Upper-division Writing Requirement Review Form (12/1/08)
I. General Education Review – Upper-division Writing Requirement
Dept/Program
Course # (i.e. ANTH LING 484
Anthropology/
Subject
455) or sequence
Linguistics
Course(s) Title
North American Indigenous Languages and Linguistics
Description of the requirement if it is not a single course
II. Endorsement/Approvals
Complete the form and obtain signatures before submitting to Faculty Senate Office.!
Please type / print name Signature
Date
Instructor
Leora Bar-el
Phone / Email
x2387
leora.bar-el@mso.umt.edu
Program Chair Tully Thibeau!
!
!
III Overview of the Course Purpose/ Description
This course is an overview of the Indigenous languages of North America from a linguistic
perspective. It has been suggested that “[n]early 300 distinct mutually unintelligible languages are
known to have been spoken north of the Rio Grande” (Mithun 1999: 1). These languages constitute
more than 50 language families and differ in interesting ways from more well-known languages of
the world, and among themselves. In this course we will look at a variety of grammatical features
(phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics) of Indigenous languages of North
America and the ways in which some of them are described and analyzed by linguists. We will also
touch on some sociolinguistic features of North American languages.
IV Learning Outcomes: Explain how each of the following learning outcomes will be achieved.
Required readings in this course include not
Student learning outcomes :
only chapters from the main textbook, but
Identify and pursue more sophisticated
readings from the current linguistic literature.
questions for academic inquiry
Article summaries and presentations help
students learn to identify research questions and
arguments proposed in the literature. Class
discussions expand on these issues. Student
essays are required to identify a central
research question and to make an original
contribution (i.e., not just a summary of the
literature, but a proposal based on a synthesis
of the literature).
Each week students are assigned regular
Find, evaluate, analyze, and synthesize
readings from both a main textbook as well as
information effectively from diverse sources
(see http://www.lib.umt.edu/informationliteracy/) journal articles/book chapters that focus on the
same topic (e.g., grammatical feature) but
looking at a particular language(s), or from a
particular perspective. For their final essays
students are expected to consult materials other
than those discussed in the course. The main
textbook also includes an extensive list of
references and catalogue of languages.
Manage multiple perspectives as appropriate
Recognize the purposes and needs of
discipline-specific audiences and adopt the
academic voice necessary for the chosen
discipline
Use multiple drafts, revision, and editing in
conducting inquiry and preparing written work
Throughout the course students are exposed to
generalizations about the grammatical features
of Indigenous languages of North America. In
some cases students are exploring different
analyses of similar data sets and then are
encouraged to arrive at their own conclusions.
In other cases, students are exploring the ways
in which the same grammatical features
surfaces in different languages in this part of
the world. Throughout the course students are
learning about the different ways that data of
this type is described and analyzed by linguists.
Students are exposed to a variety of material
from the linguistic literature. Class discussions
focus on extracting the central proposals and
arguments put forth by researchers in these
disciplines. Students are directed to further
reading of the literature both for expanded
views on the topics covered in the course and
for their research papers. Students are informed
that assessment, especially for the final paper,
is based on those features (e.g., identification of
a central research question, argumentation, etc.)
of the readings that are discussed in class.
Students write three article summaries during
the course. They are encouraged to space out
their summaries so that they can get feedback
on one before going on to the next. Essays are
completed in steps: students submit an essay
outline with a list of references they have or
plan to consult. They meet with the instructor
individually about their outline to get feedback
and ask questions. Students are encouraged to
write a short draft of their paper that they will
submit to a classmate for peer review. Students
give essay presentations in class before their
essays are due so that they can get feedback on
their work before submission. In addition to in
class discussion for each presentation, students
complete peer feedback forms which they
submit directly to the presenter, and students
get feedback from the instructor before
submission.
Follow the conventions of citation,
documentation, and formal presentation
appropriate to that discipline
Develop competence in information
technology and digital literacy
Students are required to choose a linguistic
journal as a model for formatting of their final
essay. They are pointed to a number of
suggestions in the course. Students are
encouraged to visit the Linguistic Society of
America (LSA) website for information about
publications in linguistics.
Student article summaries and essays are
required to be typed. In addition, for article and
essay presentations, students are required to
prepare a handout for the class or a powerpoint
presentation. The course uses a Blackboard
supplement where various materials are posted
(including readings), as well as a Course
Ereserve page which all students must access
during the course. Furthermore, students are
expected to do their own research for their
essays, which includes library searches as well
as other online searches.
V. Writing Course Requirements Check list
Is enrollment capped at 25 students?
If not, list maximum course enrollment.
Explain how outcomes will be adequately met
for this number of students. Justify the request
for variance.
Are outcomes listed in the course syllabus? If
not, how will students be informed of course
expectations?
! Yes " No
Are detailed requirements for all written
assignments including criteria for evaluation in the
course syllabus? If not how and when will students
be informed of written assignments?
Briefly explain how students are provided with
tools and strategies for effective writing and editing
in the major.
!Yes " No
Additional information about essays and essay
presentations are also circulated in the term
(see attached handout).
One goal of the assigned article summaries and
presentations is to help students explore
different writing styles in linguistics; students
learn about the ways in which data is presented
and analysis is argued in linguistics. Students
are given instructor and classmate feedback on
their work throughout the course (summaries,
presentations, essay outlines, etc.). Students are
encouraged to use the UM Writing Center
resources and to visit the Linguistic Society of
America website for further advice on writing
and presenting in the field of linguistics.
Students are encouraged to write a draft of their
final essay for peer review by a classmate.
! Yes " No
Students received feedback on article
Will written assignments include an opportunity for
revision? If not, then explain how students will
!Yes " No
receive and use feedback to improve their writing
ability.
summaries that they incorporate into their
following summaries. Students submit essay
outlines and meet with the instructor
individually to discuss their plans for their
essay. In addition, students will be encouraged
to seek out peer feedback from classmates on
an essay draft.
Are expectations for Information Literacy listed in
! Yes " No
the course syllabus? If not, how will students be
Additional information is also circulated in the
informed of course expectations?
term. In addition, students are directed to the
anthropology and linguistic resource pages in
the Mansfield Library. An instructional session
will also be arranged with Julie Edwards at the
Mansfield Library.
VI. Writing Assignments: Please describe course assignments. Students should be required to
individually compose at least 20 pages of writing for assessment. At least 50% of the course grade
should be based on students’ performance on writing assignments. Clear expression, quality, and
accuracy of content are considered an integral part of the grade on any writing assignment.
Formal Graded Assignments
- Article summaries (3 x 1 pg = 3 pgs)
- Article presentation (handout/ppt = 1-2 pgs)
- Essay outline (1-2 pgs)
- Essay presentation (handout/ppt = 1-2 pgs)
- Essay (10-12 pages)
(see attached syllabus and handout for further
details on each assignment)
Informal Ungraded Assignments
- Essay draft for peer review (~5 pgs)
VII. Syllabus: Paste syllabus below or attach and send digital copy with form. ! The syllabus
should clearly describe how the above criteria are satisfied. For assistance on syllabus preparation
see: http://teaching.berkeley.edu/bgd/syllabus.html
North American Indian Linguistics
LING 484
The University of Montana
Instructor: Dr. Leora Bar-el
COURSE OUTLINE
Instructor information
! <leora.bar-el@mso.umt.edu>
" 243-2387
Office: Social Science 210
Office hours: Wednesdays 10-12, or by appointment
Course meeting times and venue
Tuesdays and Thursdays
9:40am-11:00am
Schreiber Gym 303
Course objectives
This course is an overview of the languages of Native North America from a linguistic perspective. It has
been suggested that “[n]early 300 distinct mutually unintelligible languages are known to have been spoken
north of the Rio Grande” (Mithun 1999: 1). These languages constitute more than 50 language families and
differ in interesting ways from more well-known languages of the world, and among themselves. In this
course we will look at a variety of grammatical features (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and
semantics) of Native languages of North America and the ways in which some of them are described and
analyzed by linguists. We will also touch on some sociolinguistic features of North American languages.
Prerequisites
LING 470 is a prerequisite for this course.
Blackboard
This course has an online supplement Blackboard site (http://courseware.umt.edu/). Handouts, papers,
useful links, etc. will be posted there for downloading. Instructions on using Blackboard are available at the
login page. Please let me know if you have any problems accessing the site.
E-mail
Occasionally, course information will be circulated by e-mail. I will use the e-mail addresses registered on
Blackboard or CyberBear. Please ensure that you have a University of Montana e-mail address registered
there and that you check that e-mail address often, or have your University of Montana e-mail forwarded to
another account.
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LING 484
Instructor: Dr. Leora Bar-el
Assessment (undergraduate)
Attendance and participation
Article presentation
Article summaries (3 x 10% each)
Essay outline and consultation
Essay
Essay presentation
10%
10%
30%
10%
30%
10%
•
Participation includes regular attendance, readings, prepared questions, in-class worksheets/discussions,
answering/asking questions in-class, etc.
•
Summaries are due at the beginning of class on the day that the article is scheduled to be discussed,
unless otherwise noted. Always keep a copy of your submitted work.
•
Essays are due in my office on Monday May 5 10:00am-11:00am. Undergraduate essays are expected
to be 10-12 pages, double-spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins; graduate essays are expected to be 1518 pages and of a more advanced nature. Further information will be distributed in the term.
•
Plagiarism is an offence and is not tolerated. You are welcome (and encouraged) to discuss articles
together with classmates, but you must write up your article summaries, etc. on your own.
Grading criteria
A 90-100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79%
D 60-69%
F
Below 60%
Readings
• Main Text:
Mithun, Marianne. 1999. The Languages of Native North America. Cambridge University Press.
•
Additional readings will be circulated throughout the term. Readings will either be available for
downloading on blackboard, on reserve in the library, or the reading will be available for photocopying
from me.
•
Please have the assigned readings done BEFORE the relevant classes. Even if you do not understand all
the material you read, it will be to your advantage to at least be familiar with the topic before we cover
it in class.
•
Other useful sources:
Sturtevant, William C. (series editor). Handbook on Native American Indians. Washington:
Smithsonian Institution. Volumes 4-15, 17 are available for reference in the Mansfield library. [maps
are available for view in the Maps Area Annex]
Campbell, Lyle. 1997. American Indian Languages: the historical linguistics of Native America. New
York: Oxford University Press. [I will put this book on reserve. Note that this resources is also
available as an Electronic Book in the Mansfield library]
•
There are numerous other sources cited in these books, as well as plenty of books, book series, journals,
etc. which focus on the languages of Native North America. I will point you to some of them during the
course but would also urge to you do some research of these sources as well.
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LING 484
Instructor: Dr. Leora Bar-el
Article summaries
• You are required to submit three article summaries over the course of the term (i.e., not chapters in
Mithun’s textbook); however, the three articles must be different from the article that you are
presenting in class (see below). Summaries must be submitted at the beginning of class on the day that
the article is being discussed.
•
In your article summary you should identify the central research question/issue being addressed in the
paper, the author’s proposal(s), the arguments that the author presents in support of the proposal, and
where appropriate, the implications of the proposal.
•
Regardless of the length of the article, each summary should be no more than one page single spaced,
12-inch font, 1 inch margins.
Article presentation
• You are required to give one in-class presentation of an article. A sign-up sheet will be posted on my
office door. Your presentation involves leading the discussion of the article in class (i.e., think of
yourself as the instructor). You should plan on a 30-40 minute presentation, which may end up being
longer, depending on the discussion that arises. You are free to divide up the time in any way you see
fit. You must prepare a short handout and bring copies for the class or a powerpoint presentation.
Essay outline
• You are required to submit a one-page outline of your proposed essay topic at the beginning of class in
Week 9. A list of references (other than those articles we have discussed in class) which you have
consulted or plan to consult for your essay should be included.
•
The week after Spring Break I will meet with each of you individually to discuss your proposals and
give you some feedback. Scheduled meeting times will be arranged later in the term.
Essay
• Your essay is expected to identify a central research question and to make an original contribution. I
want you to go beyond simply a report of the literature and to make a proposal/claim with appropriate
argumentation. You should consult materials other than just those we cover in class. You can also look
at the references from other articles covered in class, do you own search through the literature, ask me,
etc.
•
Be consistent with your formatting; consult a linguistics journal (e.g., Language) and follow their
requirements for citing sources, reference lists, etc. See also the LSA website www.lsadc.org.
•
Essays will be evaluated based on your research question and argumentation, the structure of the essay,
your original contribution, sources, and style and formatting.
Essay presentation
• The last four classes of this course are set aside for essay presentations. You will be required to give a
short presentation of your essay (approx. 15 minutes). Your essay need not be in its final state for the
presentation. The purpose of the presentation is not only to gain experience giving a presentation, but
also to get feedback from me and your peers that you may incorporate into your final essay.
•
Respect your fellow students: you are expected to attend each presentation and to arrive to class on
time; you will be asked to complete a peer evaluation/feedback form for each of your classmates.
•
A presentation schedule will be circulated later in the term.
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LING 484
Instructor: Dr. Leora Bar-el
Attendance, Participation and Conduct
• You are expected to attend every class and be an active participant. If you miss a class, inform me by email as early as possible. I also suggest you contact a classmate to catch up on what you missed.
•
Students are expected to be familiar with the University of Montana Student Conduct Code. “Being a
student at UM presupposes a commitment to the principles and policies embodied in the Code.” The
Conduct code is downloadable from the following website:
http://ordway.umt.edu/SA/VPSA/index.cfm/name/StudentConductCode
•
See also the University of Montana Academic Policies and Procedures:
http://www2.umt.edu/catalog/policy_procedure.htm
Proposed Schedule (subject to change)
Week
Topic
Readings*
1
Introduction
Introduction, Ch. 6
2
Phonetics and phonology
Ch. 1
3
Morphology: roots, affixes, etc.
Ch. 2 (§2.1-2.2)
4
Morphology: lexical categories
Ch. 2 (§2.3)
5
Categories: person, number, gender
Ch. 3 (§3.1-3.3)
6
Categories: classifiers, manner, control
Ch. 3 (§3.4-3.6)
7
Categories: time, space, modality
Ch. 3 (§3.7-3.9)
8
Syntax: predicates and arguments, word order
Ch. 4 (§4.1-4.2)
9
Syntax: grammatical relations, case
Ch. 4 (§4.3)
10
Spring Break – No Classes
11
Syntax: complex sentences
Ch. 4 (§4.7)
12
Semantics
TBA
13
Sociolinguistics
Ch. 5
14
Presentations
15
Presentations, Wrap-up
*Readings listed refer to sections in Mithun (1999). A list of article readings will be circulated.
Suggested language groups/language families to focus on: (i) Salish, (ii) Athabaskan, (iii) Algonquian,
(iv) Iroquoian (v) Uto-Aztecan (vi) Eskimo-Aleut (vii) Isolates, (viii) Contact languages
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LING 484
Instructor: Dr. Leora Bar-el
Language and Culture
LING 484
ESSAY AND PRESENTATION INFORMATION
Presentations
•
Your essay need not be in its final state for the presentation. The goal of the presentation is to give
you some experience presenting your own work in front of your peers, to help you focus your ideas,
and to get feedback from me and your classmates that you may incorporate into your essay.
•
What you present will depend on the topic of your essay and also what stage you are at in your
research. Ideally, your presentation should identify your central research question and how you plan
on going about answering that question (e.g., the type of data you are looking at, the language(s) you
are focusing on, what the literature says about this topic, etc.). You need not discuss your entire
paper, you are welcome to focus on one area in particular.
•
If you are still working on focusing your ideas, DON’T PANIC. You can present where you are at
with your work and your plans on how you will proceed. You will not be evaluated based on how far
you have gotten, but how well you present where you are at.
•
If you have your own questions that you are struggling with, you can use the presentation as an
opportunity to ask the class for feedback - we might be able to help!
•
You are allotted 15 minutes for your presentation. Ideally, you should present for 10 minutes and
allow 5 minutes for questions/comments. I will hold up time sheets for you during your presentation
so you know what time you have remaining of the initial 10 minutes. In the interest of fairness and
also to ensure that we can fit in 5 presentations in per class, I will be strict with time and will stop
you at the 15 minute mark.
•
Visuals are good! Handouts, powerpoint slides, using the whiteboard, etc. are all useful tools for
giving a presentation, and can also help you to focus your basic points that you want to present. If
you would like to distribute a handout for your presentation, make sure you bring XX copies; if you
want to use a computer/data projector, you need to arrive 10 minutes early so that we can get your
presentation copied onto the computer hard drive.
•
Contrary to what you might think, 10 minutes goes by VERY quickly, so you might not be able to
cover in detail everything that you plan to cover in your paper. You might choose to focus on one
part of your essay rather than an overview of the entire research.
•
Respect your fellow students: you are expected to attend each presentation and to arrive on time.
•
I will ask each of you to fill out a short feedback sheet for each of the presentations. Your comments
for and from your fellow students are extremely beneficial. Try to be honest, relevant, constructive.
•
An essay presentation is a required component of this course and is worth 10% of your final grade.
Presentations will take place in the last four classes of the term – see attached schedule
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LING 484
Instructor: Dr. Leora Bar-el
Essays (see also my comments on your individual outlines)
•
Essays will be evaluated based on the following: (i) research question and argumentation (ii)
structure of the essay, (iii) your original contribution, (iv) sources, and (v) style and formatting.
•
Central research question/problem: your paper must identify a central question/problem that you are
trying to answer/solve in the paper. It should be clearly stated in the introduction of your paper and
then the remainder of the paper should then revolve around that question/problem.
•
You are expected to make an original contribution; i.e., a summary of the literature is not enough –
you must reflect on what you have read, synthesize the material, and make a claim/proposal.
•
Significance/implications: it would be useful, at least in your conclusion, to briefly discuss the
significance of your paper. Things to think about: what can we learn from your analysis? Does your
paper contribute to a debate in the field?...
•
Length requirements: Undergraduate essays are expected to be 10-12 pages, double-spaced, 12 point
font, 1 inch margins; graduate essays are expected to be 15-18 pages. Please use standard fonts;
exceptions of course are special fonts for presenting language data. Where possible, please submit a
double-sided printout/copy.
•
Formatting requirements: be consistent – look at a linguistics journal (e.g., Language) and follow
their formatting requirements (e.g., citing sources, reference list…). Whatever format you choose,
just be consistent throughout the paper. Further information is also available from the Linguistic
Society of America (LSA) website www.lsadc.org.
•
Reference list: make sure that you list in your references every work that you cite in your paper.
Provide complete bibliographical information in your references and be consistent.
•
Citing sources: There is no need to list paper or book titles in the text of the paper –the author and
year are sufficient for citing, and again, provide complete references. Ideas that are not your own
should be cited throughout your paper.
•
Keep a copy of your essay!
Essays are due in my office on MONDAY MAY 5 10:00am-11:00am.
Resources: The UM Writing Centre
•
The Writing Centre offers tutoring services that can help you with your writing skills:
http://www.umt.edu/writingcenter/tutoring.htm
•
They also post a number of useful documents and links on their website
http://www.umt.edu/writingcenter/handoutsandlinks.htm
If you have any further questions, come by my office hours or make an appointment to see me
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