Information Package
baskent.edu.tr

Master's of American Culture and Literature with Thesis

ACL501

RESEARCH TECHNIQUES AND ETHICS

Course Code
ACL501
Semester
First Term (Fall)
Theory+Practice
3 + 0
ECTS
15
Course TypeCompulsory Course
Course LevelMaster's Degree With Thesis
Year of Study1
SemesterFirst Term (Fall)
ECTS15
Name of Lecturer(s)
Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course, the students;

  1. Formulate research questions related to literary texts or cultural materials.
  2. Plan, draft, write and revise their research papers by employing appropriate research skills and considering research ethics.
Mode of Delivery
PrerequisitesNo
Recommended Optional Programme Components
Course DescriptionThis course aims to develop and improve the students' research skills necessary for writing and revising academic research papers and MA thesis. While carrying out their research, the students are expected to become aware of contemporary research approaches, methods and techniques and pay attention to such ethical considerations as plagiarism and appropriate citation format and styles.
Course Contents
WEEK TOPICS
1st Week Introduction to the Course: Research and Writing - Research and What It Entails - Booth et.al., Part I: "Research, Researchers, and Readers" (Chapters 1-2) - Griffin, Chapter I: "Research Methods for English Studies: An Introduction"
2nd Week Documenting Research: MLA, APA, and Chicago Manual of Style - Principles of APA Style - Belsey: "Textual Analysis"
3rd Week How to Choose a Topic - Edgar V. Roberts (Writing Themes About Literature Chapter 5) "The Theme About a Literary Work as It Embodies Ideas" - Brummett, Chapter I: "On Noticing What You See and Hear" - Brummett, Chapter II: "Theories, Methods, Techniques"
4th Week Research Methods in Literary Studies - Booth et.al., Part II: "Asking Questions, Finding Answers" (Chapters 3-6)
5th Week Research Methods in Literary Studies (continued) - Developing an Argument and Supporting It - Booth et.al., Part III: "Making a Claim and Supporting It" (Chapters 7-11) - Griffin, Chapter 6: "Discourse Analysis" - Suman Gupta" (The Handbook of Literary Research Chapter 7) "The Place of Theory in Literary Disciplines"
6th Week Planning, Writing, and Revising - Organizing Documentation - Booth et.al., Part IV: "Planning, Drafting, and Revising"(Chapters 12-17) - Griffin, Chapter 5: G. Rose, "Visual Methodologies" - W.R. Owens (The Handbook of Literary Research Chapter 11) "Planning, Writing and Presenting a Dissertation or Thesis"
7th Week The Use of Secondary Texts - Shafquat Towheed (The Handbook of Literary Research Chapter 2) "Tools and Techniques for Literary Research: Using Online and Printed Sources" - David Johnson (The Handbook of Literary Research Chapter 8) "Literary research and interdisciplinarity" - Griffin, Chapter 10: "Interviewing" - Abstracts
8th Week Research Ethics - Finding and Using Sources, Citing Your Sources - "Why Plagiarism Is a Serious Matter" (MLA Handbook Part 4) - Hammersley&Traianou, Chapter I: "What is Ethics?" - Hammersley&Traianou, Chapter II: "The Research Ethos" - Griffin, Chapter 12: M. Deegan, "English Research Methods and the Digital Humanities" - Griffin, Chapter 7: R. Alsop, "The Uses of Ethnographic Methods in English Studies"
9th Week Writing the Research Paper - The Mechanics of Scholarly Prose: In-class Activities: Writing a Research Proposal - Further Considerations Regarding Current Scholarship in Literary Studies - Nicholls, Part III: J. M. Holquist, "Comparative Literature" - Culler, Chapter III: "Literature and Cultural Studies"
10th Week Writing the Research Paper - Nigel Fabb and Alan Durant (How to Write Essays and Dissertations: A Guide for English Literature Students Unit 11) "Revising an Essay Draft" - The Mechanics of Scholarly Prose cont.: In-class Activities: Developing a Research Proposal - Peer Reviews
11th Week Writing the Research Paper - Developing the Paper cont.
12th Week Final Project First Draft: Presentations and Peer Reviews
13th Week Presentations and Peer Reviews (cont.)
14th Week Revision and Wrap-up
15th Week Revision and Wrap-up
Recommended or Required ReadingPublication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. APA, 2020.
MLA Handbook, 9th ed. New York: MLA, 2021.
Belsey, Catherine. Critical Practice. Methuen: New York, 1980.
Booth, Wayne C., et al. The Craft of Research. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2008.
Brummett, Barry. Techniques of Close Reading. Los Angeles: Sage Publications, 2010.
Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Quantity Percentage (%)
Assignment 1 20
Practice 1 20
Attendance 1 10
Presentation of Article 1 20
Total(%) 70
Contribution of In-term Studies to Overall Grade(%) 70
Contribution of Final Examination to Overall Grade(%) 30
Total(%) 100
ECTS Allocated Based on Student Workload
Activities Quantity Duration (Hour) Total Workload (Hour)
Midterm exam
Preparation for Quiz
Individual or group work
Preparation for Final exam
Course hours
Preparation for Midterm exam
Laboratory (including preparation)
Final exam
Homework
Total Work Load0
Total Work Load / 30 (h)0
ECTS Credit of the Course15
Language of Instruction-
Work Placement(s)No

Programme Qualifications / Learning Outcomes

LO1 LO2
K1
K2
K3
K4
K5
K6
K7
K8
K9
K10
K11
K12
K13