DIRECTIONS:

We need not believe that just because a rule of grammar finds its way into some handbook of usage, we have to honor it. Which we honor and which we do not is a problem of research. We have to determine in some unobtrusive way which rules of grammar the significant majority of careful readers notice and which they do not. One way to do this research is to publish an article in a journal such as this, an article into which have been built certain errors of grammar and usage. The researcher would then ask his readers to report which errors jumped out at them on the first reading. Those that you did not notice should then not be among those we look for first when we read a student's paper.

(Williams, "Phenomenology of Error," 1981)

For this assignment, your group will be responsible for doing original research on a question of mechanics or usage.

1. Using Joseph Williams' "The Phenomenology of Error," <http://www.stthomasu.ca/%7Ehunt/williams.htm> to guide your research project, each student will create two paragraphs (one in which there are no errors and one in which there is a conventional grammatical/usage rule violated).

2. Before starting the research, you will have a conference with the teacher to approve the paragraphs.

3. Then, you will ask 5 people from 18-23 and 5 people from 40-60 (only one of whom can bean English teacher) to read the paragraphs and identify any errors that "jump out at them on the first reading"—any grammatical or usage rules that might have been violated.

4. For each error that people identify, ask them to rate the violation of the rule as (+) favorable or (-) favorable.

5. Take notes on all responses and create a report, based on Williams' categories.

(N.B., For extra credit, consider video taping your interviews (with the signed permission of subjects) and providing short edited scenes as part of your report/presentation.)

6. Present the information in this report—in a summary form—for the class.

7. Create a report summary handout for your session, give it to the class before your session.

GOALS:

To conduct and report on original research on language and usage topics.

To understand—first hand—the changing nature of language conventions.

To practice reporting on changing language trends.

HINTS FOR SUCCESS

• Read Joseph Williams' article several times and use it to guide your research.

• Plan for a total of 10 minutes presentation time—you'll have to distill and summarize your research findings.

•.Create paragraphs in which the rule violation seems unobtrusive to you. Be sure to schedule a conference with the teacher to vet your paragraphs before using them in your research.

• Include the following sections in your report: Research Question, Research Methodology, Data and Findings, Conclusions.

EVALUATION

 

Effective and professional research (The research project was carefully planned, designed, and executed.)

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Comment:

 

Instructive (Student draws important information about language from the research project and clearly understands the major points made in Williams' article.)

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Comment:

 

 

Complete, careful, thoughtful analysis (Research report shows evidence of complete, careful, and thoughtful analysis based on Williams' article.)

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Comment:

 

 

Careful planning and preparation of representation (Research presentation shows evidence of careful planning and preparation.)

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Creative (Research presentation is creative and engagingly presented.)

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Comment:

Grade:

F..................D....................C.....................B...................A