Social Interaction and Conversation Analysis - SOC00066I
Module summary
Conversation is far more than ‘just chat’. It is through conversation that we learn how to talk in the first place, and are socialised. We introduce you to the ways in which we go about our ordinary social lives through talk-in-interaction and various forms of embodied conduct.
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 1 2025-26 |
Module aims
Conversation is far more than ‘just chat’. It is through conversation that we learn how to talk in the first place, and are socialised. Our everyday lives, social identities and relationships are managed through conversation. Moreover, the ‘big’ things in social, economic and political life are managed through various kinds of interaction, including often quite informal conversations as well as more formal meetings. There’s almost nothing that doesn’t happen - at least partly, but very significantly - through social interaction of one kind or another. We introduce you to the ways in which we go about our ordinary social lives through talk-in-interaction and various forms of embodied conduct. We also help you to develop the methods and principles of conversation analysis (CA), which is a key approach to understanding how interaction works in practice.
Module learning outcomes
Critically evaluate the claim that social interaction is fundamental to our human sociality
Critically discuss the principal findings of prior conversation analytic (CA) research
Assess the value of CA’s micro-analytic approach to the discipline of sociology
Apply a conversation analytic perspective and some of CA’s key methods to original data, so that you can conduct your own research in this area
Demonstrate advanced study skills, critical analysis and confidence in written and oral communication in a scholarly but accessible format
Demonstrate a capacity to take responsibility for working independently and effectively
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
For formative work - preparatory analytic exercises and peer review of a short piece of their own CA writing - students will receive written or verbal feedback on how to improve their skills in areas that will contribute towards their summative assessment. The formative assessments provide practice for the summative tasks which are in line with LOs particularly 4-6.
For summative work - the mini CA project - students will receive an overall mark and grading according to clearly defined criteria for assessing their knowledge, skills and abilities in line with LOs 1-6. They will also receive written feedback showing areas in which they have done well and those areas in which they need to improve that will contribute to their progress.
Indicative reading
Drew, P. (2005) Conversation analysis. In K. L. Fitch and R. E. Sanders (eds) Handbook of Language and Social Interaction. Mawah, NJ, Lawrence Erlbaum: pp. 71-102.