Syllabus
Introduction:
An introduction to modern psycholinguistics, the study of the psychology of language knowledge, learning, and use. Questions concerning species-specificity, language acquisition, and the neurological organization of language are included for consideration.
The course has no pre-requisites, although prior experience in psychology or linguistics is helpful.
Learning Goals
Language Production and Language Perception: You will develop a basic understanding of how human language is organized, how knowledge of language is acquired, and how knowledge of language is put to use, in the production and comprehension of words, sentences, and pieces of discourse, by monolinguals and bilinguals.(ASHA/CFCC Standard III-B)
Principles and Practices of Research: You will become familiar with a variety of empirical tools used by psycholinguists to study language acquisition and language performance.(ASHA/CFCC Standard III-Aand III-F)
Course Information
- Time: T,Th 3:30pm -- 4:50 PM
- Textbook: Julie Sedivy. Language in mind: An introduction to psycholinguistics. Sinauer, 2014.
- Reader: A collection of papers in psycholinguistics will be distributed in class and on LATTE.
- Professor:Sophia A. MalamudEmail: smalamud AT brandeis DOT eduOffice: Volen 137
Requirements:
- Students will be required to do the assigned readings, and to participate in the discussion of the assigned papers in class.
- They are also required to prepare homework assignments and written analyses of assigned papers. You will choose 3 out of 5 available options for written analyses of assigned papers. I anticipate 5 or so homework assignments; the lowest grade will be dropped.
- In the course of the semester, there will be a few quizzes, including a midterm and a final quiz.
- Finally, there will be a term research project, consisting of bibliographic research, and proposal for an experiment, including a discussion of methodology and design. The project will be reported in a series of assignments, culminating in a term paper of 3000-4000 words (excluding references).
Grading:
| Discussion participation and readings | 10% - obligatory to qualify for a grade |
|---|---|
| Written analyses of assigned papers | 15% |
| Homework | 25% |
| Project: | 25% |
| Quizzes: | 25% |
Honour code:
You're supposed to work independently on all assignments in this class. One sort-of exception is written analyses of assigned papers and homework, which you are encouraged to discuss in groups. However, after you are done talking to your group, you should go away and write up the answers on your own, and in your own words. Any data collection for homework assignments and the project should be done independently. Although collaboration is encouraged, collaboration should not be confused with writing up the results of a classmate's work - this is unacceptable. If you work as a part of a group, you should indicate this at the top of your assignment when you submit it. Of course, you're encouraged to talk to me and the TAs about all assignments. Cheating is a very serious business and will not be tolerated at all. We will make every attempt to be reasonable about assignments, due dates, etc., but infractions of the honour code will be dealt with severely.
Additional information:
Throughout the semester, deadlines, assignments, etc. will be announced on LATTE, so please check it often. If you feel that you are failing to make a deadline, you should communicate with me immediately, and ask for an extension before the assignment is due. I'm usually generous with extensions, but I cannot accept an assignment if you just skip a deadline without prior communication with me. If a family or medical emergency intervenes, you should communicatte with me as soon as you can. The LATTE page for this course that you can access by logging in here. You must be officially registered for the course in order to access the LATTE page.
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see the professor immediately. Retroactive accommodation cannot be provided.
Success in this four-credit course is based on the expectation that students will spend a minimum of 9 hours of study time per week in preparation for class (readings, papers, preparation for quizzes, etc.).