dissertation discourse analysis

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base

Methodology

• Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples

Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples

Published on August 23, 2019 by Amy Luo . Revised on June 22, 2023.

Critical discourse analysis (or discourse analysis) is a research method for studying written or spoken language in relation to its social context. It aims to understand how language is used in real life situations.

When you conduct discourse analysis, you might focus on:

• The purposes and effects of different types of language
• Cultural rules and conventions in communication
• How values, beliefs and assumptions are communicated
• How language use relates to its social, political and historical context

Discourse analysis is a common qualitative research method in many humanities and social science disciplines, including linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology and cultural studies.  

Table of contents

What is discourse analysis used for, how is discourse analysis different from other methods, how to conduct discourse analysis, other interesting articles.

Conducting discourse analysis means examining how language functions and how meaning is created in different social contexts. It can be applied to any instance of written or oral language, as well as non-verbal aspects of communication such as tone and gestures.

Materials that are suitable for discourse analysis include:

• Books, newspapers and periodicals
• Marketing material, such as brochures and advertisements
• Business and government documents
• Websites, forums, social media posts and comments
• Interviews and conversations

By analyzing these types of discourse, researchers aim to gain an understanding of social groups and how they communicate.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Unlike linguistic approaches that focus only on the rules of language use, discourse analysis emphasizes the contextual meaning of language.

It focuses on the social aspects of communication and the ways people use language to achieve specific effects (e.g. to build trust, to create doubt, to evoke emotions, or to manage conflict).

Instead of focusing on smaller units of language, such as sounds, words or phrases, discourse analysis is used to study larger chunks of language, such as entire conversations, texts, or collections of texts. The selected sources can be analyzed on multiple levels.

Discourse analysis is a qualitative and interpretive method of analyzing texts (in contrast to more systematic methods like content analysis ). You make interpretations based on both the details of the material itself and on contextual knowledge.

There are many different approaches and techniques you can use to conduct discourse analysis, but the steps below outline the basic structure you need to follow. Following these steps can help you avoid pitfalls of confirmation bias that can cloud your analysis.

Step 1: Define the research question and select the content of analysis

To do discourse analysis, you begin with a clearly defined research question . Once you have developed your question, select a range of material that is appropriate to answer it.

Discourse analysis is a method that can be applied both to large volumes of material and to smaller samples, depending on the aims and timescale of your research.

Step 2: Gather information and theory on the context

Next, you must establish the social and historical context in which the material was produced and intended to be received. Gather factual details of when and where the content was created, who the author is, who published it, and whom it was disseminated to.

As well as understanding the real-life context of the discourse, you can also conduct a literature review on the topic and construct a theoretical framework to guide your analysis.

Step 3: Analyze the content for themes and patterns

This step involves closely examining various elements of the material – such as words, sentences, paragraphs, and overall structure – and relating them to attributes, themes, and patterns relevant to your research question.

Step 4: Review your results and draw conclusions

Once you have assigned particular attributes to elements of the material, reflect on your results to examine the function and meaning of the language used. Here, you will consider your analysis in relation to the broader context that you established earlier to draw conclusions that answer your research question.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Measures of central tendency
• Chi square tests
• Confidence interval
• Quartiles & Quantiles
• Cluster sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Thematic analysis
• Cohort study
• Peer review
• Ethnography

Research bias

• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Conformity bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Availability heuristic
• Attrition bias
• Social desirability bias

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Luo, A. (2023, June 22). Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved July 15, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/discourse-analysis/

Is this article helpful?

Other students also liked

What is qualitative research | methods & examples, what is a case study | definition, examples & methods, how to do thematic analysis | step-by-step guide & examples, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

What (Exactly) Is Discourse Analysis? A Plain-Language Explanation & Definition (With Examples)

By: Jenna Crosley (PhD). Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2021

Discourse analysis is one of the most popular qualitative analysis techniques we encounter at Grad Coach. If you’ve landed on this post, you’re probably interested in discourse analysis, but you’re not sure whether it’s the right fit for your project, or you don’t know where to start. If so, you’ve come to the right place.

Overview: Discourse Analysis Basics

In this post, we’ll explain in plain, straightforward language :

• What discourse analysis is
• When to use discourse analysis
• The main approaches to discourse analysis
• How to conduct discourse analysis

What is discourse analysis?

Let’s start with the word “discourse”.

In its simplest form, discourse is verbal or written communication between people that goes beyond a single sentence . Importantly, discourse is more than just language. The term “language” can include all forms of linguistic and symbolic units (even things such as road signs), and language studies can focus on the individual meanings of words. Discourse goes beyond this and looks at the overall meanings conveyed by language in context .  “Context” here refers to the social, cultural, political, and historical background of the discourse, and it is important to take this into account to understand underlying meanings expressed through language.

A popular way of viewing discourse is as language used in specific social contexts, and as such language serves as a means of prompting some form of social change or meeting some form of goal.

Now that we’ve defined discourse, let’s look at discourse analysis .

Discourse analysis uses the language presented in a corpus or body of data to draw meaning . This body of data could include a set of interviews or focus group discussion transcripts. While some forms of discourse analysis center in on the specifics of language (such as sounds or grammar), other forms focus on how this language is used to achieve its aims. We’ll dig deeper into these two above-mentioned approaches later.

As Wodak and Krzyżanowski (2008) put it: “discourse analysis provides a general framework to problem-oriented social research”. Basically, discourse analysis is used to conduct research on the use of language in context in a wide variety of social problems (i.e., issues in society that affect individuals negatively).

For example, discourse analysis could be used to assess how language is used to express differing viewpoints on financial inequality and would look at how the topic should or shouldn’t be addressed or resolved, and whether this so-called inequality is perceived as such by participants.

What makes discourse analysis unique is that it posits that social reality is socially constructed , or that our experience of the world is understood from a subjective standpoint. Discourse analysis goes beyond the literal meaning of words and languages

For example, people in countries that make use of a lot of censorship will likely have their knowledge, and thus views, limited by this, and will thus have a different subjective reality to those within countries with more lax laws on censorship.

When should you use discourse analysis?

There are many ways to analyze qualitative data (such as content analysis , narrative analysis , and thematic analysis ), so why should you choose discourse analysis? Well, as with all analysis methods, the nature of your research aims, objectives and research questions (i.e. the purpose of your research) will heavily influence the right choice of analysis method.

The purpose of discourse analysis is to investigate the functions of language (i.e., what language is used for) and how meaning is constructed in different contexts, which, to recap, include the social, cultural, political, and historical backgrounds of the discourse.

For example, if you were to study a politician’s speeches, you would need to situate these speeches in their context, which would involve looking at the politician’s background and views, the reasons for presenting the speech, the history or context of the audience, and the country’s social and political history (just to name a few – there are always multiple contextual factors).

Discourse analysis can also tell you a lot about power and power imbalances , including how this is developed and maintained, how this plays out in real life (for example, inequalities because of this power), and how language can be used to maintain it. For example, you could look at the way that someone with more power (for example, a CEO) speaks to someone with less power (for example, a lower-level employee).

Therefore, you may consider discourse analysis if you are researching:

• Some form of power or inequality (for example, how affluent individuals interact with those who are less wealthy
• How people communicate in a specific context (such as in a social situation with colleagues versus a board meeting)
• Ideology and how ideas (such as values and beliefs) are shared using language (like in political speeches)
• How communication is used to achieve social goals (such as maintaining a friendship or navigating conflict)

As you can see, discourse analysis can be a powerful tool for assessing social issues , as well as power and power imbalances . So, if your research aims and objectives are oriented around these types of issues, discourse analysis could be a good fit for you.

Discourse Analysis: The main approaches

There are two main approaches to discourse analysis. These are the language-in-use (also referred to as socially situated text and talk ) approaches and the socio-political approaches (most commonly Critical Discourse Analysis ). Let’s take a look at each of these.

Approach #1: Language-in-use

Language-in-use approaches focus on the finer details of language used within discourse, such as sentence structures (grammar) and phonology (sounds). This approach is very descriptive and is seldom seen outside of studies focusing on literature and/or linguistics.

Because of its formalist roots, language-in-use pays attention to different rules of communication, such as grammaticality (i.e., when something “sounds okay” to a native speaker of a language). Analyzing discourse through a language-in-use framework involves identifying key technicalities of language used in discourse and investigating how the features are used within a particular social context.

For example, English makes use of affixes (for example, “un” in “unbelievable”) and suffixes (“able” in “unbelievable”) but doesn’t typically make use of infixes (units that can be placed within other words to alter their meaning). However, an English speaker may say something along the lines of, “that’s un-flipping-believable”. From a language-in-use perspective, the infix “flipping” could be investigated by assessing how rare the phenomenon is in English, and then answering questions such as, “What role does the infix play?” or “What is the goal of using such an infix?”

Need a helping hand?

Approach #2: Socio-political

Socio-political approaches to discourse analysis look beyond the technicalities of language and instead focus on the influence that language has in social context , and vice versa. One of the main socio-political approaches is Critical Discourse Analysis , which focuses on power structures (for example, the power dynamic between a teacher and a student) and how discourse is influenced by society and culture. Critical Discourse Analysis is born out of Michel Foucault’s early work on power, which focuses on power structures through the analysis of normalized power .

Normalized power is ingrained and relatively allusive. It’s what makes us exist within society (and within the underlying norms of society, as accepted in a specific social context) and do the things that we need to do. Contrasted to this, a more obvious form of power is repressive power , which is power that is actively asserted.

Sounds a bit fluffy? Let’s look at an example.

Consider a situation where a teacher threatens a student with detention if they don’t stop speaking in class. This would be an example of repressive power (i.e. it was actively asserted).

Normalized power, on the other hand, is what makes us not want to talk in class . It’s the subtle clues we’re given from our environment that tell us how to behave, and this form of power is so normal to us that we don’t even realize that our beliefs, desires, and decisions are being shaped by it.

In the view of Critical Discourse Analysis, language is power and, if we want to understand power dynamics and structures in society, we must look to language for answers. In other words, analyzing the use of language can help us understand the social context, especially the power dynamics.

While the above-mentioned approaches are the two most popular approaches to discourse analysis, other forms of analysis exist. For example, ethnography-based discourse analysis and multimodal analysis. Ethnography-based discourse analysis aims to gain an insider understanding of culture , customs, and habits through participant observation (i.e. directly observing participants, rather than focusing on pre-existing texts).

On the other hand, multimodal analysis focuses on a variety of texts that are both verbal and nonverbal (such as a combination of political speeches and written press releases). So, if you’re considering using discourse analysis, familiarize yourself with the various approaches available so that you can make a well-informed decision.

How to “do” discourse analysis

As every study is different, it’s challenging to outline exactly what steps need to be taken to complete your research. However, the following steps can be used as a guideline if you choose to adopt discourse analysis for your research.

Step 1: Decide on your discourse analysis approach

The first step of the process is to decide on which approach you will take in terms. For example, the language in use approach or a socio-political approach such as critical discourse analysis. To do this, you need to consider your research aims, objectives and research questions . Of course, this means that you need to have these components clearly defined. If you’re still a bit uncertain about these, check out our video post covering topic development here.

While discourse analysis can be exploratory (as in, used to find out about a topic that hasn’t really been touched on yet), it is still vital to have a set of clearly defined research questions to guide your analysis. Without these, you may find that you lack direction when you get to your analysis. Since discourse analysis places such a focus on context, it is also vital that your research questions are linked to studying language within context.

Based on your research aims, objectives and research questions, you need to assess which discourse analysis would best suit your needs. Importantly, you  need to adopt an approach that aligns with your study’s purpose . So, think carefully about what you are investigating and what you want to achieve, and then consider the various options available within discourse analysis.

It’s vital to determine your discourse analysis approach from the get-go , so that you don’t waste time randomly analyzing your data without any specific plan.

Step 2: Design your collection method and gather your data

Once you’ve got determined your overarching approach, you can start looking at how to collect your data. Data in discourse analysis is drawn from different forms of “talk” and “text” , which means that it can consist of interviews , ethnographies, discussions, case studies, blog posts.  

The type of data you collect will largely depend on your research questions (and broader research aims and objectives). So, when you’re gathering your data, make sure that you keep in mind the “what”, “who” and “why” of your study, so that you don’t end up with a corpus full of irrelevant data. Discourse analysis can be very time-consuming, so you want to ensure that you’re not wasting time on information that doesn’t directly pertain to your research questions.

When considering potential collection methods, you should also consider the practicalities . What type of data can you access in reality? How many participants do you have access to and how much time do you have available to collect data and make sense of it? These are important factors, as you’ll run into problems if your chosen methods are impractical in light of your constraints.

Once you’ve determined your data collection method, you can get to work with the collection.

Step 3: Investigate the context

A key part of discourse analysis is context and understanding meaning in context. For this reason, it is vital that you thoroughly and systematically investigate the context of your discourse. Make sure that you can answer (at least the majority) of the following questions:

• What is the discourse?
• Why does the discourse exist? What is the purpose and what are the aims of the discourse?
• When did the discourse take place?
• Where did it happen?
• Who participated in the discourse? Who created it and who consumed it?
• What does the discourse say about society in general?
• How is meaning being conveyed in the context of the discourse?

Make sure that you include all aspects of the discourse context in your analysis to eliminate any confounding factors. For example, are there any social, political, or historical reasons as to why the discourse would exist as it does? What other factors could contribute to the existence of the discourse? Discourse can be influenced by many factors, so it is vital that you take as many of them into account as possible.

Once you’ve investigated the context of your data, you’ll have a much better idea of what you’re working with, and you’ll be far more familiar with your content. It’s then time to begin your analysis.

Step 4: Analyze your data

When performing a discourse analysis, you’ll need to look for themes and patterns .  To do this, you’ll start by looking at codes , which are specific topics within your data. You can find more information about the qualitative data coding process here.

Next, you’ll take these codes and identify themes. Themes are patterns of language (such as specific words or sentences) that pop up repeatedly in your data, and that can tell you something about the discourse. For example, if you’re wanting to know about women’s perspectives of living in a certain area, potential themes may be “safety” or “convenience”.

In discourse analysis, it is important to reach what is called data saturation . This refers to when you’ve investigated your topic and analyzed your data to the point where no new information can be found. To achieve this, you need to work your way through your data set multiple times, developing greater depth and insight each time. This can be quite time consuming and even a bit boring at times, but it’s essential.

Once you’ve reached the point of saturation, you should have an almost-complete analysis and you’re ready to move onto the next step – final review.

Step 5: Review your work

Hey, you’re nearly there. Good job! Now it’s time to review your work.

This final step requires you to return to your research questions and compile your answers to them, based on the analysis. Make sure that you can answer your research questions thoroughly, and also substantiate your responses with evidence from your data.

Usually, discourse analysis studies make use of appendices, which are referenced within your thesis or dissertation. This makes it easier for reviewers or markers to jump between your analysis (and findings) and your corpus (your evidence) so that it’s easier for them to assess your work.

When answering your research questions, make you should also revisit your research aims and objectives , and assess your answers against these. This process will help you zoom out a little and give you a bigger picture view. With your newfound insights from the analysis, you may find, for example, that it makes sense to expand the research question set a little to achieve a more comprehensive view of the topic.

Let’s recap…

In this article, we’ve covered quite a bit of ground. The key takeaways are:

• Discourse analysis is a qualitative analysis method used to draw meaning from language in context.
• You should consider using discourse analysis when you wish to analyze the functions and underlying meanings of language in context.
• The two overarching approaches to discourse analysis are language-in-use and socio-political approaches .
• The main steps involved in undertaking discourse analysis are deciding on your analysis approach (based on your research questions), choosing a data collection method, collecting your data, investigating the context of your data, analyzing your data, and reviewing your work.

If you have any questions about discourse analysis, feel free to leave a comment below. If you’d like 1-on-1 help with your analysis, book an initial consultation with a friendly Grad Coach to see how we can help.

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

31 Comments

This was really helpful to me

I would like to know the importance of discourse analysis analysis to academic writing

In academic writing coherence and cohesion are very important. DA will assist us to decide cohesiveness of the continuum of discourse that are used in it. We can judge it well.

Thank you so much for this piece, can you please direct how I can use Discourse Analysis to investigate politics of ethnicity in a particular society

Fantastically helpful! Could you write on how discourse analysis can be done using computer aided technique? Many thanks

I would like to know if I can use discourse analysis to research on electoral integrity deviation and when election are considered free & fair

I also to know the importance of discourse analysis and it’s purpose and characteristics

Thanks, we are doing discourse analysis as a subject this year and this helped a lot!

Please can you help explain and answer this question? With illustrations,Hymes’ Acronym SPEAKING, as a feature of Discourse Analysis.

What are the three objectives of discourse analysis especially on the topic how people communicate between doctor and patient

Very useful Thank you for your work and information

thank you so much , I wanna know more about discourse analysis tools , such as , latent analysis , active powers analysis, proof paths analysis, image analysis, rhetorical analysis, propositions analysis, and so on, I wish I can get references about it , thanks in advance

Its beyond my expectations. It made me clear everything which I was struggling since last 4 months. 👏 👏 👏 👏

Thank you so much … It is clear and helpful

Thanks for sharing this material. My question is related to the online newspaper articles on COVID -19 pandemic the way this new normal is constructed as a social reality. How discourse analysis is an appropriate approach to examine theese articles?

This very helpful and interesting information

This was incredible! And massively helpful.

I’m seeking further assistance if you don’t mind.

Found it worth consuming!

What are the four types of discourse analysis?

very helpful. And I’d like to know more about Ethnography-based discourse analysis as I’m studying arts and humanities, I’d like to know how can I use it in my study.

Amazing info. Very happy to read this helpful piece of documentation. Thank you.

is discourse analysis can take data from medias like TV, Radio…?

I need to know what is general discourse analysis

Direct to the point, simple and deep explanation. this is helpful indeed.

Thank you so much was really helpful

really impressive

Thank you very much, for the clear explanations and examples.

It is really awesome. Anybody within just in 5 minutes understand this critical topic so easily. Thank you so much.

Thank you for enriching my knowledge on Discourse Analysis . Very helpful thanks again

This was extremely helpful. I feel less anxious now. Thank you so much.

Extremely helpful, I am going to be working on CDA about animal rights, particularly stray dogs using social media content, and I was so lost, thank you for clearly illustrating how the research should go forward, thank you

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• Print Friendly

21 Great Examples of Discourse Analysis

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Discourse analysis is an approach to the study of language that demonstrates how language shapes reality. It usually takes the form of a textual or content analysis .

Discourse is understood as a way of perceiving, framing, and viewing the world.

For example:

• A dominant discourse of gender often positions women as gentle and men as active heroes.
• A dominant discourse of race often positions whiteness as the norm and colored bodies as ‘others’ (see: social construction of race )

Through discourse analysis, scholars look at texts and examine how those texts shape discourse.

In other words, it involves the examination of how the ‘ways of speaking about things’ normalizes and privileges some frames of thinking about things while marginalizing others.

As a simple example, if movies consistently frame the ideal female as passive, silent, and submissive, then society comes to think that this is how women should behave and makes us think that this is normal , so women who don’t fit this mold are abnormal .

Instead of seeing this as just the way things are, discourse analysts know that norms are produced in language and are not necessarily as natural as we may have assumed.

Examples of Discourse Analysis

1. language choice in policy texts.

A study of policy texts can reveal ideological frameworks and viewpoints of the writers of the policy. These sorts of studies often demonstrate how policy texts often categorize people in ways that construct social hierarchies and restrict people’s agency .

Examples include:

2. Newspaper Bias

Conducting a critical discourse analysis of newspapers involves gathering together a quorum of newspaper articles based on a pre-defined range and scope (e.g. newspapers from a particular set of publishers within a set date range).

Then, the researcher conducts a close examination of the texts to examine how they frame subjects (i.e. people, groups of people, etc.) from a particular ideological, political, or cultural perspective.

3. Language in Interviews

Discourse analysis can also be utilized to analyze interview transcripts. While coding methods to identify themes are the most common methods for analyzing interviews, discourse analysis is a valuable approach when looking at power relations and the framing of subjects through speech.

4. Television Analysis

Discourse analysis is commonly used to explore ideologies and framing devices in television shows and advertisements.

Due to the fact advertising is not just textual but rather multimodal , scholars often mix a discourse analytic methodology (i.e. exploring how television constructs dominant ways of thinking) with semiotic methods (i.e. exploration of how color, movement, font choice, and so on create meaning).

I did this, for example, in my PhD (listed below).

5. Film Critique

Scholars can explore discourse in film in a very similar way to how they study discourse in television shows. This can include the framing of sexuality gender, race, nationalism, and social class in films.

A common example is the study of Disney films and how they construct idealized feminine and masculine identities that children should aspire toward.

6. Analysis of Political Speech

Political speeches have also been subject to a significant amount of discourse analysis. These studies generally explore how influential politicians indicate a shift in policy and frame those policy shifts in the context of underlying ideological assumptions.

9. Examining Marketing Texts

Advertising is more present than ever in the context of neoliberal capitalism. As a result, it has an outsized role in shaping public discourse. Critical discourse analyses of advertising texts tend to explore how advertisements, and the capitalist context that underpins their proliferation, normalize gendered, racialized, and class-based discourses.

11. Analyzing Lesson Plans

As written texts, lesson plans can be analyzed for how they construct discourses around education as well as student and teacher identities. These texts tend to examine how teachers and governing bodies in education prioritize certain ideologies around what and how to learn. These texts can enter into discussions around the ‘history wars’ (what and whose history should be taught) as well as ideological approaches to religious and language learning.

12. Looking at Graffiti

One of my favorite creative uses of discourse analysis is in the study of graffiti. By looking at graffiti, researchers can identify how youth countercultures and counter discourses are spread through subversive means. These counterdiscourses offer ruptures where dominant discourses can be unsettled and displaced.

Get a Pdf of this article for class

Enjoy subscriber-only access to this article’s pdf

The Origins of Discourse Analysis

1. foucault.

French philosopher Michel Foucault is a central thinker who shaped discourse analysis. His work in studies like Madness and Civilization and The History of Sexuality demonstrate how our ideas about insanity and sexuality have been shaped through language.

The ways the church speaks about sex, for example, shapes people’s thoughts and feelings about it.

The church didn’t simply make sex a silent taboo. Rather, it actively worked to teach people that desire was a thing of evil, forcing them to suppress their desires.

Over time, society at large developed a suppressed normative approach to the concept of sex that is not necessarily normal except for the fact that the church reiterates that this is the only acceptable way of thinking about the topic.

Similarly, in Madness and Civilization , a discourse around insanity was examined. Medical discourse pathologized behaviors that were ‘abnormal’ as signs of insanity. Were the dominant medical discourse to change, it’s possible that abnormal people would no longer be seen as insane.

One clear example of this is homosexuality. Up until the 1990s, being gay was seen in medical discourse as an illness. Today, most of Western society sees that this way of looking at homosexuality was extremely damaging and exclusionary, and yet at the time, because it was the dominant discourse, people didn’t question it.

2. Norman Fairclough

Fairclough (2013), inspired by Foucault, created some key methodological frameworks for conducting discourse analysis.

Fairclough was one of the first scholars to articulate some frameworks around exploring ‘text as discourse’ and provided key tools for scholars to conduct analyses of newspaper and policy texts.

Today, most methodology chapters in dissertations that use discourse analysis will have extensive discussions of Fairclough’s methods.

Discourse analysis is a popular primary research method in media studies, cultural studies, education studies, and communication studies. It helps scholars to show how texts and language have the power to shape people’s perceptions of reality and, over time, shift dominant ways of framing thought. It also helps us to see how power flows thought texts, creating ‘in-groups’ and ‘out-groups’ in society.

Key examples of discourse analysis include the study of television, film, newspaper, advertising, political speeches, and interviews.

Al Kharusi, R. (2017). Ideologies of Arab media and politics: a CDA of Al Jazeera debates on the Yemeni revolution. PhD Dissertation: University of Hertfordshire.

Alaazi, D. A., Ahola, A. N., Okeke-Ihejirika, P., Yohani, S., Vallianatos, H., & Salami, B. (2021). Immigrants and the Western media: a CDA of newspaper framings of African immigrant parenting in Canada. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies , 47 (19), 4478-4496. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2020.1798746

Al-Khawaldeh, N. N., Khawaldeh, I., Bani-Khair, B., & Al-Khawaldeh, A. (2017). An exploration of graffiti on university’s walls: A corpus-based discourse analysis study. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics , 7 (1), 29-42. Doi: https://doi.org/10.17509/ijal.v7i1.6856

Alsaraireh, M. Y., Singh, M. K. S., & Hajimia, H. (2020). Critical DA of gender representation of male and female characters in the animation movie, Frozen. Linguistica Antverpiensia , 104-121.

Baig, F. Z., Khan, K., & Aslam, M. J. (2021). Child Rearing and Gender Socialisation: A Feminist CDA of Kids’ Popular Fictional Movies. Journal of Educational Research and Social Sciences Review (JERSSR) , 1 (3), 36-46.

Barker, M. E. (2021). Exploring Canadian Integration through CDA of English Language Lesson Plans for Immigrant Learners. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics/Revue canadienne de linguistique appliquée , 24 (1), 75-91. Doi: https://doi.org/10.37213/cjal.2021.28959

Coleman, B. (2017). An Ideological Unveiling: Using Critical Narrative and Discourse Analysis to Examine Discursive White Teacher Identity. AERA Online Paper Repository .

Drew, C. (2013). Soak up the goodness: Discourses of Australian childhoods on television advertisements, 2006-2012. PhD Dissertation: Australian Catholic University. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4226/66/5a9780223babd

Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language . London: Routledge.

Foucault, M. (1990). The history of sexuality: An introduction . London: Vintage.

Foucault, M. (2003). Madness and civilization . New York: Routledge.

Hahn, A. D. (2018). Uncovering the ideologies of internationalization in lesson plans through CDA. The New English Teacher , 12 (1), 121-121.

Isti’anah, A. (2018). Rohingya in media: CDA of Myanmar and Bangladesh newspaper headlines. Language in the Online and Offline World , 6 , 18-23. Doi: http://repository.usd.ac.id/id/eprint/25962

Khan, M. H., Adnan, H. M., Kaur, S., Qazalbash, F., & Ismail, I. N. (2020). A CDA of anti-Muslim rhetoric in Donald Trump’s historic 2016 AIPAC policy speech. Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs , 40 (4), 543-558. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/13602004.2020.1828507

Louise Cooper, K., Luck, L., Chang, E., & Dixon, K. (2021). What is the practice of spiritual care? A CDA of registered nurses’ understanding of spirituality. Nursing Inquiry , 28 (2), e12385. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/nin.12385

Mohammadi, D., Momeni, S., & Labafi, S. (2021). Representation of Iranians family’s life style in TV advertising (Case study: food ads). Religion & Communication , 27 (58), 333-379.

Munro, M. (2018) House price inflation in the news: a CDA of newspaper coverage in the UK. Housing Studies, 33(7), pp. 1085-1105. doi: 10.1080/02673037.2017.1421911

Ravn, I. M., Frederiksen, K., & Beedholm, K. (2016). The chronic responsibility: a CDA of Danish chronic care policies. Qualitative Health Research , 26 (4), 545-554. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1049732315570133

Sengul, K. (2019). Critical discourse analysis in political communication research: a case study of right-wing populist discourse in Australia. Communication Research and Practice , 5 (4), 376-392. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2019.1695082

Serafis, D., Kitis, E. D., & Archakis, A. (2018). Graffiti slogans and the construction of collective identity: evidence from the anti-austerity protests in Greece. Text & Talk , 38 (6), 775-797. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1515/text-2018-0023

Suphaborwornrat, W., & Punkasirikul, P. (2022). A Multimodal CDA of Online Soft Drink Advertisements. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network , 15 (1), 627-653.

Symes, C., & Drew, C. (2017). Education on the rails: a textual ethnography of university advertising in mobile contexts. Critical Studies in Education , 58 (2), 205-223. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17508487.2016.1252783

Thomas, S. (2005). The construction of teacher identities in educational policy documents: A critical discourse analysis. Critical Studies in Education , 46 (2), 25-44. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/17508480509556423

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 60 Would you Rather Questions for Students (Of all Ages)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 25 Classroom Games Ideas for High School
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 25 Classroom Games Ideas for Middle School
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 25 Classroom Games Ideas (For Elementary School)

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

• Privacy Policy

Home » Discourse Analysis – Methods, Types and Examples

Discourse Analysis – Methods, Types and Examples

Table of Contents

Discourse Analysis

Definition:

Discourse Analysis is a method of studying how people use language in different situations to understand what they really mean and what messages they are sending. It helps us understand how language is used to create social relationships and cultural norms.

It examines language use in various forms of communication such as spoken, written, visual or multi-modal texts, and focuses on how language is used to construct social meaning and relationships, and how it reflects and reinforces power dynamics, ideologies, and cultural norms.

Types of Discourse Analysis

Some of the most common types of discourse analysis are:

Conversation Analysis

This type of discourse analysis focuses on analyzing the structure of talk and how participants in a conversation make meaning through their interaction. It is often used to study face-to-face interactions, such as interviews or everyday conversations.

Critical discourse Analysis

This approach focuses on the ways in which language use reflects and reinforces power relations, social hierarchies, and ideologies. It is often used to analyze media texts or political speeches, with the aim of uncovering the hidden meanings and assumptions that are embedded in these texts.

Discursive Psychology

This type of discourse analysis focuses on the ways in which language use is related to psychological processes such as identity construction and attribution of motives. It is often used to study narratives or personal accounts, with the aim of understanding how individuals make sense of their experiences.

Multimodal Discourse Analysis

This approach focuses on analyzing not only language use, but also other modes of communication, such as images, gestures, and layout. It is often used to study digital or visual media, with the aim of understanding how different modes of communication work together to create meaning.

Corpus-based Discourse Analysis

This type of discourse analysis uses large collections of texts, or corpora, to analyze patterns of language use across different genres or contexts. It is often used to study language use in specific domains, such as academic writing or legal discourse.

Descriptive Discourse

This type of discourse analysis aims to describe the features and characteristics of language use, without making any value judgments or interpretations. It is often used in linguistic studies to describe grammatical structures or phonetic features of language.

Narrative Discourse

This approach focuses on analyzing the structure and content of stories or narratives, with the aim of understanding how they are constructed and how they shape our understanding of the world. It is often used to study personal narratives or cultural myths.

Expository Discourse

This type of discourse analysis is used to study texts that explain or describe a concept, process, or idea. It aims to understand how information is organized and presented in such texts and how it influences the reader’s understanding of the topic.

Argumentative Discourse

This approach focuses on analyzing texts that present an argument or attempt to persuade the reader or listener. It aims to understand how the argument is constructed, what strategies are used to persuade, and how the audience is likely to respond to the argument.

Discourse Analysis Conducting Guide

Here is a step-by-step guide for conducting discourse analysis:

• What are you trying to understand about the language use in a particular context?
• What are the key concepts or themes that you want to explore?
• Select the data: Decide on the type of data that you will analyze, such as written texts, spoken conversations, or media content. Consider the source of the data, such as news articles, interviews, or social media posts, and how this might affect your analysis.
• Transcribe or collect the data: If you are analyzing spoken language, you will need to transcribe the data into written form. If you are using written texts, make sure that you have access to the full text and that it is in a format that can be easily analyzed.
• Read and re-read the data: Read through the data carefully, paying attention to key themes, patterns, and discursive features. Take notes on what stands out to you and make preliminary observations about the language use.
• Develop a coding scheme : Develop a coding scheme that will allow you to categorize and organize different types of language use. This might include categories such as metaphors, narratives, or persuasive strategies, depending on your research question.
• Code the data: Use your coding scheme to analyze the data, coding different sections of text or spoken language according to the categories that you have developed. This can be a time-consuming process, so consider using software tools to assist with coding and analysis.
• Analyze the data: Once you have coded the data, analyze it to identify patterns and themes that emerge. Look for similarities and differences across different parts of the data, and consider how different categories of language use are related to your research question.
• Interpret the findings: Draw conclusions from your analysis and interpret the findings in relation to your research question. Consider how the language use in your data sheds light on broader cultural or social issues, and what implications it might have for understanding language use in other contexts.
• Write up the results: Write up your findings in a clear and concise way, using examples from the data to support your arguments. Consider how your research contributes to the broader field of discourse analysis and what implications it might have for future research.

Applications of Discourse Analysis

Here are some of the key areas where discourse analysis is commonly used:

• Political discourse: Discourse analysis can be used to analyze political speeches, debates, and media coverage of political events. By examining the language used in these contexts, researchers can gain insight into the political ideologies, values, and agendas that underpin different political positions.
• Media analysis: Discourse analysis is frequently used to analyze media content, including news reports, television shows, and social media posts. By examining the language used in media content, researchers can understand how media narratives are constructed and how they influence public opinion.
• Education : Discourse analysis can be used to examine classroom discourse, student-teacher interactions, and educational policies. By analyzing the language used in these contexts, researchers can gain insight into the social and cultural factors that shape educational outcomes.
• Healthcare : Discourse analysis is used in healthcare to examine the language used by healthcare professionals and patients in medical consultations. This can help to identify communication barriers, cultural differences, and other factors that may impact the quality of healthcare.
• Marketing and advertising: Discourse analysis can be used to analyze marketing and advertising messages, including the language used in product descriptions, slogans, and commercials. By examining these messages, researchers can gain insight into the cultural values and beliefs that underpin consumer behavior.

When to use Discourse Analysis

Discourse analysis is a valuable research methodology that can be used in a variety of contexts. Here are some situations where discourse analysis may be particularly useful:

• When studying language use in a particular context: Discourse analysis can be used to examine how language is used in a specific context, such as political speeches, media coverage, or healthcare interactions. By analyzing language use in these contexts, researchers can gain insight into the social and cultural factors that shape communication.
• When exploring the meaning of language: Discourse analysis can be used to examine how language is used to construct meaning and shape social reality. This can be particularly useful in fields such as sociology, anthropology, and cultural studies.
• When examining power relations: Discourse analysis can be used to examine how language is used to reinforce or challenge power relations in society. By analyzing language use in contexts such as political discourse, media coverage, or workplace interactions, researchers can gain insight into how power is negotiated and maintained.
• When conducting qualitative research: Discourse analysis can be used as a qualitative research method, allowing researchers to explore complex social phenomena in depth. By analyzing language use in a particular context, researchers can gain rich and nuanced insights into the social and cultural factors that shape communication.

Examples of Discourse Analysis

Here are some examples of discourse analysis in action:

• A study of media coverage of climate change: This study analyzed media coverage of climate change to examine how language was used to construct the issue. The researchers found that media coverage tended to frame climate change as a matter of scientific debate rather than a pressing environmental issue, thereby undermining public support for action on climate change.
• A study of political speeches: This study analyzed political speeches to examine how language was used to construct political identity. The researchers found that politicians used language strategically to construct themselves as trustworthy and competent leaders, while painting their opponents as untrustworthy and incompetent.
• A study of medical consultations: This study analyzed medical consultations to examine how language was used to negotiate power and authority between doctors and patients. The researchers found that doctors used language to assert their authority and control over medical decisions, while patients used language to negotiate their own preferences and concerns.
• A study of workplace interactions: This study analyzed workplace interactions to examine how language was used to construct social identity and maintain power relations. The researchers found that language was used to construct a hierarchy of power and status within the workplace, with those in positions of authority using language to assert their dominance over subordinates.

Purpose of Discourse Analysis

The purpose of discourse analysis is to examine the ways in which language is used to construct social meaning, relationships, and power relations. By analyzing language use in a systematic and rigorous way, discourse analysis can provide valuable insights into the social and cultural factors that shape communication and interaction.

The specific purposes of discourse analysis may vary depending on the research context, but some common goals include:

• To understand how language constructs social reality: Discourse analysis can help researchers understand how language is used to construct meaning and shape social reality. By analyzing language use in a particular context, researchers can gain insight into the cultural and social factors that shape communication.
• To identify power relations: Discourse analysis can be used to examine how language use reinforces or challenges power relations in society. By analyzing language use in contexts such as political discourse, media coverage, or workplace interactions, researchers can gain insight into how power is negotiated and maintained.
• To explore social and cultural norms: Discourse analysis can help researchers understand how social and cultural norms are constructed and maintained through language use. By analyzing language use in different contexts, researchers can gain insight into how social and cultural norms are reproduced and challenged.
• To provide insights for social change: Discourse analysis can provide insights that can be used to promote social change. By identifying problematic language use or power imbalances, researchers can provide insights that can be used to challenge social norms and promote more equitable and inclusive communication.

Characteristics of Discourse Analysis

Here are some key characteristics of discourse analysis:

• Focus on language use: Discourse analysis is centered on language use and how it constructs social meaning, relationships, and power relations.
• Multidisciplinary approach: Discourse analysis draws on theories and methodologies from a range of disciplines, including linguistics, anthropology, sociology, and psychology.
• Systematic and rigorous methodology: Discourse analysis employs a systematic and rigorous methodology, often involving transcription and coding of language data, in order to identify patterns and themes in language use.
• Contextual analysis : Discourse analysis emphasizes the importance of context in shaping language use, and takes into account the social and cultural factors that shape communication.
• Focus on power relations: Discourse analysis often examines power relations and how language use reinforces or challenges power imbalances in society.
• Interpretive approach: Discourse analysis is an interpretive approach, meaning that it seeks to understand the meaning and significance of language use from the perspective of the participants in a particular discourse.
• Emphasis on reflexivity: Discourse analysis emphasizes the importance of reflexivity, or self-awareness, in the research process. Researchers are encouraged to reflect on their own positionality and how it may shape their interpretation of language use.

Advantages of Discourse Analysis

Discourse analysis has several advantages as a methodological approach. Here are some of the main advantages:

• Provides a detailed understanding of language use: Discourse analysis allows for a detailed and nuanced understanding of language use in specific social contexts. It enables researchers to identify patterns and themes in language use, and to understand how language constructs social reality.
• Emphasizes the importance of context : Discourse analysis emphasizes the importance of context in shaping language use. By taking into account the social and cultural factors that shape communication, discourse analysis provides a more complete understanding of language use than other approaches.
• Allows for an examination of power relations: Discourse analysis enables researchers to examine power relations and how language use reinforces or challenges power imbalances in society. By identifying problematic language use, discourse analysis can contribute to efforts to promote social justice and equality.
• Provides insights for social change: Discourse analysis can provide insights that can be used to promote social change. By identifying problematic language use or power imbalances, researchers can provide insights that can be used to challenge social norms and promote more equitable and inclusive communication.
• Multidisciplinary approach: Discourse analysis draws on theories and methodologies from a range of disciplines, including linguistics, anthropology, sociology, and psychology. This multidisciplinary approach allows for a more holistic understanding of language use in social contexts.

Limitations of Discourse Analysis

Some Limitations of Discourse Analysis are as follows:

• Time-consuming and resource-intensive: Discourse analysis can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. Collecting and transcribing language data can be a time-consuming task, and analyzing the data requires careful attention to detail and a significant investment of time and resources.
• Limited generalizability: Discourse analysis is often focused on a particular social context or community, and therefore the findings may not be easily generalized to other contexts or populations. This means that the insights gained from discourse analysis may have limited applicability beyond the specific context being studied.
• Interpretive nature: Discourse analysis is an interpretive approach, meaning that it relies on the interpretation of the researcher to identify patterns and themes in language use. This subjectivity can be a limitation, as different researchers may interpret language data differently.
• Limited quantitative analysis: Discourse analysis tends to focus on qualitative analysis of language data, which can limit the ability to draw statistical conclusions or make quantitative comparisons across different language uses or contexts.
• Ethical considerations: Discourse analysis may involve the collection and analysis of sensitive language data, such as language related to trauma or marginalization. Researchers must carefully consider the ethical implications of collecting and analyzing this type of data, and ensure that the privacy and confidentiality of participants is protected.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

You may also like

Narrative Analysis – Types, Methods and Examples

Content Analysis – Methods, Types and Examples

Phenomenology – Methods, Examples and Guide

Multidimensional Scaling – Types, Formulas and...

Bimodal Histogram – Definition, Examples

MANOVA (Multivariate Analysis of Variance) –...

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, automatically generate references for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Methodology
• Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples

Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples

Published on 5 May 2022 by Amy Luo . Revised on 5 December 2022.

Discourse analysis is a research method for studying written or spoken language in relation to its social context. It aims to understand how language is used in real-life situations.

When you do discourse analysis, you might focus on:

• The purposes and effects of different types of language
• Cultural rules and conventions in communication
• How values, beliefs, and assumptions are communicated
• How language use relates to its social, political, and historical context

Discourse analysis is a common qualitative research method in many humanities and social science disciplines, including linguistics, sociology, anthropology, psychology, and cultural studies. It is also called critical discourse analysis.

Table of contents

What is discourse analysis used for, how is discourse analysis different from other methods, how to conduct discourse analysis.

Conducting discourse analysis means examining how language functions and how meaning is created in different social contexts. It can be applied to any instance of written or oral language, as well as non-verbal aspects of communication, such as tone and gestures.

Materials that are suitable for discourse analysis include:

• Books, newspapers, and periodicals
• Marketing material, such as brochures and advertisements
• Business and government documents
• Websites, forums, social media posts, and comments
• Interviews and conversations

By analysing these types of discourse, researchers aim to gain an understanding of social groups and how they communicate.

Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.

Unlike linguistic approaches that focus only on the rules of language use, discourse analysis emphasises the contextual meaning of language.

It focuses on the social aspects of communication and the ways people use language to achieve specific effects (e.g., to build trust, to create doubt, to evoke emotions, or to manage conflict).

Instead of focusing on smaller units of language, such as sounds, words, or phrases, discourse analysis is used to study larger chunks of language, such as entire conversations, texts, or collections of texts. The selected sources can be analysed on multiple levels.

Discourse analysis is a qualitative and interpretive method of analysing texts (in contrast to more systematic methods like content analysis ). You make interpretations based on both the details of the material itself and on contextual knowledge.

There are many different approaches and techniques you can use to conduct discourse analysis, but the steps below outline the basic structure you need to follow.

Step 1: Define the research question and select the content of analysis

To do discourse analysis, you begin with a clearly defined research question . Once you have developed your question, select a range of material that is appropriate to answer it.

Discourse analysis is a method that can be applied both to large volumes of material and to smaller samples, depending on the aims and timescale of your research.

Step 2: Gather information and theory on the context

Next, you must establish the social and historical context in which the material was produced and intended to be received. Gather factual details of when and where the content was created, who the author is, who published it, and whom it was disseminated to.

As well as understanding the real-life context of the discourse, you can also conduct a literature review on the topic and construct a theoretical framework to guide your analysis.

Step 3: Analyse the content for themes and patterns

This step involves closely examining various elements of the material – such as words, sentences, paragraphs, and overall structure – and relating them to attributes, themes, and patterns relevant to your research question.

Step 4: Review your results and draw conclusions

Once you have assigned particular attributes to elements of the material, reflect on your results to examine the function and meaning of the language used. Here, you will consider your analysis in relation to the broader context that you established earlier to draw conclusions that answer your research question.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Luo, A. (2022, December 05). Critical Discourse Analysis | Definition, Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 15 July 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/research-methods/discourse-analysis-explained/

Is this article helpful?

Other students also liked

Case study | definition, examples & methods, how to do thematic analysis | guide & examples, content analysis | a step-by-step guide with examples.

Discourse analysis: Step-by-step guide with examples

What is a discourse analysis, the application of discourse analysis in the academic thesis, discourse analysis with maxqda.

• Step 1: Importing data
• Step 2: Coding data
• Step 3: Creating Codebook
• Step 4: Visualize data

Literature about MAXQDA

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

MAXQDA supports various methodological approaches, including discourse analysis. This guide will introduce you to the tools of MAXQDA, which are ideal for performing discourse analysis with MAXQDA quickly and easily. MAXQDA is a qualitative data analysis software that helps you import, code, and identify patterns in your discourse.

Discourse analysis is a multidisciplinary method used in the humanities and social sciences to develop a deeper understanding of the interactions between language, society, and culture. It focuses on the study of linguistic expressions, structures, and practices in order to capture social meanings and power dynamics. Both verbal and nonverbal communication are considered. The overarching goal of discourse analysis is to explore how discourses influence the construction of knowledge, identities, and social relations. It enables the study of the role of language and communication in shaping and influencing social reality. Overall, discourse analysis makes a valuable contribution to the study of social phenomena and processes by providing an in-depth understanding of how language and communication are used to create meanings, shape social relationships, and establish social power dynamics. Discourse analysis contributes to critical reflection and knowledge acquisition in various academic disciplines.

A primary motivation for using discourse analysis is the ability to uncover dominant discourses, ideological assumptions, and power structures in texts, media content, or political speeches. Discourse analysis allows researchers to better understand and critically reflect on the role of language and discourse in society. Another important area of application of discourse analysis in dissertations is the study of the relationship between discourses and identity constructions. For example, gender roles, ethnic identities, or sexual orientations can be studied. Discourse analysis can help to understand how identities are negotiated, constructed, and reproduced in specific social contexts. Another area of application in dissertations is the study of discourses in the media. The analysis of media discourses makes it possible to identify, critically expose and reflect on patterns and trends in reporting. This can contribute to a better understanding of the media’s role in constructing and disseminating discourses. In summary, discourse analysis offers a valuable methodological perspective for the study of complex social phenomena in the context of academic work.

Researchers typically follow these steps in discourse analysis: defining the research question, selecting relevant textual data, coding and categorizing the data, analyzing patterns and meanings within the discourse, interpreting the results, and documenting their findings in written form. The specific steps may vary depending on the research question and methodology.

As mentioned earlier, there are clear advantages to using software like MAXQDA to conduct discourse analysis. With MAXQDA, you can segment data, code it, and develop analytical ideas all at the same time. This makes the process more efficient and allows you to refine your theoretical approaches in real time. If you do not have a MAXQDA License yet, download the free 14-day trial to get started:

Download free trial

Step 1 of the discourse analysis with MAXQDA: Importing data

Importing data into MAXQDA is a crucial step in beginning the analysis of qualitative data. MAXQDA provides several options for importing data into the program, allowing you to effectively organize your research materials. You can import different types of data, such as text documents, transcripts, media content, or existing MAXQDA Projects. MAXQDA gives you the flexibility to import both individual files and entire folders of data, which is especially helpful when working with large data sets. The import process is designed to be simple and user-friendly, making it easier for you to work with your data.Another advantage of MAXQDA is that it supports a wide variety of file formats. You can import files in various formats, including TXT, DOC, PDF, MP3, MP4 and many more. This versatility allows you to work with different types of data and incorporate different media into your analysis.Importing your data into MAXQDA makes it structured and accessible for further analysis. Within MAXQDA, you can organize, code, and link your data with other analytical tools. This makes it easier to navigate and access relevant information during the analysis process.Overall, importing data into MAXQDA is an efficient way to manage your qualitative research materials and prepare them for analysis. It serves as a critical first step in launching your project in MAXQDA and taking full advantage of the program’s extensive analytical capabilities.

Importing data into MAXQA plays a crucial role in conducting discourse analysis. With MAXQDA, you can segment your data into documents and annotate them with relevant metadata such as title, author, and date. This allows you to organize your texts during the analysis phase. You can sort, filter, and group your data based on various criteria to access specific texts. In addition, MAXQDA provides the ability to annotate the imported text with notes, comments, or memos. This feature is invaluable for capturing important information, thoughts, or interpretations that arise during analysis. You can document your observations and insights directly in MAXQDA, thus fostering a comprehensive understanding of the discourse being analyzed.In MAXQDA, you can assign meaningful titles to your data and include relevant metadata such as author and date in the document names. This ensures a clear organization of your texts during the analysis phase. You can sort, filter, and group your data according to various criteria to access specific texts. In addition, MAXQDA allows you to annotate the imported texts with comments and notes using memos. This feature is very useful for capturing key information, thoughts, or interpretations that emerge during the analysis. You can document your observations and insights directly in MAXQDA and develop a thorough understanding of the discourse being analyzed. Importing data into MAXQDA is fundamental to conducting a systematic and comprehensive discourse analysis.The structured organization of data in MAXQDA facilitates the effective application of various analysis methods and techniques. You can create codes to identify and analyze important themes, terms, or patterns within the discourse. Importing data into MAXQDA provides a central platform where you can manage, analyze, and interpret your data. This greatly streamlines the entire process of discourse analysis, allowing you to make informed statements about social meanings, power dynamics, and identity constructions within the discourse you are analyzing.

Step 2 of the discourse analysis with MAXQDA: Coding data

Coding data in MAXQDA plays a critical role in the analysis process. Coding involves identifying and marking specific themes, categories, or concepts within the data. This allows researchers to systematically organize and extract relevant information from the data. In MAXQDA, different types of data can be coded, such as text passages, images, videos, or audio files. Codes can be used to associate these data segments with specific content or meanings. Researchers can use codes to identify and mark certain phenomena or themes in the data, allowing for targeted access later. Coding in MAXQDA allows researchers to identify complex relationships and patterns within the data.By linking and combining codes and organizing them hierarchically, researchers can establish relationships between different elements. These connections provide new insights and help understand the relationships within the data. The coded data can be further used in MAXQDA for additional analysis. For example, complex queries or filters can be applied to examine specific aspects of the discourse in detail. By analyzing the coded data, researchers can identify patterns, trends, and significant relationships that lead to valuable insights.MAXQDA provides an intuitive and easy-to-use platform to efficiently perform the coding and analysis process. The program offers several tools and features that allow researchers to customize the coding process and tailor the analysis to their specific needs. Overall, coding data in MAXQDA is a critical step in analyzing and understanding qualitative data.

Coding data in MAXQDA allows researchers to identify and analyze specific discursive elements such as themes, arguments, or language strategies in the texts under study. To code data in MAXQDA, researchers can select relevant text passages and assign them codes that represent specific meanings or categories. These codes can be organized hierarchically to illustrate relationships between different discursive elements. In addition to coding, MAXQDA offers features such as text annotation, the ability to create memos, and options for visual data presentation at later stages. These features facilitate the organization and interpretation of coded data, enabling researchers to gain deep insights into the discourse under study and to visualize their findings. MAXQDA provides a comprehensive and efficient platform for coding and analyzing data in discourse analysis.

Step 3 of the discourse analysis with MAXQDA: Creating Codebook

A Codebook in MAXQDA defines codes for units of meaning within data. It enables structured and consistent coding, improves traceability and reproducibility, increases the efficiency of data analysis, facilitates comparisons and cross-references between codes and data, and provides flexibility and adaptability. In summary, a codebook promotes structured, consistent, and efficient data analysis, improving traceability and identification of relationships and patterns.

A Codebook is also very useful for discourse analysis in MAXQDA. Here are some reasons why:

• Structured coding of discourse features: A Codebook establishes uniform rules and definitions for coding data. This ensures that coding is structured and consistent across researchers and stages of analysis. This increases the reliability of results and facilitates the comparison and integration of data.
• Improved traceability and reproducibility: By clearly defining the codes and their use in the Codebook, the traceability of the coding process is improved. Other researchers can understand and trace the coding, increasing the reproducibility of the analysis. In addition, a Codebook facilitates effective collaboration and sharing of data and analysis among researchers.
• Identification and comparison of discourse patterns: A Codebook allows for the systematic identification and comparison of discourse patterns. This makes it possible to identify connections, patterns, and differences in the data, thus facilitating the interpretation of the results.
• Efficient data analysis: A Codebook provides a structured view of the codes used and their meanings. This allows researchers to work more efficiently by applying the codes quickly and specifically to relevant data. Using a codebook saves time and makes it easier to organize and navigate the coded data.
• Flexibility and adaptability: A Codebook in MAXQDA is flexible and customizable. Researchers can add, modify, or remove codes to meet the needs of their specific research questions. This allows for dynamic and iterative data analysis, where the Codebook can be continually updated and expanded.

In summary, a well-designed codebook in MAXQDA promotes structured, consistent, and efficient data analysis.

Step 4 of the discourse analysis with MAXQDA: Visualize data

MAXQDA offers a wide range of visualization tools to help you present your research data in an engaging and meaningful way. These include not only different types of charts, such as bar or pie charts for visualizing numerical data, but also other innovative visualization tools that help you identify and analyze complex relationships.

Code Matrix Browser

With the Code Matrix Browser , in MAXQDA, you can visually display and analyze the occurrence of codes in your data. This feature is invaluable for identifying similarities, differences, and patterns in discourse. Here are some of the ways the Code Matrix Browser can help you:

• Visualization of codings: The Code Matrix Browser displays a matrix where codes are arranged along the rows and documents along the columns. This visual representation allows you to quickly see which codes were used in which documents. This allows you to identify similarities and differences in the coding, which makes it easier to make connections.
• Pattern recognition: By analyzing codings in the Code Relations Browser, you can identify patterns in discourse. For example, you can observe which codes are particularly prevalent in certain documents. These patterns may indicate important themes, arguments, or language strategies, helping you to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the discourse.
• Comparison: With the Code Matrix Browser, you can compare how often certain codes were assigned in each document and display the corresponding information in the matrix. This allows you to analyze relationships between different elements in the discourse and to make connections between different topics or arguments.

Code Relations Browser

The Code Relations Browser , in MAXQDA allows you to visually display and analyze the connections and dependencies between the codes in your discourse. This feature is extremely valuable for understanding the interactions and hierarchy between codes. Here are some of the ways the Code Relations Browser can help you:

• Visualize code relationships: The Code Relations Browser visually displays the relationships between codes. You can see which codes are linked and how they are related to each other. These relationships can be hierarchical, associative, or several other types. This visual representation helps you better understand the structure and organization of codes within the discourse.
• Analyze interactions: The Code Relations Browser lets you analyze the interactions between codes. You can observe which codes occur frequently or how they influence each other. This can help you identify specific themes, arguments, or concepts in the discourse and examine their interrelationships. Analyzing these interactions can provide a deeper understanding of the discourse and the connections between codes.

The Code Map in MAXQDA visualizes selected codes as a map, showing the similarity of codes based on overlaps in the data material. Each code is represented by a circle, and the distance between the circles indicates their similarity. Larger circles represent more instances of coding with the code. Colors can highlight group membership, and connecting lines indicate overlap between codes, with thicker lines indicating more significant overlap.Visualizing the similarities between codes in the data provides an overview of different discursive elements. Grouping codes into clusters allows for the identification of specific discourse themes or dimensions. The connecting lines also show how codes interact and which codes frequently appear together. This allows for a detailed examination of the relationships between discursive elements, facilitating the interpretation and analysis of the discourse.

Document Map

The Document Map visualizes selected documents like a map. The positioning of the circles on the map is based on the similarity of the code assignments between the documents. Documents with similar code mappings are placed closer together, while those with different code mappings are placed further apart. Variable values from the documents can be used to determine similarity. Optionally, similar documents can be color-coded. Larger circles represent documents with more of the analyzed codes. The Document Map is a useful tool for visually grouping cases and can be used for typing or further investigation of the identified groups. The Document Map can be used in several ways in discourse analysis:

• Discourse group identification: By positioning documents on the map based on their code assignments, similar discourse groups can be identified. Documents with similar code assignments are placed closer together, indicating common discursive features.
• Recognition of discourse patterns: The visual representation of documents and their similarities on the map allows for the detection of patterns in discourse. Clusters of documents with similar codings may indicate common themes, arguments, or language patterns.
• Exploration of discourse dynamics: The use of connecting lines between codes on the map can reveal which codes overlap within documents. Thick connecting lines indicate frequent overlap and may suggest discursive relationships or connections.”
• Typification: The Document Map can serve as a basis for typology in discourse analysis. By grouping documents with similar code assignments, different discourse types can be identified and described”.

Profile Comparison Chart

The Profile Comparison Chart MAXQDA allows you to select multiple documents and compare the use of codes within those documents. This comparison allows you to identify differences or similarities in discourse between the selected documents. Below are some steps for using the Profile Comparison Chart:

• Document selection: Select the documents you want to compare. You can choose single documents or a group of documents. These documents should represent the discourse you want to analyze.
• Code selection: Select the codes you wish to compare in the selected documents. These can be specific themes, concepts or discursive elements that are of interest in the discourse.
• Create the comparison chart: Create the comparison graph in MAXQDA. The graph shows the occurrence of codes in individual paragraphs of the documents.
• Analysis of the chart: Analyze the comparison chart to identify differences or similarities in the discourse of the selected documents. Examine the assignment of codes in the paragraphs of the documents. Different patterns or variations in frequency may indicate differences in discourse, while similar patterns may indicate similarities in discourse.

Document Portrait

The Document Portrait feature in MAXQDA allows you to visually represent important features, themes, or characteristics of a document by visualizing the sequence of coding within that document. This feature allows you to identify relevant aspects of the discourse and analyze their weight in this particular document. Below are some steps for using the Document Portrait:

• Document Selection: Select the document for which you want to create a document portrait. The document selected should be representative of the discourse you are analyzing.
• Identify relevant features: Identify the codes that you want to visualize. These may be specific relevant features, themes or characteristics of the document, or other elements relevant to the discourse.
• Weighting of Features: The length of the segment is used as a weighting factor for the Document Portrait.
• Creation of the Document Portrait: Generate the Document Portrait in MAXQDA. The portrait visualizes the identified features and their weighting in the selected document. As a result, you obtain a visual representation of the sequence of coding performed within the document.
• Analysis of the Portrait: Analyze the Document Portrait to identify important features, themes, or characteristics of the document. This allows you to locate and understand relevant aspects of the discourse within a particular document.

The Codeline is a powerful tool in MAXQDA that allows you to visually represent the use of different codes within a document. By displaying the sequence of codes, you can see the flow and development of the discourse. With the Codeline, you can not only see which codes were used in specific sections of the document, but you can also track the progression of codings within a document. This allows you to identify crucial stages, turning points, or focal points in the discourse.The Codeline also allows you to analyze coded segments over time. You can examine specific codes and their occurrences or changes over time. This allows you to examine and interpret trends, patterns, or changes in the discourse more closely. The Codeline is therefore a valuable tool for considering the temporal progression and development of discourse in your analysis.By analyzing coded segments over time, you can gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics and context of the discourse, leading to more informed interpretations.

The Word Cloud is a powerful visualization tool in MAXQDA that helps you visually represent frequently occurring words or terms in the discourse. By looking at the size or weight of the words in the Word Cloud, you can quickly see which terms are particularly prevalent or significant in the discourse. By analyzing the Word Cloud, you can identify key terms in the discourse and examine their weight or frequency in relation to other terms. This allows you to identify and understand important themes, trends, or focuses in the discourse. In addition, you can use the Word Cloud to identify connections between different terms. If certain words occur frequently together or are used in similar contexts, you can identify associations or links in the discourse. The Word Cloud is thus a valuable tool for getting a quick and clear representation of the most common words or terms in the discourse. By analyzing the key terms and their weighting, you can gain important insights into the content and structure of the discourse and make a well-informed interpretation.

We offer a variety of free learning materials to help you get started with MAXQDA. Check out our Getting Started Guide to get a quick overview of MAXQDA and step-by-step instructions on setting up your software and creating your first project with your brand new QDA software. In addition, the free Literature Reviews Guide explains how to conduct a literature review with MAXQDA.

Getting Started with MAXQDA

Literature Reviews with MAXQDA

MAXQDA Newsletter

Our research and analysis tips, straight to your inbox.

• By submitting the form I accept the Privacy Policy.

• How it works

Discourse Analysis – A Definitive Guide With Steps & Types

Published by Alvin Nicolas at August 14th, 2021 , Revised On August 29, 2023

What is Discourse Analysis?

Discourse analysis is an essential aspect of studying a language and its uses in day-to-day life.

It aims to gain in-depth knowledge about the language and identify its association with society, culture, and people’s perception.

It is used in various social science and humanities disciplines, such as linguistic, sociolinguistics, and psycholinguistics.

Aims of Discourse Analysis

It focuses on

• The clear, in-depth meaning of the language.
• The uses of language and its effects.
• The association of the language with cultures, interpersonal relationships, and communication.
• Various components of the language like vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, tone of voice, fonts, and written form.

Uses of Discourse Analysis

Discourse analysis is

• Used to study the language and its applications in texts and contexts.
• It focuses on the entire conversation and real text instead of constructed or artificial text.
• It helps linguists to know the role of language in improving the understanding of people.
• It enables teachers to learn many language strategies to teach students writing/speaking skills better.

Materials Used in Discourse Analysis

The material includes

Types of Discourse

What to Analyse?

Does your Research Methodology Have the Following?

• Great Research/Sources
• Perfect Language
• Accurate Sources

If not, we can help. Our panel of experts makes sure to keep the 3 pillars of Research Methodology strong.

How to Conduct Discourse Analysis?

While conducting discourse analysis, you need to focus on the following points.

• Purpose of the writer
• The context of the speech/passage
• Type of the language used.
• The organisation of the text

You need to interpret the meaning and context of the discourse based on the available material and resources. There are various methods to conduct discourse analysis, but we are discussing the most basic method below.

Step1: Develop a Research Question

Like any other research in discourse analysis, it’s essential to have a  research question  to proceed with your study.  After selecting your research question, you need to find out the relevant resources to find the answer to it. Discourse analysis can be applied to smaller or larger samples depending on your research’s aims and requirements.

Example : If you want to find out the impact of plagiarism on the credibility of the authors. You can examine the relevant materials available on the topic from the internet, newspapers, and books published during the past 5-10 years.

Step 2: Collect Information and Establish the Context

After formulating a research question, you can  review the literature and find out the details about the source material, such as:

• Who is the author?
• What is the year and date of publication?
• What’s the name of the publication?
• What country and place is it from?
• What language is used?
• How and where did you find it?
• How can others get access to the same source?
• What kind of impact did it make on its audience?
• What’s the association between discourse material and real life?

These questions enable you to construct a strong evidence-based theory about your study.

Example: While investigating the history and origin of a particular religion. You also have to research the political events, culture, language of the people, and their association with society.

Generally, details about the publication and production of the material are available in the  about section on their online websites. If you don’t find the relevant information online, don’t hesitate to contact the editor or publication via email, phone calls, etc. 

Step 3: Analyse the Content

In this step, you should analyse various aspects of the materials such as:

• Sentence structure
• Inter-relationship between the text
• Layout and Page quality (if you are using offline materials)
• Links, comments, technical excellence, readability, multimedia content (if you are using online material)
• The genre of the source (a news item, political speech, a report, interview, biography, commentary, etc.)

The analysis of these elements gives you a clear understanding, and you can present your findings more accurately.  Once you have analysed the above features, you should analyse the following aspects:

• The structure of the argument
• The role of the introduction and conclusion of the material
• The context of the material
• Patterns and themes
• Discursive statements (arguments, perspective, thoughts of the writer/speaker
• Grammatical features (use of pronouns, adjectives, phrases, active or passive voice, and their meaning)
• Literary figures (idioms, similes, metaphors, allegories, proverbs)

Step 4: Interpret the Data

Now you have all the information, but the question that arises here is: 

What does it all mean?

To answer this question,  compile all your findings  to explain the meaning and context of the discourse.

Step 5: Present your Findings

It’s time to present your results. Throughout the process, you gathered detailed notes of the discourse, building a strong presentation or thesis. You can use the references of other relevant sources as evidence to support your discussion. Always try to make your paper interesting to grab the attention of the reader.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Discourse Analysis

• It provides a way of thinking and analysing the problem.
• It enables us to understand the context and perception of the speaker.
• It can be applied at any given time, place, and people.
• It helps to learn any language its origin and association with society and culture.

Disadvantages

• There are many options available as each tradition has its own concepts, procedures, and a specific understanding of discourse and its analysis.
• Discourse analysis doesn’t help to find out the answer to scientific problems.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to describe the discourse analysis.

Discourse analysis examines language use in context. It studies how communication shapes and reflects social meaning, power dynamics, and cultural norms. By analyzing spoken, written, or visual language, it unveils hidden ideologies, identities, and social structures within various contexts.

You May Also Like

Descriptive research is carried out to describe current issues, programs, and provides information about the issue through surveys and various fact-finding methods.

Textual analysis is the method of analysing and understanding the text. We need to look carefully at the text to identify the writer’s context and message.

Inductive and deductive reasoning takes into account assumptions and incidents. Here is all you need to know about inductive vs deductive reasoning.

USEFUL LINKS

LEARNING RESOURCES

COMPANY DETAILS

• How It Works

Discourse Analysis

Discourse analysis is the analysis of both written and spoken language in relation to its social context and refers to the way that different types of language construct meaning. The emergence of discourse analysis can be traced back to the work of French theorist Michel Foucault who considered discourses as statements that are recognised as meaningful within society and then reproduced through said discourse. Fundamentally, discourse analysis is considered valuable as it seeks to establish how and why certain social ‘scripts’ or systems are attributed significance and therefore helps us better understand the world around us. Discourse analysis also provides a tool to analyse the role of language in reinforcing and producing such social value systems and material realities. In this sense, “language does not explain the world as much as produces it” (Dunn and Neumann, 2016: 2).

Discourse analysis typically begins with the close reading and rereading of texts. Rereading of texts enables the analyst to notice small details and systematic patterns within the data which can highlight patterns, variability, and consistencies (Albertin  et al , 2016). Following this stage, it is possible to develop hypothesis around how certain linguistic forms operate in that context. Whilst discourse analysis is embedded within a wide constructivist theoretical framework, the analytical approach applied will vary according to the epistemological context of the research.

Discourse analysis methods are employed within a wide range of fields however are commonly used within linguistics, sociology, anthropology, education, and social psychology, to name a few.

Newcastle University is home to the Critical Discourse Group which “aims to address issues concerning the relationships between language, politics, media and culture.” Find out more  here .

An example project that utilises discourse analysis can be found  here .

• Darren Kelsey
• Hanna Burdorf
• Majid Khosravinik
• Soudeh Ghaffari
• Steve Walsh

Courses or Relevant Research

ALC8031: Discourse Analysis

ALT8107: Discourse Analysis for English Language Teachers

Applied Linguistics & Communication Research

Albertin Carbó, P., Vázquez Ahumada, Andrea., Dorado, A.D., (2016). "How do I do Discourse Analysis?" Teaching Discourse Analysis to novice researchers through a study of intimate partner gender violence among migrant women,  Qualitative Social Work ., 15(3), pp. 363-379.

Dunn, K., and Neumann, I., (2016).  Undertaking Discourse Analysis for Social Research.  Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

• Search Menu

Sign in through your institution

• Advance articles
• Author Guidelines
• Submission Site
• Open Access
• Why Submit?
• About Applied Linguistics
• Editorial Board
• Advertising and Corporate Services
• Journals Career Network
• Self-Archiving Policy
• Dispatch Dates
• Terms and Conditions
• Journals on Oxford Academic
• Books on Oxford Academic

The Bloomsbury Handbook of Discourse Analysis: Ken Hyland, Brian Paltridge, Lillian L.C. Wong

• Article contents
• Figures & tables
• Supplementary Data

Yunfei Ji, Feng (Kevin) Jiang, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Discourse Analysis: Ken Hyland, Brian Paltridge, Lillian L.C. Wong, Applied Linguistics , 2024;, amae044, https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amae044

• Permissions Icon Permissions

Central to applied linguistics, discourse analysis explores how language works in relation to particular social contexts, revealing the way meanings are conveyed, relationships established, and interactions managed, so mediates between linguistics and language use ( Hyland 2013). All these are essential for developing effective communication strategies in various fields like education, business, and social services, but the rapid development of communication technologies and changing ways of knowledge exchange are bringing up new contexts in which discourse can be best analysed. Therefore, The Bloomsbury Handbook of Discourse Analysis is a timely collection of research areas, approaches, and directions of discourse analysis contributed by key scholars in each of the above-mentioned domains.

This edited volume represents a rebranded second edition of The Bloomsbury Companion to Discourse Analysis , initially published with Continuum in 2011 and renamed in 2013 to the current title. The new edition not only updates existing material from the first edition but also expands and reorganizes the content. Consequently, the volume now comprises three parts. The first part focuses on methods of analysis, featuring chapters that explore and describe the principal approaches and issues in researching discourse. The second part provides an overview and discussion of several key areas that have traditionally been central to discourse studies, addressing the primary methods of investigation and key findings. The third section explores some of the directions in which discourse analysis seems to be heading. Each chapter includes a case study that illustrates the discussed points and offers resources for further reading.

Personal account

• Sign in with email/username & password
• Get email alerts
• Save searches
• Purchase content
• Activate your purchase/trial code
• Add your ORCID iD

Institutional access

Sign in with a library card.

• Sign in with username/password
• Recommend to your librarian
• Institutional account management
• Get help with access

Access to content on Oxford Academic is often provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. If you are a member of an institution with an active account, you may be able to access content in one of the following ways:

IP based access

Typically, access is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses. This authentication occurs automatically, and it is not possible to sign out of an IP authenticated account.

Choose this option to get remote access when outside your institution. Shibboleth/Open Athens technology is used to provide single sign-on between your institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

• Click Sign in through your institution.
• Select your institution from the list provided, which will take you to your institution's website to sign in.
• When on the institution site, please use the credentials provided by your institution. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.
• Following successful sign in, you will be returned to Oxford Academic.

If your institution is not listed or you cannot sign in to your institution’s website, please contact your librarian or administrator.

Enter your library card number to sign in. If you cannot sign in, please contact your librarian.

Society Members

Society member access to a journal is achieved in one of the following ways:

Sign in through society site

Many societies offer single sign-on between the society website and Oxford Academic. If you see ‘Sign in through society site’ in the sign in pane within a journal:

• Click Sign in through society site.
• When on the society site, please use the credentials provided by that society. Do not use an Oxford Academic personal account.

If you do not have a society account or have forgotten your username or password, please contact your society.

Sign in using a personal account

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members. See below.

A personal account can be used to get email alerts, save searches, purchase content, and activate subscriptions.

Some societies use Oxford Academic personal accounts to provide access to their members.

Viewing your signed in accounts

Click the account icon in the top right to:

• View your signed in personal account and access account management features.
• View the institutional accounts that are providing access.

Signed in but can't access content

Oxford Academic is home to a wide variety of products. The institutional subscription may not cover the content that you are trying to access. If you believe you should have access to that content, please contact your librarian.

For librarians and administrators, your personal account also provides access to institutional account management. Here you will find options to view and activate subscriptions, manage institutional settings and access options, access usage statistics, and more.

Short-term Access

To purchase short-term access, please sign in to your personal account above.

Don't already have a personal account? Register

Email alerts

Citing articles via, looking for your next opportunity.

• Recommend to your Library

Affiliations

• Online ISSN 1477-450X
• Print ISSN 0142-6001
• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• About Oxford Academic
• Publish journals with us
• University press partners
• What we publish
• New features  
• Open access
• Rights and permissions
• Accessibility
• Advertising
• Media enquiries
• Oxford University Press
• Oxford Languages
• University of Oxford

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide

• Copyright © 2024 Oxford University Press
• Cookie settings
• Cookie policy
• Privacy policy
• Legal notice

This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

• Bibliography
• More Referencing guides Blog Automated transliteration Relevant bibliographies by topics
• Automated transliteration
• Relevant bibliographies by topics
• Referencing guides

Amid the Fray: A Thematic Discourse Analysis of Presidential Statements Issued in Response to the 2023 War in Israel and Palestine

• Published: 13 July 2024

Cite this article

• Hilary Houlette   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5725-4605 1  

16 Accesses

Explore all metrics

On October 7, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel, igniting the 2023 War in Israel and Palestine. As human rights atrocities unfold, the war has sparked contentious political debate and civil discourse. Given their positions of authority, university presidents and chancellors have weighed in on the conflict through their public statements, while seeking to support their campus community members in the process. This research employs thematic discourse analysis to evaluate presidential statements to (1) understand how leaders position their institutions amidst strife and (2) identify who university leaders support in the process. By reviewing the attributes and deficits embedded within presidential statements, this research attempts to provide strategies and recommendations for university leaders to exercise inclusive practices during crises.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or Ebook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime

Price includes VAT (Russian Federation)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Rent this article via DeepDyve

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Identifying Values Through Discourse Analysis

Writing administrative staff back in: a Foucauldian-inspired discourse analysis of power relations in a faculty of medicine

Constructing political subjectivity: the perspectives of sabbatical officers from english students’ unions, data availability.

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Aldulaimi, S. H., & Abdeldayem, M. M. (2020). A thematic analysis of leadership behaviors and change management in higher education to boost sustainability. International Journal of Higher Education and Sustainability , 3 (1), 34–51. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJHES.2020.108623

Article   Google Scholar  

Alejandro, A., & Zhao, L. (2023). Multi-method qualitative text and discourse analysis: A methodological framework. Qualitative Inquiry , 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1177/10778004231184421

Alper, B. A., Silver, L., & Mohamed, B. (2024, April 2). Rising number of Americans say Jews and Muslims face a lot of discrimination . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/2024/04/02/rising-numbers-of-americans-say-jews-and-muslims-face-a-lot-of-discrimination/

Bauer-Wolf, J. (2023, April 14). College presidents are still overwhelmingly white men . Higher Ed Dive. https://www.highereddive.com/news/college-presidents-are-still-overwhelmingly-white-men/647749/

Blake, J., & Alonso, J. (2023, October 20). Coming together over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict . Inside Higher Education. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/students/free-speech/2023/10/20/campus-leaders-promote-open-dialogue-israel-hamas-war

Borter, G., & Chiacu, D. (2024, January 3). Harvard president Gay resigns after rocky testimony, plagiarism allegations . Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/harvard-president-gay-resigns-harvard-crimson-student-newspaper-2024-01-02

Bowen, W. G., & Bok, D. (1998). The shape of the river: The long-term consequences of considering race in college and university admissions . Princeton University Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1b4cwrk

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology , 3 (2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2012). Thematic analysis. In H. Cooper, P. M. Camic, D. L. Long, A. T. Panter, D. Rindskopf, & K. J. Sher (Eds.), APA handbook of research methods in psychology: Research designs (Vol. 2, pp. 57–71). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/13620-000

Briscoe, K. L. (2023). Campus racial climate matters too: Understanding Black graduate students’ perceptions of a president’s response. International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education , 37 (4), 1210–1228. https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2023.2181426

Brown, G., & Yule, G. (1983). Discourse analysis . Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511805226

Carter, R. G. S. (2006). Of things said and unsaid: Power, archival silences, and power in silence. Achivaria , 61 , 215–233. https://archivaria.ca/index.php/archivaria/article/view/12541

Google Scholar  

Chiang, S. (2015). Power and discourse. In K. Tracy, C. Ilie, & T. Sandel (Eds.), The international encyclopedia of language and social interaction . Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118611463.wbielsi149

Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2014). Thematic analysis. In T. Teo (Ed.), Encyclopedia of critical psychology (pp. 1947–1952). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5583-7_311

Cohen, A., Sheafer, T., & Medina, B. (2023, October 11). An open letter to Stanford university leadership . The Hebrew University of Jerusalem. https://en.huji.ac.il/sites/default/files/en.new.huji/files/letter_to_stanford_university_01.pdf

Cole, E. R., & Harper, S. R. (2017). Race and rhetoric: An analysis of college presidents’ statement on campus racial incidents. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education , 10 (4), 318–333. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000044

Coombs, W. T. (2007). Protecting organization reputations during a crisis: The development and application of situational crisis communication theory. Corporate Reputation Review , 10 (3), 163–176. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.crr.1550049

DeCosmo, A. (2019). University president discourse after an on-campus crisis (Publication No. 578). [Doctoral dissertation, University of Northern Colorado]. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/270056754.pdf

Deliso, M. (2024, January 2). A timeline of Harvard president Claudine Gay’s short, scandal-plagued tenure . ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/US/timeline-harvard-president-claudine-gay-tenure/story?id=106052515

Diep, F. (2023, November 1). Carnegie is changing how it classifies R1 institutions. Will your university make the cut? The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/carnegie-is-changing-how-it-classifies-r1-institutions-will-your-university-make-the-cut

Fairclough, N. (2001). Critical discourse analysis as a method in social scientific research. In R. Wodak, & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (pp. 121–138). SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857028020

Fairclough, N. (2010). Critical discourse analysis: The critical study of language (2nd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315834368

Farias, L., & Rudman, D. L. (2019). Challenges in enacting occupation-based social transformative practices: A critical dialogical study. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy , 86 (3), 243–252. https://doi.org/10.1177/0008417419828798

Foucault, M. (1980). In C. Gordon (Ed.), Power/knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings 1972–1977 . Penguin Random House.

Francis, J. J., Johnston, M., Robertson, C., Glidewell, L., Entwistle, V., Eccles, M. P., & Grimshaw, J. M. (2010). What is an adequate sample size? Operationalising data saturation for theory-based interview studies. Psychology & Health , 25 (10), 1229–1245. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870440903194015

Gee, J. P. (2015). Discourse, small d, big D. In K. Tracy, T. Sandel, & C. Illie (Eds.), The international encyclopedia of language and social interaction . Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118611463.wbielsi016

Gill, R. (2000). Discourse analysis. In M. W. Bauer, & G. Gaskell (Eds.), Qualitative research with text image and sound: A practical handbook (pp. 172–190). SAGE.

Griggs, M., & Thouin, C. (2022). Presidential influence: How a university president handles crisis and cultivates campus culture for an online learning community. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership , 25 (1), 96–108. https://doi.org/10.1177/15554589211035155

Gurin, P. (1999). The compelling need for diversity in higher education. Michigan Journal of Race & Law , 5 (11), 241. https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl/vol5/iss1/11

Gurin, P., Dey, E. L., Hurtado, S., & Gurin, G. (2002). Diversity and higher education: Theory and impact on educational outcomes. Harvard Educational Review , 72 (3), 330–366. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.72.3.01151786u134n051

Gurin, P., Lehman, J. S., Lewis, E., with, Dey, E. L., Gurin, G., & Hurtado, S. (2004). Defending diversity: Affirmative action at the University of Michigan . University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.17844

Hamid, R. D., & Schisgall, E. J. (2023, October 19). Harvard academics call on president Gay to ‘unequivocally condemn’ targeting of students supporting Palestine . The Harvard Crimson. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/10/19/faculty-letter-campus/

Harding, J. (2013). Qualitative data analysis from start to finish . SAGE.

Harris, I. M. (2007). Peace education theory. Journal of Peace Education , 1 (1), 5–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/1740020032000178276

Hayles, R. (2013). Communicating about diversity and inclusion. In B. M. Ferdman, & B. R. Deane (Eds.), Diversity at work: The practice of inclusion (pp. 55–90). John Wiley & Sons, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118764282

Hennink, M., & Kaiser, B. N. (2022). Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research: A systematic review of empirical tests. Social Science & Medicine , 292 , 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114523

Herszenhorn, M. J., & Yuan, C. (2023, October 11). Following national criticism, Harvard president Gay condemns Hamas, distances university from student groups. The Harvard Crimson. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/10/11/president-gay-condemns-hamas/

Hicks, M. (2024, January 10). MIT’s president is still standing. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/mits-president-is-still-standing

Hill, J. S., & Orakwue, N. L. (2023). October 11). Harvard students doxxed, groups withdraw signatures amid continued backlash to Israel statement. The Harvard Crimson. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/10/11/student-groups-withdraw-israel-statement/

Holding Campus Leaders Accountable and Confronting Antisemitism: Hearing Before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, 118th Cong (2023). https://www.congress.gov/event/118th-congress/house-event/116625?s=1&r=6

Hurtado, S. (2005). The next generation of diversity and intergroup relations research. Journal of Social Issues , 61 (3), 595–610. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00422.x

Hypolite, L. I., & Stewart, A. M. (2021). A critical discourse analysis of institutional responses to the 2016 presidential election. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education , 14 (1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000158

Jager, S., & Maier, F. (2009). Theoretical and methodological aspects of Foucauldian critical discourse analysis and dispositive analysis. In R. Wodak, & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (2nd ed., pp. 34–61). SAGE.

Johnson, M. N. P., & McLean, E. (2020). Discourse analysis. In A. Kobayashi (Ed.), International encyclopedia of human geography , (2nd ed.) (pp. 377–383). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102295-5.10814-5

Jones, V. (2019). Discourse within university presidents’ responses to racism: Revealing patterns of power and privilege. Teachers College Record , 121 (4), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811912100402

Jones, S. R., Torres, V., & Arminio, J. (2022). Negotiating the complexities of qualitative research in higher education: Essential elements and issues (3rd ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003090694

Katz, A. (n.d.). Charlottesville: ‘Unite the right’ rally, state of emergency . TIME. https://time.com/charlottesville-white-nationalist-rally-clashes/

Keaten, J., & Kellman, L. (2023, November 25). With antisemitism rising as the Israel-Hamas war rages, Europe’s Jews worry Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-antisemitism-europe-massacre-war-protests-1d26266dfd9b2b8dd4c795f420abab47

Kim, J. E., & Montgomery, A. J. (2023, December 8). Doxxed Harvard students decry ‘heinous and aggressive’ online harassment, call for greater support from university. The Harvard Crimson. https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2023/12/8/doxxing-students-palestine-feature/

Knight, J. L., & Hebl, M. R. (2005). Affirmative reaction: The influence of type of justification on nonbeneficiary attitudes toward affirmative action plans in higher education. Journal of Social Issues , 61 (3), 547–568. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-4560.2005.00420.x

Ma, A. (2023, December 12). How the presidents of Harvard, Penn and MIT testified to Congress on antisemitism. Associated Press. https://apnews.com/article/harvard-penn-mit-president-congress-intifada-193a1c81e9ebcc15c5dd68b71b4c6b71

Marshall, B., Cardon, P., Poddar, A., & Fontenot, R. (2015). Does sample size matter in qualitative research? A review of qualitative interviews in IS research. Journal of Computer Information Systems , 54 , 11–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/08874417.2013.11645667

Martinez-Aleman, A. M. (2015). Critical discourse analysis in higher education policy research. In A. M. Martinez-Aleman, B. Pusser, & E. Bensimon (Eds.), Critical approaches to the study of higher education: A practical introduction (pp. 7–43). Johns Hopkins University. https://doi.org/10.1353/book.72242

McMurray, C. (2023, October 12). Amid firestorm over statements on Israel, some presidents criticize their counterparts. The Chronicle of Higher Education. https://www.chronicle.com/article/amid-firestorm-over-statements-on-israel-some-presidents-criticize-their-counterparts?cid=gen_sign_in

Meyer, M. (2001). Between theory, method, and politics: Positioning of the approaches to CDA. In R. Wodak, & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (pp. 14–31). SAGE Publications. https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857028020

Milem, J. (2002). The educational benefits of diversity: Evidence from multiple sectors. In M. J. Chang, D. Witt, J. Jones., & K. Hakuta (Eds.), Compelling interest: Examining the evidence on racial dynamics in colleges and universities (pp. 126–169). Stanford University Press. https://www.sup.org/books/title/?id=1274

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed.). SAGE Publication.

Mogashoa, T. (2014). Understanding critical discourse analysis in qualitative research. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education , 1 (7), 104–113. https://www.arcjournals.org/pdfs/ijhsse/v1-i7/12.pdf

Mohajan, H. K. (2018). Qualitative research methodology in social sciences and related subjects. Journal of Economics Development Environment and People , 7 (1), 23–48. https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/85654/

Moody, J. (2023b). December 11). Penn president resigns after missteps on antisemitism. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2023/12/11/missteps-antisemitism-prompt-penns-president-resign

Moody, J. (2023a, October 18). Presidents can’t win. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/governance/executive-leadership/2023/10/18/college-leaders-mideast-statements-spark

Morton, B. C., & Delmas, P. M. (2022). Speaking out or remaining silent: University leaders’ reflections on Charlottesville. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management , 44 (4), 319–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2022.2056783

Morton, B. C., Delmas, P. M., Giles, R. L., & Bhakta, S. (2020). No place for hatred: University presidents’ responses to Charlottesville. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management , 43 (3), 264–280. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360080X.2020.1794297

Mwita, K. M. (2022). Strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research in social science studies. Research in Business & Social Science , 11 (6), 618–625. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v11i6.1920

Nietzel, M. T. (2023, October 11). Harvard faces backlash over statements about Hamas attack on Israel . Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2023/10/11/harvard-faces-backlash-over-statements-about-hamas-attack-on-israel/?sh=424e65503af7

Nokkala, T., & Saarinen, T. (2018). Discourse analysis in higher education research: Theory and method. In E. Pekkola, J. Kivisto, V. Kohtamaki, Y. Cai, & A. Lyytinen (Eds.), Theoretical and methodological perspectives on higher education management and transformation: An advanced reader for phd students (pp. 13–28). Tampere University Press. http://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/28911.

Oxford Dictionaries (2002). Terrorism. In The Oxford Essential Dictionary of the U.S. Military . Oxford Reference. https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780199891580.001.0001

Palinkas, L. A., Horwitz, S. M., Green, C. A., Wisdom, J. P., Duan, N., & Hoagwood, K. (2015). Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed methods implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research , 42 (5), 533–544. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-013-0528-y

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). SAGE.

Perloff, R., & Bryant, F. B. (2000). Identifying and measuring diversity’s payoffs: Light at the end of the affirmative action tunnel. Psychology Public Policy and Law , 6 (1), 101–111. https://doi.org/10.1037/1076-8971.6.1.101

Pew Research Center (2021, May 11). Jewish Americans in 2020 . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2021/05/11/u-s-jews-connections-with-and-attitudes-toward-israel/

Pew Research Center (2019, June 19). Public highly critical of state political discourse in the U.S . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2019/06/19/public-highly-critical-of-state-of-political-discourse-in-the-u-s/

Pierce, S. R. (2011). On being presidential: A guide for college and university leaders . Jossey-Bass.

Research Randomizer (n.d.). Research Randomizer. https://www.randomizer.org

Robinson, K. (2024, May 28). Who governs the Palestinians ? Council on Foreign Relations. https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/who-governs-palestinians

Rovner, A. (2014). In the shadow of Zion: Promised lands before Israel . New York University.

Saber, I. F. (2023, December 21). ‘Seen as less human’: Why has islamophobia surged amid Israel’s gaza war? Aljazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/12/21/seen-as-less-human-why-has-islamophobia-surged-amid-israels-gaza-war

Saldana, J. (2013). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (2nd ed.). SAGE.

Schiffecker, S. M., McNaughtan, J., Castiello-Gutierrez, S., Garcia, H., & Li, X. (2022). Leading the many, considering the few – university presidents’ perspectives on international students during COVID-19. Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education , 14 (3B), 13–28.

Singh, K. (2023, October 25). US antisemitic incidents up about 400% since Israel-Hamas war began, report says. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-antisemitic-incidents-up-about-400-since-israel-hamas-war-began-report-says-2023-10-25/

Singh, K. (2024, January 28). Anti-muslim incidents jump in us amid Israel-Gaza war. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/anti-muslim-incidents-jump-us-amid-israel-gaza-war-2024-01-29/

Squire, D., Nicolazzo, Z., & Perez, R. J. (2019). Institutional response as non-performative: What university communications (don’t) say about movements toward justice. The Review of Higher Education , 42 (5), 109–133. https://doi.org/10.1353/rhe.2019.0047

Sveinson, K., Hoeber, L., & Heffernana, C. (2021). Critical discourse analysis as theory, methodology, and analyses in sport management studies. Journal of Sport Management , 35 (5), 465–475. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsm.2020-0288

Tachine, A., & Nicolazzo, Z. (2022). Weaving an otherwise: In-relations methodological practice . Routledge.

Taylor, Z. W., & Barrera, M. C. (2019). Documenting a crisis: How postsecondary institutions addressed DACA students after Trump’s rescission. Teaching College Record , 121 (5), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146811912100508

Taylor, Z. W., Pereira, M., Rainey, L., Gururaj, S., Gibbs, B., Wiser, J., Benson, C., Childs, J., & Somers, P. (2023). Saying his name: How faith-based higher education leaders addressed the George Floyd murder. Religion & Education , 50 (1), 39–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/15507394.2022.2156262

Templeton, J. (2021, September 29). Saying the right thing. Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/call-action-marketing-and-communications-higher-education/saying-right-thing

Thomas, M. (2015, October 26). Operation protective edge. Middle East Research and Information Project: Critical Coverage of the Middle East Since 1971. https://merip.org/2015/10/operation-protective-edge/

Tolliver, D. V., & Murry, J. W. (2017). Management skills for the contemporary college president: A critical review. Journal of Research on the College President , 1 (1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.54119/jrcp.2017.102

Trotta, D. (2023, October 10). Pro-Palestinian letter from Harvard students provokes alumni outrage. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/pro-palestinian-letter-harvard-students-provokes-alumni-outrage-2023-10-10/

Ulinnuha, R., Udasmoro, W., & Wijaya, Y. (2013). Critical discourse analysis: Theory and method in social and literary framework. Indonesian Journal of Applied Linguistics , 2 (2), 262–274.

UNESCO (n.d.). Promoting peace, ethics, and dialogue. UNESCO. https://webarchive.unesco.org/20240306123400/https://en.unesco.org/themes/promoting-peace-ethics-dialog

United Nations (2023, January 18). With 2022 deadliest year in Israel-Palestine conflict, reversing violent trends must be international priority, middle east coordinator tells security council. United Nations. https://press.un.org/en/2023/sc15179.doc.htm

van der Meer, T. G. L. A., & Verhoeven, J. W. M. (2014). Emotional crisis communication. Public Relations Review , 40 (3), 526–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2014.03.004

Van Dijk, T. A. (2015). Critical discourse analysis. In D. Tannen, H. E. Hamilton, & D. Schiffrin (Eds.), The handbook of discourse analysis (2nd ed., Vol. I). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118584194

Waldo, C., Epstein, G., Hillbush, S., & Zelin, A. Y. (2023, October 11). International reactions to the Hamas attack on Israel The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/international-reactions-hamas-attack-israel

Wodak, R., & Meyer, M. (2009). Critical discourse analysis: History, agenda, theory and methodology. In R. Wodak, & M. Meyer (Eds.), Methods of critical discourse analysis (2nd ed., pp. 1–33). SAGE.

Wooffitt, R. (2005). Conversation analysis and discourse analysis . SAGE. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781849208765

Yang, A., & Chen, C. (2024, January 26). Jewish protester disrupts Saller, Martinez panel on antisemitism. The Stanford Daily. https://stanforddaily.com/2024/01/26/protestors-disrupt-saller-martinez-panel-on-antisemitism/

Yu, A., Zlatev, J., & Berg, J. (2021, June 18). What’s the best way to build trust at work? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/06/whats-the-best-way-to-build-trust-at-work

Download references

Hilary Houlette serves on the board of directors for the 501c3 Strike For Our Rights and does not receive compensation for her role. No funding was received for conducting this study.

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Center for the Study of Higher Education, University of Arizona Tucson, Arizona, AZ, USA

Hilary Houlette

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hilary Houlette .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The author has no competing interests to declare that are relevant to the content of this article.

Additional information

Publisher’s note.

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Houlette, H. Amid the Fray: A Thematic Discourse Analysis of Presidential Statements Issued in Response to the 2023 War in Israel and Palestine. Innov High Educ (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-024-09719-3

Download citation

Accepted : 05 June 2024

Published : 13 July 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-024-09719-3

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Israel & Palestine
• University leadership
• Thematic discourse analysis
• Find a journal
• Publish with us
• Track your research

Ph.D. in Information Studies

The Ph.D. program is rigorous and rewarding, with a strong research focus. It is structured so that students can gain maximum benefit from a cohort experience; a purpose-designed program of coursework coupled with research apprenticeships, and strong faculty mentoring. Our students are strongly encouraged to present and publish their research in academic, professional and community venues.

Students are admitted and will move as a cohort through the first year and a half of the program, although they will each be assigned upon admission a faculty advisor who will guide them through the first stage of their studies. Students are not expected to have a research topic upon entry to the program, although the interests that they express in their application will be used to help to identify an appropriate initial advisor.

Upon completing the required coursework, usually in April of their second year, students will sit a written qualifying examination. After passing the examination they will propose, write, and defend a dissertation and will be advised by the faculty member who serves as the chair of their dissertation committee.

Academic Information

Program information and requirements.

Upon admission to the school, a faculty adviser is assigned based on the evidence in the student’s statement of interest at the time of application and on the general commitments of the faculty. Students may change advisers with agreement of faculty. The adviser has the responsibility to assist the student in planning a program of study that meets the requirements of the Ph.D. program and to guide the student in the dissertation research. Until advancement to candidacy, there are yearly formal evaluations of progress that involve the student, the chair, the faculty adviser, and other faculty. After advancement to candidacy, the evaluation of progress is the responsibility of the formal doctoral committee.

MAJOR FIELDS OR SUBDISCIPLINES

The courses offered in the doctoral program cover a range of areas of inquiry in the theory and methodology of information studies, focusing on information-related artifacts (e.g., documents, texts, images, records, collections), agents (e.g., producers, managers, seekers), contexts (e.g., cultural, economic, legal, social, technological), institutions (e.g., organizations, professions, disciplines), practices (e.g., production, design, recording, representation, organization, replication, preservation, retrieval, communication, management, interpretation, use, destruction, policymaking), properties (e.g., authenticity, authorship, identity, reliability, trustworthiness, truth), values (e.g., aesthetic, ethical, functional), and related phenomena (e.g., data, evidence, heritage, knowledge, memory, and misinformation).

FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of 72 units of coursework is required.

Students are required to take six core courses in the theory and methodology of information studies: Information Studies  291A, 291B, 291C, 298A, 298B, and 298C. Students also are required to take three elective courses chosen from graduate courses offered in this department, and three elective courses chosen from graduate courses offered outside of this department.

In addition to the course requirements listed above, doctoral students are required to participate in the Doctoral Research Colloquium, to participate in research apprenticeship activities by enrolling Information Studies 596 for three quarters, and to be reviewed annually by the Doctoral Program committee until advancement to candidacy.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Not required.

WRITTEN AND ORAL QUALIFYING EXAMS

Academic Senate regulations require all doctoral students to complete and pass University written and oral qualifying examinations prior to doctoral advancement to candidacy. Also, under Senate regulations the University oral qualifying examination is open only to the student and appointed members of the doctoral committee. In addition to University requirements, some graduate programs have other pre-candidacy examination requirements. What follows in this section is how students are required to fulfill all of these requirements for this doctoral program.

Students are required to pass a written qualifying examination on the theory and methodology of information studies.

After passing the written qualifying examination, the student is required to pass the University Oral Qualifying Examination, which is based on the oral defense of the dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal and oral defense should be completed within one year after passing the written examination. The oral examination covers the significance of the chosen topic of research, the methodology and feasibility of the research, and the depth of the student’s knowledge in the specific field of the dissertation research.

ADVANCEMENT TO CANDIDACY

Students are advanced to candidacy upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations.

DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Every doctoral degree program requires the completion of an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

FINAL ORAL EXAMINATION (Defense of Dissertation)

Required for all students in the program.

TIME-TO-DEGREE

(1) From graduate admission to the written qualifying examination: Expected—one to six quarters.

(2) From graduate admission to the oral qualifying examination: Expected—one to nine quarters.

(3) From graduate admission to the final oral examination: Expected—one to fifteen quarters.

Degree: PhD

NORMATIVE TIME TO ATC (Quarters): 9

NORMATIVE TTD: 15

MAXIMUM TTD: 24

TERMINATION OF GRADUATE STUDY AND APPEAL OF TERMINATION

University Policy

A student who fails to meet the above requirements may be recommended for termination of graduate study. A graduate student may be disqualified from continuing in the graduate program for a variety of reasons. The most common is failure to maintain the minimum cumulative grade point average (3.00) required by the Academic Senate to remain in good standing (some programs require a higher grade point average). Other examples include failure of examinations, lack of timely progress toward the degree and poor performance in core courses. Probationary students (those with cumulative grade point averages below 3.00) are subject to immediate dismissal upon the recommendation of their department. University guidelines governing termination of graduate students, including the appeal procedure, are outlined in  Standards and Procedures for Graduate Study at UCLA.

Special Departmental or Program Policy

In addition to the standard reasons outlined above, a student may be recommended for termination for failure of the comprehensive examination on two successive tests. A recommendation for termination is made by the Executive Committee of the faculty based on the advice of the faculty adviser and the chair. The chair notifies the student in writing of the decision. The student may appeal the decision through formal petition to the faculty.

UCLA is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and by numerous special agencies. Information regarding the University’s accreditation may be obtained from the Office of Academic Planning and Budget, 2107 Murphy Hall.

290. Research Seminar: Information Studies

Units: 1 to 2

Seminar, one to two hours. Designed for Ph.D. students. Emphasis on recent contributions to theory, research, and methodology. May be repeated for credit. S/U grading.

291A. Doctoral Seminar: Theoretical Traditions in Information Studies

Seminar, four hours. Nature of information studies — ontological, epistemological, and ethical accounts of information and of information arts and sciences. Conceptions, theories, and models of information; information-related artifacts, agents, contexts, institutions, practices, properties, values, and related phenomena. Interdisciplinary context — subfields of information studies and cognate disciplines. Frameworks for theory construction, such as critical theory, discourse analysis, hermeneutics, phenomenology, semiotics, social epistemology. Letter grading.

298A. Doctoral Seminar: Research Methods and Design

Seminar, four hour. Survey of quantitative, qualitative, and historical research designs. Ethical issues; conceptualization and measurement; indexes, scales, and sampling; experimental, survey, field, and evaluation research; data analysis. Letter grading.

298B. Special Topics in Methodology of Information Studies

Seminar, four hours. Enforced requisite: course 298A. Topics include anthropological fieldwork methods, archival methodology, bibliographical studies, textual analysis, discourse analysis, historical methods, information visualization, network analysis — bibliometrics, informetrics, scientometrics, social network analysis. Letter grading.

298C. Special Topics in Methodology of Information Studies

Written Qualifying Examination, Dissertation Proposal and Oral Qualifying Examination

After the Written Qualifying Exam, the second formal requirement of the Ph.D. program is that the student prepares an extensive dissertation proposal and defends it in an Oral Qualifying Examination (OQE). Students are encouraged to start work on their proposals while taking courses in preparation for the WQE. The proposal should be completed and accepted within one year of passing the WQE.

Resources to Help You Succeed

Funding for suitably qualified students is available through scholarships, fellowships, and research assistantships.

Cost of Attendance

Visit the Graduate Division website for more information. Graduate Division Website

Spectrum Scholars

The Spectrum Scholarship Program was established in 1997, when the American Library Association committed resources for 50 annual scholarships of $5,000 a year for Spectrum’s first four years. The Spectrum Scholarship Program continues to fund scholarships through the initial endowment and the generous contributions of individuals and organizations whose donations support named scholarships in the Spectrum Family of Funds.

The University of California, Los Angeles endeavors to match the Spectrum award for all Spectrum Scholars. The award is determined annually pending availability of funds.

Spectrum Scholarship Program

FILL Internships

FILL (“From Interns to Library Leaders”) is a Library Services and Technology Act grant project designed to promote public librarianship through paid internships at libraries that are members of the Metropolitan Cooperative Library Association. For more information about the FILL program and the libraries participating, visit the FILL website.

FILL Website

UCLA Graduate Fellowship Opportunities and Funding Listserv

Various fellowships are offered to both entering and continuing graduate students. For specific award information and to sign up for funding opportunities, visit the UCLA Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) database.

Graduate & Postdoctoral Extramural Support (GRAPES) Database

Graduate Work-Study Program

Federal work-study grants are available based on financial need. The minimum amount is $5,000 with a $15,000 maximum per student between July 1 and June 30. Additional information regarding eligibility and the application process can be found below.

Learn More About Our Students

Student resources.

Ph.D. Course Descriptions

Ph.D. Course Schedule

Ph.D. Student Handbook

Admissions Resources

Ph.D. Application Step-By-Step Guide

Information Sessions for this Program

Graduates of the program may engage in creative research, ordinarily as part of a career in university teaching or in policymaking or consulting for corporate, non-profit, or governmental institutions, and in professional leadership for information institutions. The Department has an outstanding record of placement for graduates in positions of academic and professional leadership.

Doctoral study requires intellectual creativity, discipline, and dedication. UCLA’s Department of Information Studies seeks students capable of undertaking a sophisticated, interdisciplinary, and innovative program of scholarly investigation. It offers students who undertake this demanding program an extraordinary educational experience.

Anne J. Gilliland

Miriam Posner

Assistant professor.

Shawn VanCour

Associate professor, administrative manager.

Ryan Lebre [email protected] 310-983-3206

Admissions Officer

Michelle Maye (310) 825-5269 [email protected]

Office of Student Services

1009 Moore Hall (310) 825-8326

Information Studies Student Governing Board (ISGB)

[email protected]

© 2024 Regents of the University of California

• Accessibility
• Report Misconduct
• Privacy & Terms of Use

• Skip to Content
• Catalog Home
• Institution Home
• Pay Tuition
• Online Toolkit
• Shuttle Tracker

• Undergraduate Degree Programs
• Graduate Degree Programs
• Undergraduate

Print Options

• College of Liberal Arts
• Department of Anthropology
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Archaeology Concentration Non-thesis Option)
• General Information
• Admission Information
• Admission Documents
• Registration and Course Credit
• Academic and Grading Policies
• Degree Information
• Graduate Degrees
• Graduate Majors
• Graduate Minors
• Graduate Certificates
• Tuition and Fees
• Additional Fees and Expenses
• Refund of Fees
• College of Applied Arts
• Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business
• College of Education
• College of Fine Arts and Communication
• College of Health Professions
• Ph.D. Major in Applied Anthropology
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Archaeology Concentration Non-​thesis Option)
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Archaeology Concentration Thesis Option)
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Biological Anthropology Concentration Non-​thesis Option)
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Biological Anthropology Concentration Thesis Option)
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Cultural Anthropology Concentration Non-​thesis Option)
• M.A. Major in Anthropology (Cultural Anthropology Concentration Thesis Option)
• Minor in Anthropology
• Center for Diversity and Gender Studies
• Department of English
• Department of Geography and Environmental Studies
• Department of History
• Center for International Studies
• Department of Philosophy
• Department of Political Science
• Department of Psychology
• Department of Sociology
• Department of World Languages &​ Literatures
• College of Science and Engineering
• Graduate Faculty

Master of Arts (M.A.) Major in Anthropology (Archaeology Concentration Non-thesis Option)

Program overview.

The purpose of the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree with a major in Anthropology at Texas State is to

• give students the highest quality graduate-level education possible,
• provide students interested in continuing their graduate education in Anthropology at the Ph.D. level the appropriate basis to successfully compete for entrance into top-tier programs,
• provide students interested in non-academic careers that require, or are facilitated by, an advanced degree in Anthropology the education, tools and training necessary to secure employment, and
• produce professional, ethical, and productive graduates.

Application Requirements

The items listed below are required for admission consideration for applicable semesters of entry during the current academic year. Submission instructions, additional details, and changes to admission requirements for semesters other than the current academic year can be found on The Graduate College's website . International students should review the International Admission Documents page for additional requirements.

• completed online application
• $55 nonrefundable application fee

          or

• $90 nonrefundable application fee for applications with international credentials
• baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered. Visit our  International FAQs  for more information.)
• official transcripts from  each institution  where course credit was granted
• minimum 3.0  overall  GPA  or a 3.0 GPA  in the last 60 hours of undergraduate course work (plus any completed graduate courses)
• GRE not required
• statement of purpose detailing the student’s academic interests in one of the concentrations and identifying possible areas of anthropological research. If applicable, include any crossover areas of research from the other anthropological concentrations.
• three letters of recommendation 

Approved English Proficiency Exam Scores

Applicants are required to submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements below unless they have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent from a country on our  exempt countries list .

• official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall
• official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
• official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0
• official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
• official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall

This program does  not  offer admission if the scores above are not met.

Degree Requirements

The Master of Arts (M.A.) degree with a major in Anthropology requires 36 semester credit hours, including a MA capstone project, via directed study or internship, with a product or deliverable that is appropriate to that work. To graduate, students are required to earn a 3.3 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) for all courses listed as Course Requirements.

Course Requirements

Comprehensive Examination Requirement

An oral MA Capstone Project defense is required. This oral defense will serve as the comprehensive examination requirement.  If the MA Capstone Project Committee is not satisfied with a graduate student’s oral defense, they will specify all deficiencies the student must resolve. The MA Capstone Project Committee will not sign the Master’s Comprehensive Examination Report Form and the MA Capstone Project Submission Approval Form until all specified deficiencies have been resolved. Should the MA Capstone Project Committee decide to hold a second oral defense, the chair of the MA Capstone Project Committee shall not schedule the second defense until the student has resolved all specified deficiencies. 

Students who do not successfully complete the requirements for the degree within the timelines specified will be dismissed from the program.

Master's level courses in Anthropology: ANTH

Courses Offered

Anthropology (anth).

ANTH 5199B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding. Graded on a credit (CR), progress (PR), no credit (F) basis.

ANTH 5299B. Thesis.

ANTH 5301. Advanced Principles of Cultural Anthropology.

This course is an ethnographically-based analysis of major theoretical positions and debates in contemporary anthropology. (Stacked course with ANTH 3301 .).

ANTH 5302. Practicum in Teaching Anthropology.

An introduction to key concepts and practices in the teaching of college-level Anthropology. The course provides training in the practical aspects of classroom instruction. Required for first-year teaching and instructional assistants in the Anthropology Department. This course does not earn graduate degree credit.

ANTH 5303. Speech Analysis.

The focus of this course is the analysis of human speech sounds. It includes description of the acoustic properties of speech sounds, transcription of sounds using the International Phonetic Alphabet system, an understanding of the acoustic theories of speech, and practical experience in forensic speakers' identification.

ANTH 5304. Sociolinguistics.

The focus of this course is on the complex interrelationships between language and other aspects of culture. Methods of sociolinguistics, theories of sociolinguistics, and current issues regarding the nature of language variation and change will be emphasized. (MULT).

ANTH 5305. Anthropological Statistics.

In this course students will learn how to statistically analyze anthropological data. Students will gain a firm understanding of basic quantitative statistics, will be able to evaluate quantitative methods presented in anthropological research papers, and will be prepared for classes in more advanced statistical methods.

ANTH 5306. Anthropology and Art.

In this course students will investigate the function of art and symbolism in pre-literate archaeological cultures that existed at the tribal and chiefdom levels of political and social development. A multidisciplinary focus will use anthropology and art historical approaches as research tools.

ANTH 5307. History of Evolutionary Thought.

This course discusses the impact of evolutionary discourse within the context of its history. Students will develop a thorough understanding of evolution and its importance to anthropology, as well as to other scientific disciplines.

ANTH 5308. Cultural Resource Management and Archaeology.

In this course students will examine various topics relevant to cultural resource management including state and federal laws, survey, testing, mitigation, and developing final reports.

ANTH 5309. Culture, Medicine and the Body.

This course explores how the human body, functions of the body, and the practices of medicine and healing are situated and contextualized within cultural frameworks. Case studies cover body and health-related topics over the life course, from birth to death.

ANTH 5310. Theories and Issues in Anthropology.

This course explores major theoretical and historical developments in anthropology, highlighting the discipline’s unique four-field perspective that includes archaeology, biological and cultural anthropology, and anthropological linguistics. Topics stress the importance of anthropological thought in key scientific discoveries and cultural debates.

ANTH 5311. Seminar in Cultural Anthropology.

In this course, students will learn the historical foundations of cultural anthropology, its key theories and methods, and examples of its contemporary practice. Topics will include evolutionism, functionalism, structuralism, ethnoscience, neo-Marxism, postmodernism, and modernity.

ANTH 5312. Seminar in Biological Anthropology.

In this course, students will learn the historical foundations of biological anthropology, its key theories and methods, and examples of its contemporary practice in evolutionary theory, human variation, paleoanthropology, primatology, and skeletal biology.

ANTH 5313. Seminar in Archaeology.

In this course, students will learn the historical foundations of archaeology, its key theories and methods, and examples of its contemporary practice in New World and Old World archaeology.

ANTH 5314. Latin American Cultures.

Comprehensive study of cultures from Latin America. (Stacked course with ANTH 3314 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5315. Archaeological Artifact Identification and Analysis.

This course will provide students with the skills, knowledge and ability to describe, characterize, and analyze artifacts commonly recovered from archaeological sites. Current theories covering the production and analysis of chipped and ground stone tools, ceramics, bone and other materials will be presented, and scientific analytical methods discussed.

ANTH 5316. The Origin and Evolution of Human Behavior.

This course presents our current understanding of Old World Paleolithic Archaeology. The origin and evolution of hominid behavior, the initial colonization of the Old World, and the development of modern human behavior will be discussed for each continent. (Stacked course with ANTH 3316 ).

ANTH 5317. Rock Art Field Methods.

This course will train students in rock art field methods. They will gain first-hand experience recording rock art sites through photography, field sketches, mapping, and written inventories. Students will generate a visual and written description of the art, which they will use to infer and explain past human behavior. (Stacked course with ANTH 3317 ).

ANTH 5318. Texas Archaeology.

This course will present our current understanding of Texas archaeology. The environmental and social contexts of prehistoric, protohistoric, and historic records of Native American and Spanish occupations in Texas are discussed. (Stacked course with ANTH 3318 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5320. Rise of Civilization.

This course examines the components that led to the dynamic state societies in Egypt, Sumeria, the Indus Valley, and China in the Old World and that of the Olmecin Mexico and Chavin in Peru. (Stacked course with ANTH 4320 .).

ANTH 5322. Peoples and Cultures of Africa.

This course is a general introduction to the contemporary peoples and cultures of Africa. Students will examine the social structure, economy, political systems, and religions of African cultures in the context of the radical economic and social transformations affecting the area. (MULT).

ANTH 5324. Mexican American Culture.

This class is an exploration of Mexican American culture with an emphasis on the US-Mexico transborder region. The course integrates history, anthropology, and ethnic studies to capture the broad diversity of Mexican American experiences. Some of the topics covered include identity, social movements, Chicana feminism, transnational migration, spirituality, and cultural expressions such as visual art, film, music, and performance. (Stacked course with ANTH 3324 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5325. Medical Anthropology.

This course focuses on how illness identities are culturally constructed, how adaptations or maladaptations to local environments affect health, how political and economic forces influence health and health behaviors, and how the practice of medical anthropology can contribute to solving urgent health issues around the world.

ANTH 5326. Field Methods in Forensic Anthropology.

In this course students will learn how to locate, excavate and recover human remains, associated personal effects, and other materials in order to ensure legal credibility for all recoveries.

ANTH 5330. Curation of Archaeological Materials.

This course provides students with the skills to prepare archaeological materials for curation, which includes the processes and techniques used to stabilize and preserve organic and inorganic materials. This training can be used to gain certification in the field of archaeological curation.

ANTH 5332. Myths and Mound Builders.

This course presents an anthropological approach to the iconography of the Native Americans of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex. (Stacked course with ANTH 3332 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5333. Research Design in Biological Anthropology.

This course provides students with an introduction to the principles and processes by which research projects in biological anthropology are devised and executed. It focuses on the issues of finding a topic to research, defining its scope and limitations, developing a research bibliography, and elaborating a research design.

ANTH 5335. The Anthropology of Native American Belief Systems.

In this course students use anthropological approaches to investigate past and present Native American belief systems in order to determine the temporal range and evolving complexity of Native American religious and ritual expression.

ANTH 5336. Community Research Project.

This course gives students the opportunity to conduct hands-on anthropological research on a variety of topics in local communities.

ANTH 5337. Theory in Linguistics Anthropology.

In this course students will be introduced to the major theories of linguistics through reading and discussing classic and contemporary literatures. Particular attention will be given to how the various theories have influenced linguistic anthropology.

ANTH 5338. Geoarchaeology.

This course will provide students with the knowledge and ability to interpret sediments and the nature of sediment accumulation at archaeological sites. The course will provide students with a foundation in sedimentology, natural depositional environments, weathering processes and soil development, stratigraphic analysis, archaeological site formation processes. (Stacked course with ANTH 3338 ).

ANTH 5339. Theoretical Concepts in Archaeology.

This course provides a broad survey of theory in archaeology as it is practiced throughout the world. It includes both historical perspectives and contemporary usage.

ANTH 5340. Paleoanthropology.

Critical review of the human fossil record from the appearance of the earliest hominins to the appearance of modern human forms. (Stacked course with ANTH 3340 .).

ANTH 5341. Gross Anatomy.

Students in this course examine the macroscopic structure of organs and soft and hard tissues in the human body. The course is divided into these units: back and thorax, neck and head, and upper and lower limb. Cadaver-based dissection labs accompany lecture topics.

ANTH 5342. Primate Behavior.

An organized course that examines current research in nonhuman primate studies from an anthropological perspective. (Stacked course with ANTH 3342 .).

ANTH 5343. Human Variation and Adaptation.

An organized course that examines human physical variation and adaptation from an evolutionary perspective.

ANTH 5345. Archaeology of Mesoamerica.

This course examines the development of early huntergatherers through the appearance of agriculture to the rise of civilization in Mesoamerica. (Stacked course with ANTH 3345 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5346. Bioarchaeology.

Bioarchaeology is the study of human skeletal remains in relation to the archaeological record. In this course students study theories and methods used in the analysis of archaeologically derived human skeletal remains to reconstruct patterns of subsistence, diet, disease, demography, biological relatedness, and the funerary activities of past populations. Prerequisite: ANTH 3381 with a grade of "C" or better or instructor approval.

ANTH 5347. Archaeology of North America.

This course examines human settlement of North America from the end of the Pleistocene to European discovery. (Stacked course with ANTH 3347 .).

ANTH 5349. The Incas.

The Incas were the largest Pre-Columbian empire in the Americas. This course will explore the origins of this civilization and how they conquered such a large area of South America. Using archaeological and historic information the class will examine various aspects of Inca society including religion, economics, and kingship. (Stacked course with ANTH 3349 ). (MULT).

ANTH 5350. Gender and Sexuality in Cross Cultural Perspective.

This course examines the relationships between women and men in societies around the world. (Stacked course with ANTH 3350 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5351. Anthropology of Peace and Violence.

This class explores anthropological perspectives on peace and violence. It focuses on understanding violent practices within both traditional and current day societies including everyday violence and warfare. It explores the contributions of social structure, gender, religion, race, and ethnicity to violence. It examines efforts to build peace and reconciliation.

ANTH 5353. Applied Cultural Anthropology.

This class focuses on how anthropology can solve practical problems in various disciplines, including behavioral health, education, human rights, community development, and business. Students will learn about client development, contract negotiations, project design, proposal writing, preparing deliverables, communicating results to a variety of stakeholders, teamwork, networking, and navigating ethical issues.

ANTH 5355. Seminar in Culture Theory.

An intensive examination of the principal theoretical positions in cultural anthropology, with an emphasis on the preparation of students with ethnographic analysis and fieldwork. (MULT).

ANTH 5356. Andean Civilizations.

This course is a survey of civilizations in the Andean region of South America. Using archaeological data the class will examine cultural developments in the region from the earliest hunters and gatherers to the Inca Empire, the largest state in the Americas at the time of European contact. (MULT).

ANTH 5357. Historical Archaeology.

This course is an advanced survey of historical archaeology methods and theories that will intensively examine current trends in historical archaeology. Students will also be exposed to the material culture from historic period archaeological sites in Texas and North America.

ANTH 5361. Qualitative Methods.

This course provides instruction on qualitative methods and analysis. Students will learn through a combination of lecture and hands-on activities how to design qualitative research projects; collect qualitative data through methods such as interviews, focus groups and observations; analyze this data; and present qualitative results.

ANTH 5363. The Art and Archaeology of the Olmec.

This course will present our current understanding of the art and archaeology of the Olmec culture, the earliest known civilization in North America. The Olmec culture is considered the influential foundation for later Mesoamerican civilizations such as the Maya and the Aztec. (Stacked course with ANTH 3363 .) (MULT).

ANTH 5373G. Research Design and Proposal Writing in Cultural Anthropology.

This course will familiarize students with the basic principles and practices of effective research design and proposal writing in cultural anthropology. Students will acquire a practical experience in formulating a feasible and creative research project, performing a rigorous literature review, planning to protect human research subjects, and giving/receiving constructive peer reviews.

ANTH 5373I. Anthropology in Practice.

This course introduces students to the application of anthropological ideas, methods, and skills in multiple employment sectors. Students will develop key job skills in communication, team work, networking, professional development, and project management.

ANTH 5373J. Dental Anthropology and Oral Biology.

The biological development of the cranio-facial structures will be presented with emphasis on hard tissue anatomy and diseases. Dental traits will be discussed in relation to human evolutionary concepts. Forensic methods that support identification of human remains are emphasized. This course is appropriate for anthropology students and pre-professional dentistry.

ANTH 5373K. Nonverbal Communication-Gestures.

Communication involves the use of ‘invisible’ words and gestures, or ‘visible actions.’ This course focuses on gestures, what they are, how they are used, what role they play in communication and in thinking, and their cultural underpinning. Students will learn the theoretical and methodological issues involved in studying different gestures across societies.

ANTH 5373L. Cultural Heritage Management.

This course introduces students to current problems and methods in the stewardship of cultural heritage, tangible and intangible, national and international. We will explore topics including ethics and law, development, tourism, public outreach and opinion, and ongoing threats to cultural heritage.

ANTH 5373M. Design + Anthropology.

This course will begin by exploring the anthropology of design, including the practices, implications, and expansion of design under contemporary capitalism. Students will then use this knowledge to examine the growing field of design anthropology and learn how anthropologists provide actionable insights and research for design work today.

ANTH 5373O. Seminar on Race in Biological Anthropology.

In this course students will learn where race concepts originated, examining the worldview and scientific mindsets that guided us into the 21st century. Students will explore how social race has become biological, drawing on literature from biological anthropology. Most importantly, students will explore pragmatic solutions in the context of anthropology research. Students will leave the course with an in-depth understanding of the role anthropology has played in current concepts of race and develop an informed scientific practice that they can apply.

ANTH 5374Y. Human Evolutionary Anatomy.

This course is designed to give students an anatomical background to the study of human evolution with a focus on the comparative anatomy of apes, living humans, and fossil hominins.

ANTH 5374Z. Curation of Archaeological Materials.

This course will examine the phenomenon or fundamentalism in a variety of religious traditions, both present and historical. Students will explore the political and social ramifications of fundamentalism in a world characterized by multiculturalism and globalization.

ANTH 5375. Advanced Methods in Skeletal Biology, Part I.

This course focuses on laboratory analytical techniques and data collection methods used to estimate the biological profile of modern, historic, or prehistoric human skeletal remains.

ANTH 5376. Advanced Methods in Skeletal Biology, Part II.

This course focuses on technical case report writing and evidentiary best practices in forensic anthropological analysis of human skeletal remains. In addition to biological profile estimation techniques, research methods and theoretical foundations used for trauma analysis and taphonomic interpretation will be reviewed. Prerequisite: ANTH 5375 with a grade of "C" or better.

ANTH 5381. Paleopathology.

Paleopathology is the study of ancient diseases and is an important tool for understanding of past populations. In this course we will survey the range of pathology on human skeletons such as trauma, infection, syphilis, tuberculosis, leprosy, anemia, metabolic disturbances, arthritis, and tumors.

ANTH 5382. Archaeology of the Earliest Americans.

This course focuses on the scientific story of the first Americans: where they came from, when they arrived, and how they met the challenges of moving across the vast, unknown landscapes of North America. Topics include exploring the hemisphere's oldest sites and how people coped with changing global climates.

ANTH 5385. Seminar in Anthropology.

This course introduces students to specialized areas of anthropological inquiry.

ANTH 5390. Directed Study.

Course of independent study open to individual students at the invitation of the faculty member with the approval of the department chair and the graduate advisor. Repeatable for credit.

ANTH 5395. Internship.

Under the direction of the thesis advisor and/or the internship coordinator, a student will conduct supervised work or research, related to a student’s professional development, at a public or private organization. This course may be repeated once for credit. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

ANTH 5399A. Thesis.

This course represents a student's initial thesis enrollment. No thesis credit is awarded until the student has completed their thesis proposal.

ANTH 5399B. Thesis.

This course represents a student's continuing thesis enrollments. The student continues to enroll in this course until the thesis is submitted for binding.

ANTH 5599B. Thesis.

ANTH 5999B. Thesis.

2024-2025 Catalogs

• About Texas State
• About This Site
• Emergency Info
• Job Opportunities
• Search Texas State

Print this page.

The PDF will include all information unique to this page.

A PDF of the entire 2022-2023 catalog.

• Undergraduate
• Master’s
• Graduate Specializations and Certificates
• Departments
• Program Rankings
• Our Faculty
• Office of the Dean

Certification

• MSU Interns
• Post Bachelor’s
• Teachers & Administrators
• School Psychologists & Counselors
• Non-Traditional Certification
• Student Affairs Office
• Centers & Institutes
• Research Projects
• Office of Research Administration
• Recent Awards
• Opportunities for Students
• Faculty Research Profiles
• Research News
• Undergraduate Research Opportunities
• Graduate Research Opportunities
• K-12 Schools
• Urban Areas
• International
• Education Policy Innovation Collaborative
• Office of K-12 Outreach
• Office of International Studies in Education
• Education Policy Forum
• For Students
• For Faculty/Staff
• Technology & Data
• Buildings & Facilities
• Undergraduate Student Scholarships
• Graduate Student Scholarships & Fellowships
• College Merchandise
• ENewsletter
• For Reporters

Spartans receive top honors from the National Academy of Education and Spencer Research Foundation

In June 2024, the National Academy of Education and Spencer Research Foundation recognized two alums and one doctoral student from Michigan State University College of Education for their innovative education research to “address critical issues in the history, theory, or practice of formal or informal education, at the national and international levels.”

Caroline Bartlett

Caroline Bartlett is a recipient of the NAEd/Spencer Dissertation Fellowship. The prestigious award is given to individuals whose dissertations demonstrate the potential to offer innovative and impactful perspectives on the history, theory, analysis, or practice of both formal and informal education globally.

Approaching her final year of the Education Policy Ph.D. program, Bartlett’s research focuses on how policy affects English language learners.  Her dissertation examines how state and district policies can enhance educational opportunities for English learners in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As a former educator of English learners, she saw a lack of educational resources impacting their outcomes. “Students needed different things,” she said. “I started asking, ‘how can we open up courses to students who are still learning English and make sure they’re served in a rigorous way.” As a result, she began her doctoral journey and has since joined the college’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative as a graduate assistant.

In the role, she is examining how Michigan’s early literacy law is being implemented across the state and its impacts on students and educators through a project titled “Read by Grade Three.” She has also collaborated extensively with the Michigan Department of Education to investigate English learners’ access to career and technical education courses.

The $27,500 fellowship will cover the cost of Bartlett’s final year in the doctoral program. Regardless of where Bartlett’s career takes her following graduation, she aims to continue making a significant impact in the lives of students. “I want to be in a position where I can collaborate with school leaders and policymakers to provide research evidence on how they can better serve their students,” she said.

Tashal Brown, Ph.D. ‘20 (Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education)

Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education (CITE) Ph.D. program alum Tashal Brown is a recipient of the NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship. Each year, the fellowship supports 25 early career scholars engaged in critical areas of education research. As part of the recognition, she will receive professional development, $70,000 in funding, and mentorship from senior scholars in the education field. “I was happy to be a semifinalist,” said Brown, who was urged to apply by her scholarly mentors and recommenders of the award. “Receiving the fellowship still feels surreal to me.”

Beginning in Fall 2024, Brown will collaborate with several middle school students and teachers in Rhode Island with the goal of developing and implementing a curriculum that prioritizes Black histories and cultures. The project will investigate the impact of power and oppression on students’ lives while centering and affirming Black histories, cultures, and literacies. This work builds on her previous research on equity in schools.

The first year of the project will be spent developing the curriculum in collaboration with teachers and facilitating its implementation. The second year will focus on analyzing the data collected from student and teacher interviews.

Brown’s research is also inspired by personal experience. An immigrant from Jamaica and former New York City Public Schools educator, she saw a lack of representation and history of Black individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the school curriculum. This motivated her to research and develop curricula that encompasses a broader diasporic perspective on Black history and culture.

As an assistant professor at the University of Rhode Island’s Feinstein College of Education , she hopes to one day expand this innovative curriculum to other school districts, offering localized narratives for students to engage with in social studies classes.

Cassie J. Brownell, Ph.D. ‘18 (Curriculum, Instruction, and Teacher Education)

CITE alum Cassie J. Brownell was also selected as one of 25 applicants to receive the 2024 NAEd/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship. An assistant professor in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, her project examines how children’s civic identities and political understandings evolve across K-12 schooling.

Brownell’s funded inquiry stems from her dissertation work with elementary children in the Greater Lansing area in 2016, which coincided with the presidential election. In 2020, with support from a NAEd/Spencer Research Development Award, Brownell launched the second iteration of her study by reconnecting with children from her dissertation. This fall, she will return to the area to engage with past participants and consider how children’s perspectives change across time and in response to national and local political landscapes.

By engaging with children throughout their schooling, Brownell aims to highlight the nuanced ways they comprehend and interact with political discourse. She came to understand the need to amplify children’s experiences thanks to her dissertation advisor, Professor Amy Parks , stating, “Much research centers the teacher at the front of a classroom, but fewer studies focus on the other bodies or their experiences in the space.”

Notably, MSU has a tradition of alums, faculty, and students receiving the prestigious NAEd/Spencer Fellowships. Many awardees have gone on to serve as National Academy Members, including alumna Okhee Lee, professor in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University .

“The NAEd/Spencer Fellowships represent an investment in both the fellows and their ideas for shaping education research,” said Lee, who serves as Chair of the NAEd Professional Development Committee. “Moreover, these fellowships can offer life-changing opportunities. My fellowship a couple of decades ago altered the course of my career and my personal life, and I am deeply grateful. It is my privilege to work with and support our fellows in the coming year.”

Other news:

• MSU faculty, alumni awarded NAEd/Spencer Fellowships
• Alum named National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellow
• Cooper elected to the National Academy of Education