Presenter: Wenwen Tian

Co-authors: Dr. Pattamawan Jimarkon Asst. Prof. Dr. Wareesiri Singhasiri

22nd April 2011

Designing a Transcription System for Face-to-face PhD Supervisory Discourse: A

Selective-specificity Model

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1. Rationale 2. Overview of data3. Theoretical background4. Procedures 5. Conclusion 6. Reflections &Implications

Outline

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1. Rationale

- What should be transcribed?- How is it transcribed?- Who should do it? Why?- Research interests & data analysis focus? - Principles & conventions?

????……………………………………..

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Recent research has been dominantly focused on reviewing transcription principles and comparing transcription conventions (e.g., Cook, 1995; Dressler & Kreuz, 2000; Du Bois, 2010; O’Connell & Kowal, 1999, 2010).

Qualitative studies normally end up with several words (e.g., “verbatim” or “detailed” transcription was completed) documenting the transcription process as a take-for-grant method rather than the result of a series of choices (Davidson, 2009; Ochs, 1979).

Empirical accounts of transcription process are needed (Davidson, 2009; Lapadat & Lindsay, 1998).

1. Rationale (Cont’d)

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2. Overview of data

Type: Audio-taped face-to-face supervisory meetings

Time: June – September 2010

Participants: supervisors & PhD candidates

Setting: international doctoral program in Applied Linguistics Medium language: English

Research purposes (PhD thesis research): To investigate knowledge building & power manifestation by exploring linguistic features & supervisory discourse patterns

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3. Theoretical background

3.1 Transcription as theory—Theoretical decisions

Transcription is a selective process reflecting theoretical goals and definitions” (Ochs,1979, p. 44).

Researchers make decisions about transcription that imprint the discourse theories they hold (Lapadat & Lindsay,1998).

A continuum of discourse theories (Oliver, et al., 2005): Naturalism_----------------- _denaturalism

Be dynamic/reflective by interacting with data

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3. Theoretical background (Cont’d)

3.2 Transcription as a method—Methodological decisions

- A series of methodological choices to seek, select, and thereby develop a transcription system for specific research purposes (Du, Bois, 1991; Ochs, 1979).

How to organize the layout the transcripts? What conventions should be used? How paralinguistic and nonverbal information should be symbolized?

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3.3 Transcription as a tool for data analysis

Psathas and Anderson (1990) view that the process of transcribing is analytical.

Bucholtz (2000) argues that transcription is a reflective discourse analysis involving both interpretive and representational processes.

Bailey (2008) perceives transcription as an interpretive process therefore the first step in analyzing data.

3. Theoretical background (Cont’d)

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4.1 Stage one: Select basic principles for designing a transcription system (Fixed menu vs. buffet) --- Being selective & specific

Table1. A summary of four current transcription systems

Author Title Principle Maxims

Du Bois (1991, 1993)

Transcription design principles for spoken Discourse research ( DT)

Transcription is a broad-to-narrow way of understanding and representing data.

- Category definition - Accessibility - Robustness - Economy - Adaptability

Ehlich (1993) Heuristic Interpretative Auditory Transcription (HlAT)

Transcription is interpretative, and segmentation and commentary of data are based on researchers’ reflective knowledge.

- Simplicity and validity- Good readability and correctability - Minimum of transcriber and user training

Jefferson( 1984, 1989)

Transcription notation Transcription is practical for apprehending naturally occurred conversation and making it available for extended analysis

- Explanatory - Readability - Systematic

MacWhinney (1991)

Codes for the Human Analysis of Transcripts (CHAT)

Making the data compatible for computer data entry

- Readability - Clarity

(See details in O'Connell & Kowal, 2010)

4. Procedures

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4. Procedures (Cont’d)

Listen to data back and forth---1st step to analyze data- To interact & understand data

- To categorize/group data

Example 1

C2’s session: 2

Date: 06-07-2010, 1:30 am

Length: 17 minutes and 18 seconds

Note: C2 recorded her session and transferred data to R immediately

after her supervisory meeting. It should be noted that her 5-year-

old son was sick that day and the young boy was playing alone

outside A’s office when C2 had her supervision.

Stage two: Tuning in data

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4. Procedures (Cont’d)

Why: Any established convention is not applicable to the current data.

How: Select transcription symbols from different conventions

Purposes:- Get a sketch of each supervisory session - Note down constraints & problems of using the selected

transcription symbols

See Table 2 for selected transcription symbols

Stage three: Selecting transcription symbols for a broad transcription

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Table 2 Selected transcription symbols

Symbols Descriptions

… Three dots indicate a perceptible pause less more than 3 seconds within a turn.

(.3) Numbers in parentheses show length of pauses which are more than 3 seconds.

. A full stop indicates a sentence-final falling intonation

? A question mark indicates rising inflection not necessarily indicating a question.

CAPS Capitals indicate an emphatic tone

/ A forward slash indicates repeated utterances by a same speaker.

= Equal signs indicate latched utterances spoken one after the other without a pause.

{ } A description enclosed in an empty parenthesis indicates transcriber’s comments

(?) A question mark in bracket indicates an unclear fragment on the tape.

@ An “@” mark indicates laughter of a speaker.

(Selected from: Bucholtz, 2007; Dressler & Kreuz, 2000; Du Bois et al., 1993; Jefferson, 1984, 1989; Schiffrin, 1994; Tannen, 1989)

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4. Procedures (Cont’d)

Case 1: Unexpected visitor(s) Case 2: Sensitive information Case 3: Overlapped turn Case 4: Laughter Case 5: Silence gaps within and between utterances Case 6: Unclear utterances Case 7: Errors and slips

(Please see data examples in handouts.)

Stage four: Identifying problematic cases and providing solutions

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5. Conclusion

Figure 1--A selective-specificity model Appendix--Transcription symbols

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Company Logo

Figure 1 A selective-specificity model for designing a transcription system

Audio-taped recordings

Transcription as theory Decide positions on

discourse theories continuum

Being selective and reflective

Transcription as method Being selective and specific

Decide transcription principles, conventions and symbols

Transcription as analysis Being interpretive and reflective Decide analysis focuses

Research interests

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Appendix Transcription Symbols

A Main supervisor B1, B2, B3 Co-supervisor in different supervisory teams C1, C2, C3 PhD student in different supervisory teamsD. J, O, T, U, W, R Pseudonyms for people who appear or being mentioned … Three dots indicate a perceptible pause less than 3 seconds. (.3) Numbers in parentheses show a pause more than 3 seconds.. A full stop indicates a sentence-final falling intonation.? A question mark indicates a question or a rising intonation statement. CAPS Capitals indicate an emphatic tone./ A forward slash indicates repeated utterances by a same speaker.= Equal signs indicate latched utterances spoken one after the other without a pause. { } A description enclosed in an empty parenthesis indicates transcriber’s comments. < > Pointed brackets indicate an inserted turn within a stream of talk. @ @ @ One or more “@” indicate quality of laughter of a speaker(@) A “@” mark in a bracket indicates shared-laughter of speakers.(xxx) Three xs in a bracket indicate unclear utterances

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Garden Path Analysis— A pleasant pathway while playing with data: ‘Here are roses, there are jonquils, and aren’t daffodils lovely today!’

Everything seems interesting BUT…!?

Lyn Richards,Adjunct Professor of RMIT University, Founder of QSR

6.1 Pains & Gains

6. Reflections & Implications

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Pains

Transcription process is time-consuming.

Problematic cases

Gloomy and de-motivated

Gains

Learn how to think & explain logically, reasonably, & critically in order to cook a delicious ‘ data soup’

Develop a transcription protocol for recording procedures and cases

Interact closely with and learn from academics

6. Reflections & Implications (Cont’d)

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Hands-on experience helps to shed lights on the process of doing transcription

Boost novice researchers’ confidence Stay open-minded and explore more cases and

features along the process of doing transcription

6. Reflections & Implications (Cont’d)

THANKSTHANKS for for your your

attention!attention!

Your Your questions, questions,

comments &comments & suggestions,suggestions,

PLEASE!PLEASE!