Research Methods for English Studies
Learn how to design, conduct and write rigorous literary research — from research questions and literature reviews to close reading, theory, documentation and the finished paper or thesis.
Course Description
This free course introduces the core research methods used in English Studies and literary scholarship. You will learn how to formulate precise research questions, conduct efficient literature searches, apply close reading and theoretical frameworks, work responsibly with primary sources, document your work to professional standards, and structure clear, well-supported research papers and theses. The emphasis is practical: tools and habits you can use immediately in undergraduate and postgraduate work.
What You’ll Learn
- ✓ Design focused, researchable questions
- ✓ Conduct and organise a literature review
- ✓ Apply close reading and theoretical lenses
- ✓ Document sources and write with academic integrity
Supporting Resources
Academic Language Lab
Master formal academic language: pronouns, vague wording, adverbs, contractions, nominalisation, hedging and more — with clear rules and examples for essays and theses.
Open Resource →The Academic Grinch
Paste your text and check it in real time against academic language rules. Underlines spelling mistakes, subject-verb agreement errors, weak style, forbidden personal pronouns, and classic Strunk & White violations — then explains each rule with sharp, memorable comments so you learn while you write.
Open Checker →Critical Literary Theory
Explore the major theoretical frameworks used in English Studies — from formalism and structuralism to feminism, postcolonialism, queer theory and beyond — with clear explanations and guidance on applying theory to texts.
Open Resource →Course Modules
Ready to strengthen your research practice?
Work through the modules, use the supporting resources, and claim your certificate when you finish.
Get Your Certificate