Gain a hands-on introduction to corpus linguistics, as this module dives into this essential area of modern language research. You will learn how to analyse large collections of real-world language using key techniques such as concordance analysis, wordlists, n-grams, keyword identification and collocation networks.

Working with #LancsBox, a powerful corpus analysis tool developed at Lancaster University and used by researchers world-wide, you will gain practical skills in analysing and visualising word patterns, sampling language data and uncovering meaningful linguistic trends. The module explores how these methods are applied in sociolinguistics, discourse studies and applied linguistics, giving you a solid foundation in both theory and application.

By the end of the module, you'll be able to carry out your own corpus-based investigations and critically evaluate research using corpus techniques — gaining transferable skills relevant to careers in research, education, media and tech-driven language analysis.

This module explores how corpus tools and techniques can be used to enhance language teaching across a range of contexts—from English as a second/foreign language to English for Academic Purposes and secondary school instruction.

You will learn how to integrate corpora into the classroom, develop data-driven learning materials and use learner language analysis to tailor instruction more effectively. The course balances theory and practice: you’ll gain a solid understanding of corpus-based principles and explore how to apply them to teach grammar, vocabulary, speaking and writing. We will also consider the advantages and challenges of integrating GenAI tools with corpus methods to support language learning.

You’ll engage with real corpus tools and resources to support student engagement and learning outcomes. Whether you're preparing to teach English or another language, or to develop educational content, this module provides highly transferable skills in the development of teaching resources, learner needs analysis and digital pedagogy — making it ideal for educators, materials writers, and anyone interested in innovative, evidence-based teaching.

This module introduces essential concepts and techniques in corpus data analysis, giving you the confidence to apply quantitative methods in your own research. Tailored for language analysts, it focuses on real-world applications of research methods and statistics —from measuring word frequency and diversity to testing hypotheses using chi-squared, t-tests, ANOVA, regression and more.

You’ll also explore the statistics behind collocations and keyword analysis and learn how to assess reliability in coding and annotation. Through hands-on sessions, you’ll gain experience with techniques such as cluster and factor analysis, bootstrapping and non-parametric testing. A key focus is on making your data meaningful and accessible through effective visualisation and presentation—valuable skills for both academic research and professional communication. By the end of the module, you’ll be able to carry out your own statistical analyses and clearly present findings in research reports, research articles or applied projects.

Equipping you with the skills to design and build your own language corpus from the ground up, this module focuses on the essential capability for independent research.

You’ll learn how to sample language data effectively, collect it from written, spoken, or digital sources and prepare it for analysis through annotation, metadata recording and formatting. Drawing on Lancaster University’s long-standing expertise in corpus development, the module uses real-world examples from projects such as the British National Corpus 2014, Trinity Lancaster Corpus and Guangwai Lancaster Corpus of L2 Chinese.

You’ll explore different corpus types including learner, multimodal and spoken corpora, while also learning practical steps such as XML conversion, POS tagging and dealing with copyright considerations.

By the end of this module, you’ll be able to create a custom corpus tailored to your own research questions— gaining a highly transferable skill in linguistics, data science, education, language technology and further domains.

This module explores how corpus methods can be used to investigate real-world discourse—across news, healthcare, social media and beyond. Rooted in Lancaster University’s long-standing tradition of corpus-based discourse studies, it combines hands-on analytical skills with a critical understanding of language in society. You’ll examine how discourse shapes and reflects social realities, using corpora to uncover patterns in media narratives, gender representation, online interactions and more.

Topics include key theoretical frameworks, the role of corpora in discourse analysis, and applied domains such as forensic linguistics and literary studies. You’ll gain experience using corpora to answer discourse-related research questions, analyse power and ideology in text, and write up discourse findings in a structured and impactful way. By the end of the module, you’ll be equipped to critically analyse language in its social context — thus gaining skills transferable to academic research, policy, media, and communication industries.