Course info

Module Description

The linguistics project is a research project that acts as a capstone to studies in English language and linguistics at undergraduate level. Students can undertake a project in any of the areas of linguistics covered by the department. Students will work with a supervisor on an individual basis.

Students will be provided with a list of topic options from which they can choose; it will also be possible for students to propose their own topic and present this to a supervisor with relevant expertise. A topic proposal developed by a student will need to be sufficiently focused for it to be agreed on between the student and supervisor in a single meeting.

Students will prepare and submit a project proposal. They will then undertake their research project with advice and guidance provided by the supervisor. They will prepare and submit an 8,000-word report that presents the project in full. They will also give a poster presentation which summarises the project.


Aims

The linguistics project enables students to demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills that have been built incrementally throughout their course. Specific skills include the ability to work independently on an extended project relevant to their discipline, self-directed learning, time management, bibliographical and internet-based research skills, empirical research skills including data collection and analysis, the ability to interpret and contextualise results, the ability to select and synthesise information clearly and to argue coherently, the ability to organise, write up and present a research report professionally, the ability to prepare and present a poster, and the ability to find out something original.


Learning Outcomes

Students will have developed their research skills in conjunction with the skills outlined in the previous paragraph and will have gained in-depth knowledge of the topic area chosen as the focus of their project.