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Instructor: Dr. Amie A. Doughty
Office: 313 Netzer Administration Building
Office Hours: W 9:00-9:50; MWF 11:00-11:50 and by appointment
Phone: 436-2493
E-mail: doughtaa@oneonta.edu
Web Address: http://employees.oneonta.edu/doughtaa
Required Text:
Fromkin, Victoria, Robert Rodman, and Nina Hymans. An Introduction to Language. 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2007. ISBN 1413017738
Course Description:
Catalog Description: Considers language origin, language and the brain, change in form and meaning of words, language acquisition, semantics, and language variation.
Translation: This class is an overview of different areas in linguistics. Rather than delving in depth on any one area of language study (such as grammar, sociolinguistics, or language acquisition), we will discuss in brief as many of the areas as we can. In other words, this class is about scope of coverage rather than depth. Students will, however, have the opportunity to examine one area of linguistics in depth through a short research paper due at the end of the semester.
General Education Attributes: LA, AH2, and CPA
SUNY General Education 2 Attribute Student Learning Outcomes: Humanities (AH2) Students will demonstrate knowledge of the conventions and methods of at least one of the humanities in addition to those encompassed by other knowledge areas required by the General Education program.
Course Requirements:
Attendance: You are expected to attend class and to be prepared to discuss the assigned readings. If you are unable to come to class, it is your responsibility to make up the work you missed and to get notes from a classmate or from me during my office hours. See below for the University Policy on WIs due to excessive absences.
Class Discussions: I like to make my courses student-centered, so I try to limit lectures. However, due to the nature of this course, a significant portion of the class will be lecture based. In addition, we will complete exercises to help you better understand some of the linguistic concepts that we are covering. I expect you to be ready to talk about both the reading material and any exercises that have been assigned. I do not expect perfection on the exercises, and you should not hesitate to answer a question, even if you’re unsure of your answer. Always feel free to ask questions, whether I am lecturing or we are going over exercises.
Assignments: Each assignment is worth 20% of your final grade:
Paper Formatting: Use MLA formatting for your Research Paper. Do not include a title page, but do remember that you must cite all of your sources as you use them and include a Works Cited page at the end of the paper. Failure to cite sources and/or include a Works Cited page will result in an automatic failing grade on the paper. If you are uncertain how to do MLA formatting, consult a handbook, see me, or go to the Writing Center.
Grammar and Mechanics: I expect your papers to have correct grammar and mechanics and to be proofread. Significant errors, especially proofreading errors, will lower your paper grade. For papers of 5 pages or fewer, for every 5 different grammar and mechanical errors (including MLA formatting errors), you will lose 1 letter grade from the content grade of the paper. For papers longer than 5 pages, the number of different errors at which a paper grade is lowered by a letter equals the number of pages in the paper (thus a 12 page paper will lose a letter grade if it has 12 different errors). There is no limit to the number of letter grades you can lose (past students have lost as much as 40 points due to sloppy work), so take the time to edit and proofread your work.
Late Work: I will accept work no more than one week late. All late work will lose 10%. If you know that you won’t be able to get work in on time, see me before the due date, and we may be able to make arrangements for an extension.
University Policies: The following policies can be found in your Student Handbook or the Code of Student Conduct (both available online) and are particularly applicable to this class.
Flagrant Non-Attendance
• Students missing 25% or more of class, any time from the second week of class up until the last day to withdraw from an individual course (see Keydates and Deadlines or Faculty Reference Guide for specific dates) may be removed from the course by the instructor.
• The Registrar will assign a “WI” (Involuntary Withdrawal) grade.
• Students appearing on the final grade sheet will be assigned a final grade (not a “W”, Incomplete or Pending grade), regardless of student’s class attendance.
Final Exams
Instructors must follow the final exam schedule as posted in Keydates and Deadlines (www.oneonta.edu/registrar). The final exam week is part of the 15 class weeks required by the State Education Department. If an instructor does not hold a final examination, the final examination period must be used as the final class day. Exceptions to this may be made only in an emergency and only with prior approval of the department chair and the division dean. Under no condition shall a study day be used to administer a final exam. Students are held responsible for selecting a course schedule with the final exam schedule in mind. There is no policy preventing a student from having exams in one day.
Student Disability Services (SDS)
SDS provides a base of personal and academic support for students with a documented history of disability. The office provides consultation, advocacy, referral, testing and classroom accommodations. Students should call for an appointment (607) 436-2137. Located at 209 Alumni Hall.
All individuals who are diagnosed with a disability are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. As such, you may be entitled to certain accommodations within this class. If you are diagnosed with a disability, please make an appointment to meet with Student Disability Services (SDS), 209 Alumni Hall, ext. 2137. All students with the necessary supporting documentation will be provided appropriate accommodations as determined by the SDS Office.
It is entirely your responsibility to contact SDS and concurrently supply me with your accommodation plan, which will inform me exactly what accommodations you are entitled to. You will only receive accommodations once you provide me with an SDS accommodation plan.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Academic dishonesty is defined as any act by a student that misrepresents or attempts to misrepresent to an instructor or any College official, the proficiency or achievement of that student or another student in any academic exercise for the purpose of influencing a grade on a piece of assigned work, on an examination or quiz or in a Course as a whole, or that is intended to alter any record of a student's academic performance by unauthorized means.
A Student deemed guilty of an act of academic dishonesty may, depending on the nature of the offense, be subject to one or more of the following measures: failure of the assignment or examination, failure of the course, or dismissal from the College. Furthermore, for a second offense, referral of the case to the Standing Disciplinary Board is mandatory. The penalties that may be assessed by the Board are listed under the Procedures of the Standing Disciplinary Board as published in this publication; however, the normal penalty is suspension or dismissal.
It is the Student's responsibility to read and understand the policy on all aspects of academic dishonesty as published in this publication and the Undergraduate Catalog. However, individual faculty members may wish to explain the policy as it relates to their courses. It is emphasized that a student who has any questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty has the responsibility of clarifying them by conferring with his/her instructors.
Examples of Academic Dishonesty:
The following examples, although not all-inclusive, are intended to help students understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. Other acts should not necessarily, be considered as falling outside the scope of this policy because of their absence from this list.
• Plagiarism that is, using materials from another's work without acknowledgment, using quotations without identification as such or paraphrasing without specific identification of the source.
• Copying and/or modifying another person's computer file, program, printout, or portion thereof for use in an assignment without permission of the instructor.
• Knowingly permitting one's computer file, program, printout, or portion thereof to be copied or modified by another student for use in an assignment without permission of the instructor.
• Unauthorized giving or receiving of information on an examination, laboratory procedure, or other exercise.
• Taking an examination for another student or allowing another student to take an examination for you.
• Altering or attempting to alter a grade on any piece of graded work, a grade written in an instructor's personal records, or a grade written on any College form or transcribed in any official College record.
• Submitting a College form with a forged signature.