IDENTIFYING DATA 2021_22
Subject (*) RESEARCH METHODS AND TOOLS IN ELT Code 12865107
Study programme
Teaching and Learning English as a Foreign/Second Language (2015)
Cycle 2nd
Descriptors Credits Type Year Period
3 Compulsory First 1Q
Language
Anglès
Department English and German Studies
Coordinator
ROMERO GALLEGO, JOAQUIN
E-mail joaquin.romero@urv.cat
Lecturers
ROMERO GALLEGO, JOAQUIN
Web
General description and relevant information <p> This course is an introduction to second language research methodology, with special emphasis on research design, variable identification and qualitative vs quantitative statistical analysis. </p><div>The information in the teaching guide for this subject may vary because it is currently in the process of being modified and must be approved by the AQU Catalunya. This means it will only be taught online and,&nbsp;if necessary, that the information in the teaching guide will be revised.</div>

Competences
Type A Code Competences Specific
 A5 Identifies, describes, analyses, and evaluates resources, strategies, methods and didactic processes used in teaching English, and applies them adequately in any EFL/ESL context, in line with students’ needs
Type B Code Competences Transversal
 CT1 Become sufficiently independent to work on research projects and scientific or technological collaborations within their thematic area
 CT6 Develop abilities to manage their professional career
Type C Code Competences Nuclear

Learning outcomes
Type A Code Learning outcomes
 A5 Analyses, summarises and compares the theoretical principles and the practical uses of language teaching methodologies to optimise second or third language learning performance
Type B Code Learning outcomes
 CT1 The student plans and carries out the project in an autonomous, organized and scientific fashion
The student can produce documents that are scientific in both structure and content
The student can present and defend their work (in front of an examination panel in the case of the Master’s thesis)
 CT6 Raise their professional self-awareness
Develop a professional attitude
Analyse the professional environment of their speciality
Design specific professional tracks
Type C Code Learning outcomes

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
1. Introduction 1.1 What is research?
1.2 Writing a research paper
1.3 Presenting and publishing your research
2. Experimental design 2.1 Experimental research design
2.1.1 Objectives
2.1.2 Research questions
2.1.3 Hypotheses
2.2 Survey research design
2.3 Case studies
2.4 Action research design
3. Data 3.1 Experimental data
3.2 Qualitative data
3.3 Quantitative data
4. Statistics 4.1 What is statistics?
4.2 Basic statistical concept
4.2.1 Population
4.2.2 Parameter
4.2.3 Sample
4.2.4 Variable
4.3 Categorical (qualitative) data
4.4 Numerical (quantitative) data
4.5 Presenting your data
4.6 Measuring your data
4.7 Estimation and confidence interval
4.8 Hypothesis testing
4.9 Analyses
4.9.1 Bivariate analysis
4.9.2 Multivariate analysis
4.9.3 Non-parametric tests
4.10 Statistics applications
4.10.1 SPSS
4.10.2 R
4.10.3 Excel and others

Planning
Methodologies  ::  Tests
  Competences (*) Class hours
Hours outside the classroom
(**) Total hours
Introductory activities
1 0 1
Lecture
A5
5 0 5
Debates
A5
2 16 18
Assignments
CT6
0 50 50
Personal attention
1 0 1
 
 
(*) On e-learning, hours of virtual attendance of the teacher.
(**) The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies
  Description
Introductory activities Course presentation and questionnaire on what it is to do research
Lecture Class presentations on the different topics in the syllabus
Debates In-class and online discussion sessions on selected topics in the syllabus
Assignments Design and analysis of an experiment
Personal attention One-on-one discussion in preparation for the final assignment

Personalized attention
Description
Due to the current emergency health situation, in the 2021-22 academic year students will be able to consult their teachers in individual and/or group tutorials if they have any questions or queries on subject-related issues. Students will receive a schedule for these tutorials at the start of the course and be informed what form they will take (i.e. whether they will be held face-to-face, online, via email or on Moodle, etc.).

Assessment
Methodologies Competences Description Weight        
Debates
A5
I will value active participation and insightful input in the online debates and class discussions 20%
Assignments
CT6
I will value intellectual depth in the treatment of the specific aspect that is dealt with, as well as the innovation and rigor in the experimental design and data analysis. 60%
Others  

Class attendance is required for this course

20%
 
Other comments and second exam session

Los estudiantes matriculados en la URV siguen el sistema ECTS y tienen derecho a las convocatorias de evaluación indicadas en la normativa académica de grado y máster vigente.

Second 'Convocatoria'

Assignment: 100%


Sources of information

Basic Dale T. Greffee, An Introduction to Second Language Research Methods: Design and Data, , Un. of California, Berkeley, 2012
James Brown, Mixed Methods Research for TESOL, , Edinburgh University Press, 2014
Jenifer Larson-Hall, A Guide to Doing Statistics in Second Language Research Using SPSS and R, , Routledge, 2015

Complementary

Recommendations

Subjects that continue the syllabus
MASTER'S THESIS/12865301

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously
SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION/12865101
METHODOLOGY OF SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHING/12865102

(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.