Basic Concepts in Discourse Analysis

Spring 2016
Instructor: Z.L KaidOmar
Class Time: Sundays (9:30 11am )
Course Description:
The course offers an introduction to the main concepts in Discourse
Analysis (such as discourse, text, discourse analysis, context, etc.). Throughout
the course, students will embark on exploring the world beyond the word,
how our worlds are put into words. To this end Discourse Analysis classes
elaborate on the perspective of language as a form of social action embedded
within its social context. We will draw on a range of concepts relevant to the
analysis of discourse to better understand how language works and is organized
beyond the sentence-level, emphasizing inter-sentence connectivity, the role of
context and past experiences (background knowledge) in the interpretation of
discourse. Besides providing students with theoretical material, some actual
examples are provided to illustrate the usefulness of analyzing texts and what
types of meanings are produced in relation to their grammatical structure and
word choice.
Course objectives and evaluation
The primary objective of this course is to familiarise students with the basic
concepts used in analyzing discourse. It also aims to make students alert about
how language is structured and organized at wider discourse contexts and what
lies behind the lines.To achieve this, students are given examples about short
texts analysis using the concepts provided in class.
Evaluation rests on a number of tasks students are required to accomplish.
The final mark students will get encompasses a range of marks they will score at
their homework assignments, summaries, participation, faithful attendance, in
addition to the mark obtained from their performance on the exam.
Course Syllabus
1. what is discourse ?
Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse Analysis. Preface & Ch 1.
Halliday, M. A. K. & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. Ch 1.
Shiffrin , D (1994). Approaches to Discourse Analysis .Blackwell (pp.20-42)

2. Defining concepts in Discourse Analysis

2.1.Some Discourse Analysis definition
2.2 Historical background
2.3 Semantics vs. pragmatics
2.4 Text vs. Discourse
2.5 Sentence vs. utterance
McCarthy.M (1991).Discourse Analysis For Language Teachers.Cambridge:
CUP (pp.5-7)
Paltridge.B .(2006). Discourse Analysis: An introduction. London: Continuum
(pp.1-5)
Johnstone.B ( 2008).
Discourse Analysis ( 2ned edt). Malden:Blakwell Publishing
Gee,J.P. (1999). An introduction to discourse analysis: Theory and method. New
York: Routledge.
Widdowsons Discourse Analysis (2007), The Difference between Discourse
and Text (p5)
Griffiths, Patrick. (2006). An Introduction to English Semantics and Pragmatics.
Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press (pp.1-5)
Shiffrin, Deborah. (1994) .Approaches to Discourse Analysis .Blackwell (pp.2042)
2.6 Context and context types
2.6.1 What is context? Why is it so important?
2.6.2 Linguistic Context (co-textual context)
2.6.3 Context of situation Yule and Browns (1983) Discourse
Analysis, The Context of Situation (pp.35-49)
2.6.4. Cultural context
3. Aspects of Discourse Analysis
3.1 Cohesion and coherence
3.2. Schemata and scripts
3.3. Speech acts

3.4 Cooperative maxims and conversational implicatures

Selected bibliography
Brown, G. & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse Analysis. Cambridge: CUP
Halliday, M. A. K. & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English. London :Longman
Johnstone.B. (2008) Discourse Analysis ( 2nd ed.). Malden: Blakwell
Publishing
McCarthy.M (1991).Discourse Analysis For Language Teachers.Cambridge:
CUP (p5-7)
Paltridge.B .(2006). Discourse Analysis: An introduction. London: Continuum
(p1-5)
Shiffrin , D (1994) .Approaches to Discourse Analysis .Blackwell
Trappes-Lomax, Hugh (2004) "Discourse analysis", in The Handbook of
Applied Linguisticsed. by A. Davies & C. Elder. Oxford: Blackwell, pp. 13364.
Van Dijk, V.A. (1993b).Analyzing Racism Through Discourse Analysis. Some
methodological reflections.In John Stanfield & R.M Dennis(eds.). Race
Ethnicity in Research Methods (pp92-134). Newsbury Park: Sage
___________ (1997).The study of Discourse. In teun Van Dijk (ed.) Discourse
as Structure and Process. London.Sage Publication. pp.1-34
Verdonk, Peter. 2002. Stylistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Widdowson, H.G. 2007. Discourse analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Wooffitt, R. (2005), Conversation Analysis and Discourse Analysis. Sage
Publication

Hamid Ibn Badis University of Mostaganem

Department of English
1st year Masters Degree Students
Introduction to Gender Studies
Spring 2016
By Z.L KaidOmar
Course description
This course offers an introduction to gender studies as an interdisciplinary
field that explores the role and meaning of gender in society. The main aim of
this course is to familiarize students with key concepts in gender studies and
stimulate their thinking at gender issues. It will focus on the importance of
establishing the difference between sex and gender, the role of the family and
other social institutions in shaping our gender identities. An essential part of the
syllabus will be devoted to the emergence of the feminist movements and its role
in relation to womens position in society. Encouraging students critical
reflection on gender, patriarchy, gender discrimination and gender stereotypes in
their culture and across various contexts lies at the heart of the course. As a
community of learners, students are given the opportunity for debating
controversial topics in which they may have different viewpoints. To impart a
sense of intellectual community, it is essential that students respect one
anothers ideas and experiences and engage in productive and active
conversations based on reasoning, critical reflection and sound argumentation .
Course Requirements and Evaluation
Designed for Masters degree students, this course is constructed in a format
that blends lecture and discussion. Lectures aim to engage students into debates
and classroom discussions rather than be unidirectional. It is crucial that students
come prepared to offer thoughtful responses to the issues raised in class as they
are given assigned readings not necessarily mentioned in the selected
bibliography.
Evaluation will be based on students participation, the fulfillment of the
assigned readings and projects, the ability to critically analyze the themes
discussed in class, and their performance on the final exam. It is important to
note that absences, tardiness and classroom behavior will also count for part of
their grading.
Course Syllabus
Part 1: The concept of gender

1-1 What is gender?

1-2 Sex / gender distinction.
1-3 Gender across cultures: Is gender a binary category?
Part 2: Gender socialization
2.1.Agents of socialization and gender-typed behaviours
2.2 The role of Socialization: a reproduction of the patriarchal system?
2.3 Gender stereotypes
Part 3: Feminism
3.1 Introduction : understanding feminism beyond connotations
3.2 First wave feminisms
3.3 Second wave feminism
3.4 Third wave feminism
Part 4: Feminist linguistics
4.1 Relationship between language and gender
4.2 Sexism in language
4.3 A Brief description of Robin Lakoffs womens language (1975).
Selected Bibliography
Allen, E. and Dino F. "General Introduction to Theories of Gender & Sex."
Introductory Guide to Critical Theory. Available at
<http://www.purdue.edu/guidetotheory/genderandsex/modules/introduction.html
>.
Graddol, D. & Swann, J. (1989) Gender Voices. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.
Holmes, M. (2009). Gender and Every Day Life . New York: Routledge
Krolkke, C., & Anne Scott Srensen. (2006). Three waves of feminism: From
suffragettes to grrls. In Gender communication theories & analyses: From
silence to performance. (pp. 1-25). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications
Lakoff, R. (1975). Language and Women's Place. New York: Harper and Row.
McElhinny, B.(2003). Theorising Gender in Sociolinguistics and Linguistic
Anthropology. In J. Holmes & M. Meyerhoff ( Eds.) , The Handbook of
Language and Gender. (pp.21-43).Malden MA: Blackwell

Pilcher, Jane & Whelehan, Imelda. (2004). 50 key Concepts in Gender

Studies.London: SAGE Publications
Talbot, M. (2003). Gender Stereotypes: Reproduction and Challenge. In Janet
Holmes and Miriam Meyerhoff (eds). The Handbook of Language and Gender.
(pp. 468-486). Blackwell Publishing
Research Methodology
2015/2016
By Z.L KaidOmar
Course description and objectives Unfolding over 2 semesters, this course is
designed for M1 students who are beginning their dissertation projects due for
their second year of their Masters studies. The aim of the course is to guide
students in conceptualizing and writing their dissertations. This will introduce
them to both the research process, i.e. the different stages of conducting a
research, with their underlying functions and sequence as well as the academic
requirements for the dissertation writing.
In the first semester, the course will focus more narrowly on the research
process. It discusses, among other things, how to select a research topic,
formulate viable research questions, and how to use an appropriate research
method for data collection. To this end, the course blends theory and practice.
Through authentic dissertations and group work activities, students are
encouraged to put into practice the theoretical points discussed in class. In the
second semester, the course is geared towards dissertation- writing process.
Therefore, it focuses on both the content and function of the different
components of the dissertation (e.g. an abstract, an introduction, a literature
review, etc.) and the importance of signposting language in preserving cohesion
and coherence.
The purpose of this course is twofold. The first is to shed light on the research
process that explains the necessary steps in conducting research. More
specifically, student are expected to know how to choose a research topic,
formulate appropriate research questions and hypotheses, select the relevant
literature and research method(s) and keep track of information sources. The
second purpose is related to the writing process of the research. Students are
introduced to the academic style and norms in the writing of the different
components of their dissertations.
Course Requirements and Evaluation

Designed for Masters degree students, this course should not be teachercentred as students are required to be active actors in their learning. This is why,
students are given a body of readings-not necessarily mentioned in the
bibliography- before each session and are expected to contribute actively to
classroom debates. Evaluation will be based on students participation, the
fulfillment of their assignments, and their performance on the final exam. It
should be noted that absences without a legitimate reason as well as tardiness
and classroom behaviour will taken into account in students grading
Course Syllabus

1st Term lessons

1.Research methodology: An Introduction
1.1 What is a research?
1.2 Objectives of research
1.3 What is research in the social science?
2. The research process
2.1 Introduction : Types of research
Concepts and theory
2.2 Choosing a research topic /problem
2.3 Research questions and hypothesis (es)
2.4 Literature Review and the use of information
2.5 Research approaches
2.6 Sampling and Variables
2.7 Data collection methods

2nd Term lessons

3. Norms of dissertation writing

3.1 Abstract (group work)
3.2 Introduction (classroom activities)
3.3 Literature Review (homework)
3.4 describing the research methodology
3.5 Data analysis

3.6 Referencing
3.7. How to make a presentation
References
Beglar.D & Murray.N .(2009). Inside Track to Writing Dissertations & Theses.
Harlow: Pearson Education. Chapter 2 preparing your research (literature gap,
questions /hypotheses)
Becker, Howard S. Writing for Social Scientist. How to Start and Finish Your
Thesis, Book, or Article. 2nd ed. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press,
2007.
Kothari, C.R. (2004) .Research Methodology: Methods & Techniques ( Second
Revised Edition). New Delhi : New Age International (P)
(Available online)
Mouton J.& Marais HC. (1996). Basic Concepts in the Methodology of the
Social Sciences. Pretoria: HCRS
Woods, P. (2006) Successful Writing for Qualitative Researchers. 2nd ed.
London: Routledge
Williams, Joseph M. (2006). Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace. 9th ed. New
York: Pearson and Longman,
Walliman, N. (2001).Your Research Project: A Step-by-Step Guide for the FirstTime Researcher. London : Sage Publications
Walliman, N. (2006). Social Research Methods. London: Sage Publications
( sampling, data collection methods, quantitative data analysis, qualitataive)
Walliman, N. (2011).Research methods: the basics. London & New York
Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group ( what is research , research structure
hypothesis, r questions)