Attendance and participation	25%
Slang dictionary entries	30%
Final project	30%
Presentation	15%

Detailed information about all requirements will be distributed separately. Brief descriptions of each requirement appear below.

Eble, Connie (1996). Slang and Sociability. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press.

Regular attendance and participation are a crucial part of this course; you are expected to be present and bring your data to every class meeting. Class meetings are especially important because they provide you with the opportunity to analyze your data in class with help from others. You are expected to participate actively in discussions and data analysis. If it is unavoidable for you to miss a class, let me know in advance.

The course's central focus is the collection and analysis of slang data by students. Throughout the quarter, we will apply linguistic and social concepts to slang you have collected. Most of your analysis can be completed during the class period, but any remaining analysis should be completed at home and brought to the following class. For most of the class, we'll focus on the step-by-step collaborative development of a slang dictionary, which eventually will be posted online. Each week, you'll receive detailed instructions about what to do to collect and analyze your data.

The final project involves recording and analyzing slang in everyday conversation. You'll apply the concepts you learned earlier in the course to a short excerpt of data and write up a short (approximately 2-page) analysis of how slang is used in the interaction you recorded.

At the end of the quarter, each student will give a brief oral presentation to the class on some aspect of their recorded data from the final project. Detailed guidelines will be distributed later in the quarter.

This class is intended to be fun, not stressful. If you're present and involved at every class and you turn in complete and careful assignments on time, you'll do well.

This course is not just about teaching you about slang, youth culture, or linguistics. It's also a way for you to get used to college-level courses, and it gives you a chance to take a class where your professor knows you personally, something that may not be the case in many of the courses you'll take early in your college career. My role is not only to teach you but also to mentor you through your first quarter of college. Feel free to come talk to me about any questions, problems, or issues you're facing in other courses or in other parts of your life that might affect your academic performance. I'll do my best to help you or to find someone who can. To start getting to know each other, you'll sign up for a five-minute appointment during office hours this week, so we can talk informally about your interests and goals as a college student. Welcome to UCSB!

For comments about this page, contact bucholtz@linguistics.ucsb.edu.
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