Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods
Code: 42297 ECTS Credits: 9| Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4313157 Advanced English Studies | OT | 0 | A |
Contact
- Name:
- Eva Codó Olsina
- Email:
- eva.codo@uab.cat
Teaching groups languages
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Teachers
- Maria Jose Sole Sabater
- Eva Codó Olsina
Prerequisites
There are no prerequisites
Objectives and Contextualisation
The objectives of the course are
(a) To provide students with the methodological tools needed to carry out linguistic research at a graduate level.
(b) To introduce students to research using qualitative methods.
(c) To introduce students to research using quantitative methods.
(d) Familiarise students with data analysis instruments and the use of statistical packages.
Competences
- Analyse and synthesise information at an advanced level.
- Analyse the relationship between factors, processes or phenomena in the acquisition of English as a second language, its learning and teaching methods, and its literature, history and culture.
- Apply methodological knowledge of statistical analysis and data generation, treatment and codification of multilingual databases, analysis of literary texts, etc. to research.
- Communicate the knowledge acquired and the contributions of one's research correctly, accurately and clearly both orally and in writing.
- Critically argue, issue judgements and present ideas on the basis of the analysis of information originating from scientific production in these areas.
- Develop autonomous learning skills applicable to the research process.
- Develop the ability to assess sex and gender inequalities in order to design solutions.
- Distinguish and contrast between the different methodological and theoretical models applied to the academic study of the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a second language in multilingual and multicultural contexts, literary studies and cultural studies.
- Show respect towards the opinions, values, behaviours and/or practices of others.
- Use new technologies for capturing and organising information relevant to lifelong learning and problem-solving in professional activities.
- Use the English language for academic and professional purposes related to research into the acquisition, teaching and use of English as a second language in multilingual and multicultural contexts, literary studies and cultural studies.
- Work effectively in teams in multilingual, multicultural and interdisciplinary professional and/or academic environments.
Learning Outcomes
- Analyse and interpret linguistic data in a coherent and structured manner.
- Analyse and synthesise information at an advanced level.
- Apply statistical analysis methods as well as different techniques for the treatment, transcription and coding of oral and written data of a multilingual nature.
- Communicate the knowledge acquired and the contributions of one's research correctly, accurately and clearly both orally and in writing.
- Create and use qualitative and quantitative indicators, including those of a statistical nature, to better understand the involvement of language in the production and reproduction of gender inequalities.
- Critically analyse and evaluate academic texts that discuss research conducted within qualitative and quantitative paradigms.
- Design research studies from a quantitative and a qualitative perspective while correctly identifying the factors at stake and anticipating the complexities of data generation and its contexts.
- Develop autonomous learning skills applicable to the research process.
- Distinguish the ontological and epistemological principles of linguistic research of a quantitative-experimental and of a qualitative nature and explain their differences.
- Orally present the methodological design, data, analysis and results of quantitative and qualitative pieces of research in an organised, clear and understandable manner.
- Present the methodological design, data, analysis and results of quantitative and qualitative pieces of research in writing while observing the conventions of academic articles in English.
- Produce, collect and interpret empirical data related to knowledge and linguistic uses in a gender-sensitive way.
- Show respect towards the opinions, values, behaviours and/or practices of others.
- Use new technologies for capturing and organising information relevant to lifelong learning and problem-solving in professional activities.
- Work effectively in teams in multilingual, multicultural and interdisciplinary professional and/or academic environments.
Content
Qualitative Methods
1. Concepts of language in qualitative research. Ontological and epistemological considerations. What quality research is NOT.
2. Designing ethnographic research to answer qualitative research questions. Position of the researcher and perspective of the participants.
3. Choosing the site for fieldwork and how to access it. Ethical and political considerations. First practical steps
4. Language data types. Interaction, speech, language system, conversation, codes
5. Methods for collecting data 1: Writing fieldnotes. Compilation of texts and documents, photographs, videos, and other types of data
6. Methods for collecting data 2: Interviews, life stories and narratives.
7. The transcription of oral data and how to present qualitative data for the analysis.
8. The validity of knowledge generated in qualitative and ethnographic research. Levels of complexity.
Quantitative Methods
1. Introduction to quantitative research methods. The road to research. Experimental research methods in different areas of linguistics.
2. Basic notions in experimental research and research design. Dependent and independent variables. Hypothesis formulation. Control and experimental conditions. Sample and population. Subject/material/task selection.
3. Types of experimental designs and further issues in experimental research.
4. Descriptive statistics. Measures of centrality and dispersion. Data organization and presentation of results.
5. Basic inferential statistics. Probability theory. Main effects and interactions.
6. T-tests. ANOVAs. Chi-square tests. Correlations.Regressions.
Methodology
Lectures at the beginning of each topic to introduce basic concepts
In-class discussion of assigned readings.
Problem-solving activities.
Correction and discussion of exercises.
Data gathering, transcription and analysis
Notae: "15 minutes of class time, within the period established by the center/degree, will be dedicated to fill out a course and teacher evaluation survey by the students in the course".
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Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Activities
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Assigned readings | 50 | 2 | 6 |
| Discussion of assigned readings | 25 | 1 | 9 |
| Practical exercises | 50 | 2 | 1, 3, 7, 9, 15, 14 |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Preparation work for assignments | 25 | 1 | 10, 11 |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Exercises | 50 | 2 | 6, 2, 8 |
Assessment
The course mark will be obtained by averaging out the mark for quantitative methods (50%) and for qualitative methods (50%).
Quantitative methods
Assignments 1, 2 and 3: 75%
Weekly homework and class participation: 25%
Qualitative methods
Assignments 1, 2 and 3: 75%
Weekly homework and class participation: 25%
Procedure for reviewing grades awarded: On carrying out each evaluation activity, lecturers will inform students (on Moodle) of the procedures to be followed for reviewing all grades awarded, and the date on which such a review will take place.
Evaluation activities excluded from reassessment. The following activities are not eligible for reassessment: Weekly homework and class participation
Reassessment: A comprehensive written exercise will be required to reassess all course content.
Students will receive a "no-avaluable" ('non-assessed') grade if they fail to submit more than 30% of all assessment activities.
Single-assessment option: This module does not incorporate the single-assessment option.
Students are required to employ non-sexist language in their written and oral productions. For guidelines on how to do this, they are advised to check thewebsite of the Linguistic Society of America (LSA): https://www.linguisticsociety.org/resource/lsa-guidelines-nonsexist-usage. Appropriate use of language will be part of the assessment criteria.
Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assignments 1, 2 and 3 (qualitative methods) and Assignments 1, 2 and 3 (quantitative methods) | 75 | 5 | 0.2 | 6, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 13, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 14 |
| Weekly homework and class participation | 25 | 20 | 0.8 | 1, 2, 4, 13, 8, 10, 15 |
Bibliography
Qualitative Methods:
Agar, Michael (1986) The Professional Stranger (2nd ed.) New York: Academic Press.
Bezemer, Jeff and Dave Mavers (2011) Multimodal transcription as academic practice: A social semiotic perspective. International Journal of Social Research Methodology 14(3): 191-206.
Blommaert, Jan & Dong Jie (2010) Ethnographic Fieldwork: A Beginner’s Guide. Bristol: Multilingual Matters.
Bucholtz, Mary (2000) The politics of transcription. Journal of Pragmatics 32: 1439-1465.
Cameron, Deborah (2001) Working with Spoken Discourse. London: Sage, pp. 31-44.
Copland, Fiona & Angela Creese (2015) Linguistic Ethnography. London: Sage.
Emerson, Robert M., Fretz, Rachel I. and Linda L. Shaw (1995) Writing Ethnographic Fieldnotes. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press
Heller, Monica, Pietikäinen, Sari. & Joan Pujolar (2018) Critical Sociolinguistic Research Methods. London: Routledge.
Linde, Charlotte (1993) Life Stories: The Creation of Coherence. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Litosselity, Lia (ed.) (2010) Research Methods in Linguistics. London: Continuum.
Martin-Jones, Marilyn and Kathryn Jones (eds.) Multilingual Literacies. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Martin-Jones, Marilyn and Deirdre Martin (2017) Researching Multilingualism: Critical and Ethnographic Perspectives. London: Routledge.
Mason, Jennifer (2009) [2nd ed.] Qualitative Researching. London: Sage, pp. 173-187.
Ochs, Elinor (1979) Transcription as theory. In Ochs, E. & B. Schieffelin (eds.) Developmental Pragmatics. New York: Academic Press.
Wei, Li and Melissa G. Moyer (eds.) (2007) The Blackwell Guide to Research Methods in Bilingualism andMultilingualism. Oxford: Blackwell.
Woods, Peter (1999) Successful Writing for Qualitative Researchers. London: Routledge.
Quantitative Methods:
Harris, Peter. 1986. Designing and Reporting Experiments. Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press.
Hatch, E. and Farhady, H. 1982. Research Design and Statistics for Applied Linguistics. Rowley, Mss.: Newbury House.
Johnson, K. 2008. Quantitative Methods in Linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell.
Seliger, H.W. and Shohamy, E. 1989. Second Language Research Methods. Oxford: OUP.
Shearer, W.M. 1997. Experimental Design and Statistics in Speech Science, in Hardcastle, W.J. - Laver, J. (Eds.) The Handbook of Phonetic Sciences. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers (Blackwell Handbooks in Linguistics, 5). pp.167-188.
Verzani, J. 2005. Using R for introductory statistics.Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC Press.
Software
For the 4.5 credits that correspond to "Quantitative Research Methods" the following software will be employed:
-Microsoft Excel