language skills
• 10-12 points: good/very good language skills
• 9 points: sufficient language skills
• 0-8 points: inadequate/seriously deficient language skills

Content-related aspects (competencies and skills related to the subject matter of the module)

• 15 points: excellent subject-related competencies and capacities
• 10-12 points: good/very good subject-related competencies and capacities
• 9 points: sufficient subject-related competencies and capacities
• 0-8 points: inadequate/seriously deficient subject-related competencies and capacities

 

Teaching tools

Both lecture-like and workshop-like sessions take place in a computer lab equipped with PCs and a data projector, so as to be able to switch back and forth between the two teaching methods.

Slides are used for lectures and subsequently made available to the students via the Virtual platform, in pdf format.

During workshop sessions, students have individual hands-on access to software for constructing and analysing corpora

As concerns the teaching methods of this course unit, all students must attend the [https://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities/health-and-assistance/health-and-safety/online-course-on-health-and-safety-in-study-and-internship-areas] [https://www.unibo.it/en/services-and-opportunities/health-and-assistance/health-and-safety/online-course-on-health-and-safety-in-study-and-internship-areas

Office hours

See the website of Cinzia Bevitori

See the website of Anna Marchi