Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer and Unit Convenor Dr Nick Wilson nick.wilson@mq.edu.au C5A 553 Lecturer Dr Joe Blythe joe.blythe@mq.edu.au
Credit points	Credit points 3
Prerequisites	Prerequisites 39cp
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description This unit aims to develop students' knowledge of how cultural patterns (beliefs, values and norms) affect or relate to language and language use. It is grounded in an analysis of the theoretical and methodological issues common to linguistics and anthropology. Increasing globalisation, internationalisation and migration provide an imperative to develop awareness and understanding of issues associated with linguistic diversity. One effective approach is driven by a perspective of language as one part of cultural practice, and so focuses on the cultural meanings displayed in language use. Anthropological linguistics is interested in the meaning behind the ways in which language is used.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

General Assessment Information

GENERAL INFORMATION ON ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION

■	Assignments for this unit will only be accepted if they are submitted via the ONLINE ILEARN UNIT
■	DO NOT submit assignments by email directly to the Unit Convener, and DO NOT hand in a hard copy.
■	Note that each iLearn Assignment link contains the coversheet material, so by submitting online, you agree to the content of the coversheet.

MISSING OR LATE WORK

EXTENSION BEFORE DUE DATE

Where a student knows ON or BEFORE THE DUE DATE that he/she cannot submit the assignment on the due date because of illness or other certified personal difficulties, the student is entitled to ask for an extension for that piece of work.

The extension means that no marks will be deducted for lateness. In order to receive an extension, we ask students to email a scanned copy of their medical certificate or counselor’s letter to the convener via the Dialogue part of the online unit.

In these cases, the student is only entitled to an extension for the period mentioned in the certificate or letter.

LATE SUBMISSIONS:

Late submissions without a previously granted extension accrue penalties.

PENALTIES

If the convener has not granted an extension due to certificated medical problems or to 'unavoidable disruption' prior to the day of submission, a late submission will mean that there will be a 5% deduction for the first day, and a 1% deduction for each subsequent day late, including the day on which the late submission was received. Weekends and public holidays are included.

For example:

Final Mark < Raw Mark < Deduction < DAYS LATE < Received < Date Due

58% 65% 7% 3 Monday 17th Friday 14th

WORD LIMIT

Please take the word limits very seriously and try to make your arguments and examples as concise as they can be to make your point clearly. The word limit is designed to give each student an opportunity to fulfil the assignment requirements with the same length guidelines. It also provides a level playing field in which each student has equal opportunity to do his/her best within the same constraints.

RETURNING ASSIGNMENTS

Student work will usually be marked electronically and returned with feedback as indicated on the online assignment link; that is, there will be a post date that indicates when the work will be available with the marks and comments.

GRADEBOOK AND GRADEMARK

Remember that ‘Gradebook’ in iLearn will display your marks, but the ‘Grademark’ section of your Turnitin assignment will contain both marks and comments. Please see iLearn Student help for information on using Turnitin links, and on using iLearn- particularly Gradebook and Grademark.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Assessment 1	30%	Week 6
Assessment 2	10%	Week 7
Assessment 3	60%	Week 13

Assessment 1

Due: Week 6
Weighting: 30%

You will write a short (1000 word) critical review of a research article from the Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, demonstrating your understanding of anthropological theory and the ability to critically evaluate research. The review should succinctly describe the research documented in the article and provide a critical response to it. In writing your critical review, you should discuss:

how the article deals with the concepts and themes relevant to the links between language and culture
the benefits and limitations of the methodology that has been used
the relevance of the research to the wider theoretical concerns of linguistic anthropology

You should choose one of the following articles to review:

MacLaury, R. E. (1991). Exotic Color Categories: Linguistic Relativity to What Extent? Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 1(1), 26–51. http://doi.org/10.1525/jlin.1991.1.1.26

Kataoka, K. (1998). Gravity or Levity: Vertical Space in Japanese Rock Climbing Instructions. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 8(2), 222–248. http://doi.org/10.1525/jlin.1998.8.2.222

Meek, B. A. (2007). Respecting the Language of Elders: Ideological Shift and Linguistic Discontinuity in a Northern Athapascan Community. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 17(1), 23–43. http://doi.org/10.1525/jlin.2007.17.1.23

León, L. D. (1998). The Emergent Participant: Interactive Patterns in the Socialization of Tzotzil (Mayan) Infants. Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 8(2), 131–161. http://doi.org/10.1525/jlin.1998.8.2.131

On successful completion you will be able to:

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment 2

Due: Week 7
Weighting: 10%

1. Completion Certificate from Macquarie University Ethical Research Online Module. Due Date: anytime between the start of classes for this unit and when you begin your research project. http://www.mq.edu.au/ethics_training/ Upload by Week 7. No marks but essential component for passing this unit.

2. Research Plan: You will submit a 500 word plan of your proposed linguistic ethnography project (see Assessment 3) including details of the group/community you intend to study, the type of data that will be collected and the specific research questions they intend to address.

The research plan should contain:

The question that your research project aims to answer.
The research site you intend to collect your data from (without identifying any research participants).
Any ethical issues faced by carrying out your research and how this will be addressed.
The data collection methods that will be used and the types of data that will be collected.
The type of linguistic analysis that will be used.
An intended timeline of your project, from planning to submission.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment 3

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 60%

You will conduct a research project using an ethnographic approach and gathering authentic linguistic data. Your project should aim to answer one of the following questions, full details of which are given on the LING332 iLearn unit:

How do the linguistic practices of a multi-lingual family vary across the members of the family and the situational context?
How do ritual communicative events shape a group's identity?
What is the relationship between language and the cultural practices of sub-cultures (e.g. online-gamers, hipsters, emos)?
How is language used to construct workplace culture?

You will submit a 2000 word report of your research project, providing an analysis of the linguistic practices found in their research site and how this links into theories of culture and identity. The report should discuss the methodology used and analyse the linguistic data in light of theories of language and culture covered in the unit. Your discussion should draw upon relevant academic literature. A good report will discuss the relevance of ethnography for linguistic research and it's application to the real world.

Your research project should be structured as a research article, with sections entitled: introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis/discussion, and conclusion. Further guidance on this will be given in class and on the LING332 iLearn unit.

On successful completion you will be able to:

Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Delivery and Resources

TECHNOLOGIES REQUIRED

Students need to use CIT tools and devices when preparing assignments and in class. Attendance in class is compulsory but there will be additional online opportunities to make up missed classes. The research project involves recording, so students will need to have their own device for recording short snatches of communication or rituals.

ANY CHANGES? The assessment and context have changed from last year due to a change in the unit convenor.

TEACHING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES

The unit is taught in 12 x2 hour hands-on sessions; with large and small group discussions and activities aimed at assisting students’ skills and knowledge acquisition. Each week, students can access pre-recorded films and weekly preparation activities from the ilearn LING332 unit website, and prepare for the class activities. All assignments are submitted online through the LING332 ilearn website.

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS

Bowe, Heather, Kylie Martin and Howard Manns. 2014. Communication Across Cultures: Mutual Understanding in a global world. Melbourne, VIC. CUP

Duranti, Alexander. 2009. Linguistic Anthropology: a Reader. John Wiley.

In addition, there are films, articles and book chapter readings available through the library portal.

UNIT WEBPAGE

The LING332 website is a resource for students to use to find class preparation activities, lecture recordings and notes, receive urgent announcements, communicate with convener and class members, and submit all their assignments (online). To log in to the website, go to http://learn.mq.edu.au

Unit Schedule

WEEK 1	29^th February 2016	Introduction to Language and Culture
WEEK 2	7^th March 2016	Early linguistic anthropology
WEEK 3	14^th March 2016	Linguistic Relativity and Linguistic Determinism
WEEK 4	21^st March 2016	Australian Kinship and Kin-based Taboo
WEEK 5	28^th March 2016	PUBLIC HOLIDAY – NO CLASS
WEEK 6	4^th April 2016	Ethnography: Theory and Method Research Project Discussion
MID SEMESTER BREAK 11^th-24^th April 2014
WEEK 7	25^th April, 2016	Ethnographic Data
WEEK 8	2^nd May, 2016	Routines and Rituals
WEEK 9	9^th May, 2016	The Ethnography of Communication
WEEK 10	16^th May, 2016	Institutional Ethnography and Workplace Culture
WEEK 11	23^rd May 2016	Communication across Cultures
WEEK 12	30^th May, 2016	Communication between Cultures
WEEK 13	6^th June, 2016	Ethnographic Writing

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

Creative and Innovative

Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Capable of Professional and Personal Judgement and Initiative

We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Commitment to Continuous Learning

Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 1
Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Discipline Specific Knowledge and Skills

Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 1
Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 1
Assessment 3

Problem Solving and Research Capability

Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Effective Communication

We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 1
Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Engaged and Ethical Local and Global citizens

As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Socially and Environmentally Active and Responsible

We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

Demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and themes relevant to studying language and culture links.
Explain how cultural beliefs and values can influence the communication norms of a group.
Apply and adapt anthropological linguistics knowledge to consideration of real world issues.
Develop, conduct and report on an ethnography of communication research project.
Demonstrate an understanding of the different types of ethnographic theories and methods and their appropriate application.

Assessment tasks

Assessment 2
Assessment 3

Changes from Previous Offering

Unit content and assessment has changed considerably due to a change in the unit convenor. However, the unit has been designed to address the same Learning Outcomes and is still focused on Linguistic Anthropology and Ethnography.

The changes to assessment are: the removal of a class quiz and learning journal, and the addition of a critical review and a research plan.