AJU5105 Preparation of a diploma thesis in EFL didactics

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2023
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Thomas Rankin, Dr. phil. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Thomas Rankin, Dr. phil.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
AJU5901 Research design
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to develop the students’ practical skills in the area of qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis in the light of relevant theoretical background. The students are expected to collect and analyze qualitative (recordings of interviews, classroom teaching, etc.) or quantitative (surveys, test results, etc.) data according to their diploma thesis projects. This course focuses on selected aspects of data analysis and interpretation, attention will also be paid to research reports, selection of data excerpts, issues of generalization and the role of theory in interpreting data in various qualitative and quantitative research traditions.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the students will be able to: 1. Explain and critically evaluate the principles and procedures employed in the research tradition of their choice, including related ethical issues. 2. To collect and analyze (e.g. transcribe, code, count, calculate, analyze, interpret, evaluate) the data within the research tradition of their choice. 3. To write at least a part of a research report that corresponds to the standards within selected research tradition (e.g. trustworthiness, persuasiveness, accuracy, impact on the community, validity, reliability) 4. To present the outcomes of their research both in spoken and written form.
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction, overview of the research process in various traditions of qualitative and quantitative research. 2. Data collection and analysis in various traditions of qualitative and quantitative research. The role of theory; practical and ethical considerations. Examples, problems, solutions. 3. Preparation of a research report. Standards and requirements in various traditions of qualitative and quantitative research, structure and content of a research report, examples, problems, possibilities. 4. Oral presentation of research findings in various traditions of qualitative and quantitative research.
Literature
    required literature
  • Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.
  • Bui, Yvonne N. (2014) How to write a master’s thesis. 2nd ed.
    recommended literature
  • Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.
  • Markee, N. (Ed.). (2015). The handbook of classroom discourse and interaction. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
  • Silverman, D. (2010). Qualitative research: theory, method and practice. London: Sage.
  • Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education (5th ed.). London: RoutledgeFalmer.
  • APA. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. Washington: American Psychological Association.
  • Yin, R. K. (2011). Qualitative research from start to finish. New York: Guilford Press.
  • Field, A. (2016) Discovering statistics using IBM SPSS statistics.
  • Ellis, R., & Barkhuizen, G. (2005). Analysing learner language. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Teaching methods
Lectures, class discussion, reading, homework, in-class student presentations.
Assessment methods
Each student will orally present their research project and then produce a research report in which they will introduce the aims, research questions, procedures and outcomes of their research (approx. 10 pages). During the final colloquium the students will show that they are able to appropriately respond to the questions and feedback, by which they will demonstrate that have grasped the principles and procedures in a research tradition of their choice.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every other week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2021, Autumn 2022.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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