Text and Discourse Analysis

Course Catalog Description

Course designed for students to learn text and discourse analysis theory and methods.

Course Overview

Much of our personal and shared sense of reality form through the bombardment of communication we receive growing up and entering society. This course is designed to help students learn to use various methods to collect, analyze and interpret empirical data to the ends of deepening research questions about the use of communication in society and formulating thesis as to what those communications tell us about communication systems, from sender to channel to receiver. Students will learn how to apply the methods to a diverse array of communication mediums: written text, conversation, interview, television, film, books, magazines, audio recordings, and even visuals such as photographs and advertisements. The course will also introduce the use of a range of tools, from highlighters to AI transcription to ATLAS.ti for use in carrying out the methods.

Course Learning Outcomes

Students will leave the course prepared with theory and methods to make empirical inquiry into the communications taking place in society.

The final project is an empirical paper formed from a sample of all the major steps of the research process: literature review, research question formation, selection of theory, selection of method, data collection, analysis, and share findings.

    • Defining and differentiating text and discourse analysis

    • Introduction to ATLAS.ti

    • Choosing texts and locating discourse

    • Grammar and parts of speech

    • Text and discourse analysis methods

    • Applying theory to method

    • Explaining and interpreting results

    • Reflexivity and epistemology

    • Memo writing

    • Research strategy