Students
APPL8020 – Research Methods in Language Study
2021 – Session 1, Special circumstances
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Peter Roger
Contact via +61 2 9850 9650
12 Second Way, Room 505
Flexible - e-mail to arrange
Lecturer
Cassi Liardet
Contact via e-mail
Lecturer
Ingrid Piller
Contact via e-mail
Lecturer
Adam Smith
Contact via e-mail
Margaret Wood
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
Admission to MAccComm or MAppLing or MAppLingTESOL or MTransInter or MConfInt or MAdvTransInterStud or MTransInterMAppLingTESOL
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit focuses on general principles of research and the use of research methods in language studies. It covers the whole process of research from choosing a topic, searching the related literature on the topic, and formulating research questions, to collecting and analysing data and writing up research reports. The exploration of quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods, discourse analysis and corpus linguistics methodologies develops students' research literacy to understand research reports and to design research projects. Research ethics and writing up a formal research proposal are two other components of this unit. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
- ULO2: Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
- ULO3: Explain the basic underlying principles of five broad research approaches in applied language studies: quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed-methods research, discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics
- ULO4: Conceive, formulate and operationalise research questions/hypotheses relating to an area of language-related research
- ULO5: Creatively design and present a formal written research proposal for an original small-scale study in an area of language study
General Assessment Information
- All assessment due dates and times refer to local time in Sydney, Australia
- Full instructions for each assignment, together with marking criteria and instructions for submission, will be available on iLearn
- Extensions for assignments can be sought by applying for special consideration via ask.mq.edu.au - please advise the unit convenor as well if you have submitted a request for special consideration
- Assignments submitted late without an extension may be penalised at 5% of the total marks available for the assignment per day late
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Task 1: Annotated Bibliography | 30% | No | Week 7 |
| Active Participation | 20% | No | Progressively throughout the semester |
| Research Topic Presentation | 10% | No | Week 10 |
| Research Proposal | 40% | No | Week 14 |
Assessment Task 1: Annotated Bibliography
Assessment Type 1: Annotated bibliography
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: Week 7
Weighting: 30%
Students will choose a topic and search databases and library resources to select relevant published articles to write an annotated bibliography (1500 words)
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
- Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
- Explain the basic underlying principles of five broad research approaches in applied language studies: quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed-methods research, discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics
Active Participation
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Progressively throughout the semester
Weighting: 20%
Students are required to participate actively in online discussions as well as complete learning activities progressively in the interactive text.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
- Explain the basic underlying principles of five broad research approaches in applied language studies: quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed-methods research, discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics
- Creatively design and present a formal written research proposal for an original small-scale study in an area of language study
Research Topic Presentation
Assessment Type 1: Presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 10
Weighting: 10%
Each student will prepare an 8-10 minute PowerPoint presentation on their chosen research topic and present it in class or online.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Identify and communicate a research topic to a professional audience
- Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
- Conceive, formulate and operationalise research questions/hypotheses relating to an area of language-related research
Research Proposal
Assessment Type 1: Plan
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 14
Weighting: 40%
Students will write a formal written literature review and research proposal for a small-scale study in an area of language-related research (2500 words)
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Critically review and synthesise published literature related to the topic of your proposed research and communicate with a professional audience
- Explain the basic underlying principles of five broad research approaches in applied language studies: quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed-methods research, discourse analysis, and corpus linguistics
- Conceive, formulate and operationalise research questions/hypotheses relating to an area of language-related research
- Creatively design and present a formal written research proposal for an original small-scale study in an area of language study
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Delivery
APPL8020 will be available both externally (online) and internally (on campus). A weekly on-campus lecture-seminar will be held in 01 Central Courtyard Room 205 on Mondays from 3 PM - 5 PM. These sessions will be live-streamed on Zoom, and will also be recorded for all students to access during the semester.
The iLearn site for APPL8020 will contain details of assessment tasks, weekly readings, discussion forums, lecture slides and additional resources.
Readings
The prescribed textbook is Research Methods in Language Study: A Top Hat Interactive Text designed specifically for this unit. Below are instructions for purchasing and accessing the book.
How do you get the book? 1. Click on this link: https://app.tophat.com/e/172208 2. Sign-up for a Top Hat online account ($14.00) 3. Follow the prompts to access the textbook ($50.00)
If you need any assistance with setting up your account or downloading your interactive text, please see these Support Articles to help:
- Watch this video for a quick start guide
- Learn more about Top Hat's iOS App
- Learn more about Top Hat's Android App
- Managing your Account Settings
- Learn tips for success and how to use your textbook
Your textbook will be applied at checkout for the total cost of $64.00.
Weekly readings to accompany the lectures will also be provided through the Macquarie University Library (via Leganto on the APPL8020 iLearn site)
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.