Spring 2001
Instructor: James R. Ison
167 Meliora Hall
e-mail: ison@bcs.rochester.edu
telephone: 275-8461
Introduction
Textbook:
There will be 3 quizzes and one paper, each having the same weight. Failure to take an examination on time will result in a grade of "0" unless a legitimate excuse is presented in writing. The paper should be about 5 - 6 pages long (double spaced) and should be based on an analysis of the contemporary research literature (grading criteria). The topic should be cleared in advance. You should be prepared for a 5 -10 minute presentation of this same material to the class in the last week of the semester. Examination grades and the paper are graded on a 0 to 100 scale, and not on a curve: a average (mean) score of 90 or more at the end of a course will be an A, 80 to 89 a B, 70 to 79 a C, and so forth. Preparation quizzes will be distributed 1 week in advance, and the actual test will be a sample taken from this handout. You are encouraged to work together and help each other in studying for examinations. You can take make-ups for the first two quizzes if you would like to better your score: your score for that quiz would be the average of the original score and the make-up score. The paper must be your work and in your words. Any material taken from another source must be placed in quotation marks and properly cited. You can get ideas for the paper from any source, but first, it must provide an up-to-date representation of the research literature on the topic that you chose, and second, it must review original research publications.
Course Schedule:
Part 1: Physical principles of acoustics and their relation to hearing
| Week 1: 17 - 19 January | ||
| Wed: | Introduction to the class | |
| Fri: | Chapter 1 & Chapter 2 Concepts of mechanical vibrations and their implications for understanding speech and hearing. | |
| Week 2: 22 - 26 January | ||
| Mon: | Chapter 3: Sound transmission: concepts of pressure and intensity; interference and sound shadows; the important concept of impedance. | |
| Wed: | Chapters 4: Complex stimuli and their analysis; Fourier transforms | |
| Friday: | Chapter 5: Sound analysis: resonators and filters |
Part 2: Peripheral auditory anatomy and physiology
| Week 3: 29 January - 2 February | Chapter 6 | |
| Mon: | The structure of the outer and middle ear | |
| Wed: | Resonance and impedance: the audiogram | |
| Fri: | "Sound coloring" and its relationship to auditory localization | |
| Week 4: 5 - 9 February 6 | Special week: Association for Research in Otolaryngology Meetings | |
| Mon: | Demonstrations of auditory phenomena (Dr. Karen Reilly) | |
| Wed: | Informal review session | |
| Fri: | Quiz 1 over Chapters 1 to 5 | |
| Week 5: 12 - 16 February Chapter 7 | ||
| Mon: | Structure of the inner ear | |
| Wed: | Mechanical properties of the inner ear | |
| Fri: | Chapter 8 Cochlea potentials | |
| Week 6: 19 - 23 February | ||
| Mon: | Chapter 8 continued Stereocilia and hair cells | |
| Wed: | Haircells and auditory nerve | |
| Fri: | Chapter 9 The neural response | |
| Week 7: 26 February- March 2 | ||
| Mon: | Chapter 9 (cont.) The efferent system at the periphery | |
| Wed: | Chapter 15 The central auditory system (Anatomy) | |
| Friday: | Central afferent and efferent auditory pathways | |
| Spring Break: 5 - 9 March | ||
| Week 8: 12 - 16 March | ||
| Mon: | Auditory function: the cochlear nuclei and the superior olivary complex | |
| Wed: | Auditory function: the inferior colliculus, thalamus | |
| Fri: | Auditory function: cortex | |
| Week 9: 19 - 23 March | Chapter 16 | |
| Mon: | Noise and Hearing impairment: Traditional types of hearing impairment and their measurement | |
| Wednesday: | Presbycusis and word deafness | |
| Friday: | Developmental issues and hearing impairment | |
| Week 10: 26 - 30 March | Noise and Hearing impairment (continued) | |
| Mon: | The treatment of hearing impairment | |
| Wed: | Catch up and review | |
| Fri: | Quiz 2 on Chapters 6 - 9, 15, 16 |
Part 3: Auditory perception of simple sounds
| Week 11: 2 - 6 April | ||
| Mon: | Chapter 10 Auditory sensitivity | |
| Wed: | continued | |
| Fri: | Chapter 11 Masking | |
| Week 12: 9 - 13 April | Mon: | Masking (Continued) |
| Wed: | Chapter 12 Binaural Hearing | |
| Fri: | Binaural hearing (Continued) | |
| Week 13: 16 - 20 April | ||
| Mon: | Chapter 13 Loudness and pitch | |
| Wed: | Loudness and Pitch (Continued) |
Part 4: Complex sound processing
| Friday: | Chapter 14 Auditory perception of sound objects | |
| Week 14: 23 - 27 April | Mon: | Auditory perception of sound objects (Continued) |
| Wed: | Frequency, temporal modulation, and spatial location | |
| Paper due on Wednesday April 25(grading criteria) | ||
| Friday: | Speech | |
| Week 15: 30 April - 4 May | Special topics in audition | |
| Mon: | Student presentations | |
| Wed: | Student presentations | |
| Fri: | Quiz 3: Chapters 10 to 14 |