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Analyzing Verbal Data: Principles, Methods, and Problems

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Second International Handbook of Science Education

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE,volume 24))

Abstract

This chapter formulates the issues and choices researchers should be aware of when adopting or adapting various methods of analyzing verbal data such as transcripts of classroom discourse and small group dialogues, talk-aloud protocols from reasoning and problem solving tasks, students’ written work, textbook passages and test items, and curriculum documents. It discusses the basic principles of linguistically precise discourse analysis including transcription, the role of context, and intertextuality. Semantic content analysis (thematics), rhetorical-interactional analysis (e.g., speech act theory), and structural-textural analysis (segmentation and cohesion) are distinguished as complementary procedures. Finally, problems of generalizability, interpretation, and cultural bias are briefly addressed, along with a note on extensions of the methods to multimedia and video.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Jay L. Lemke

Authors
  1. Jay L. Lemke
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Correspondence to Jay L. Lemke .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Science & Mathematics Education Centre, Curtin University of Technology, Perth, West Australia, Australia

    Barry J. Fraser

  2. The Graduate Centre, City University of New York, New York, 10016-4309, New York, USA

    Kenneth Tobin

  3. Ctr. Mathematics & Science Education, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Rd., Kelvin Grove, 4059, Queensland, Australia

    Campbell J. McRobbie

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Lemke, J.L. (2012). Analyzing Verbal Data: Principles, Methods, and Problems. In: Fraser, B., Tobin, K., McRobbie, C. (eds) Second International Handbook of Science Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education, vol 24. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9041-7_94

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