Singapore University of Social Sciences

Discourse Analysis

Discourse Analysis (ELG358)

Synopsis

This course introduces students to ways of investigating how language is used in real-world contexts and how meanings are generated in discourse. Course sessions are designed to facilitate discussions on and explorations of key issues in discourse analysis. These issues include how different components of lexicogrammar work together to produce meaning, how language is used to fulfil certain functions in communicative events, and how language constructs identities, relationships and our social world. The course aims to build students’ practical skills to analyse a variety of texts using different discourse-analytic approaches, and gives them the opportunity to apply key concepts and skills of discourse analysis in an applied analytic project. **Note: The ECA for this course may consist of a project that builds on data gathered in TMA01 and/or TMA02. Although RESIT students have already passed OCAS and will not submit new TMA work as part of their RESIT, these students may need to gather new data for the RESIT ECA, as specified in the guidelines of the new TMA(s). Any questions about this matter should be directed to the course AF or the programme team.**

Level: 3
Credit Units: 5
Presentation Pattern: Every July

Topics

  • Texts and discourse
  • Language as social action
  • Grammatical and lexical cohesion
  • Coherence
  • Transitivity
  • Genre analysis
  • Intertextuality
  • Critical discourse analysis
  • Discourse and ideology
  • Visual grammar
  • Multimodal discourse analysis
  • Discourses in place

Learning Outcome

  • Explain the key features of various approaches to discourse analysis.
  • Critically appraise how discourse contributes to the construction of identities, relationships and the social world.
  • Develop an understanding of how discourse analysis can be used to bring about positive social change.
  • Analyse a variety of linguistic, visual and multimodal data using appropriate tools of discourse analysis.
  • Interpret social meanings and ideologies encoded within texts.
  • Apply a critical lens to the analysis of texts in various domains and real-world contexts.
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