Linguistics: Language and Power: Framing your Topic

• What literature review topic are you considering? (more than one is okay!)

• Based on what you know now, what do you think is the best scope for this topic? i.e. what's too broad, what's too narrow?

• What have you struggled most with when looking for sources in the past?

• Do you prefer reading and note-taking with print or electronic copies?

• How do you currently save/organize articles (if you do)?

Keywords: The topic of your literature review will generate keywords and related terms.

Research question Example: What is the impact of accent discrimination on code-switching behaviors among native Spanish speakers in K-12 schools?

• K-12 AND Spanish speakers AND code-switching AND impact
• Spanish speakers students AND code-switching OR  language alternation AND effect
• K-12 AND  Spanish speakers AND language varieties OR multilingualism AND consequences
• linguistics

• linguicism AND theoretical approaches OR conceptual framework
• K-12 public school* AND race AND US OR identity OR bilingual education OR accent discrimination 
• xenophobia OR conversation OR performance OR law OR policy
• multilingualism AND youth culture AND code-switching OR translanguaging
• primary school* AND bilingual education AND domestic policies AND US
• linguicism OR linguistic nationalism
• minorities AND linguistic profiles
• intersectionalities AND linguicism OR isms OR dominant narratives
• identity formation AND power dynamics OR biases

Keyword Grid with the research question example:

What is the impact of accent discrimination on code-switching behaviors among native Spanish speakers in K-12 schools?