2025/26 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

LING2420 Interactional Linguistics

20 Credits Class Size: 18

Module manager: Leendert Plug
Email: l.plug@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 1 (Sep to Jan) View Timetable

Year running 2025/26

Pre-requisites

MODL1060 Language: Structure and Sound

Mutually Exclusive

LING3310 Interactional Linguistics

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

This module introduces students to the study of language use in verbal interaction. It takes its cues from the sociological discipline of conversation analysis in viewing interactions as sequences of utterances that are highly organised and subject to implicit rules. The module covers how such sequences are constructed and how linguistic features play a role in this construction. Students encounter data from English and other languages, and do original interactional linguistic research on language material that they record themselves. Please note this is an optional module and runs subject to enrolments. If a low number of students choose this module, then the module may not run and you may be asked to choose another module.

Objectives

This module aims to:

1. acquaint students with the main issues that interactional linguistic research seeks to address, the principal methods that it employs, and a range of conversation-analytic concepts
2. develop students' skills in recording, transcribing and analysing interactional language data

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:

1. apply basic concepts of interactional linguistics in the analysis of spoken language data
2. identify and describe examples of common interactional linguistic practices in unfamiliar data
3. undertake interactional linguistic research in accordance with the fundamental principles of the discipline

Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:

4. conduct research involving the recording, transcription and qualitative analysis of real-world data using appropriate digital tools
5. communicate analytical findings effectively

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching Methods

Delivery type Number Length hours Student hours
Lecture 10 1 10
Practical 6 1 6
Seminar 4 1 4
Private study hours 180
Total Contact hours 20
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) 200

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students are given informal feedback and individual help during seminar and workshop sessions where relevant. They receive written feedback on a formative transcription exercise and on a formative analysis task, if they complete these. The instructions for the research project are disseminated and discussed at the start of the module and students are encouraged to contribute their own data to the seminars; to a large extent the module syllabus is arranged around the students’ work on their projects, if they choose to engage from early on. Students are given informal feedback on their seminar contributions and guidance on how to develop their analysis for the purpose of the assessed report.

Methods of Assessment

Coursework
Assessment type Notes % of formal assessment
Coursework Independent research report 100
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) 100

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading List

Check the module area in Minerva for your reading list

Last updated: 02/05/2025

Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team