Course syllabus

SEMESTER 1, 2017
Course Information

 

Prerequisites and restrictions: 

This 30-point course is only available to students enrolled in a Masters degree in translation or equivalent.

Course Coordinator:

Dr Vanessa Enríquez Raído

Teachers:

Dr Vanessa Enríquez Raído (weeks 1-4) - V.enriquez@auckland.ac.nz

Office hour: Tuesday, 10-11 am by appointment, Arts 2 Building, Level 4, Room 415

Associate Professor Minako O'Hagan (weeks 5-6) - minako.ohagan@auckland.ac.nz

Office hour: Monday, 3:30-4:30pm by appointment, Arts 2 Building, Level 4, Room 417

Dr David Atkinson (weeks 7-12) - TBA

Office hour: Tuesday, 12-1 pm, Arts 2 Building, Room 207-516a

Class contact hours:

Tuesday, 1-4 pm, room 201E-411a

Summary of course description:

This course aims at enhancing students' knowledge of research methods in Translation and Interpreting (T&I) Studies so that they can apply it in their own research. Based on a thorough discussion of key theoretical concepts and predominant research models in the discipline, the course guides students in the development of their own research projects and helps them select an appropriate theoretical framework and research methodology for said projects. The course thus focuses on different methods of data collection and analysis, as well as on the written and oral presentation of research projects and expected findings. The students are introduced to the state of the art methods used in the field and challenged to apply them appropriately in their research design. It builds on previous learning through translation theory and practice courses, among other related courses.

Learning outcomes:

1. Identify and critically review relevant prior research in order to locate the student’s own work in the body of existing works;
2. Select an appropriate theoretical framework and research methodology for the student’s own research;
3. Familiarize with up-to-date data collection and analysis methods used in the field;
4. Develop awareness of academic writing requirements suitable at postgraduate level;
5. Write and present a coherent research proposal suitable at postgraduate level;
6. And write an academic essay on theoretical framework or research methodology which demonstrates content knowledge as well as substantial academic writing skills in relation to the student's research topic.

Learning goals:

To achieve the specified learning outcomes, the course is designed to fulfil the following sets of key learning goals:

1. Building Theoretical Foundations

• MA dissertation requirements: expectations, guidelines, and structure
• The language of research: key concepts, types of questions, time in research, types of relationships, philosophy of research, and ethics in research
• Conducting literature review: research skills and information (re)sources
• Research areas in Translation and Interpreting (e.g. localization, consecutive interpreting, literary translation, etc.)
• Research models (e.g. process vs. product-oriented studies) in Translation and Interpreting Studies
• Research methods and tools in Translation and Interpreting Studies (e.g. corpus studies, case studies, think-aloud protocols, keystroke logging, screen recording, etc.)

2. Familiarizing with Research Development Stages

• Selecting and planning a research topic
• Choosing and developing a theoretical framework
• Assessing previous research in a particular subject area/specialized topic
• Formulating research questions, claims and/or hypotheses
• Selecting a research approach and related methods
• Sampling (where appropriate): key terms, descriptive and inferential statistics, and probability vs. non-probability sampling methods
• Measurement: levels of measurement, reliability, survey research, scaling, and qualitative research and unobtrusive measures
• Design: internal validity and types of designs
• Collecting, processing, and analysing data
• Testing and piloting in empirical research

3. Developing Academic Writing Skills

• Principles of academic writing
• Discourse conventions and modes of argument
• Presentation of data and results
• Revision of final chapters

Class content schedule:

Week #	Date	Contents
1	March 7	Course overview and welcome Postgraduate policies, guidelines, and forms Student‐teacher expectations on course contents and supervision MA dissertation and PhD thesis guidelines and reports The language of research (I)
2	March 14	The language of research (II) Conducting an effective literature review Managing bibliographical references Referencing and citing
3	March 21	Identifying research areas in T&I Presenting research models and methods in T&I Selecting and planning a research topic Identifying previous research/studies in a specific area Assignment 1 handed out, due back on April 26 by 3 pm
4	March 28	Assessing sample research proposals Working on your draft research proposal (I): Formulating preliminary research questions/problems Choosing and developing a preliminary theoretical framework Choosing and justifying suitable research methods
5	April 4	Assessing previous dissertations/research projects Working on your initial research proposal (II): Discussing types and levels of measurement Choosing preliminary data collection tools Choosing preliminary data processing and analysis tools
6	April 11	Introducing key principles of academic writing Applying academic discourse conventions Reviewing and refining your initial research proposal
MID-TERM BREAK
7	May 2	Discussing feedback on Assignment 1 Working on Assignment 2: Preparing oral presentations and accompanying scripts Assessing sample presentations and scripts   Assignments 2 and 3 announced on Canvas.
8	May 9	Working on Assignment 2 Reviewing your draft PowerPoint presentation and accompanying script Writing your draft script Enhancing your theoretical framework and research methodology
9	May 16	Working on Assignment 3: Structuring your essay Presenting evidence and using different modes of argument
10	May 23	Working on Assignment 3: Structuring and presenting data Drawing and writing conclusions Reviewing the first draft of your essay
11	May 30	Refining Assignment 2: Assessing overall strengths and weakness Final recommendations Working on Assignment 3: Reviewing your second draft essay
12	June 6	Assignment 2: Presentation of research projects and discussion Online teacher and course evaluations

Course materials:

Course materials consist of academic literature dealing with each topic discussed in class. Additional material, including audio-visual material, will be added to the teaching modules on a weekly basis.

Teaching format and methods:

Course contents are taught through lectures and guided group discussions on different topics. Teaching methods will promote both individual work and teamwork to develop students' own specialized knowledge, intellectual skills, and interpersonal qualities. Students will also be provided with opportunities to i) actively participate in and reflect on their own learning processes, ii) structure their own learning experiences and relate them to the course syllabus, and ii) gradually become independent researchers. 

Expectations of students:

Students are expected to i) read a wide range of texts and recommended bibliography and ii) carry out three assignments aimed at developing their research projects. Students are also expected to actively participate in class and be involved in their own learning experience and progress.

Assessment:

The assessment of students' performance, knowledge, and learning processes is based on the coursework listed below. Active vs. passive student participation in the classroom will be taken into account for adjusting final grades where necessary. Final grades are weighted according to the following percentages:

Assignment 1 - Submission of Initial Research Proposal: 3,000 words, worth 20%

This assignment involves the submission of a well-developed research proposal that includes a clear statement of the research question(s); a well-justified motivation for the research; the location of the research in relation to prior studies in the area; a suitable research design; analysis and conclusion, including limitations and key assumptions of research; and ethical considerations, as appropriate, accompanied by bibliography. 

Assignment 2 – Oral Presentation of Refined Research Proposal: 20-minute presentation with accompanying manuscript between 3,500 and 4,000 words long, worth 40%

This assignment builds on previous feedback the students receive for the first assignment, with the expectation that both the theoretical framework and the research methodology sections are improved and fine-tuned. Students are expected to be able to defend their choice of theoretical framework and research methodology, thus demonstrating they are at the forefront of theoretical and research knowledge required to conduct studies in translation or interpreting. In addition, students are expected to show that they are able to deliver an effective research presentation.

Assignment 3 – Submission of Academic Essay in the form of Literature Review: between 3,000 and 3,500 words, worth 40 %

Drawing on the previous two assignments, the students are expected to demonstrate content
knowledge as well as substantial academic writing skills, acquired in this course in order to produce a well-revised, academic writing piece in the form of literature review. This will
require the students to think critically about the published research in their chosen research area.

Overview of coursework:

Coursework	Handed-Out	Handed-In
Assignment 1	March 21	April 26
Assignment 2	May 03	June 2
Assignment 3	May 03	June 12

*The coursework schedule may change subject to students' learning needs and progress in the course.

Requirements for the preparation of work:

Assignments will be prepared electronically, i.e. no hand-written works will be accepted, and submitted in electronic format via e-mail to Dr David Atkinson. Hard copies must also be submitted to the Arts Assignment Centre on Level 3 of Arts 1, 14A Symonds Street.

Procedures for submission of work:

File names

Please name your files in the following way: "FamilyName_StudentID_Assignment#.doc". Example: "Enriquez_ 234567_assignment1.doc"

Layout

Please work on an A4 paper format (21 cm x 29.7 cm), portrait, with margins of 2.5 cm top and bottom and 3 cm left and right.

Basic presentation

Use Times New Roman, 12 points, black, 1.5-spaced, as your basic font. Your text should be justified.

Name

Please add your name and student ID at the top of your MS Word document in all your work.

Assignments policy: extensions, deadlines, and penalties:

HOW TO SEEK/REQUEST/APPLY FOR AN EXTENSION

In serious circumstances* beyond the student’s control (see below), s/he may request an extension from the course coordinator. The request should:

• be made by email at least 2-3 days BEFORE the due date for the assignment
• provide an explanation of the circumstances

• be supported by a satisfactory medical certificate or other documentation

If an extension is granted, you will be given a new due date. Only ONE extension can be granted to a student per assignment. Only in extreme circumstances will late requests for extensions be considered.

*Serious circumstances means sudden illness (in the case of in-class tests etc.) or long-term illness (for essays etc. done over a week or more).  It does NOT mean time management difficulties, wanting to go on holiday, relatives visiting from overseas, computer breakdowns, etc.  

DEADLINES & PENALTIES FOR LATENESS

Any work submitted after the due date and without an extension form or permission in writing from the Course Coordinator will be treated as overdue and penalties will apply (see below). 

The mark given to an overdue assignment will be reduced by up to 10 percent (at the discretion of the Course Coordinator) of the total possible marks for that assignment for each day that it is late up to 5 days (e.g. for an assignment marked out of 20, deduct up to 2 marks per day up to a total of 10 marks). Assignments which are due on Friday, or the day before a university holiday, but are not received until the next working day will be counted as TWO days late.

Overdue assignments that are submitted more than five days late will not be marked; nor will assignments be marked if submitted after the assignment has been marked and returned. Unmarked assignments will be held by the marker until the end of the semester, and in cases where the final grade for the student is borderline (D+), the marker may choose to award a minimal completion mark. For this reason, it is better to hand in an assignment late than not at all.

OUT-OF-CLASS ASSESSMENT (i.e. take-home essays/projects/assignments, etc.)

When a staff member grants an extension they will set a new due date.  The completed assignment must be submitted on or before the new due date together with the medical certificate and other documentation. If an assignment is submitted after the new due date, penalties for lateness apply as above.

IN CLASS TESTS, ELECTRONIC TESTS, ORAL PRESENTATIONS, ETC.

When serious circumstances (e.g. sudden serious illness or a car accident) cause a student to miss an in-class test/assessed presentations or electronic test it is expected that the student will notify the Course Coordinator at the earliest possible opportunity, if possible before the scheduled test or presentation takes place. If the student or their representative makes no contact within five days of the scheduled test/presentation, they will be awarded a zero grade for that piece of assessment. 

Extreme cases will be judged by the Course Coordinator on their own merits. Documentation may be required.

Plagiarism and use of Information and Communication Technology:

PLAGIARISM

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating or assisting others to cheat and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offense. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting his or her learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the World Wide Web. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerized detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerized review.

Students may not translate work from another source without proper acknowledgment and reference.

The penalties for plagiarism are severe and can range from gaining no marks for the assignment to disciplinary action under the terms of the Examination Regulations. For further information and advice on University regulations and how to reference appropriately, see http://www.cite.auckland.ac.nz/index.php?p=overview.

All students entering the University are required to complete the Academic Integrity Module. For further information on this module please see https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/learning-and-teaching/policies-guidelines-and-procedures/academic-integrity-info-for-students/about-academic-integrity/academic-integrity-course.html.

Information about third-party assistance in postgraduate coursework can be found at http://www.auckland.ac.nz/webdav/site/central/shared/about/teaching-and-learning/policies-guidelines-procedures/documents/guidelines-third-party-assistance-ugpg-senate-appr-05112007.pdf

The Student Academic Conduct Statute can be found here: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/about/the-university/how-university-works/policy-and-administration/teaching-and-learning/students/academic-conduct-statute.html.

USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY (E.G. CLASS FACEBOOK PAGES)

If students in any course wish to set up a Facebook page for the course or to use any other form of ICT, they need to be aware that the  University of Auckland Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Statute sets out rules governing the use of any ICT hardware or software at or for University activities. It forbids using ICT “to store, display or communicate … files containing any text, image that is deceptive or misleading, is abusive or defamatory, contravenes anyone’s privacy … or that reproduces all or part of any work in breach of the Copyright Act 1994”. The Statute refers students to the relevant University Disciplinary Statute and the penalties that may apply.

Inclusive learning:

Students are urged to discuss privately any impairment-related requirements face-to-face and/or in written form with the Course Convenor, Lecturer and/or Tutor. Please contact Dr Vanessa Enríquez Raído as soon as possible if you have any impairment-related needs.

Complaint procedures:

The University of Auckland seeks to encourage the prompt and informal resolution of all students’ learning and research grievances as they arise. Students should be aware that support is available through either their class or faculty representative, the Student Advocacy Network or their Students' Association. For detailed information on academic disputes and complaints, see https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/for/current-students/cs-academic-information/cs-regulations-policies-and-guidelines/academic-disputes-and-complaints..html. 

Aegrotat information:

For information on how to seek seek either Aegrotat or Compassionate consideration, please see Aegrotat Information sheet_09Feb17_final.pdf.