By Richard LeComte
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sometimes it’s a question of context – or, in this case, the context of questions.
Jennifer Cramer, associate professor of linguistics at the University of Kentucky’s College of Arts & Sciences, specializes in sociolinguistics – the study of how social factors, including race, gender and class, affect language. She’s studied differences in language in Southern regions of the United States in particular.
Over the past five years, she’s found a practical outlet for her research: evaluating questions on an exam given to certify family physicians. She uses her skills to determine if a particular question might be confusing to test-takers because of cultural contexts.
“When we look at an assessment tool, we have to know what we're assessing,” Cramer said. “Linguists work with educational groups all the time when they’re