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Directed Readings in Multimodal Conversation Analysis - LAN00111M

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  • Department: Language and Linguistic Science
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Marina Cantarutti
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

The module focuses on developing core academic skills while conducting and engaging with primary research: literature reviews, synthesising, critical reviews, and applied analyses presented in ways consistent with conventions for published work on multimodal conversation analysis. From a pool of readings, you will write summaries and critical comparisons, design a research poster with a sample of an analysis, culminating in an original research essay.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

  • Engage with primary research and conduct independent research

  • Understanding the main theoretical and empirical issues and the competing analyses of specific phenomena within particular topics of multimodal conversation analysis.

  • Communicate research effectively via a range of modalities and conventions used in multimodal conversation analysis.

  • Develop core academic skills in communicating research in different academic formats.

  • Develop compelling and concise short-form writing through writing summaries of research papers

  • Conduct and communicate independent research by writing a long essay.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, you will be able to:

  • Read and engage with research articles in multimodal conversation analysis, broadly understand them and be able to articulate the issues that are addressed and the analysis proposed

  • Communicate research effectively through poster design using conventions used for published multimodal CA research.

  • Develop clear written and visual presentation of multimodal CA analyses.

  • Identity a topic of research through the synthesis of key issues in the literature.

Module content

This module will have a mixture of input sessions, presentation sessions, and independent study time. Input sessions will introduce you to the relevant issues in multimodal conversation analysis as well as to relevant academic skills. Presentation sessions will consist of sharing formative work and receiving feedback. Independent study and preparation time will be scheduled in between input and preparation sessions.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Final essay		 N/A 80
Essay/coursework
Poster: Multimodal CA analysis of a collection of two extracts in poster form.		 N/A 20

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

This module is reassessed at component level. This means that if you are required to re-sit this module, you will have to re-take only the components you have failed (Summative 1: Poster and/or Summative 2: Essay).

Reassessment

None

Module feedback

Individual written feedback will be provided for all written pieces of work. Weeks 4 and 9 are specifically designated as consolidation and feedback weeks, where you will meet with a member of staff to discuss your formative work and to introduce your upcoming summative work and in week 11, you will meet to discuss your essay proposal.

Indicative reading

You will read a selection of journal and edited volume articles on different perspectives on topics in multimodal CA based on the theme selected for each academic year. For example, for turn-taking, turn-constructional units, and multimodality in interaction, you could be asked to read some of the following:

Auer, P. (2021). Turn-allocation and gaze: A multimodal revision of the “current-speaker-selects-next” rule of the turn-taking system of conversation analysis. Discourse Studies, 23(2), 117–140. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445620966922

Bögels, S., & Torreira, F. (2021). Turn-end Estimation in Conversational Turn-taking: The Roles of Context and Prosody. Discourse Processes, 58(10), 903–924. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2021.1986664

Fox, B., & Heinemann, T. (2021). Grammar and Hands: Manual Turn-Taking and Its Relationships to Verbal Turn-Taking in the Transfer of Objects. Frontiers in Communication, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcomm.2021.661721

Ford, C., & Thompson, S. (1996). Interactional Units in Conversation: Syntactic, Intonational and Pragmatic Resources. In E. Ochs, E. A. Schegloff, & S. A. Thompson (Eds.), Interaction and Grammar (pp. 134–184).

Kendrick, K. H., Holler, J., & Levinson, S. C. (2023). Turn-taking in human face-to-face interaction is multimodal: gaze direction and manual gestures aid the coordination of turn transitions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences, 378(1875), 20210473. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2021.0473

Selting, M. (2005) Syntax and prosody as methods for the construction and identification of turn-constructional units in conversation. In Hakulinen, A. and Selting, M. (Eds) Syntax and Lexis in Conversation: Studies on the Use of Linguistic Resources in Talk-in-Interaction. John Benjamins, pp. 17–44


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.