Deck 12: Discourse Analysis

Question 1

What kind of research problems can be addressed with discourse analysis?

A) The discursive construction of culture and cultural differences
B) Cultural differences between people with diverse backgrounds
C) People's perceptions of culture and cultural differences
D) Intercultural problems in discourse between different nationalities

Answer 1

The discursive construction of culture and cultural differences

Question 2

What does the term 'discourse analysis' stand for?

A) A single method directed at the analysis of texts and talk
B) A field of study encompassing a number of different approaches
C) An analytical tool to measure the distribution of discourse variables
D) A particular approach to everyday spoken discourse

Answer 2

A field of study encompassing a number of different approaches

Question 3

What does 'multimodality' mean?

A) Analysis should always concentrate on only one out of many modalities
B) Among many resources language use stands out as the most important
C) Communication includes utilization of several equally relevant resources
D) The multitude of analytical tools to study discourse

Answer 3

Communication includes utilization of several equally relevant resources

Question 4

What is a common aim of discourse studies?

A) To uncover what people are saying and writing
B) To uncover the ways social reality is produced and negotiated
C) To uncover, how people perceive and talk about social reality
D) To uncover the ways social reality impacts on discourse

Question 5

In which case can you be certain your data is naturally occurring?

A) If the recorded situation was induced in its natural surroundings
B) If the recorded situation followed pre-set guidelines of natural data collection
C) If the recorded situation has been induced in a laboratory under natural conditions
D) If the recorded situation would have taken place without your research

Question 6

What type of data could be considered problematic for discourse analysis?

A) Research interviews
B) Blog entries
C) Narratives
D) Recordings of talk

Question 7

What problem does the Labov's observer's paradox describe?

A) Observers are never free of their own interpretations
B) Observers sometimes have the tendency to overlook important details
C) Observers need to follow ethical standards when recording unethical data
D) Observers can never record truly naturally occurring data

Question 8

What does 'transcribing data' mean?

A) To make detailed fieldnotes during the phase of recording interaction
B) To transfer recorded interaction word by word into written form
C) To translate recorded data into a code for computer supported analysis
D) To write up short summaries of the recorded data for pre-analytic purposes

Question 9

How do discourse analysts approach the task of transcribing?

A) As a preparative step for analysis
B) As a way to make data recording easier
C) As the first step of analysis
D) As a measure to validate their findings

Question 10

What are transcription conventions?

A) Rules developed to mark
B) Rules that regulate each step of transcribing data
C) Rules for an adequate compilation of written data
D) Rules, which you should follow when creating an archive of transcripts
E) e.g., temporal and prosodic features of talk

Question 11

Where should the English translation of a transcript ideally be placed?

A) Together with the original in the appendix
B) In the form of a table in a footnote
C) Line by line into the original
D) There is no need for translations

Question 12

What should you be aware of when working with your transcripts?

A) Transcripts are interpretations and work only in addition to the recordings
B) Transcripts provide you with much more information than your recordings
C) Transcripts should not be changed anymore once they have been done
D) Transcripts allow you to improve your recorded data for the analysis

Question 13

What are the first steps the discourse analytic guidelines require you to follow?

A) Collect all the data you need and interview participants on their perceptions
B) Choose a theory and formulate clear research questions and hypotheses
C) Plan the set-up of the situations you want to record and recruit participants
D) There are no clear-cut step-by-step guidelines for conducting a DA

Question 14

How can you develop your discourse analytic skills?

A) By reading introductory books on DA and internalizing best practice
B) By attending lectures on DA and learning the guidelines by hard
C) By studying other people's work and practicing in data-sessions
D) Discourse analytic skills cannot really be developed

Question 15

Why is coding your data paramount in discourse analysis?

A) Coding can be quite useful, but is not really necessary in DA
B) Coding is an important step performing the analysis itself
C) Coding provides you with the necessary categories to build your analysis on
D) Coding has an impact on how the findings can be classified and interpreted

Question 16

What should you avoid when conducting a discourse analytic study?

A) Try to make sense of people's activities
B) Repeat and paraphrase what participants say
C) Provide an account of what you think participants are doing
D) Explore for what purposes certain attributes are brought up in discourse

Question 17

What problem does the Labov's observer's paradox describe?

Question 18

Why are transcripts important for discourse analytic research (four reasons)?

Question 19

Why should an analysis of spoken discourse always rely on the original recordings beside the transcripts?

Question 20

What are the four key characteristics of discourse analytic work?

Question 21

What are common aims of discourse studies?

Question 22

Briefly identify the four key features of discourse analytic work and describe in which ways they can help you navigate your analysis.

Question 23

Reflect on the question why studying discourse is worthwhile. How can findings of discourse studies be applied?

Question 24

Briefly discuss advantages and disadvantages of discourse analytic approaches. Use an example to illustrate your discussion. (advanced)