Lynn Burley
Professor of Linguistics
Irby 207F
(501) 450-5648
Lynn Burley (Ph.D., Purdue University) is a Professor of Linguistics who joined the Department
of Writing in 1998 to teach composition, writing, and linguistics courses. She was tasked with
developing the Linguistics program, first establishing the Linguistics minor in 2002 followed by
the BA in Linguistics in 2008. She routinely teaches Introduction to Language & Linguistics,
Sociolinguistics, Morphology, Educational Linguistics, Grammatical Structures of English, and
Special Topics in Linguistics in addition to three summer Study Abroad experiences: Maastricht,
The Netherlands; Florence, Italy; and London & Paris. She has also conducted workshops for the
Linguistic Society of America for graduate students and early career faculty in Linguistics on
developing and delivering online linguistics courses and best practices in teaching linguistics on
ground. Her scholarship reflects the diversity of her training and interests with work in Native
American translation, praxis in composition and in linguistics, the role of service in the 21 st
century English Department, and English as (Not) an Official Language. Dr. Burley was awarded
the prestigious STIRS Scholar Award (Scientific Reasoning and Integrative Reasoning Skills) by
the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in 2014 in a national
competition for her Case Study and Facilitator’s Guide, “Should English be the Official
Language of the United States?” Her university service accomplishments were recognized in
2013 with the Public Service Award, acknowledging her leadership positions across campus as
President of the Faculty Senate, Chair of The Faculty Handbook Committee, President of the
Richard Hudson Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) as well
as President of the Arkansas State Conference of the AAUP, and President of University
Women. Her extensive professional service includes reviewing abstracts, journal articles,
textbooks, grant applications, and manuscripts, serving as Chair of the Linguistics in Higher
Education Committee of the Linguistic Society of America, and in numerous positions with the
Educational Testing Service, including as a Pre-Test Coordinator for AP English, a Reader of the
Advanced Placement Program in English Language, Reader for the Graduate Record Exam
(GRE), and participating in a study for standard setting of the College-Level Exam Program
(CLEP). She also served as a consultant in the writing of 65 video scripts for the series Grammar
Tips for Students (https://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Tips-Students-Season-1/dp/B0163ZI0MK).