Sociolinguistics: Syllabus

Where & when does this class meet?

This class is an asynchronous online class. There are no required live class meetings.

That said, there will be an optional weekly zoom meeting every Thursday. We’ll hold it from 1:30 to 3:00, which is when class would have met had we been holding live classes. The optional zoom meeting is optional.

Who is teaching this class & what is their contact info?

Jack Kenigsberg (he/his/him)

Click this link to book a zoom appointment with Jack

Click this link to email Jack at ykenigsb@hunter.cuny.edu

Chan, Jorge. “It’s in the Syllabus.” Ph.D Comics, No. 1583, 10 May 2013, http://www.phdcomics.com/comics.php?f=1583.

What is this course about?

Sociolinguistics examines patterns of language variation (phonetic, morphological, syntactic, orthographic, and more), how those variations help to shape — and are shaped by — social and geographic identity (including, age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, geography, among many, many others), and some of the social, political, and educational implications of those variations.

What can I expect to get out of this class?

By the end of this semester, you should be able to:

  1. Identify some of the research methods used in Sociolinguistic research, and some of the ethical problems posed by those methods
  2. Analyze patterns of language variation in terms of the communities that produce those variations

What books, etc. do I need for this class?

Jan Herk, Gerard. What Is Sociolinguistics?, 2nd Edition, John Wiley and Sons, 2018.

ISBN:         9781118960745

Please make sure you get the second edition, not the first.

Price: $27.19 on the Google Play store for a Google ebook.

        $27.19 on Amazon for the Kindle edition.

Other readings and multimedia will be posted on Blackboard.

So we’re using Blackboard. Any other websites?

Blackboard: We will be using Blackboard for three important purposes. First, as a repository for important course documents, including this syllabus, course readings, and copies of all assignments. Second, to keep track of all your grades. Third, for all the assignments, except the two papers.

Turnitin: You will submit your two papers to Turnitin. If you have used Turnitin.com before, at any school, you can log in with the email address and password you already have. If you have never used Turnitin.com before, you must go to the site and create an account. You can use any email address you like.

Once you have an account, you can join our class there. Our class ID is 24739978 and the password is: ReVision (make sure to capitalize the letters R and V).

What kind of work will I have to do for this class, and how much will each one impact my final grade?

Major Projects

Weekly Participation & Engagement

How will these assignments be graded? Can I revise them? What happens if I submit something late?

Papers 1 & 2 will be given feedback by me, and then graded by you - in consultation with me. After the Autoethnography and Internet Community Analysis are due, you should make an appointment to talk to me about the strengths and weaknesses of your writing, whether a revision makes sense, and what grade you feel you deserve. If your reasoning makes sense, that’s the grade I will give you. If it doesn’t, then we will keep talking about it.

If you revise, we will need to confer again to discuss the revision and what grade it deserves.

If you don’t confer with me, I will have no choice but to assign you a grade, and you will not be able to revise for a better one.

If your essay is up to one week late, I will accept it, but you may lose your right to revise it. I will not accept papers more than one week late, unless there are very extenuating circumstances.

The group project will get feedback from me, but not a grade. After your group receives feedback, each one of you must individually complete a “group project wrapper.” As part of the group project wrapper, you will propose a grade for yourself (not the group; yourself). If your reasoning makes sense, that’s the grade I will give you. If it doesn’t, then we will schedule a conference to talk about it.

If you don’t complete the group project wrapper on time, I will have no choice but to assign you a grade.

Voicethread comments will receive full credit if they are submitted on time.

Discussion board posts and replies should be about one paragraph each. You can get full credit, half credit, or no credit:

Attendance, Participation, and Engagement

This class requires your active engagement. Obviously, if you’re absent, then you’re not actively participating. But even if you’re always present, if you simply sit there, never utter a word, and hope knowledge will seep into your brain like rainwater seeps into the ground, then you’re not actively participating. You learn best when you’re the most active. That means you have to participate.

To participate in class discussions, you have to speak up. Also, you have to bring a copy of whichever readings we’ll be discussing that day, you have to have read (and thought about) them beforehand, you have to throw your ideas into the hat during group exercises, and you have to constructively critique your classmates’ work during writing workshops. If you agree with something that someone else already said, that’s fine – explain why. If you disagree, that’s fine too – explain why.

What else should I do to succeed in this class?

Manage your time well. Be prepared. Read texts and watch videos more than once, and take notes on them. Be respectful of your peers; respond to them, not just to me. Put yourself on a schedule. Strive to grow intellectually, even if that means (gulp!) taking a risk in your writing, especially in the low-stakes stuff. Strive to improve, even if that means (gulp!) taking a risk by asking for help. Start caring about your performance in class in the first week of the semester, not the last week. Take advantage of academic and other kinds of support.

What kind of support is available to me?

Your Peers: You are a member of a 3-4 person group. Get your groupmates’ contact info and form study groups. Rely on each other. There is also a discussion board just for asking for help.

Office Hours: Every week, there’s a zoom meeting where you can ask me anything. Bring your essays, drafts, homework — and questions. If you cannot make it for the zoom meetings, feel free to book a time with me. If those times don’t work either, email me and we’ll try to arrange a different time to talk. Take advantage by having specific questions for me.

Rockowitz Writing Center: The Hunter College RWC is a fantastic resource for students. You can drop in whenever they’re open, or you can schedule a weekly appointment for the entire semester. You can (and possibly should) use the RWC at all stages of your writing—breaking down the assignment, planning out your essays, developing and organizing your paragraphs, incorporating and citing sources, and smoothing out your sentences and phrasing. You can book a time to work with a tutor, either synchronously or asynchronously, by clicking this link to the RWC’s scheduling page.

Counseling & Wellness: CWS offers one-on-one counseling, group workshops, and sometimes outside referrals to help you manage your stress, especially if something in your life is hindering your ability to concentrate on school as much as you would like. Remember: asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign that you desire to improve.

Student Helpdesk: the student helpdesk provides technical support to students.

What if [a bad thing] happens to me this semester?

If something is going on in your life that impacts your performance in the class, let me know before you fall too far behind. I can—and I will—work with you if you keep me in the loop; I can’t—and I won’t—if you wait until after it’s too late to let me know what’s going on. And please get in touch with Student Services or CWS for help.

From the Hunter College Senate

Hunter College regards acts of academic dishonesty (e.g. plagiarism, cheating on examinations, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records and official documents) as serious offenses against the values of intellectual honesty. The college is committed to enforcing the CUNY Policy of Academic Integrity and will pursue cases of academic dishonesty according to the Hunter College Integrity Procedures.

Academic Accommodation

In compliance with the American Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Hunter College is committed to ensuring educational parity and accommodations for all students with documented disabilities and/or medical conditions. It is recommended that all students with documented disabilities (Emotional, Medical, Physical and/or Learning) consult the Office of ACCESSibility located in Room 1124 East to secure necessary academic accommodations. For further information and assistance please call (212-772-4857) /TTY (212-650-3230)

Hunter College Policy on Sexual Misconduct

In compliance with the CUNY Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Hunter College reaffirms the prohibition of any sexual misconduct, which includes sexual violence, sexual harassment, and gender-based harassment retaliation against students, employees, or visitors, as well as certain intimate relationships. Students who have experienced any form of sexual violence on or off campus (including CUNY-sponsored trips and events) are entitled to the rights outlined in the Bill of Rights for Hunter College.

  1. Sexual Violence: Students are strongly encouraged to immediately report the incident by calling 911, contacting NYPD Special Victims Division Hotline (646-610-7272) or their local police precinct, or contacting the College's Public Safety Office (212-772-4444).
  2. All Other Forms of Sexual Misconduct: Students are also encouraged to contact the College's Title IX Campus Coordinator, Dean John Rose (jtrose@hunter.cuny.edu or 212-650-3262) or Colleen Barry (colleen.barry@hunter.cuny.edu or 212-772-4534) and seek complementary services through the Counseling and Wellness Services Office, Hunter East 1123.