Quantitative Methods in Language Studies

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2012:

On campus and online

2 contact hours/week, an additional 8 hours/week. Total of 10 hours per week.

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Students Experiencing Academic Disadvantage Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Description, Subject Objectives, Generic Skills and Assessment Requirements of this entry.The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the disability support scheme can be found at the Disability Liaison Unit website: http://www.services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

This is an introductory subject designed to enable students to acquire the basic tools necessary for critically READING about and carrying out quantitative empirical research in applied linguistics. Students will be given practice in the application of statistics in the analysis of data obtained from research and will be introduced to the use of computers with statistical packages to analyse data. Throughout, there will be a focus on the practicality and usefulness of the skills developed for the tasks of understanding research literature in applied linguistics, and of carrying out research in settings relevant to students. No prior knowledge of mathematics or of statistical procedures will be assumed.

• be able to read research in applied linguistics critically and with understanding, including research which involves quantitative analysis of data.
• design, conduct and analyse data from a small scale research project relevant to their professional interests.
• develop skills in the use of statistical packages on the computer.

6 homework assignments (30%) due over the course of the semester. a take-home examination(30%) due in the final week of semester. a 2000 word paper (40%) due two weeks after the end of the semester.

• Statistics for People Who (Think They) Hate Statistics (Salkind, N) Sage, 2011 (4th ed.)

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• develop their research skills.
• develop their critical thinking and analytic skills.
• be able to communicate ideas through writing.

Subject offered as both online and on-campus. Some restrictions on student visa holders apply. Please contact the subject coordinator for more information. For students taking this subject online: 2 hours of online work related to course material (activities, self-assessment, bulletin board discussion).