Introduction to the course¶
Brain and Language, Fall 2025
LING 4110/5110 & NSCI 4110/6110
TR 11:00 - 12:15 pm, Howard-Tilton Library B07
Syllabus¶
Prerequisites¶
There aren’t any.
I do not take anything for granted and so will explain all background information, or at least suggest places where you can find it on your own.
Objectives¶
The objectives of this course are to understand:
how the brain is organized to comprehend and produce language,
the time course of language processing, and
language disorders attendant on brain damage.
Outcomes¶
For you to demonstrate your understanding of these objectives, you will perform the following tasks:
Take a quiz almost every Tuesday, during the first 10 minutes of class, covering the material since the previous Tuesday. [(11-1) * 7% = 70%]. No make-up quizzes will be given, but I will drop your lowest grade. If you notify me of an absence early enough before a quiz, I will not hold it against you.
Do occasional self-corrected homework assignments on Canvas. [15%]
Turn in a project by the final exam time, on a topic of your choice. Graduate students are expected to put more effort into the final project. [15%]
Class participation¶
There is no credit for class participation, but I will change a X- into a Y+ if I notice you participating in class.
Why no credit?
I will post my PowerPoint presentation to Canvas.
I will record every class and post it to Canvas.
Final project¶
Warning
This is under revision.
Improve a Wikipedia article about any of the topics mentioned in class or any other topic broadly related to neurolinguistics.
Write a short essay explaining what you did and why you did it.
Print the article before you improve it, highlighting any subtractions.
Print the article after you improve it, highlighting your additions.
Learning outcomes for Linguistics and Neuroscience¶
Todo
add this
Grade equivalences¶
89.5-91.4 A- |
91.5-100 A |
|
79.5-81.4 B- |
81.5-87.4 B |
87.5-89.4 B+ |
69.5-71.4 C- |
71.5-77.4 C |
77.5-79.4 C+ |
59.5-61.4 D- |
66.5-67.4 D |
67.5-69.4 D+ |
0-59.4 F |
||
Schedule of topics¶
There is no textbook, because the only ones available are out of date. I will try to get you to the bleeding edge in neurolinguistics by the reading of the most up-to-date review and research articles that are appropriate for an introductory course. There will usually be one or two pdfs posted to Blackboard for you to read in conjunction with my guidance in the chapters below. It should take you 2-3 hours of preparation per class day.
Day |
Date (wkdy) |
Topic |
Quiz |
|---|---|---|---|
1 |
19 Aug (T) |
||
2 |
21 Aug (R) |
||
3 |
26 Aug (T) |
||
4 |
28 Aug (R) |
||
5 |
02 Sep (T) |
Frequency and Perception |
Q1 |
6 |
04 Sep (R) |
Perception and coding |
|
7 |
09 Sep (T) |
Speech |
Q2 |
8 |
11 Sep (R) |
Speech & Auditory transduction |
|
9 |
16 Sep (T) |
Neurons & Subcortical audition |
Q3 |
10 |
18 Sep (R) |
Subcort aud & Macrostructure |
|
11 |
23 Sep (T) |
Brain macro- and microstructure |
Q4 |
12 |
25 Sep (R) |
||
13 |
30 Oct (T) |
Neurolinguistic models |
Q5 |
02 Oct (R) |
FALL BREAK |
||
14 |
07 Oct (T) |
||
15 |
09 Oct (R) |
||
16 |
14 Oct (T) |
Q6 |
|
17 |
16 Oct (R) |
||
18 |
21 Oct (T) |
Q7 |
|
19 |
23 Oct (R) |
||
20 |
28 Oct (T) |
Q8 |
|
21 |
30 Oct (R) |
||
22 |
04 Nov (T) |
Declarative/procedural memory & Syntax 1 |
Q9 |
23 |
06 Nov (R) |
||
24 |
11 Oct (T) |
Q10 |
|
25 |
13 Oct (R) |
Syntax 4 <aIFG.html> |
|
26 |
18 Nov (T) |
ERP & Discourse 1 |
Q11 |
27 |
20 Nov (R) |
||
25 Nov (T) |
THANKSGIVING |
||
27 Nov (R) |
THANKSGIVING |
||
28 |
02 Dec (T) |
||
29 |
04 Dec (T) |
The last day |
|
08 Dec (M) |
Final exam period 8-11 am |
Innovations for this year¶
more discussion
maybe presentation of readings
large-language models vs brains
hallucination/confabulation/bull-shit in large-language models
Tulane policies¶
ADA/Accessibility Statement¶
Any students with disabilities or other needs, who need special accommodations in this course, are invited to share these concerns or requests with the instructor and should contact Goldman Center for Student Accessibility: http://accessibility.tulane.edu or 504.862.8433.
Code of Academic Conduct¶
The Code of Academic Conduct applies to all undergraduate students, full-time and part-time, in Tulane University. Tulane University expects and requires behavior compatible with its high standards of scholarship. By accepting admission to the university, a student accepts its regulations (see https://college.tulane.edu/academics/academic-integrity) and acknowledges the right of the university to take disciplinary action, including suspension or expulsion, for conduct judged unsatisfactory or disruptive.
Title IX¶
Tulane University recognizes the inherent dignity of all individuals and promotes respect for all people. As such, Tulane is committed to providing an environment free of all forms of discrimination including sexual and gender-based discrimination, harassment, and violence like sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking. If you (or someone you know) has experienced or is experiencing these types of behaviors, know that you are not alone. Resources and support are available: you can learn more at https://allin.tulane.edu. Any and all of your communications on these matters will be treated as either “Confidential” or “Private” as explained in the chart below. Please know that if you choose to confide in me I am mandated by the university to report to the Title IX Coordinator, as Tulane and I want to be sure you are connected with all the support the university can offer. You do not need to respond to outreach from the university if you do not want. You can also make a report yourself, including an anonymous report, through the form at http://tulane.edu/concerns.
Confidential |
Private |
|---|---|
Except in extreme circumstances, involving imminent danger to one’s self or others, nothing will be shared without your explicit permission. |
Conversations are kept as confidential as possible, but information is shared with key staff members so the University can offer resources and accommodations and take action if necessary for safety reasons. |
Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) | (504) 314-2277 |
Case Management & Victim Support Services | (504) 314-2160 or srss@tulane.edu |
The Line (24/7) | (504) 264-6074 |
Student Affairs Professional On-Call (24/7) | (504) 920-9900 |
Student Health Center | (504) 865-5255 |
Tulane University Police (TUPD) | Uptown - (504) 865-5911. Downtown – (504) 988-5531 |
Sexual Aggression Peer Hotline and Education (SAPHE) | (504) 654-9543 |
Title IX Coordinator | (504) 314-2160 or msmith76@tulane.edu |
Emergency Preparedness & Response¶
Attendance Statement¶
Students are expected to attend all classes unless they are ill or prevented from attending by exceptional circumstances. Instructors may establish policies for attendance and making up missed work in their classes, which are announced at the beginning of the semester. Student who find it necessary to miss class are responsible for obtaining notes on material covered in lectures or other class sessions.
Students are responsible for notifying instructors about absences that result from serious illnesses, injuries, or critical personal problems. Medical excuses are issued by the Student Health Center in the following instances: illnesses or injuries that involve hospitalization, a partial or complete withdrawal due to medical reasons, or a missed final examination for a medical condition being treated by the Student Health Center. In all of these instances, medical information will be released only with the student’s written permission.
Instructors are authorized to lower the grades of students who are absent excessively without a satisfactory excuse or do not make up work missed because of absences. With the approval of the Newcomb - Tulane College dean, an instructor may have a student who has excessive absences involuntarily withdrawn from a course with a WF grade after written warning at any time during the semester.
About us¶
About me¶
Prof. Harry Howard
Office hours: MTW 1-2 pm & by appointment in Newcomb Hall 322-D, or on Zoom
About you¶
At this point in the class, I ask everyone to interview a person sitting near them to find out …
his or her name and major;
where he or she is from;
what he or she knows about linguistics and/or neuroscience;
… and to be prepared to report what they have learned to the class.
Graduate students¶
Any graduate students should see me briefly after class.
Powerpoint and podcast¶
There is no Powerpoint nor podcast for today; everything is in this document.
The next topic¶
Come to class having read Fields of linguistics and answered the questions.
Last edited Aug 21, 2025