Discourse Analysis: Key Concepts and Projects

Posted on Feb 15, 2025 in English, Linguistic and Literary Studies

Key Considerations in Discourse Analysis

1. Planning a Discourse Analysis Project

When planning a discourse analysis, consider the following:

  • Actual research question: Does it contain a good, researchable idea?
  • Well-focused question: This is the key to a good research project.
  • Identifying information: Determine what kind of information each approach can supply.

2. Evaluating a Discourse Analysis

The following issues are crucial when evaluating a discourse analysis:

  • Reliability: The consistency of the results obtained.
  • Validity: The truth or accuracy of the generalizations made.
  • Replicability: The extent to which another researcher could reproduce the study.

Internal vs. External Reliability

  • Internal Reliability: Consistency of data collection, analysis, and interpretation.
  • External Reliability (Replicability): The extent to which another researcher could reproduce the study and obtain similar results.

Internal vs. External Validity

  • Internal Validity: How far claims about cause are “true” in the situation being studied.
  • External Validity: The extent to which the results can be generalized to a broader population.

3. Types of Discourse Analysis Projects

Several types of discourse analysis projects can be undertaken:

  • Replication of Previous Studies: Useful when there’s renewed interest in a topic.
  • Using Different Data, Same Methodology: Compare findings with the original study.
  • Analyzing Existing Data: Apply discourse analytic techniques to previously published data.
  • Analyzing Data from a Different Perspective: Use a new theoretical lens.
  • Considering the Validity of a Previous Claim: Critically examine existing research.
  • Focusing on Unanalyzed Genres: Analyze new genres emerging from new technologies.
  • Combining Research Techniques: Integrate qualitative and quantitative methods.

4. Key Definitions

  • What is Discourse Analysis? Discourse analysis is a research method for studying written or spoken language in relation to its social context.
  • Difference Between Validity and Reliability:
    • Reliability refers to the consistency of a measure (reproducibility under the same conditions).
    • Validity refers to the accuracy of a measure (whether results represent what they should measure).
  • Using different discourse data: It is important to have the same methodology.