Scientific Communication and Linguistic Corpora: Tools for Interdisciplinary Research

Enhance your research capabilities and communication proficiency across various academic disciplines!

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CIVIS focus area
Society, culture, heritage
Open to
  • Master's
  • PhD candidates/ students
  • PhD candidates/ students
Field of studies
  • Social Science and humanities
Type
  • Blended Intensive Programmes (BIP)
Course dates
3 March 2025 - 31 March 2025

The course ‘Scientific Communication and Linguistic Corpora: Tools for Interdisciplinary Research’ aims to provide master’s and doctoral students with comprehensive training in the treatment and use of language/speech, enriching their linguistic and expository resources and, where appropriate, improving their chances of success and employability. Corpus linguistics is a transversal discipline that can be applied to a wide range of academic fields, making it relevant to any area of research that students may be exploring and, in turn, likely to enhance communicative practice.

In relation to the specified transversal competences, this subject offers solid training in research and information management by teaching students to collect, organize, and analyze large sets of linguistic data efficiently and ethically, and to use them effectively. Additionally, by addressing written and oral communication, students will develop fundamental skills to communicate their findings with these resources in a clear, coherent, and persuasive manner, both in academic papers and oral presentations to various audiences.

At the same time, the emphasis on applying linguistic corpora to verify research hypotheses promotes the development of students' critical and analytical thinking, as well as their ability to integrate knowledge and formulate informed judgments with limited information, as specified in the aforementioned transversal competences.

The transversal subject has been conceived as a proposal to be integrated into the training program for students at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, focused on research and information management, as well as its corresponding written and oral communication, and related to the use of corpora and corpus linguistics.

The course, with a load of 3 ECTS, is scheduled to take place during March 2025. The 38 face-to-face sessions will take place on Mondays, from March 3rd to March 31st 2024. The mobility week in Madrid will be held from March 3rd to March 7th, 2024, and students will have classes every day of the week in the afternoon. This timetable design means that, between the hybrid face-to-face sessions, students will have time to work 37 hours independently, consolidate concepts, and put into practice the theoretical knowledge they have acquired.

To facilitate autonomous learning, downloadable tutored resources will be offered on an online learning platform, such as Moodle. These resources will include complementary material, practical exercises, and recommended readings to deepen the topics covered in the face-to-face sessions. In addition, video tutorials on the use of corpus tools will be provided, allowing students to familiarize themselves with their application in a self-taught manner.

To provide additional support and clarify doubts, online tutorials will be available through platforms such as Teams. This will allow students to interact with teachers and receive personalized guidance on course content.

This blended approach, combining face-to-face sessions with autonomous work and online resources, ensures that students are able to consolidate their theoretical knowledge and acquire practical skills effectively, maximizing their learning in the time allotted.

Main topics addressed

The contents of the course will be structured in the following modules:

  • Introduction to corpus linguistics and its application in research: This module will provide an overview of corpus linguistics, its methodology, and its application in scientific research. Students will learn how to construct, manage, and analyze linguistic corpora to address various research questions in different disciplines.
  • Data management and linguistic corpora: In this module, students will acquire practical skills to collect, organize, and manage large linguistic datasets, including corpora, using specialized tools and software (AntConc, Corpus Query Processor, Natural Language Toolkit, Sketch Engine, CATMA, etc.). Aspects related to research ethics and data management will also be covered.
  • Quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis: This module focuses on quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis techniques. Students will learn to extract linguistic patterns, identify trends, and carry out comparative analyses using statistical tools and qualitative methods.
  • Corpus and verification of research hypotheses: In this module, students will explore how linguistic corpora can be used to formulate and verify research hypotheses in different academic fields. Case studies will be analyzed, and strategies for the validation of corpus-based results will be discussed.
  • Scientific communication, academic writing, and oral presentation: This module will focus on developing effective written and oral communication skills in the academic environment and in relation to the use of corpora as a scientific resource. Advanced techniques for editing and revising academic texts will be taught, as well as strategies for the clear and coherent presentation of corpus data in scientific reports and papers. Students will also practice writing persuasive abstracts and research proposals that incorporate evidence from linguistic corpora.

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have achieved the following expected learning outcomes:

  1. Understand the fundamental principles of corpus linguistics and its applications in interdisciplinary research.
  2. Acquire practical skills in collecting, organizing, and managing large linguistic datasets, including corpora, using specialized tools and software.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in quantitative and qualitative analysis of linguistic corpora, including the extraction of linguistic patterns and the identification of trends.
  4. Demonstrate ethical awareness and responsibility in the collection, management, and use of linguistic data for research purposes.
  5. Apply advanced techniques for editing, revising, and presenting academic texts, integrating evidence obtained from linguistic corpora effectively.
  6. Cultivate critical thinking skills through the evaluation and interpretation of corpus-based research findings and methodologies.

 

 

Dates:  3 March - 31 March 2025 Total workload: 75 hours
Format: Blended ECTS: 3*
Location: Madrid, Spain Language: English (B2), French (B1), Spanish (B1) 
Contact: aranzazu.gil@uam.es, marta.tordesillas@uam.es  

*Recognition of ECTS depends on your home university.

Physical mobility

The face-to-face part will take place at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco Campus, Madrid, Spain, from 3rd to 7th March 2025:

The activities and timetable proposed for the training are as follows but may be modified according to the project program and timetable:

  1. Group tutoring → 2 hours
  2. Seminars, lectures, or workshops → 16 hours
  3. Autonomous student work → 10 hours
  4. Linguistic and cultural activity → 3 hours

During the physical component, students will follow seminars, lectures, and workshops related to the first 3 points of the program:

  1. Introduction to corpus linguistics and its application in research: This module will provide an overview of corpus linguistics, its methodology, and its application in scientific research. Students will learn how to construct, manage, and analyze linguistic corpora to address various research questions in different disciplines.
  2. Data management and linguistic corpora: In this module, students will acquire practical skills to collect, organize, and manage large linguistic datasets, including corpora, using specialized tools and software. Aspects related to research ethics and data management will be covered.
  3. Quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis: This module focuses on quantitative and qualitative corpus analysis techniques. Students will learn to extract linguistic patterns, identify trends, and carry out comparative analyses using statistical tools and qualitative methods.

The 16 hours of seminars, lectures, and workshops will take place on Monday, March 3rd, Tuesday, March 4th, Wednesday, March 5th and Thursday, March 6th, 2025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The linguistic and cultural activity will take place in the afternoon of Friday, March 7th.

Virtual part

The activities and timetable proposed for the training are as follows but may be modified according to the project program and timetable:

  1. Group tutoring → 1 hour
  2. Seminars, lectures, or workshops → 12 hours
  3. Autonomous student work → 27 hours
  4. Evaluation and assessment of the course → 4 hours

During the virtual component, students will follow seminars, lectures, and workshops related to the last 2 points of the program:

  1. Corpus and verification of research hypotheses: In this module, students will explore how linguistic corpora can be used to formulate and verify research hypotheses in different academic fields. Case studies will be analyzed, and strategies for the validation of corpus-based results will be discussed.
  2. Scientific communication, academic writing, and oral presentation: This course will focus on developing effective written and oral communication skills in the academic environment and in relation to the use of corpora as a scientific resource. Advanced techniques for editing and revising academic texts will be taught, as well as strategies for the clear and coherent presentation of corpus data in scientific reports and papers. Students will also practice writing persuasive abstracts and research proposals that incorporate evidence from linguistic corpora.

On Mondays, March 10th, 17th, and 24th 2025, the last three seminar sessions will take place from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm CET. In addition to these sessions, there will be 8 hours of autonomous student work per week to review the contents covered in the theoretical sessions and prepare the final reflection on the outline of a research project, integrating corpora as tools for analysis and research. In the last week of the course, on Monday, March 31st, students will present the work they have prepared, as well as the assessment of the course.

Requirements

This course is open to Master's and PhD students at CIVIS member universities with a high interest in Linguistics, Science Communication, academic writing.

Participants should have a good level of written and spoken English (Β2 level), French (B1 level) and Spanish (B1 level) and . 

NB: Visiting Students - Erasmus Funding Eligibility

To be eligible for your selected CIVIS programme, you must be a fully enrolled student at your CIVIS home university at the time you will be undertaking the programme. Click here to learn more about the eligibility criteria.

This course is also open to students with the same academic profile, who are enrolled at a CIVIS strategic partner university in Africa. Please check here, if you can apply and this particular course is open to applications from your university. Successful applicants will receive an Erasmus+ grant covering travel and subsistence costs during their stay. Applicants should be willing to extend their stay at the host university for 1-3 weeks for additional research and/or training purposes. 

Application process

Send your application by filling in the online application form by 31 October 2024.

All applications will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

1. CV (Curriculum Vitae)

  •  Relevance of academic background and qualifications.
  •  Previous experience in related fields or coursework.
     

2. Motivation Letter

  •  Clarity and coherence of the applicant's motivation for joining the course.
  •  Demonstrated interest in corpus linguistics and interdisciplinary research.


3. Level of English (According to CEFR)

  •  A diploma or certification demonstrating the B2 level of English is required.
  •  Ability to understand and communicate in English, both written and spoken, sufficient for engaging with course materials and participating in discussions.

 

4. Other Languages (According to CEFR)

  • While not mandatory, having B1 level diplomas in French and Spanish is recommended.
  •  Demonstrated ability to communicate in French and Spanish, if applicable, to enhance the multidisciplinary and international aspects of the course.
     

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Assessment

Students attending the course should work on a document which should be between 7 and 10 pages long, including images, but excluding annexes. It must be submitted by March 31, 2025. Moreover, the assessment will be focused on the conceptualization, elaboration, and writing of the reflection on the outline of a research project for a master’s or doctoral thesis, using corpora as the main tool to collect relevant information and obtain both qualitative and quantitative results in response to the hypotheses posed on the topic of study.

Additionally, it is necessary for the students to attend 80% of the lectures, seminars, and workshop sessions in order to submit the final course work.

Blended Intensive Programme

This CIVIS course is a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP): a new format of Erasmus+ mobility which combines online teaching with a short trip to another campus to learn alongside students and professors across Europe. Click here to learn more about CIVIS BIPs.

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Dr. Aránzazu Gil Casadomet

Associate Professor of French Language and Linguistics at the Department of French Philology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain). Her teaching areas include French language and linguistics, computational and corpus linguistics, and computer product localization. Her research focuses on French linguistics, argumentative semantics, applied linguistics, lexicography, computational linguistics, corpus linguistics, and the teaching and learning of French as a Foreign Language (FLE) and French for Specific Purposes (FOS).

 

Dr. Marta Tordesillas

Senior Professor of French Linguistics, specialising in language sciences, semantics, pragmatics, discourse analysis, theories of argumentation, and enunciative polyphony, at the Department of French Philology, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (Spain). Her research centres on the theoretical and practical development of argumentative and enunciative semantic theories and their applications in language description, literary criticism, language teaching, and automated processing. She is also interested in the transfer of semantic knowledge to health and social well-being.

 

Dr. Marina-Oltea Păunescu 

Α former research fellow at ENS Fontenay/Saint-Cloud and holder of a Ph.D. in Language Sciences from the University of Paris XIII, is an Associate Professor at the University of Bucharest, Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literatures (Roumania). Her research areas include pragmatics and discourse analysis, with additional interests in argumentative semantics and the philosophy of fiction.

 

Dr. Laura Calabrese 

Associate Professor at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium), where she teaches discourse analysis, sociolinguistics, and communication. Her research focuses on the nomination of social reality in political, media, and civic discourse, with particular emphasis on lexical-semantic debates that reveal the influence practices of various social actors. Her interests also include the construction of events in media and social networks, as well as online press audiences.

 

Dr. Imane El Imadi

Associate Professor at Université Hassan II de Casablanca (Morocco), where her primary research revolves around the intersection of education and technology. Her scholarly focus encompasses virtual exchange, English for Specific Purposes, discourse analysis, and media studies. She has contributed articles to various esteemed journals and actively participates in academic conferences both within Morocco and internationally. Currently, her research extends to cutting-edge topics such as distance learning, hybrid and comodal devices, flipped classrooms, collaborative platforms, serious games, mobile learning, digital learning, and the metaverse. This comprehensive exploration underscores her commitment to staying at the forefront of advancements in educational technology.