ENG4111 ¨C Corpora in English Language Research

Course content

This course provides practical and theoretical insight into the methodology of corpus use in English language research. Through course reading and case studies students will learn how to compile electronic text corpora and use them in different types of language studies. The course includes practice in the use of software for analysing and managing corpus data. Students are expected to practice on their own outside classroom exercises.

Learning outcome

After completing this course you will:

• be familiar with different types of corpora for English language research.
• understand how to select and work with digital text corpora for different types of language studies.
• know how to use digital tools for analysing and handling corpus data.
• know how to exploit corpora as a tool for continued language learning.
• have insight into the ways in which corpora are designed, compiled and annotated.
• be able to plan and carry out a linguistic study based on corpus data.

Admission to the course

Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.

If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.

This course is for students admitted to the master programmes European Languages (master's two years), and Lektorprogrammet (master - 5 ?r).

Students enrolled in other master`s degree programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is approved by their own study programme.

The examination in this course is not available for external candidates. Only students admitted to the course may sit for the examination.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with ENG4100 ¨C English Language Research: Methods and Thesis Outline (discontinued).
• 10 credits overlap with ENG4107 ¨C Corpora in Language Research: Theory and method (discontinued).

Teaching

The course is taught throughout the semester with seven 2-hour seminars and three 3-hour seminars (for ten weeks in total). Students will have to bring their own laptops to the seminars.

Students are expected to attend all teaching. The quality of the teaching depends on active participation in all seminars.

Obligatory activities:

• Two obligatory assignments (one recorded oral presentation and one written report). Both assignments must be approved by the course teacher for the student to be able to take the exam. Read more here about rules concerning valid excuses and how to apply for postponements. Information about guidelines for obligatory activities.
• It is obligatory to show up for a minimum of 60% of the teaching. In this course, you have to attend 6 of 10 seminars.?The requirement is absolute.

The allowed absence limit will cover all absences, including illness. You will not be granted valid absences with documentation, even when the absence is due to something beyond your control.

If the course has in-person teaching, and you are signed up for an in-person seminar group, you are to attend the teaching in the location found in the schedule.

If the course has digital teaching, and you are signed up for a digital seminar group, you must attend via Zoom with your camera on.

In certain circumstances, i.e. serious or chronic illness, you could apply for special needs accomodations.

Fulfilled course requirements are only valid the semester you attend the course.

Examination

The obligatory requirements must be fulfilled in order to qualify for the exam.

The assessment of the course is based on a term paper of approximately ten pages (a standard page consists of 2,300 characters). This does not include references and bibliography. The topic for the term paper will be decided by the teacher and student together. In the evaluation, both content and language are taken into account.

Beforehand, students will be given an opportunity to submit a draft of the term paper and receive individual feedback on both the form and content of the draft.

Language of examination

The language of examination is English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

• A term paper or equivalent that is passed may not be resubmitted in revised form.
• Illness at exams / postponed exams

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.