Perception Experiment (5%)

Due before the beginning of class Thursday December 4

For this assignment, you will participate in a short web-based perception experiment. Then, based on your knowledge of dialects from the class, and the assigned reading on sociolinguistic perception (Niedzielski, 1999), you will write a hypothesis about the experiment you participated in.

First, participate in the web experiment. To do this, open the google doc linked here . Each student will be assigned a unique URL that will lead you to the experiment. Copy the URL next to your name into a new tab, then take the experiment. Once you have completed the experiment, you will get a prompt to enter a code into Mechanical Turk. Instead, copy and paste your code in the google doc next to your name under the "Unique Code" column. Note: The experiment specifies that only native English speakers should complete the assignment. However, we'd like you to complete the assignment even if you are not a native English speaker.

Please do not use any one else's URL, as each URL can only be used once. If you have technical difficulties with the web experiment, please e-mail Annette and Janneke at the course e-mail right away.

After completing the web experiment, read the Niedzielski reading assigned for December 4. Then, complete a 1-2 page double-spaced write-up . In this write-up, you will use your knowledge of dialects from the course, as well as information from the Niedzielski article, to discuss what you think the web experiment was testing. Address the following questions:

  • What variable is under investigation in this experiment?
  • What dialect do you think this experiment is testing? Why do you think this?
  • Different students received different versions of the experiment. Based on the article and your knowledge of dialects, what might be different in different version of the experiment? Why?
  • Given your hypothesis about what the experiment is testing, what do you think the results will show?

Email your completed assignment as a PDF or DOC attachment to the course e-mail address linguist159-aut1415-staff@lists.stanford.edu before class on Thursday, December 4.