An Introduction to the Methods of Conversation Analysis

Conversation Analysis (CA) is increasingly widely used as a research methodology in Sociology, Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Social Psychology, the Health Sciences and other related disciplines. We are offering a short course designed to give an introduction to the basic principles and methods of CA. It is intended for those who have had little previous experience with conversation analysis but who are interested in what it might offer them in their own research, and are considering whether to use this method in their doctoral or post-doctoral research. It may also serve as a refresher course for those with some previous experience of CA, and who now want to teach or research in this area. Ideally participants will already have, or be in the process of recording, their own data (e.g. doctor/patient or other medical interaction, family conversations, helplines, meetings of various kinds, interactions in educational settings and so on). But this is not essential – participants may also be at an earlier stage in planning their research. The course would suit graduate/post-doc researchers in any relevant discipline.

We will introduce participants to key analytic tools and methodological techniques in analysing data, including making collections of phenomena and analysing interactional patterns and practices, on the basis of those collections.  The course will be organised through talks and practical activities and exercises, with an emphasis on hands-on work with data.

The course tutors are Paul Drew and Merran Toerien, who have considerable experience as teachers and researchers in CA, and are internationally known for their work in this area. Paul Drew’s research has focused on some of the basic practices of ordinary conversation, and on the application of CA to understanding professional and institutional (especially medical and legal) interactions (he works with sociologists, linguists and health care professionals; many of his graduate students are linguists). Merran Toerien holds an RCUK (Research Councils UK) fellowship in the Sociology Department. She has expertise in the application of CA both to political (e.g. feminist) concerns, and to institutional interactions; she has done research on how nurses recruit patients to medical trials; on interviews with benefits claimants in JobCentre Plus (with Paul Drew); and is currently working on an NIHR-funded study of decision-making in neurology clinics.

The University of York offers bed and breakfast accommodation on campus at reasonable rates.  This can be booked either on-line or by telephone. 
Please check the web site http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/accom/returner/usefullocal.htm