Identifying Data 2018/19
Subject (*) Cognition and Cognitive Processes in English Code 613505011
Study programme
Mestrado Universitario en Estudos Ingleses Avanzados e as súas Aplicacións (2013)
Descriptors Cycle Period Year Type Credits
Official Master's Degree 2nd four-month period
 First Optional 3
Language
English
Teaching method Face-to-face
Prerequisites
Department Letras
Coordinador
Alonso Giraldez, Jose Miguel
 E-mail
miguel.giraldez@udc.es
Lecturers
Alonso Giraldez, Jose Miguel
 E-mail
miguel.giraldez@udc.es
Web http://www.imaes.eu/?page_id=31
General description Este curso constitúe unha introdución aos fenómenos da cognición e o procesamiento da linguaxe. O principal obxectivo é investigar como a mente humana (e, en última instancia, o cerebro humano) almacena e usa a linguaxe en liña. O curso busca proporcionar aos estudantes coñecementos básicos sobre a realidade psicolóxica da linguaxe e da forma en que a mente utiliza (ou non) o coñecemento gramatical no uso da linguaxe ordinaria.

Study programme competencies
Code Study programme competences
A1 E01 – Familiarity with the main research models in linguistic research.
A2 E02 – Familiarity with the main resources, tools and methodologies in linguistic research.
A4 E04 – Familiarity with cognition and processing studies within the scope of research into English linguistics.
B6 G01 –The capacity to delve into those concepts, principles, theories or models related with the different fields of English Studies is a necessary skill, as is the ability to solve specific problems in a particular field of study via appropriate methodology.
B7 G02 – Students must be capable of applying the knowledge acquired in the multidisciplinary and multifaceted area of English Studies
B8 G03 – An efficient use of new information technology and communication in English Studies is a necessary skill.
B9 G04 – Students must be able to publicly present their ideas, reports or experiences, as well as give informed opinions based on criteria, external norms or personal reflection. All of this implies having sufficient command of both oral and written academic and scientific language
B10 G05 – Skills related to research and the handling of new knowledge and information in the context of English Studies are to be acquired by students
B11 G06 – Students should be able to develop a critical sense in order to assess the relevance of both existing research in the fields of English Studies, and their own research.
B12 G07 –Linguistic competence (C2 level) in oral and written English must be developed and consolidated.
B13 G08 – Students should become progressively autonomous in the learning process, and in the search for appropriate resources and information, via the use of bibliographic and documentary sources related to English Studies.
B14 G09 – Students are expected to be able to carry out research projects of an academic nature in the different fields of English Studies
B15 G10 – The ability to present and defend a research project using adequate terminology and resources appropriate to the field of study is a skill which should be acquired.

Learning aims
Learning outcomes Study programme competences
This course constitutes an introduction to psycholinguistics and language processing. Psycholiguistics is the discipline that studies how the human mind (and, ultimately, the human brain) stores and uses language on-line. The course seeks to provide students with basic knowledge about the psychological reality of language and of the way in which the mind makes use (or not) of grammatical knowledge in ordinary language use. AR1
AR2
AR4
 BR6
BR7
BR8
BR9
BR10
BR11
BR12
BR13
BR14
BR15

Contents
Topic Sub-topic
1. Introduction to psycholinguistics: aims, scope and methods.
2. Experience or genes. Innateness.
3. The biology of language. Acquisition.
4. Words in the mind.
5. Syntactic comprehension.
6. Language production 		Chomsky's cognitive theory.
Lexical Processing and Sentence Context Effects
The Syntax–Semantic Interface: On-Line Composition of
Sentence Meaning
Semantic Memory

Planning
Methodologies / tests Competencies Ordinary class hours Student’s personal work hours Total hours
Seminar A1 A2 A4 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11 B12 B13 B14 B15 14 60 74
 
Personalized attention 1 0 1
 
(*)The information in the planning table is for guidance only and does not take into account the heterogeneity of the students.

Methodologies
Methodologies Description
Seminar Lectures and seminars, combined with online coursework.

Personalized attention
Methodologies
Seminar
Description
Class attendance is complusory.
The teacher is available in office hours, and also via e-mail.


Assessment
Methodologies Competencies Description Qualification
Seminar A1 A2 A4 B6 B7 B8 B9 B10 B11 B12 B13 B14 B15 Attendance to class is compulsory.
Active participation in class: 20%
Course assignments: 60%
Oral and written skills; correct structuring and presentation of the course assignments: 20%
 100
 
Assessment comments

Given that this degree programme is
part distance learning, part actual attendance, students are required to attend
the compulsory sessions, unless they have applied for exemption within the time
period specified by the Academic Commission of the degree, and this exemption
has been granted. This exemption will be valid provided students comply with
the rules on attendance in force in the three universities participating in the
programme, and provided they comply with the assessment systems which are
specified in the teaching guides for each module. Students should be aware,
however, that not attending certain classroom sessions may affect their final
grades.

Students
who have been granted exemption, as specified in the university regulations,
will be assessed according to the criteria applied to the July opportunity.

Students
who do not submit a supervised project, or who fail
to submit at least 50% of the other tasks for assessment, will be graded as
absent from assessment (NP: no presentado).

Students
who do not pass in the first opportunity will be able
to re-sit in July, when they will be required to demonstrate that they have
acquired the skills for each module via two types of assessment: a supervised
project with the same percentage value and characteristics as in the first
opportunity, plus the exercises agreed upon with the lecturer(s) as a
substitute for the other activities of the module.

Plagiarism

In this subject, the Turnitin tool could be used in the evaluation of essays and activities. Based on the recommendations of the Xunta de Facultade, the following text is added for the students' consideration: Turnitin is an application for teachers to review parts of a text from other texts and indicate their origin. This tool can identify papers presented previously in this or other universities, including those written by the same student. If this circumstance occurs, it will be understood that it is contrary to academic honesty and will be applied to the academic regulations for evaluations, grades, etc.

Sources of information
Basic

Aitchison, J. 2008. The Articulate Mammal. London: Unwin Hyman.
Aitchison, J. 2001. Language Change: Progress or Decay? Cambridge: C.U.P.
Aitchison, J. 2003. Words in the Mind. Oxford: Blackwell.
Aitchison, J. 1996. The Seeds of Speech. Cambridge: C.U.P .
Altman, G. 1997. The Ascent of Babel. Oxford: O.U.P.
Carroll, D.W. 2008. Psychology of Language. Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/Cole.
Field, John. 2004. Psycholinguistics: a resource book for students. London: Routledge.
Field, John. 2005. Language and the mind. London: Routledge.
Garman, M. 1990. Psycholinguistics. Cambridge: C.U.P .
Jackendoff, R. 1993. Patterns in the Mind. New York: Harvester Wheatsheaf.
Jackendoff, R. 2002. Foundations of language. Oxford: O.U.P.
Pinker, S. 1994. The Language Instinct. London: Penguin.
Steinberg, D. 1993. An Introduction to Psycholinguistics. Harlow, Essex: Longman.

Complementary
Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic structures. The Hague: Mouton.
Chomsky, N. (1959). A Review of B. F. Skinner’s Verbal Behavior. Language, 35, 26–58.
Chomsky, N. (1965). Aspects of the theory of syntax. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Recommendations
Subjects that it is recommended to have taken before

Subjects that are recommended to be taken simultaneously

Subjects that continue the syllabus

Other comments


(*)The teaching guide is the document in which the URV publishes the information about all its courses. It is a public document and cannot be modified. Only in exceptional cases can it be revised by the competent agent or duly revised so that it is in line with current legislation.