Statistics for Linguistics [ LCLIG2240 ]

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One course of introduction to linguistics.

Data collection: descriptive and experimental methods, reliability and validity, sampling procedures.
Descriptive statistics: definitions, graphical representation, numerical summaries.
Using a statistical software
Inferential statistics : main concepts.
Statistical analyses and tests: frequency analysis (categorical data), testing hypotheses about means, correlation and regression

At the end of the course, the student will be able to use the main statistical tools and concepts of quantitative linguistics. He will be able to choose appropriate methods for specific research objectives and to use it in the framework of linguistic research. Most of all, the student will be able to make a critical review of the results obtained by a quantitative analysis. He will also be trained to use a statistical analysis software.

Continuous assessment (exercices) + Open-book exam in Computer Lab

Lectures + readings + practical works

The organization of the course is twofold :

1. The first part of the course consists in a theoretical approach in the field of textual data statistical analysis.

2. The second part of the course will provide a practical approach of the field. It will give the students the opportunity to practice what he/she has learned in the theoretical introduction and to experiment with a statistical software.

Butler, C. (1985). Statistics in linguistics. Oxford, Basic Blakwell.
  Howell, D. (2008). Méthodes statistiques en sciences humaines, Paris, De Boeck Université.
  Muller, Charles (1992). Initiation aux méthodes de la statistique linguistique, Champion.
  Oakes, Michael P. (1998). Statistics for Corpus Linguistics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
  Rasinger, S.M. (2008). Quantitative Research in Linguistics. New York, Continuum International Publishing Group.

Support : Syllabus ; articles or book chapters; web site with exercises.