Course description:

This course covers psycholinguistics, the study of language as it is learned and processed by the human brain. We will focus on several main questions: how is language represented in the mind? What components of the mind are involved in language processing, and how do they perform their tasks? Are the traditional descriptions of language by linguists cognitively real or not?

We will also focus on some key skills: reading and understanding the scientific literature, and experimental design for psycholinguistics.

Assignments

You will be required to obtain the textbook “Language in Mind” by Julie Sedivy and read sections of it before many classes. These readings will serve as background for the lectures and you are expected to draw on them in your written answers to the other assignments. You will also be required to read scientific papers before some classes; these will be made available on Carmen.

There will be periodic written assignments: most of these will be designs for proposed experiments and reactions to scientific papers. Details for each will be due on Carmen. These assignments, in total, will be worth 50% of your grade.

There will be two take-home, open-book exams, each worth 20% of your grade: a midterm and a final.

You will be required to complete 2 hours of research experience for 10% of your course credit (5% for each hour). This will give you another chance to see what real linguistic research looks like, either by participating in a linguistics experiment or by listening to a presentation of current linguistics research, as detailed in the handout called “Linguistics Outside of the Classroom: Talks & Experiments”. The talk schedule can be found at: http://www.ling.ohio-state.edu/courses/2000/talks.html The experiment schedule can be found at: http://www.ling.ohio-state.edu/research/experiments/

Opportunities for extra credit may arise throughout the semester.

Syllabus

GE Social Science: Individuals and Groups

This course fulfills the GE requirement for Social Science: Individuals and Groups.

Social science courses develop students’ understanding of the systematic study of human behavior and cognition; the structure of human societies, cultures, and institutions; and the processes by which individuals, groups, and societies interact, communicate, and use human, natural, and economic resources:

• Students understand the theories and methods of social scientific inquiry as they apply to the study of individuals and groups.
• Students understand the behavior of individuals, differences, and similarities in social and cultural contexts of human existence, and the processes by which groups function.
• Students comprehend and assess individual and group values and their importance in social problem solving and policy making.

This class will meet the above requirements by studying how humans create, understand, and interact using language. We will focus on what we know about language production and processing, with critical attention on how we came to know these things.

Academic Misconduct

I am required to report all suspected cases of academic misconduct to the Committee on Academic Misconduct, which investigates all such cases. The term “academic misconduct” includes all forms of student academic misconduct wherever committed; illustrated by, but not limited to, cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection with examinations. Assignments on which collaboration with others is allowed will state this explicitly; otherwise, collaboration is not allowed. All sources which contribute ideas or statements to your assignments must be appropriately cited. For additional information, see the Code of Student Conduct.

Students with disabilities

The University strives to make all learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience academic barriers based on your disability (including mental health, chronic or temporary medical conditions), please let me know immediately so that we can privately discuss options. To establish reasonable accommodations, I may request that you register with Student Life Disability Services. After registration, make arrangements with me as soon as possible to discuss your accommodations so that they may be implemented in a timely fashion. SLDS contact information: slds@osu.edu; 614-292- 3307; slds.osu.edu; 098 Baker Hall, 113 W. 12th Avenue.

Title IX

Title IX makes it clear that violence and harassment based on sex and gender are Civil Rights offenses subject to the same kinds of accountability and the same kinds of support applied to offenses against other protected categories (e.g., race). If you or someone you know has been sexually harassed or assaulted, you may find the appropriate resources at http://titleix.osu.edu or by contacting the Ohio State Title IX Coordinator, Kellie Brennan, at titleix@osu.edu