Ming Xiang

Dr. Ming Xiang's research is geared towards better understanding the processing and neural mechanisms that support the rapid, real-time construction of sophisticated linguistic representations. She primarily works on sentence processing, including syntax, semantics and discourse comprehension. Her recent collaborative projects also started looking at how language processing plays a role in shaping language change.

Selected Articles/Chapters:

• Kobele, Gregory ; He, Linyang; and Xiang, Ming. (2020) "The role of information theory in gap-filler dependencies." In the Proceeding of the Society for Computation in Linguistics (SCiL).
• Xiang, Ming; Grove, Julian; and Merchant, Jason. (2019) "Structural priming in production through `silence’: an investigation of verb phrase ellipsis and null complement anaphora." Glossa: a journal of general linguistics, 4(1).
• Aparicio, Helena; Kennedy, Christopher; and Xiang, Ming (2018) "Perceived Informativity and Referential Effects of Contrast in Adjectivally Modified NPs." Chapter in Language, Cognition, and Mind, Springer.
• Xiang, Ming; Grove, Julian; and Giannakidou, Anastasia. (2016) "Semantic and pragmatic processes in the comprehension of negation: an event related potential study of negative polarity sensitivity." Journal of Neurolinguistics, 38,71-88
• Xiang, Ming and Kuperberg, Gina. (2015) "Reversing expectations during discourse comprehension." Language, Cognition and Neuroscience. 30, 6, 648-672 doi: 10.1080/23273798.2014.995679
• Xiang, Ming; Wang, Sui-Ping; and Cui, Yan-Ling. (2015) "Constructing covert dependencies—the case of wh-in-situ processing." Journal of Memory and Language, 84, 139-166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2015.05.006

Experimental Methods (LING 40301) - Autumn 2019 

This course will cover the basic methods for experimental studies, including experimental design, data collection and statistical analysis. To demonstrate different design and analysis tools, we will look at data set from different types of studies, including self-paced reading, acceptability judgment, eye tracking, ERP, etc. Students will also gain hands-on experience on different paradigms.

Research Seminar (LING 47900) - Autumn 2019/Winter 2020

The course aims to guide students on their research in a structured way and to present professionalization information crucial to success in the field. The course is organized largely around working on the research paper, with the goal of making it a conference-presentable and journal-publishable work. Topics covered include abstracts, publishing, handouts, presentation skills, course design, creating and maintaining a CV, cover letters, webpages, and in general everything that is required for you to successfully compete for jobs in linguistics.

Advanced Experimental Methods (LING 40312) - Winter 2020

The Advanced Experimental Methods class provides comprehensive training on specific experimental paradigms/methods in language science research. In the current quarter we will focus on the EEG methods. Students will develop practical skills by carrying out a project, learning about the experimental design, data collection and data analysis procedures. In addition to the methodology training, we will also read and discuss how EEG is applied to address theoretical and empirical questions in the domain of language and cognition. Prior to this class, students should have taken the graduate level Experimental Methods class or the equivalent.

Structure of Chinese (LING 27950/LING 37950) - Autumn 2020

The Structure of Chinese course will provide an in-depth examination of the major grammatical properties of Mandarin Chinese, with a focus on morphology, syntax and semantics. Some previous basic knowledge of Mandarin Chinese is desirable but not required. The class material will be based on readings from the primary literature of Chinese linguistics. Students will be expected to develop their own final project about a particular empirical phenomenon in Mandarin Chinese. 

Psycholinguistics (LING 30401) - Autumn 2020

This is an advanced introduction to the field of psycholinguistics. We will do an in-depth overview of both the empirical findings and the methodologies used on various topics in language comprehension/production, including areas of speech perception, lexical processing, syntactic parsing, and semantic/pragmatic processing.  Models at both the computational and the mechanistic levels will also be examined.

Seminar: Cue Integration in Language Processing (LING 50520) - Winter 2021

Language processing requires listeners to pay attention to multiple cues simultaneously. This seminar examines how cue integration is accomplished at different levels of linguistic analysis, with a comparison between speech perception and sentence comprehension. In addition to general models of cue integration, we will also look at how cue weighting and integration vary across individuals, and  what mechanisms underpin such variability.