ELIT 609: Research Methodology for Literary Studies.

   Y. Doc. Dr. Margaret J-M Sonmez

Fridays 14:40-17:30, Room Z20

This course is intended to improve the quality of your research and writing through increased awareness of what an elegant, properly thought-out and designed literature thesis is.  If you cannot imagine how a piece of research can be 'elegant' then you have not yet understood what methodology is. Consciousness of your own philosophy and methods of literary analysis,  of those of others, and of how these fit into the universe of thought and scholarship is the key.  Your reading and writing assignments are therefore related to questions such as ‘what is literature/art?’ ‘what is the academic study of literature trying to achieve in the universe of knowledge?’ ‘How do these ideas fit into the history of ideas?’  ‘Where do specific research projects fit into these issues?’  ‘How can I ensure that my work is relevant and well designed etc'.    You will need to be able to move from the personal to the universal, and from the general to the specific in a convincing manner. 

The course is conducted largely through discussions based upon assignments Each member of the class is required to do the assignments on time, in order to make detailed and specific contributions to classes. 

A document that combines the course outline with questions and descriptions is available here