Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa Masadiruh - Jamiat al-Madina

Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa Masadiruh (Principles of Literary Research and Its Sources) is an academic textbook prepared and published by Al-Madinah International University (جامعة المدينة العالمية) for its master's-level postgraduate curriculum in Arabic language and literature Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa….

Overview and Purpose

Published in a single volume under course code GARB5423, the work is structured as a series of instructional lectures aimed at training graduate students in the methodologies, critical standards, and practical execution of academic research in Arabic poetry and prose Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1. It defines literary research as an inquiry into specific literary phenomena and critical questions requiring originality and innovation, distinguishing genuine academic research from mere reporting or summarization Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1.

Structure and Content

The textbook covers the theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, and procedural stages of literary study:

• Arabic Literary Heritage: The opening units survey the historical development of Arabic literature across the Pre-Islamic, Early Islamic, Umayyad, Abbasid, and Modern eras, emphasizing the transmission of literary texts and their status as the core domain of literary inquiry Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1.
• Modern Research Methodologies: The work explores various analytical approaches used in modern literary criticism, including the historical method (al-manhaj al-tarikhi), the psychological method (al-manhaj al-nafsi), aesthetic and philosophical theories (nazariyyat al-falsafa al-jamaliyya), and the integrated or synthetic method (al-manhaj al-mutakamil) Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1. It highlights that no single framework is fully sufficient on its own, advocating an integrated methodology that combines multiple perspectives to achieve objective and comprehensive results Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1.
• Steps of Literary Research: The book outlines five successive stages that researchers must follow in sequence:
  1. Topic Selection: Choosing an innovative topic that aligns with the researcher's aptitude, followed by formulating a clear, precise, and concise title Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1.
  2. Research Planning: Designing a detailed structural outline comprising main divisions, chapters, and sections Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa….
  3. Identifying and Classifying Sources: Distinguishing between primary sources (masadir asliyya)—such as manuscripts, poetry collections (diwans), and lexicons—and secondary references (marajiʿ), alongside organizing bibliographical cards and data Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1.
  4. Inductive Analysis and Data Collection: Surveying material thoroughly, verifying quotations from their original primary sources, and addressing issues of historical critique and textual verification Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa…+1.
  5. Drafting and Final Presentation: Synthesizing and writing the study into its final academic format Usul al-Bahth al-Adabi wa….