COURSE OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION

1. Aims of the course

Bibliography

CHAPTER ONE: AREAS OF STUDY IN ENGLISH LINGUISTICS

CHAPTER TWO: RESEARCH TYPES

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODS

CHAPTER FOUR: STEPS IN CARRYING OUT RESEARCH

INTRODUCTION

1. AIMS OF THE COURSE

This course aims at initiating students to advanced research doing.

At the end of this course, a successful student will be able to:

 Understand and discuss the areas of research in English linguistics;

 Differ research types;
 Use one or many research methods;
 Make a research at the end of this year.

2. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods

Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Babbie, E. (2020). The Practice of Social Research (15th ed.). Boston, MA: Cengage

Learning.

Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods (5th ed.). Oxford, UK: Oxford University

Press.

Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide: For Small-Scale Social Research

Projects (4th ed.). Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.

Flick, U. (2018). An Introduction to Qualitative Research (6th ed.). London, UK: Sage

Publications.

Field, A. (2013). Discovering Statistics Using IBM SPSS Statistics (4th ed.). London, UK:

Sage Publications.

Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Delhi,

India: New Age International Publishers.

Robson, C., & McCartan, K. (2016). Sampling in Social Research. Research Methods for

Social Scientists (pp. 177-199). London, UK: Macmillan Education.

CHAPTER ONE: AREAS OF RESEARCH IN ENGLISH LINGUISTICS

English linguistics is a broad field that encompasses various areas of study. Here are
some key areas of focus within English linguistics:

1. 1. PHONETICS

Phonetics is a branch of linguistics which studies the sound production mechanism,

sound movement and sound perception. It comprises:

- Articulatory Phonetics: Study of how speech sounds are produced.

- Acoustic Phonetics: Analysis of the sound waves produced during speech.

- Auditory Phonetics: Exploration of how sounds are perceived by the ear.

1. 2. PHONOLOGY

Phonology is a subfield of linguistics that focuses on the study of the organization and
patterning of sounds in a particular language or languages. It seeks to understand how sounds
function in a given language, how they interact with each other, and how they contribute to
meaning through systems of rules and concepts.

1. 3. MORPHOLOGY

- Inflectional morphology: Study of how words change form to express grammatical features
(e.g., tense, number).

- Derivational morphology: Exploration of how new words are formed from existing ones (e.g.,
un-happy from happy).

1. 4. SYNTAX

Syntax is the examination of sentence structure, including phrase structure, word

order, and syntactic functions (subjects, predicates, objects).

1. 5. SEMANTICS

Semantices is the study of meaning in language, including word meanings, sentence

meaning, and the ways in which meaning is constructed in discourse.

1. 6. PRAGMATICS

This is the exploration of how context influences meaning, including speech acts,
implicature, politeness, and discourse analysis.
1. 7. SOCIOLINGUISTICS

Sociolinguistics is the analysis of how language varies and changes in different social
contexts, including dialects, sociolects, language attitudes, and language and identity.

1. 8. PSYCHOLINGUISTICS

The investigation of the psychological processes underlying language comprehension,

production, and acquisition.

1. 9. HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS

Historical linguistics encompasses the study of the evolution of the English language
over time, including changes in phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary.

1. 10. APPLIED LINGUISTICS

This is nothing else but the practical applications of linguistic principles, such as
language teaching, translation, and language policy.

1. 11. DESCRIPTIVE LINGUISTICS

Comprehensive analysis of the structure and usage of contemporary English as it exists

in various contexts.

1. 12. CORPUS LINGUISTICS

The study of language based on real-world data from large text and speech corpora to
analyze patterns and usage.

1. 13. DISCOURSE ANALYSIS

Discourse analysis is the examination of language use in context, including

conversation analysis, narrative structure, and the organization of spoken and written texts.

1. 14. LANGUAGE ACQUISITION

Exploration of how individuals learn English as a first or second language, covering

both child language acquisition and adult second language learning.

1. 15. COMPUTATIONAL LINGUISTICS

 This is the intersection of linguistics and computer science, focusing on natural
language processing and the development of algorithms for understanding and generating
human language.

These areas not only provide insights into the structure and function of the English
language but also contribute to our understanding of language as a whole. Researchers and
practitioners in English linguistics may specialize in one or more of these fields, contributing to a
richer understanding of language as a cognitive, social, and cultural phenomenon.

CHAPTER FOUR: STEPS IN CARRYING OUT RESEARCH

Conducting research is a systematic process that involves several key steps. Here’s a
structured outline of the typical research process:

4. 1. IDENTIFYING A RESEARCH TOPIC

  Choose a general topic: Select a broad area of interest.
 Narrow Down the topic: Focus on specific aspects or questions within the general topic
to create a more manageable research question.

4. 2. CONDUCTING A LITERATURE REVIEW

 Review existing research: Analyze existing literature related to your topic to understand
the current state of knowledge and identify gaps.
 Identify key theories and models: Determine relevant theories or frameworks that will
aid your research.

4. 3. FORMULATING RESEARCH QUESTIONS OR HYPOTHESES

 Develop specific questions: Create clear, focused research questions that your study
aims to answer.
 Formulate hypotheses: In quantitative research, develop testable predictions based on
theory and literature.

4. 4. CHOOSING A RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

 Select research design: Choose between qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method

approaches based on your questions and objectives.
 Determine data collection methods: Decide on methods (e.g., surveys, interviews,
observations) to gather data.

4. 5. . PLANNING AND PREPARING FOR DATA COLLECTION

 Create a research plan: Outline the steps, timeline, resources, and budget needed for
your research.
 Obtain necessary approvals: If applicable, get ethical approval from relevant boards or
committees.

4. 6. . COLLECTING DATA

 Implement data collection: Execute your chosen methods for gathering data
systematically.
 Ensure data quality: Monitor the process to maintain the accuracy and reliability of the
data collected.

4. 7. ANALYZING DATA
  Organize data: Prepare the data for analysis (cleaning, coding, etc.).
 Conduct analysis: Use appropriate statistical tools (for quantitative) or qualitative
analysis methods (coding, thematic analysis) to interpret the data.

4. 8. INTERPRETING RESULTS

 Draw conclusions: Relate your findings back to your research questions or hypotheses.
 Discuss implications: Consider the implications of your findings for theory, practice,
policy, or future research.

4. 9. WRITING THE RESEARCH REPORT

 Structure the report: Typically includes sections such as Introduction, Methodology,

Results, Discussion, and Conclusion.
 Cite sources: Ensure all literature and data sources are properly cited to acknowledge
contributions and avoid plagiarism.

10. PRESENTING AND DISSEMINATING FINDINGS

 Share Results: Present your findings in academic forums, conferences, or publications.

 Engage with broader audiences: Consider producing summaries or reports for
stakeholders or the public based on the research context.

1. 11. Reflecting on the Research Process

 Evaluate the experience: Consider what went well and what could be improved in
future research endeavors.
 Solicit feedback: Get input from peers or mentors to refine your research skills and
approaches.

1. 12. PLANNING FUTURE RESEARCH

 Identify new questions: Based on your findings, consider new questions or areas for
further investigation.
 Continuously engage with literature: Stay updated with new research developments
in your field.

By following these steps, researchers can systematically approach their inquiries,

leading to more organized investigations and meaningful contributions to their fields. Each step
may vary depending on the specific discipline or research context, but the overall framework
remains relevant across various types of research.