EN5

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5:

Res

earc

h &

Stu

dy

Met

ho

ds

for

Engl

ish

Session 2:Working Practices

Sess

ion

Aim

s Increased awareness of the practical and conceptual skills required for postgraduate literary studies

Understanding of the application of essential literary research methods, analytical techniques and theoretical approaches

Appreciation of the dynamic relationship between the researcher, the research topic and the methods employed

What sort of researcher are you?

Or, why do you read and think in the way you do?

Personal views and

perspectives

Education and previous

training

Political

Ideological

TheoreticalSocial

Methodological

Cultural

Bias

Personal views and

perspectives

Education and previous

training

PoliticalLiberal

IdeologicalSocialist

TheoreticalFeminist

SocialWorking

Class

Methodological

Close Reading

CulturalNorth

American

BiasFreudian

cynic

Personal views and

perspectives

Education and previous

training

Political

Ideological

TheoreticalSocial

Methodological

Cultural

Bias

Other factors

Unidentified preferences

What do we do when we research literature?

Communicate

Evaluate

Interpret

Analyse

i.e. w

e th

ink

crit

ical

ly..

.

Area Studies

Gender Studies

Queer Theory

Psychoanalysis

Postcolonial

Theoretical Methodologies

New Historicism

Postmodernism

Deconstruction

Marxism

...

Part 1:

Textual Work

45 minutes individual scholarship working with a primary text

Exploring your “default” working style

What assumptions are you making as you work?What approaches are you employing?What research questions are raised by this text?

Part 2:

Research Groups

45 minutes working with other researchers

Testing an established methodology and collaborative techniques

Do you share an understanding of the text? How will the nominated theoretical framework change your approach? How will you present this as a viable research option?

Part 3:

Communicating Findings

10 minute group presentations

Synthesising and evaluating reading and discussion

Consider how best to use your allotted time –who will speak, what will they say?What are the most convincing and useful aspects of this approach? Are there weaknesses and limitations to looking at a text from this perspective?

Sum

mar

y Critical analysis requires analysing, synthesising and evaluating (not describing) primary and secondary materials

Ask questions of your material and of your own approach to it

Consider whether different approaches and methodologies might be required

Nex

t Se

ssio

n

Session 3:

DisseminationWeek 12