Научно-исследовательский семинар "Анализ дискурса"

Бакалавриат 2023/2024

Статус: Курс по выбору (Иностранные языки и межкультурная коммуникация)

Направление: 45.03.02. Лингвистика

Кто читает: Школа иностранных языков

Где читается: Школа иностранных языков

Когда читается: 4-й курс, 1, 2 модуль

Формат изучения: без онлайн-курса

Охват аудитории: для всех кампусов НИУ ВШЭ

Преподаватели: Себрюк Анна Набиевна

Язык: английский

Кредиты: 4

Контактные часы: 30

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The study of discourse is essentially the study of language in its natural habitat. Language is used in a variety of contexts to fulfill a broad range of communicative and social goals. This course provides an introduction to discourse analysis, involving the analysis of language above the level of sentence as well as the investigation of language in context. It offers an overview of some of the major approaches to studying oral and written texts. Students will have the opportunity to try out different methods for the analysis of discourse using different theoretical perspectives and methodologies. We will examine and practice various analytic perspectives, including conversation analysis, critical discourse analysis, narrative, pragmatics/speech act theory, sociocultural theory, and interactional sociolinguistics. We will also work with theoretical and empirical literature on discourse analysis through required readings (and through preparing and leading a presentation based on the chosen literature).

Learning Objectives

To acquaint students with approaches to and research in discourse analysis
To familiarize students with modern and classic academic literature on discourse analysis
To develop skills in analysing both spoken and written discourse
To provide students opportunities to apply discourse analytic methods in their own research
To acquaint students with basic theoretical information and modern development in the field of discourse analysis and its features
To develop basic skills for the implementation of discourse-analytical procedures on texts of different genres.

Expected Learning Outcomes

Analyze a written or spoken discourse
Aware of major approaches to the analysis of discourse
Describe the relationship of discourse and context
Identify how views of the world and identities are constructed through the use of discourse.

Course Contents

Introduction & Course Overview. What is discourse analysis? Different views of discourse analysis.
Discourse and pragmatics. Language, context and discourse. Speech acts and discourse. Cross-cultural pragmatics and discourse.
Genres and registers; spoken and written discourse. Applications of genre analysis.
Discourse and conversation. Discourse transcription. Transcription conventions.
Discourse grammar. The texture of a text. Patterns of cohesion. Grammatical differences between spoken and written discourse.
Corpus approaches to Discourse analysis. Kinds of corpora. Corpus studies of the social nature of discourse.
Multimodal discourse analysis
Critical discourse analysis.
Discourse and society. Discourse communities. Language as social and local practice. Discourse and gender. Discourse and identity. Discourse and ideology.
Doing Discourse Analysis.

Assessment Elements

Group Project
Students will work in groups of 2 to 3 students to prepare a discourse analysis paper (following the guidelines). Discourse Analysis Paper (1500-2000 words) that links the student’s research interests with the topics and issues raised in class. Students will prepare a 8-10-minute presentation introducing their group project (discourse analysis paper).
Activities and Assignments
Activities and Assignments include: - ongoing quizzes Before some of the seminars, tests/quizzes will evaluate students’ understanding of the required Key Texts. It is up to the instructor to decide whether to give a quiz or not; students will not be warned about it in advance, so they should do their reading beforehand. Written quizzes are compulsory for everyone who is in class at that moment. If a 5-minute quiz is used as a written form of checking home assignments, a student who is late is not permitted to write the quiz. A student who is absent is not permitted to do it either. - in-class tasks (Note that an absence during an in-class assignment will result in a 0 on that assignment). - an in-class presentation Every student is required to give one in-class presentation on (an) academic paper (s) (the current theories, ideas and hypotheses in discourse studies). If a student has taken up a project that requires their presence in class (for instance, a presentation), but has to miss the class, they should find themselves a replacement (another student who will agree to do the project in their place). - home assignments. Homework assignments will be given throughout the course to give you practice implementing topics discussed in class and assigned readings. You will submit your homework solutions to SmartLMS prior to the class meeting. You should meet assignment deadlines by all means. Selected homework assignments will be graded (a 10-point grading scale). Late work is not accepted except in extreme circumstances at the sole discretion of the instructor. I may require additional documentation. It is your responsibility to keep track of the due dates. You must keep up with the information that I post on the course page (SmartLMS). Expect also to be called on to participate in sharing your homework "results" with the class. Students are expected to produce original work and give appropriate credit to others' work to which they refer (i.e. proper citations). Students must not adopt or reproduce ideas, words, or statements of another person without appropriate acknowledgment. The assignments should be typed and follow basic academic style conventions and formatting rules. Instructions will be given per assignment. The make-up of missed work is allowed for excused absences only. The grade for Activities and Assignments is the average grade of all the tasks completed by the student during the course.
Group Presentation
Students are required to present their discourse analysis paper in class.
Module Tests
At the end of each module students must take a test which covers the material discussed in class.
Class Participation
Since this course is organized as a seminar, participation from each student is critical to the success of this course. Therefore, class attendance is mandatory. Failure to attend class will result in a zero for that day's participation, quizzing, examining, etc. Class participation involves taking part in discussions, debates, talks, case studies; independent preparation for seminars (information search; reading papers; watching videos; annotating and rendering the obtained materials) and submitting written home assignments. Active participation and engagement will be required in this course. All students are expected to have read the assigned material and submit home assignments PRIOR to the class meetings. It is important to note that ‘participating’ in discussion means both speaking and facilitating the participation of others by active listening. At random times throughout the course, students will be called upon to present to the entire class a brief overview of the main issues discussed in the readings or to share the “results” of their homework assignment. If a seminar is held online, class participation is graded under the condition that the student keeps their camera on. Class participation is assessed every seminar, save for the first one. Class participation will be evaluated according to a points scale*. Each seminar may give 3 points. If you must miss class for a legitimate reason, please notify the instructor in advance; in any event, you are responsible for any work that you miss, and missing class is no excuse for not turning in an assignment.

Interim Assessment

2023/2024 2nd module
0.25 * Activities and Assignments + 0.15 * Class Participation + 0.15 * Group Presentation + 0.25 * Group Project + 0.2 * Module Tests

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Discourse analysis : an introduction, Paltridge, B., 2013
The Routledge handbook of discourse analysis, , 2014

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Conversation analysis and discourse analysis : a comparative and critical introduction, Wooffitt, R., 2005
Discourse analysis : putting our worlds into words, Strauss, S., 2014

Course Syllabus