Master 2018/2019

Research Methods and Presentation Skills

Type: Compulsory course (Russian and Comparative Literature)

Area of studies: Philology

Delivered by: School of Philological Studies

Where: Faculty of Humanities

When: 1 year, 3, 4 module

Mode of studies: offline

Instructors: Elena Ostrovskaya

Master’s programme: Русская литература и компаративистика

Language: English

ECTS credits: 4

Contact hours: 44

Course Syllabus

Abstract

The course is designed as a research seminar for master's students. Its objective is to discuss the contemporary research methods in the literary studies and humanities, with a focus on the discourse and presentation, and thus enhance the students’ research and presentation skills. The working language is English, which shapes the choice of texts and authors for discussion. The seminar includes two formats, guest speaker presentations and conventional seminars. Guest speaker presentations are events open to the wider academic public (postgraduate students and professors), on the ongoing research projects and their methods, made by junior as well as prominent scholars in the field, with a discussion to follow. The regular seminars include reading and discussing pieces of classical as well as cutting-edge research in literary studies and the humanities and presentation of the students’ own research in the light of the methods discussed.

Learning Objectives

• To acquire the knowledge of some cutting-edge methodology used in the literary studies and in the humanities in the international English academic context, juxtaposing it with the classical approaches to the same texts and areas
• To familiarize the students with the bibliographical and electronic resources needed for literary research, to develop their skills of the use of databases with the specific focus on HSE electronic resources
• To develop the students’ research skills, to enhance their work on their research papers
• To enhance the students’ academic English skills, such as academic writing and public presentation skills

Expected Learning Outcomes

• knows the main reference styles common in the academic journals in the field
• is able to use the major theoretical concepts in their own research;
• knows the major theories and concepts discussed in the course
• can conduct literary research and research in the humanities
• is able to use the main electronic resources relevant to their research area
• is able to of acquiring a theory and using it in their own research; of gathering information: finding, evaluating, and synthesizing both secondary and primary sources; of using digital resources for collecting information and research methodology; of oral and written academic communication in the humanities.

Course Contents

• Introduction: Problematising Methodology in the Humanities.
  Method vs Theory in Literary Studies. Methods in Data-Collection and Bibliographic Search.
• Research methods: theories and possible application
  Romanticism in the Prism of Theories and Methodologies. M.H.Abrams and Tilottama Rajan: case studies. What’s New in the New Historicism? Stephen Greenblatt and Historicism in Literature. Comparative Studies as a Methodological Problem Ecocriticism in Contemporary Literary Studies. Postcolonial Theory and Literary Criticism. Postcolonial Theory and Modernism. Postcolonial Theory and the Issues of Translation
• Digital humanities and presentation skills
  Digital Technology and Methodology in the Humanities. Public Speaking and PowerPoint. Paper Proposal. Thesis Proposal.

Assessment Elements

• Paper proposal
  Proposal of a conference paper based on the student’s own research
• Peer-review
  Peer-review of paper proposal
• Presentation
  ‘Conference’ presentation of a paper based on the student’s own research
• Research writing
  A three-page excerpt from an article, developing ideas of the conference paper

Interim Assessment

• Interim assessment (4 module)
  0.25 * Paper proposal + 0.25 * Peer-review + 0.25 * Presentation + 0.25 * Research writing

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

• Greenblatt, S. (2010). Shakespeare’s Freedom. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=347371
• Richter, D. H. (2018). A Companion to Literary Theory. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley-Blackwell. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsebk&AN=1713325
• The Bedford handbook, Hacker, D., 2010

Recommended Additional Bibliography

• Bhabha, H. K. . (DE-588)119556154, (DE-576)166197130. (2007). The location of culture / Homi K. Bhabha, with a new preface by the author. London [u.a.]: Routledge. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.26555344X
• Greenblatt, S. (2010). Soul of the Age: A Biography of the Mind of William Shakespeare. Biography: An Interdisciplinary Quarterly, 33(1), 293–294. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=asn&AN=51499717