Linguistics 20: Hints on how to study
Bruce Hayes
Department of Linguistics
UCLA
People sometimes ask advice on how to study for Linguistics 20. In principle, you should go with whatever method best helps you learn the material, but you might take a look at the following suggestions.
Show up to class. Yes indeed, the readings match the class pretty closely. But here is my own perspective: I find that I understand academic journal articles more easily if I've already heard the author give the same paper orally at a conference. The same principle might work for you, too.
Read the readings. They are always more careful and complete than the lectures, since they have been repeatedly revised and polished.
Print out the readings, don't try to read them on screen. Quite a few of your brain cells get preempted by the need to interpret those crummy little pixels. Print the readings full size, not two sides to a page.
Scribble comments and questions in the margins of the readings. Then bring these questions to class or to office hours.
Study the derivations (places where rules are applied to forms) with particular care. This can be done at various levels; the most intensive approach is this:
Grab a yellow pad, the linguist's friend.
Copy down all the rules used in the derivation. Tear this rule sheet off the pad and put it at one side on your desk.
Then copy the derivation itself.
Then cover up the derivation and redo it on your own, looking only at the sheet of rules.
Find friends to study with. Don't do all your studying in groups, since you have to prove to yourself that you know the material. But talking it over with friends is often quite helpful. Note: be very careful that you don't copy each other's homework, even by accident; the Ling. 20 staff will prosecute all such cases. For safety in this matter, do your write-up alone.
Visit tomb-like, serious places when you study the hardest material. The YRL upper floors and reference area would be a good bet.
Further suggestions for this page are welcome; send them to me at bhayes (at sign) humnet.ucla.edu.
Last modified November 11, 2008