The linguistics tutorial is intended to give undergraduate majors sustained hands-on experience performing linguistic research. In keeping with the research strengths of the Penn linguistics department, the class focuses on analyzing naturally occurring data with computational and quantitative methods. Where possible, we will attempt to integrate considerations concerning structure, diachrony, and acquisition in the analysis of the data.
The character of the class resembles a cross between a lab and a seminar, leaning more towards the lab side.
A useful way to think of this tutorial is as a potluck dinner. Most classes you take in college are either like ordering dinner by yourself in a restaurant or making dinner for yourself at home. In the first case, someone else does the cooking; in the second, you're the cook yourself. In both cases, though, you're the only one affected by the quality of the dish. This class is different (and more like the "real world") in that your work will often have an effect on the work of the entire class. In particular, there will be some assignments where you will be asked to make a contribution to a collection of data that you will then all investigate. Just as a potluck dinner party depends on everyone showing up with a tasty dish in time for the party, the success of this class depends on everyone pitching in on these potluck-style assignments in a competent and timely way.
Your grade will depend on completing 10-12 assignments, which come in three types:
- A assignments are prerequisites for other assignments. They include such tasks as familiarizing yourself with certain online resources or tools. More rarely, you might be asked to read a paper for background. These assignments are not submitted and carry no credit.
- B assignments have two main functions: they allow me (and you) to see if you understand the work, and they form the empirical basis of the research. The progress of the class often depends on the quality and timely submission of these assignments. Each B assignment therefore counts 5 points towards your grade. I reserve the right to give partial or no credit for late, incomplete, or otherwise unsatisfactory B assignments.
- C assignments include your final reports on the two topics that we investigate (10-15 pages each), and possibly one or two additional shorter reports. C assignments are graded and furnish the remaining points in your grade.
Much of the work for the tutorial will be done on a laptop in class. You will need the following utilities (click the links for installation instructions):
- AirPennNet, preferably the latest version
- a spreadsheet program such as Excel, Open Office, or (for Mac users) NeoOffice.
- access to the linguistics department server (babel). The corpora that we will be using for the syntax project are not (yet) available via the Web, and you will therefore be given an account on the linguistics department server (babel), where the corpora are stored. Mac users can log on to babel using a resident utility called Terminal. If for some reason Terminal fails, the workaround is to use a terminal emulator called DataComet. Windows users need to install a terminal emulator called SecureCRT.
Given the goal of the class, the class does not focus on readings from the literature. Nevertheless, as the occasion arises, you may be expected to assimilate results of other researchers' work as it is presented in the primary literature of the field. I will post links to any such readings available on the syllabus.
Submission
- Unless otherwise noted, assignments are due by 11:59 p.m. of the deadline date. Late assignments incur a penalty of 25% per number of days late.
- Please submit your assignments by email. In order to facilitate record-keeping, the subject line of your email and the name of any attachments should include the following information:
- the class (Ling 300)
- the assignment number
- your last name
Content and style
- The two substantial papers that you submit will likely each be 10-15 pages long. You are welcome to draw on the readings or other relevant literature, but the paper should not be a literature review. Rather, the point of the paper is to present your own quantitative findings as cogently as you can.
- Number tables and figures for ease of reference.
- Unless there is a special reason, label the y-axes on any graphs you submit starting at 0% and ending at 100%. This facilitates the comparison of results within the same paper and across different papers.
- Round percentages to the nearest integer (or, if reporting decimals, to two significant decimal places). Any greater accuracy is spurious given the size of the datasets.
- In reporting a historical development, don't report both the increase and the decrease if the one is simply the inverse of (predictable from) the other. In such a case, reporting both gives the false impression that there is information in the second development beyond what is already shown in the first.
- Use any commonly accepted style sheet for formatting any bibliographical references.
As with any other class, your work for the tutorial is subject to Penn's Code of Academic Integrity.If I have reason to believe that you are seriously violating this code, I will contact the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) to initiate an investigation. If the investigation finds that you have violated the Code of Academic Integrity, you will fail the class.