Final Paper (30%)

Due by 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 6 (no exceptions!)

For your final paper, you will expand one of your projects, or you will propose a completely new study (topic approved by Annette).

Topic and Analysis


Your final paper will be a research paper that analyzes a sociolinguistic phenomenon in light of previous academic literature on the variable(s) and/or topic you analyze, and in light of theoretical work we've discussed in class. I encourage you to write your paper building on one of your two projects, though you are welcome to select a new topic.

If you expand on a project, your final paper must incorporate a more thorough theoretical framing and literature review, as well as some extra component of analysis. For example, you may choose to analyze an additional variable, or to dig deeper into a qualitative analysis. If you choose to expand your Quantitative Analysis assignment, you will need to complete a more thorough analysis of your variable and/or investigate correlations between multiple variables. If you choose to expand your Style assignment, you will either complete a longer and more thorough analysis of your clips, or you will have the option to select additional clips for the same speaker.

If you choose to select a new topic, you may write your final paper as a detailed proposal of a sociolinguistic study, including a thorough literature review motivating your proposed study, detailed proposal of methods drawing upon previous studies, hypotheses, and potential results and interpretations.

You will need to choose your final paper topic, and the expanded analysis you will conduct (if expanding on one of the assignments), by the end of Week 8. One-paragraph project proposals must be e-mailed to Annette by Friday, May 20 at 5 p.m., so you will have time to complete your paper with my feedback and suggestions.

Organization and Content of the Paper


In this paper, you will present your analyses (or proposed analyses in the case of a new topic), situating them with clear and organized background research in the following areas:

  1. An introduction of relevant theoretical concepts discussed in this course that will apply to your analysis and discussion
  2. Previous research about the variables and/or styles that are relevant to your investigation
  3. Relevant information about the speakers and/or community from which you are using data
  4. Relevant previous findings regarding your variable

Your background should be the result of research from a number of academic sources, all of which should be cited appropriately. This background should clearly motivate your study and interpretations.

You will then clearly present the data you used and the details of your method of analysis, explaining and justifying your choices. If proposing a new study, present details of the methods and sources of data you would use, also justifying these choices. Then present your results. As in your assignments, use table(s) and figure(s). Your tables should include raw numbers as well as proportions.

You should then interpret and discuss your results (or your potential results, in the case of a new paper topic) in light of the background research that you have conducted and written about regarding your variable, the speakers/community, and relevant aspects of theoretical sociolinguistics that we have covered in class. Again, all of your claims should be clearly backed up by research, concepts we have covered in class, and your findings. Clearly connect your own findings to previous work in discussing your interpretation of the results. Space permitting, you may also propose future directions for research.

This paper should be approximately 10-12 pages double-spaced. However, the number of pages you write is not as important as thorough background research, clear and organized presentation of your data, and thoughtful and reasonable discussion of your results that illustrates an understanding of class concepts. Email your completed write-up as a PDF or DOC attachment to Annette by the deadline. Since this is the date that would be our final exam, I cannot accept late final papers under any circumstances.

As always, I strongly encourage you to contact me throughout your research, analysis and writing process with any questions you may have.