MA seminar
2510-f2ENG1W-MA
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
The aim of the MA seminar in empirical linguistics is to prepare the students to carry out an independent research project to be reported in their thesis. During the first semester of the seminar. the students will get to know the current trends in empirical research in linguistics, including specific topics and methods. They will get a hands-on experience of data collection procedures and equipment involved in different strands of research; they will also get a chance to talk to researchers involved in different types of studies and read their papers. This should allow them to identify the research problems that they will investigate in their MA projects in the upcoming semesters.
Content distribution:
1. Introduction: course aims and content, learning outcomes, assessment criteria, code of conduct;
2. Overview of topics in empirical linguistics: key linguistic concepts, examples of studies in different fields, such as experimental semiotics, cognitive semiotics, communication games, mixed-methods experiments, non-verbal communication studies, sign linguistics, etc.;
3. Literature review tools: literature review methods, SciSpace, Connected Papers,
4. Research problem: selection of the research problems to be investigated in the thesis; formulation of research questions and hypotheses; proof of concept, feedback.
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
The aim of the MA seminar in cultural and literary studies is to teach the students how to choose their own research area and conduct the research necessary for the completion of their MA theses in cultural and literary studies.
Students are introduced to the methods, concepts and theories commonly employed in MA research and in the process of writing MA dissertations in the field of literary and cultural studies.The first semester of the seminar is devoted to the discussion of recent trends in the field of cultural and literary studies connected to the students' MA projects.
Outline for the first semester:
1. Learning outcomes, assessment criteria, requirements, discussion of BA topics
2. Individual meetings - ideas for MA research
3. General methods of cultural studies and code of conduct (plagiarism; AI)
4. Topics and texts related to selected research areas (presentations and discussion) – the detailed list to be announced after individual meetings.
5. Decision on the research area and problem to be examined in individual projects.
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
In the first year of the seminar students are introduced to selected approaches to MA research and subject conceptualization, as well as the the process of writing an MA dissertation. The first semester of the seminar is devoted to selection, discussion and researching the students' MA projects; the seminar will focus on such topics as game studies, horror fiction, and science fiction, as well as assigned readings. In order to obtain a passing grade students will be expected to formulate their research problem within the field of literature or culture (or their practical applications), present a viable MA thesis topic (documented with a preliminary bibliography and detailed thesis outline. In the second term, students begin writing their first chapter, the completed version of which will be the basis of their final course grade.
Total student workload
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
Altogether: 175 hours (7 ECTS)
Contact hours: 75
- class participation - 30 hours
- individual meetings - 45 hours
Self-study hours: 100 hours
- preparation for classes and assignments – 30 hours
- research - 50 hours
- preparation of the graded presentation - 20 hours
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
Workload: 7 ECTS = 175h
Contact hours: 35h
- participation in the seminar = 30h
- individual contact with the thesis supervisor: consultations and office hours, email contact, = 5h
Self-study: 140h
- reading course materials and texts selected for individual projects = 20h
- working with course materials at home: note-taking, following references, answering study questions = 20h
- preparing a detailed plan of the dissertation = 30h
- library and online searches = 50h
- preparing research tasks = 20h
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
Altogether: 175 hours (7 ECTS)
Contact hours: 75
- participation in tutorials - 30 hours
- individual feedback - 45 hours
Self-study hours: 100 hours
- preparation for classes and assignments – 30 hours
- research - 50 hours
- writing the first pages of the MA thesis - 20 hours
Learning outcomes - knowledge
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
W1: The student has in-depth knowledge of applied linguistics. (K_W06, K_W08)
W2: The student has in-depth knowledge of research terminology and methodology in applied linguistics
(K_W11)
W3: The student has basic knowledge of linguistics as a discipline. K_W11
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
The student
W1: has in-depth and systematized knowledge of selected aspects of Anglophone literature and culture (K_W04).
W2: has in-depth and systematized knowledge of literary and cultural studies (K_W06).
W3: has in-depth and systematized knowledge of research-related terminology and methodology applied in cultural and literary studies (K_W07).
W4: has in-depth, systematized specific knowledge on selected aspects of literary and cultural studies (K_W08, 09).
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
W1: The student has in-depth and systematized knowledge of literary and cultural studies (K_W06).
W2: The student has in-depth and systematized knowledge of research-related terminology and methodology applied in cultural and literary studies (K_W08).
W3: The student has in-depth knowledge of academic discourse in English (K_W11).
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY STUDIES (dr Jarosław Hetman)
W1: has in-depth and systematized knowledge of selected aspects of Anglophone literature (K_W04, 09).
W2: is familiar with major developments in the field of literary studies (K_W06).
W3: has in-depth and systematized knowledge of research-related terminology and methodology applied in studies (K_W07).
W4: has in-depth, systematized and expert knowledge of selected aspects of literary studies (K_W08).
Learning outcomes - skills
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
U1: The student is able to integrate theoretical knowledge of applied linguistics into empirical projects, formulate research questions, hypotheses and operationalise concepts pertaining to the study of applied linguistics. K_U01
U2: The student is able to use various sources to further their research - academic journals and monographs, Internet sources, computer programmes – and integrate them into their MA projects. K_U01
U3: The student understands academic papers related to applied linguistics and is capable of critically evaluating such papers and of participating in a wider academic discussion in this area (K_U13)
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
The student
U1: is able to search for, analyse and interpret information from various sources, applying methods of literary and cultural studies and using advanced technologies in their research (K_U01, K_U04).
U2: is able to select, apply and adjust research methods and tools to address both typical and non-typical research problems and react to unpredictable circumstances (K_U02, K_U03).
U3: is able to apply advanced theoretical perspectives and paradigms pertaining to literary and cultural studies and use their knowledge to formulate and test hypotheses concerning uncomplicated research problems (K_U07).
U4: is able to undertake autonomous tasks in the field of cultural and literary studies, taking into account the objectives and instructions formulated by their academic supervisors (K_U08).
U5: is able to gain and deepen their knowledge in the field of cultural and literary studies and develop their research skills on their own (K_U11).
U6: is able to critically analyse and interpret various texts, use specialist terminology and justify the selected methodology in the field of cultural studies (K_U13).
U7: is able to formulate critical opinions about cultural artefacts on the basis of academic knowledge and experience, and to present their critical opinions in various forms and media (K_U15).
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
U1: The student is able to search for, analyse and interpret information from various sources, applying methods of literary and cultural studies and using advanced technologies in their research (K_U01, K_U04).
U2: The student is able to select, apply and adjust research methods and tools to address both typical and non-typical research problems and react to unpredictable circumstances (K_U02, K_U03).
U3: The student is able to apply advanced theoretical perspectives and paradigms pertaining to literary and cultural studies and use their knowledge to formulate and test hypotheses concerning research problems (K_U07).
U4: The student is able to undertake autonomous tasks in the field of cultural and literary studies, taking into account the objectives and instructions formulated by their academic supervisors (K_U08).
U5: The student is able to gain and deepen their knowledge in the field of cultural and literary studies and develop their research skills on their own (K_U11).
U6: The student is able to critically analyse and interpret various texts, use specialist terminology and justify the use of selected methodology in the field of literary and cultural studies (K_U13).
Learning outcomes - social competencies
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
K1: The student is aware of the level of their knowledge and skills and
understands the need for constant learning and development. K_K01
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
The student:
K1: is able to critically assess their knowledge and other sources of information (K_K01).
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
K1: The student is able to critically assess their knowledge and other sources of information used in their MA research (K_K01).
Teaching methods
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
- Seminar
- Project work
- Case study
- Presentation
- Individual tutorials
- Dicussion
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
- Seminar
- Project
- Case study
- Presentation
- Individual tutorials
- Discussion
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
- Seminar
- Project work
- Case study
- Discussion
Observation/demonstration teaching methods
- display
Expository teaching methods
- participatory lecture
- problem-based lecture
- description
- narration
Exploratory teaching methods
- laboratory
- project work
- experimental
- seminar
- case study
Online teaching methods
- content-presentation-oriented methods
Prerequisites
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
- fluent command of English
- academic interests in at least one of the following areas: linguistics, communication studies, multimodality and gesture studies, narrative studies, inclusive education.
- previous experience with empirical linguistic research recommended (e.g. a seminar in linguistics or a BA thesis)
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
→fluent command of English
→academic interests in literary, game, and cultural studies
→rudimentary knowledge about speculative fiction texts and their (recommended)
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
- fluent command of English
- interest in literary and/or cultural studies
Course coordinators
Term 2025/26Z: | Term 2023/24Z: | Term 2022/23Z: | Term 2024/25Z: |
Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria:
fail – 0 – 59%
satisfactory - 60 – 69%
satisfactory plus - 70 – 75%
good - 76 – 85%
good plus - 86 – 90%
very good - 91 – 100%
MA SEMINAR IN EMPIRICAL LINGUISTICS 2025/26 (dr Marta Sibierska)
Graded credit:
50%: in-class presentation of the research problem to be investigated in the MA thesis and the study design
50% percent: in-class activity
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MA SEMINAR IN LITERARY AND CULTURAL STUDIES 2025/26 (dr. hab. Edyta Lorek-Jezińska, prof. UMK)
Assessment methods:
presentation and written assignment - W1, W2, W3, W4, U1, U2, U3
active participation in discussion - W1, W2, W3, W4, U6, U7
MA research - W1, W2, W3, W4, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, U6, U7, K1
Assessment criteria:
The final grade for the first semester consists of the mark for:
- presentation (30% of the final grade)
- participation (20% of the final grade)
- written assignment: plagiarism & AI (10% of the final grade)
- MA topic description (1 page), general outline, preliminary bibliography (40% of the final grade)
Please note that plagiarism or the use of AI will result in failing the seminar.
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MA SEMINAR IN CULTURAL AND LITERARY STUDIES (dr Katarzyna Marak) 2025/2026
→progress on MA thesis and assigned tasks, on time: 70%
→participation in class: 30%
Requirements for a passing grade:
Submission of a) a detailed outline of a viable MA thesis, b) a preliminary Table of Contents accompanying that outline, and c) relevant References section.
In order to pass the class, you need to submit writing whose originality in indisputable. Using AI in any way (i.e. research, generating text, paraphrasing or style improvement of text) is absolutely forbidden under penalty of failing the seminar.
Practical placement
Notes
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Term 2022/23Z:
Expand the descriptions of the available seminars for more information.
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Term 2023/24Z:
Expand the descriptions of the available seminars for more information.
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Term 2024/25Z:
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Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors,
localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: