The LING 497 Capstone Seminar gives upper-level linguistics students the opportunity to delve deeper into different aspects of the field. Students are encouraged to bring their interests to class, explore topics in depth, and synthesize their learning through discussion and independent research. This past capstone seminar focused on gesture and the role it plays in language during spoken or signed discourse, with particular attention to what constitutes a gesture, how gestures are formed, and how their timing and meaning interact with linguistic structure and communicative intent. In addition to exploring gesture theory, students gained and strengthened their skills in multimodal analysis, data coding and annotation using the pELAN program, writing research articles, and leading peers in group discussions. Each class session was led by a student facilitator who structured the discussion around a selected research article. The discussion leader introduced the article by summarizing its main arguments, clarifying key terms and concepts, and sharing their critical perspective on the research.
The class then shifted into a collaborative format, with students working in pairs or small groups to complete an activity designed by the discussion leader. These activities were directly connected to the article and gave students the opportunity to engage with the material in a hands-on and applied way. This class format promoted active learning and participation, as well as bridging the gap between theory and practice.
LSA senior Brandon Lee said the discussion-based format, rather than a typical lecture format, made the course stand out.“It was one of the only discussion-based linguistics lecture I took during my time at the University,” Lee said. “Being able to engage in academic discourse with other students who are passionate about the field of linguistics was a greatly valuable process.”
Furthermore, LSA senior Aidan Vandevusse said the seminar challenged her to think more critically about communication beyond spoken language.“The Linguistic Capstone Seminar educated me on the often understudied topic of gesture use and its contribution to communication,” Vandevusse said.As a final project, students selected their own topics of interest, engaged with prior research, developed original research proposals, and conducted independent studies. Their results were presented at a research symposium, where they had the opportunity to share their findings with linguistics department faculty, fellow students, and other interested attendees. A wide variety of topics were chosen, such as gesture use among Black American and European American women, emojis as gesture, gesture in non-human primates, and gesture frequency in individuals with Down syndrome.
LSA senior Jillian Klaver conducted her research on the effects of clinician gesture education on aphasia patient outcomes. She said that she enjoyed the seminar because she had the opportunity to research and expand her knowledge in an area she had not previously studied.“The capstone seminar allowed me to explore an interesting new area of linguistics that was rarely discussed in other courses,” Klaver said.
LSA senior Jamie Ketchum said that the class was the perfect balance between structure and freedom.“We had certain tasks that were expected of us to do before every class, but the actual content was of our own choosing,” Ketchum said. “This really kept me invested in the class sessions, which were all discussion-based. Also, I really appreciate all the help I received from Natasha Abner and the department in conducting my first research study for the final capstone project.”The skills learned through this seminar, from designing studies and analyzing data to presenting findings, will benefit students in their future endeavors.
Whether pursuing graduate school, research careers, or professional work in education, healthcare, or technology, students now have experience conducting research, collaborating with peers in linguistics, and applying linguistic theory to real-world questions.
