Module manager: Peter Watson
Email: P.J.Watson@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module equips you with the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully execute a literature review and a research essay in English. You will attend lectures on themes central to Spanish and Latin American studies, introducing you to potential module options in Years 2 and 3; these will serve as the basis for your own research. You will be exposed to key texts in seminars, and will receive support in developing your self-expression in relation to the topics in language workshops, as well as targeted research skills training.
This module aims to:
1. introduce students to key approaches, themes and developments in Spanish and Latin American Studies, embedded in the research context of the University of Leeds
2. encourage students to conceive of Spanish and Latin American Studies as an interdisciplinary field of study that includes literature, culture, history, politics and society
3. engage students with scholarship and to develop a good general understanding of key principles in academic research
4. encourage students to utilise the research tools available at the University of Leeds (e.g. Special Collections, Skills@library)
5. develop students’ skills to engage with and analyse scholarship and analyse and discuss a wide range of primary materials, such as film, literature, media, political rhetoric, historical sources
6. develop the students’ ability to craft their own arguments and use evidence to support them.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. demonstrate an understanding of key approaches, concepts and themes in Spanish and Latin American Studies
2. identify and critique the main arguments of a range of scholarly publications drawn from the discipline of Spanish and Latin American Studies
3. students will develop their knowledge of key areas of research relating to Spanish and Latin American contexts
Skills learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. locate primary and secondary materials in libraries and online,
5. present complex ideas and rigorous research in formal genres of academic writing in English, specifically a literature review and research essay
6. use the MHRA and/or Leeds Harvard referencing styles correctly
7. learned how to analyse a range of primary materials in the target language, with the support of texts in translation, such as literature, film, media, political rhetoric, historical sources, and use them critically as evidence to support their own arguments
8. be able to compare, contrast, analyse and evaluate academic secondary sources, assessing their strengths, weaknesses, methodologies and contribution to the field
Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 6 | 1 | 6 |
| Seminars | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Practicals | 7 | 1 | 7 |
| Private study hours | 179 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 21 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 200 | ||
Formative feedback may be given on any of the following:
• Comprehension questions on primary or secondary sources in seminars
• Activities to enhance written and oral skills in target language in language workshops
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Essay | Research Essay | 60 |
| Literature Review | Literature review | 40 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 4/10/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team