University of Sialkot, Pakistan

Faculty of Social Sciences

Final Term Examination- Fall-2020

Course Code: ENG-7020 Course Title: Advanced Literary-Cultural Research

Teacher’s Name: Mr. Amjad Ali Total Marks: 35 Marks
Date & Time:13/02/21 (2:00pm-5:00pm) Total Time: 180 Minutes
Student’s Name: Anum Roll. No.: 018

ATTEMPT ALL THE QUESTIONS:

Question # 01 (Marks 10)

Explain the function of Literature Review.
Ans. The purpose of literature review is to gain an understanding of the existing research and
debates relevant to particular topic or area of study and to present that knowledge in the form of
written report. Conducting a Literature review helps you build your knowledge in a field. You
will learn about important concepts, research methods and experimental techniques that are used
in your field. You will also gain insight that how researchers apply the concepts that you are
learning in your unit to read problems. Another great benefits of literature review is that you will
get better understanding of how research findings are presented and discussed in your particular
discipline. If you pay attention to what you read and try to achieve similar style you will become
more successful at writing for your discipline. Literature review often found at the beginning of
research articles . This is because literature review shows the reader where the research
community is up to research that topic and highlights existing research. A Literature review
discussed published information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. A
literature review of a mature topic addresses the need for a critique and potential
reconceptualization of the expanding and more diversified knowledge base of the topic as
continue to develop. Literature review addresses new or emerging topics that would benefit from
holistic conceptualization and synthesis of the literature. Because these topics are relatively new
and have not yet undergone a comprehensive review of literature, the review is more likely to lead
to lead to an initial or preliminary conceptualization of topic like new model or framework. A
literature review can be just simple summary of the sources but it usually has an organizational
pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. The major functions of literature review are
following:

1) It explain the research context

2) It acknowledged the work of others
3) It identifies the appropriate research questions
4) It identifies the gaps in existing research
5) It compare and contrast each source of other relevant literature on topic
6) It critically evaluate each source
7) It improves your research methodology
8) It broadened your knowledge
9) It brings clarity and focus to your research problems
10) It contextualize your findings

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 Literature review determine what is known on topic , how well this knowledge is established
and where your future research might best to directed.

Question # 02 (Marks 10)

Please briefly explain discourse and discourse analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis
Discourse analysis widely is a research method for studying or written or spoken language in
relation to its social context. It aims to understand how language is used in real life situations.
When you do discourse analysis you have the purpose and effects of different type of languages.
Discourse analysis has lack of concern with explanation ( how discourse and discursive practices
are social shaped and their social effects ). It is local explanatory. It has the descriptive analysis.
Discourse analysis is widely study of the usage of languages in texts and it’s contextual meaning.
Discourse analysis are concerned with the study of language in which also entails the concept of
meaning making and understanding.
Critical discourse analysis is a methodology that enables vigorous assessment of what is meant
when languages is used to describe and explain. This is the proliferation of terms within. CDA
pays attention to ideational meaning It has critical analysis. It has global explanatory. CDA has
the reflection of various methodologies . CDA is the analytical discourse as a research to study
the social perpetuation of dominance power abuse by text and talk in a socio political context.
CDA are interested in the way in which languages and discourse are used to achieve social
goals and in take part in social maintenance and change.
The main difference that I can point to is that CDA deals with more issues such as in textuality
interdiscursility and socio historical context of formation and interpretation of text , while DA in
genera does not go into such aspect of given texts.

Question # 03 (Marks 10)

Discuss Pragmatism as a Research Paradigm.
Ans. The pragmatic research paradigm refers to a worldview that focuses on what works rather than
what might be considered absolutely and objectively true or real. Early pragmatists rejected the idea
that social inquiry using a single scientific method could access truths regarding the real world. These
pragmatists declared that truth could be judged by its consequences. The pragmatic paradigm is useful
for guiding research design, especially when a combination of different approaches is philosophically
inconsistent. Pragmatism looks relatively new. Pragmatism as a research paradigm refuses to get
involve in the contentious metaphysical concepts such as truth and reality. Instead it accepts that
there can be single or multiple realities that are open to empirical inquiry. Pragmatist scholars have
offered their particular opinion that there is an objective reality that exists apart from human
experiences. However this reality is grounded in the environment and can only be encountered
through human experiences . A major underpinnings of pragmatism philosophy is that knowledge and
reality are based on beliefs and habits that are socially constructed but some versions of those social
constructions match individual experiences more than others . Pragmatist doubt that reality can ever
be changed or determined once and for all. They view reality as a normative concept and maintain
that reality is what works. Therefore they argue that knowledge cannot be totally abstracted. For
pragmatist reality is true as for as it helps us to get into satisfactory relations with other parts of our
experiences. Truth is whatever proves itself good or what has stood the scrutiny of individual use over
time. Pragmatist researchers choice of one version of reality over another is governed by how well
that that choice results in desired outcomes. Biesta remind us to not to merely understand pragmatism
as a philosophical position but rather as a set of philosophical tools of value s for addressing
problems. It emerged as a method of inquiry for more practical minded researchers. As a research

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paradigm pragmatism orient itself towards solving practical problems. Pragmatism rejects the
traditional philosophical dualism. In pragmatism empirical is preferred over idealistic or rationalists
approaches.

Question # 04 (Marks 05)

List the differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches.

Quantitative research is expressed in numbers and graphs. It is used to test or confirms theories and
assumptions. This type of research can be used to establish generalizable facts about a topic. Common
quantitative methods are experiments, review s of records or documents, observations and survey
with close ended questions. It is more objective. It is number based. It is statistical. It can be valid and
reliable. It is more generalizable. It is necessary to use a standard. The data in quantitative method is
in soft form It has variables individual. It is experimental approach.
Qualitative research is expressed in words. It is used to understand concepts thoughts or experiences.
This type of research enable you to gather in depth insights on topics that are not well understood .
Common qualitative methods are interview with open ended questions , observation described in
words, and literature review that explores concepts and theories. It is text base. It has un structured
response options. It is less generalizable. It is more subjective. It is naturalistic approach. The data of
qualitative research is in soft form. It has unique variables.

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