L315: Lab 5 + Collaborative Research 9 Name: _______________________________________

11/15/2017
Objectives:
A. Lab 5: Practice identifying gender-related concepts
(1) Identify direct and indirect indexing of gender
(2) Learn how to use gender-neutral or gender-inclusive language
(3) Identify strategic use of gender differences in your own writing style
B. Collaborative research 9: Further data analysis and summary of results by research question
o to be submitted as a collaborative Progress Report by Monday, November 27th
Materials:
Canvas
Textbook companion website: http://cw.routledge.com/textbooks/meyerhoff/
Gender-neutral language exercise: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sls/academicwriting/ex_gn.shtml
Gender Guesser: http://www.hackerfactor.com/GenderGuesser.php#Analyze
Google Drive (through your Umail account)

A. Lab 5: Practice identifying gender-related concepts (20 mins)

(1) Direct vs. indirect indexing (5 mins)

1. Read the instructions and complete the Gender exercise on the companion website > Part Six:
http://media.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/humanities/flash/sociolinguistics/exercise08/exercise08.html
2. Once you are done with the exercise, talk to your team members to answer the following questions:
What is the difference between direct and indirect indexing?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What social categories can be linguistically indexed?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

(2) Gender-neutral or gender-inclusive language (5 mins)

1. Complete this easy exercise: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sls/academicwriting/ex_gn.shtml
2. Once you are done with the exercise, talk to your team members to answer the following questions:
What are some features of English language that are considered sexist?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
How is direct indexing related to sexist language?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What are some ways to avoid sexist language in English?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

For more information: http://studylib.net/doc/7365754/example-of-sexist-language-with-nonsexist-alternatives

(3) Strategic use of gender differences and gendered style (5 mins)
1. Bring up the Gender Guesser: http://www.hackerfactor.com/GenderGuesser.php#Analyze
2. Input some of your own writing that is at least 300 words long (e.g. your Service Learning reports) and
note the results for formal and informal styles
Alternative: Input your instructors writing (https://indiana.academia.edu/ValentynaFilimonova)
and note the results for formal and informal styles
3. Once you have the results, compare your gendered writing style to that of your team members:
Does your input represent a more formal or a more informal writing style?
______________________________________________________________________________
How does your ratio of gender-preferential features compare across the guessed styles?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
What does your gender verdict have to do with the style of your writing?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
How is your result related to strategic use of gendered differences?
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

B. Collaborative Research 9: Data analysis and summary of results by research question (30+ mins)

1. Student A: In your Canvas group space, create a New Collaboration and name it Research Progress
Report 7: Results.
2. Student B: Locate the L315-Results-Template in your group files and transfer it over to the newly
created Google Doc.
3. ALL: Follow the template instructions and the instructors suggestions on your Analysis progress
report to fill out the Argument-Development Table, divide up the responsibilities, and start building
your final workshop presentation around one or two main arguments.

For pivot tables and charts tutorials: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Create-a-PivotTable-to-analyze-

worksheet-data-A9A84538-BFE9-40A9-A8E9-F99134456576 (or contact me)

Progress Report 7: Results (Due Monday, Nov. 27)

Once the results report is ready, download it and upload it to Canvas by Monday, Nov. 27.
REMINDERS:
Please make sure that every member of your team gets to contribute equally to the Google Doc (I can see who
adds what and when, and you receive your individual grades based on that).
Please always make sure that I have access to the updated version of your database. Upload the new version to
your group Canvas files any time you make any changes to it.