About this course [see course flyer]
"Women talk more than men!"
"Texting means the end of literacy!"
"The language you speak limits the thoughts you can think!"
We often hear claims like these, but are they true? And what kind of information would show us the answer? Join in some fun and lively debates about language, while gaining skills in reading and interpreting media reports, research results, basic statistics, and data graphics. You will practice communicating effectively with different audiences and in different situations. You will also become familiar with fundamental topics and methods in experiment-based linguistics and cognitive science.
After successfully completing this course, you will be able to...
- Argue convincingly for or against commonly encountered beliefs about language
- Articulate a research question, at the big-picture and measurable levels, that lets you test the validity of a claim about language
- Explain the data that is shown in a graphic or table, and interpret whether/how patterns in the data answer a research question
- Apply the results of a published research paper to answer a research question, while critically assessing the quality of the results and their relevance to the question
- Create and deliver presentations addressing a "language myth" that are appropriate for different kinds of audiences
The facts are out there! Let's find them.
Course requirements
- Preparation for class
- Readings and online resources
- Preparation questions
- Participation in class discussion and activities
- Group presentations, communicating with different audiences
- Midterm exam
- Myth-busting final project
Textbook
Kaplan, Abby (2016). Women talk more than men ... and other myths about language explained. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.