For your primary research project, you will be doing field research, where you gather (in this case, record) the data. You will record 30 minutes (at minimum) of a mixed group conversation (of at least four people, 2 male, 2 female).
You cannot be a participant in the conversation. You want the conversation to be as natural as possible, and as you’ve read, this is difficult when the participants (who must be 18 or over) know they are being recorded. However, your subjects must know about AND give their permission to the recording for the interview. You can, however, be creative about the recorder: hide it, use elapsed time, etc. The less they think of it, the more natural their conversation will be.
Analyze your recording in regard to male/female, female/female, male/male, and group interactions and the language used in them. You are required to have a minimum of four linguistic devices to analyze. A linguistic device would be any of the WL or ML features that you have learned about in class (empty adjectives, interruption, complimenting, e.g.).
1) Include your linguistic device and the corresponding conversation excerpt (I don’t want an entire transcription—just an excerpt). Each excerpt must highlight a separate linguistic device.
2) Analyze the device as it occurs within the conversation. This analysis should include an introduction and conclusion and be supported with research.
Show how these linguistic devices were used within the context of the conversation. For example, was Robert’s interruption a power play? Were Julie and Ana engaged in troubles talk? Utilize class readings (or other scholarly sources) to support your conclusions.
Turn in your analysis, with at least 4 supporting transcriptions and a reference page.
The due date is in the syllabus and the Writing Module. I will also post a grading rubric with more exact expectations as the due date nears. Paper length is 1000 words, excluding conversation excerpts and reference page (APA style).
A sample paper is also included in the writing Module. Please follow it.
