Readings Oct. 3

Hutchby, I. & Wooffitt, R. (2008). Conversation analysis, 2nd edition. Cambridge, MA: Polity Press. 

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Chapter	Summary	Of Note
4- Analysing Data I: Building Collections and Identifying Phenomena	·3 stages to CA procedure: find something interesting (unmotivated looking), describe what is happening formally with attention to sequence (what happens before and after), go back to the data to see if this description holds up (if not rinse and repeat.) ·Particularized and generalized · 2 Questions when examining data: what action is happening? and how do people orient (also an action) to that action? ·Actions people do- continuers, you say x, oh	I had questions in the DP class about the role of variation. The description of the 500 telephone calls (p. 91) helped me understand that identifying variation helps the DP/DA/CA researcher to relook at the data and reformulate their interpretation. I also had an early question in the DP class (which was answered, but I found it again here) about the credentials needed to be a DP researcher. Hutchby and Woofitt address this as commonsense knowledge and a sound understanding of the culture (p. 106).
5- Analysing Date II: Extended Sequences and Single Cases	· Short and long talk sequences are equally analyzable. This chapter focuses on longer talk sequences. o Single case- CA is particularized to the single case (but generalized to patterns of talk). The same anaylsis holds true for single case as shorter sequences described in earlier chapters.  § Telephone conversations 4 steps p. 117 § Fishing/ my-side telling o Storytelling- still in sequences and series §  Story preface- storyteller gets permission from receiver to use more than one turn-construction unit.	My mother and I are storytellers. I spoke with her on the phone today and noticed how we told our stories. One interesting part of our sequence was when I was telling my story, I expected a continuer (um-hm) and paused for one, but my mother didn’t say anything. I stopped the story to ask “are you still there?”
6- Talk in Institutional Settings	·  Formal- court, news interviews, job interviews, traditional style teaching, ceremonial occasions (weddings come to mind) o Turns are constrained and people can get in trouble for speaking out of turn (courtrooms). Some people participating in these conversations must position themselves as objective and neutral in the conversation (journalists, judges). ·  Informal- business meetings, retail/service, doctor’s appointments o Turns have boundaries, but usually proceed like “quasi-conversations” (p. 151).	This chapter was particularly interesting to me, because my dissertation topic is based on institutional text. I think that participants will use institutional talk when I collect data in focus groups, because they will be in a classroom speaking with other teachers.

            I nerded out while reading this book. It was a pleasure to read- because of the writing style, but also because of the content. I like the practicality of CA, and these chapters brought home some of my earlier questions (see above.) If I’m doing being-a-CA-nerd, then I might as well say it- I’m excited about reading the rest of this book!