Guidelines for the seminar paper for Semantics and pragmatics course
A)
Structure of the paper:
Title
Author name
University, programme
Paper outline
Abstract
This
part is best written after the paper is finished. Compulsory parts in the abstract:
|
Move |
Function |
Questions |
|
1. |
General |
What |
|
2. |
Objective, |
What |
|
3. |
Material, |
How |
|
4. |
Main |
What |
|
5. |
Interpretation |
What |
1.
Introduction
Background
of the research, describing the research gap, the novelty of the research, why
it is important etc.
Important
reference works in the topic
Linguistic
theory (cognitive semantics, cultural linguistics, pragmatics)
Posit
the RQ and your hypothesis. Very briefly explain your corpus and methodology
(how many expressions were collected, how, and how are they analysed.)
Explain
the structure of your paper.
2.
Theoretical background
1. Earlier
research on the linguistic notion under study. The linguistic notion you are
using, in the cognitive linguistic enterprise (e.g., proverbs, color terms,
conceptual metaphors, cultural categories, etc.)
2. Literature
on your specific/narrow topic. Basic references on the topic (e.g., colors)
3.
Data and methodology
Explain your corpus and methodology in
detail. Source of data, amount of data. How did you select them? How you
identify your language data? What translation method you use? How you organize
them? Qualitative/quantitative methodology. Tell the limitations of your
research (what do you NOT study and why?).
4.
Findings of the
research/Results
Present
your findings. Use a lot of language data with meaning and translation (if you
study figurative language, give both literal and figurative translations).
Start
with more frequent conceptualizations and move towards more and more specific
ones.
a) Explain the conceptualization
classes/groups, give various examples.
b) Point out minor differences.
c) Use tables to make them more
illustrative.
d) Which is more/less prominent?
5.
Discussion
Explain what can be inferred from the results. Use summary tables.
Explain in detail which data are dominant and which are not. Try to find an
explanation why it is so. Explain
relevant cultural background, traditions, belief system, customs if any. Explain
if something is missing completely and why.
6.
Conclusions
Explain your research briefly again and its key
results.
What general observations can be made from these
findings with reference to the broad topic?
What is novel about it? How does it add to what we
already know about it?
How should this research be continued to gain an even
finer view?
References:
Use
APA 7th format both in the text and in the references
Follow
alphabetical order, then chronological order (see APA7 descriptions)
Appendix
List
of all of your language data collected for the research (it doesn’t have to be
organized)
B) Other important details:
Topics:
any cognitive-cultural semantic topics discussed at class.
Method:
collect you own data from dictionaries or from available corpora or genres
(e.g., on the internet)
Length:
5000 words including references
Formatting
style:
APA7
use
indentations except for the first line after the section titles.