How is conversation organised? How do we know when it is our turn to talk? How is talk managed so that only one person speaks at a time? Do you know the rules for starting a conversation? Are there any rules for closing a conversation? This course will seek to answer these questions by examining everyday talk and conversations. It will investigate how people organize their talk so that only one person talks at a time. It will look at the structure of interaction and examine how speakers move from one topic to another. This course is relevant for anyone interested in language and social interaction and in understanding how we use language within society.

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

1. Collect examples of naturally-occurring everyday interaction.
2. Transcribe examples of naturally-occurring everyday interaction, using conversation analysis transcription conventions.
3. Explain, and argue for, the structural ‘rules' of everyday interaction, e.g. rules for ensuring that only one person talks at a time, rules for opening and closing conversations, rules for determining what is a ‘turn at talk' and rules for determining the structural organisation of these turns at talk.
4. Work in a group to analyse how interaction is structured.
5. Think about, write and present an argument using the methodology of conversation analysis.

Assessment consists of a transcription assignment (10%) due Week 6,  [LO 2]

A terminology test (1000 words) (10%) due Week 8, [LO 3, 5]

A group project (1000 words) (35%) due Week 11, [LO 3, 4, 5]

A final project (2,500 words) (45%) due in the exam period [LO 1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Passing of the course is conditional on students passing all assessment items.

This course has 3 contact hours per week (lectures and tutorials) that may be held in a 3 hour block.

In addition to the required contact hours (lectures and tutorials), it is expected that students will spend an additional 5-6 hours per week on this course.

There are no pre-requisite courses required for this course.

Incompatible with LING3011

This course introduces students to language and social interaction. Students are not required to complete any prior course before enrolling in this course.

Liddicoat, A. (2007) An Introduction to Conversation Analysis. Continuum.

Psathas, G. (1995) Conversation Analysis: The Study of Talk in Interaction. Thousand Oaks: Sage.

Other than normal internet access to Wattle, no special equipment is required to access materials to complete the course. Students will be instructed as to how to download (and use) computer software (freeware) called Audacity as this program is useful when transcribing data.