Chapter 6. Conversation analysis

Abstract

This chapter introduces conversation analysis to researchers who are not familiar with this methodology for analyzing naturalistic language use and how it has been applied to develop behavioral alternatives to cognitive approaches to second language acquisition. Specifically, I: (1) review what CA is; (2) discuss typical research questions in CA and how these questions are generated; (3) outline how CA data are gathered, transcribed and analyzed; (4) review turn-taking, repair, sequence, and preference organization; (5) discuss ethical issues in CA; (6) outline important critiques of CA and how CA researchers have rebutted these criticisms; and (7) summarize the arguments presented in this chapter with a view to promoting a constructive, critical dialog between cognitive and socially-oriented SLA researchers.