Students
LING2219 – Introduction to Sociolinguistics
2020 – Session 2, Special circumstance
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group learning activities on campus for the second half-year, while keeping an online version available for those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face to face activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Co-convenor
Nick Wilson
Co-convenor
Loy Lising
Administration
Margaret Wood
Tutor
Allie Severin
Tutor
Benjamin Purser
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
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| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
40cp at 1000 level or above
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| Corequisites |
Corequisites
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| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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| Unit description |
Unit description
This unit introduces students to the field of sociolinguistics by focusing on three main areas: multilingual speech communities, inter-speaker language variation, and intra-speaker language variation. The unit draws upon research in Australia and around the world on a wide variety of languages, to develop students' understanding of the nature of variation and change in language at a global, national, local and individual level. Students take part in group and individual activities to develop an understanding of sociolinguistic research. |
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:
- ULO1: Define and describe sociolinguistic theories.
- ULO2: Evaluate and apply different methods of sociolinguistic data collection and analysis.
- ULO3: Analyse and interpret linguistic data for its sociolinguistic dimensions.
- ULO4: Critically appraise and synthesise relevant academic literature.
- ULO5: Understand and explain how sociolinguistic research can contribute to society.
- ULO6: Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a team to communicate sociolinguistic topics to other students.
General Assessment Information
Late Submission and Extensions
- Late submissions without an extension will receive a penalty of 3% of the total mark available for the assessment task per day including weekend days (i.e. this is 3% of the total marks possible for the task – NOT 3% of the marks the student received. For example, if the assessment task is worth 100 marks and the student is two days late their mark for the task is reduced by 6 marks.)
- Late submission of an assessment task without an extension will not be accepted at all after the date on which marked assessment tasks have been released to the rest of the class. Any student with unsubmitted work at this date will receive a mark of 0 for the assessment task.
- Extensions will only be given in special circumstances, and can be requested by completing the Special Consideration request at ask.mq.edu.au and providing the requisite supporting documentation.
- Extensions that will result in submissions after the assessment task has been returned to the class will require a separate assessment task to be completed at the unit convenor's discretion.
- For more information on Special Consideration, see the university website https://students.mq.edu.au/study/my-study-program/special-consideration\
- If a student fails the unit due to non-submission of an assignment or non-attendance at an exam, an FA grade will be applied in accordance with the University's Assessment Policy.
Assessment Moderation
Before you receive any marks for your assignments they have been checked for consistency by the convenors and any fail marks will have been double marked. Because we have robust moderation procedures, we will not revise any marks given during the unit unless a clerical error has been made (such as in the addition of marks), or in cases where an error has arisen due to a technical problem with iLearn (such as with automatic marking of quizzes).
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group Video Project | 20% | No | Week 5 |
| Data Collection Tasks | 10% | No | Week 8 |
| Quantitative Research Report | 30% | No | Week 11 |
| 5 x online quizzes | 40% | No | Throughout session - see iLearn |
Group Video Project
Assessment Type 1: Media presentation
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 5
Weighting: 20%
In groups determined by the unit convenor, you will work together to produce a short video that addresses a specific task on societal multilingualism, details of which will be provided on iLearn. The videos will become a resource for revision and are viewable by the whole class once submitted. Following the submission of the video, you will submit a one page written reflection of your experience in completing the task, focusing upon what you have learnt, how well you performed as a group, and what you might do differently if you did the task again.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Define and describe sociolinguistic theories.
- Critically appraise and synthesise relevant academic literature.
- Understand and explain how sociolinguistic research can contribute to society.
- Demonstrate the ability to work as part of a team to communicate sociolinguistic topics to other students.
Data Collection Tasks
Assessment Type 1: Field work task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Week 8
Weighting: 10%
You will choose from a selection of data collection tasks which will require you to conduct a recorded interview with a friend or family member, transcribe the interview and extract linguistic data as directed. This task is assessed as a participation task whereby you gain experience in sociolinguistic data collection methods and the ethics of social research. The mark is based upon the successful completion of the task according to the instructions.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Evaluate and apply different methods of sociolinguistic data collection and analysis.
Quantitative Research Report
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Week 11
Weighting: 30%
Following the guidance in the resource pack provided for tutorials, you need to analyse a provided dataset from an ongoing sociolinguistic project which one of the data collection tasks feeds into. Based upon this activity, you will write a 1500 word report in which you present the findings of your statistical analysis of the data, and how the trends you find connect with current theories in sociolinguistics. The report must describe your analytic methodology, summarise the theoretical approach you are using, and present the data in a clear and concise manner. It should critically compare the results you have found with other relevant sociolinguistic research.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Define and describe sociolinguistic theories.
- Evaluate and apply different methods of sociolinguistic data collection and analysis.
- Analyse and interpret linguistic data for its sociolinguistic dimensions.
- Critically appraise and synthesise relevant academic literature.
- Understand and explain how sociolinguistic research can contribute to society.
5 x online quizzes
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: Throughout session - see iLearn
Weighting: 40%
At 5 occasions accross the duration of the unit, you will be required to complete an online quiz lasting 30 minutes comprising a problem-based question or a short answer that demonstrates the application of knowledge from the content of the unit.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Define and describe sociolinguistic theories.
- Analyse and interpret linguistic data for its sociolinguistic dimensions.
- Understand and explain how sociolinguistic research can contribute to society.
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Delivery
LING2219 is taught by a weekly collection of online mini-lectures of varying length, but totalling around 2 hours per week. Tutorials are either online by Zoom or on campus, depending on what you have chosen to enrol in. Both on-campus and online tutorials will require you to do some preparation for class and we aim to make online and on-campus tutorials as similar as we can.
Lectures begin week 1. We will endevour to post all of the lecture material for each week by the Thursday of that week. Somtimes all of the content will be available at the beginning of the week, sometimes it will appear gradually between Monday and Thursday, so you should keep checking iLearn for new material (or binge watch it all on a Friday).
Tutorials begin in week 1. Tutorials draw upon the material covered in the lectures posted in the previous week, so (with the exception of week 1) you are expected to have accessed the material from the previous week by the time of your tutorial. In week 1 your tutor will go over some of the organisational details regarding your first assessment, which involves allocating you to a group.
Reading
The core textbooks for the unit are:
Holmes, J., and Wilson, N. (2017). An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (5th ed.). Abingdon: Routledge.
Kielsing, S. F. (2011). Linguistic Variation and Change. Edinburgh: EUP.
Meyerhoff, M. (2011). Introducing Sociolinguistics (2nd ed). Abingdon: Routledge.
Myerhoff, M., Schleef, E., and MacKenzie, L. (2015). Doing Sociolinguistics. Abingdon: Routledge.
The library has e-copies of all of these, so you don't need to buy them unleess you want your own physical copy. Note that Holmes & Wilson (2017) is co-written by one of the unit convenors, so it very closely follows this unit. Chapters from this are also used another unit (LING3382). You will be assigned readings from one or more of these books every week.
Each week there are also multiple further readings suggested for the tutorial, you should aim to reads at least one of these each week, as they will support the tutorial preparation activities. All unit readings are accessible using the Leganto Reading list on the unit iLearn site.
Unit Schedule
The topics covered in this unit include:
- Societal Multilingualism
- Code-switching
- Pidgins & Creoles
- Language Ideology
- Social Dialectology
- Language Variation and Change
- Style, Accommodation and Intra-speaker Variation
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy (Note: The Special Consideration Policy is effective from 4 December 2017 and replaces the Disruption to Studies Policy.)
Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/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/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) 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 or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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 help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
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
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@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.