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The methodology section of your language investigation is where you explain how you collected your data and why you chose those methods. A strong methodology demonstrates that you have thought carefully about your approach, considered alternatives, and anticipated potential problems. It also shows the examiner that your data collection was systematic rather than haphazard. This lesson covers the main data collection methods available to you, ethical considerations, and how to select the most appropriate methodology for your topic.
There are several main methods of data collection used in language investigation. Each has strengths and limitations, and your choice of method should be determined by your research question.
Recording spoken language and transcribing it is one of the most common methods for language investigations. It is particularly suited to topics involving:
Key Definition: Transcription — the process of converting spoken language into written form, using conventions to represent features such as pauses, overlaps, stress, and intonation. The level of detail in your transcription should match the focus of your investigation.
You should use a consistent set of transcription conventions. A commonly used set includes:
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (.) | Micropause (less than 1 second) |
| (2.0) | Timed pause in seconds |
| // | Overlapping speech begins |
| = | Latching (no gap between speakers) |
| CAPITALS | Louder speech or emphasis |
| :: | Elongated sound (e.g., "so::") |
| [ ] | Non-verbal information or contextual notes |
| (( )) | Unclear or uncertain transcription |
| ↑ ↓ | Rising or falling intonation |
You do not need to use all of these conventions — select those relevant to your investigation. If you are investigating lexical choices, you may need only a basic transcription. If you are investigating turn-taking or prosodic features, you will need more detailed conventions.
Questionnaires are useful for collecting attitudinal data — people's opinions, beliefs, and perceptions about language. They are particularly suited to:
| Question Type | Example | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Likert scale | "Rate the speaker on a scale of 1-5 for intelligence" | Quantitative attitudinal data |
| Multiple choice | "Which of these accents do you associate with authority?" | Categorical data |
| Open response | "What are your thoughts on text speak in formal writing?" | Qualitative insights and explanations |
| Semantic differential | "Friendly ←——→ Unfriendly" | Measuring attitudes on a continuum |
A corpus is a large, structured collection of texts. Corpus analysis involves using a corpus to investigate patterns in language use. This method is particularly suited to:
Key Definition: Corpus — a large, systematically compiled collection of written or spoken texts, often stored electronically and searchable using software. Examples include the British National Corpus (BNC) and the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA).
You may not have access to major academic corpora, but you can create your own small corpus by collecting texts systematically — for example, 30 newspaper headlines from each of three decades, or 50 Instagram captions from fitness influencers.
Some investigations use existing published or publicly available texts as data. These might include:
This method avoids the ethical complications of recording people but limits you to analysing written or scripted language.
Whatever method you use, you must think carefully about sampling — how you select the specific data you will analyse.
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