| Unit name | Research Methods in Translation and Interdisciplinary Studies |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MODLM0086 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Nunes Vieira |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
Language, Ethics and Communication Translation Practice and Analysis (Multilingual) |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Modern Languages |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences |
Why is this unit important?
Engaging with evidence and advancing a clear argument are crucial skills to have in the age of AI and information proliferation. This unit will prepare you to be a confident researcher. You will learn how to evaluate sources and how to present information rigorously and compellingly.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The aim of the unit is to develop your research skills in preparation for your dissertation. The unit will also prepare you for other assignments and for research tasks you may need to undertake in your professional life beyond the programme. Taking the unit in TB1 will allow you to start planning your dissertation project early on. The unit will develop important skills irrespective of your dissertation topic. You will be able to focus on different parts of the syllabus depending on your areas of interest (for example, by drawing mostly on either qualitative or quantitative methods depending on your research plans or chosen pathway).
An overview of content
You will engage with quantitative and qualitative methods commonly used in translation studies and cognate disciplinary areas such as communication, sociology and literary studies. You will learn about sampling, source documentation, data handling practices and standard presentation strategies involving written and graphical techniques. Irrespective of your research plans or area of interest, the unit will help you to demonstrate a rigorous treatment of information sources.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
You will be a more critical consumer of research, a more analytical thinker and, ultimately, a more rigorous researcher.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, you will be able to:
1. Confidently critique methodologies that can be employed in language research;
2. Critically use a range of sources that can inform academic work;
3. Design rigorous and coherent research projects.
The unit includes a series of practical tasks introduced and supported by the tutor(s). In some tasks, you will work independently to review theory, ‘dissect’ research abstracts, and where relevant gain practical experience with research software (e.g., reference managers and qualitative data analysis tools). In other tasks, you will work in pairs and small groups to design and present mock projects. The unit will help you to hone your writing and critical reading skills. You will learn by doing and by experimenting with research methods and techniques.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
The unit’s practical tasks, outlined below under “How you will learn,” are each geared towards a skill or deliverable that is relevant to your dissertation project portfolio, i.e. your summative assessment.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
A dissertation project portfolio of up to 3,500 words consisting of, e.g., a rationale for the proposed project and the methodology to be adopted, a critical review of existing scholarship and/or relevant primary evidence, an annotated bibliography. (100%) [ILOs 1–3]
When assessment does not go to plan
When required by the Board of Examiners, you will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. However, the Board reserves the right to modify the form or number of reassessments required.
Details of reassessments are normally confirmed by the School shortly after the notification of your results at the end of the academic year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. MODLM0086).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
