Project Concept The final project allows students to apply different frameworks of discourse analysis and stylistics on an authentic text of their choice. Text Analyzed text should be authentic, i.e., not a figment of one’s imagination, but a record of an existent interaction. It could be spoken or written, literary or non-literary, in Arabic or English. Spoken text is to be transcribed, and the audio/video file containing the text is to be submitted along with the project for instructor review. If the text is in Arabic, examples may be cited in Arabic, but all discussion of text is to be in English. Discourse Analysis and Stylistics Perspectives Discourse and stylistics perspectives are to be applied in a comprehensive and sophisticated manner. That is, indices are to be clearly highlighted, explanations of their relation to frameworks are to be explained, and connections with other aspects of discourse are to be made. Perspectives discussed in class include: 1. Intertextuality in discourse 2. Differences between spoken and written discourse (grammatical intricacy, lexical density, nominalization, explicitness, contextualization, spontaneity, repetition, hesitation, redundancy) 3. Speech acts (illocutionary acts, directness/indirectness in relation to syntactic structures) 4. The cooperative principle (maxims, meta-discourse, flouting, violating, opting-out, implicatures) 5. Politeness (positive face, negative face, face-threatening acts, mitigating devices, politeness strategies) 6. Identity construction through language 7. Indexing gender in discourse 8. Critical discourse analysis 9. Stylistics Individual Contributions Students are to work individually or in pairs; each student/pair is to decide on whether to: · Explore different perspectives in one text, or · Explore one perspective in multiple texts. Report Structure The project is to be submitted as a Word document. Follow APA format in indicating student name, university ID number, and course number. The body of the document is to be double-spaced and structured as follows: I. Introduction a. State the source of the text (type of data, title of work, and year – if applicable.) b. Provide a characterization of text context (who, what, why, where, when, and how.) c. Indicate your main discourse analysis perspective. d. Specify the framework followed, citing scientific research. II. Text a. Transcribe pre-approved text according to discourse analysis conventions b. Number each line to the left of text. c. Capitalize the names of each speaker and the beginning of their utterances. III. Analysis a. Analyze text holistically, avoiding line-by-line analysis. b. Have a clear topic sentence for each paragraph. c. Identify discourse phenomena using appropriate technical terminology. d. Support statements with illustrative examples. e. Examples are to be single-spaced, followed by line numbers in parentheses. f. Each example is to be followed by an elaborate and clear ex ...

1. Project Concept
The final project allows students to apply different frameworks
of discourse analysis and stylistics on an authentic text of their
choice.
Text
Analyzed text should be authentic, i.e., not a figment of one’s
imagination, but a record of an existent interaction. It could be
spoken or written, literary or non-literary, in Arabic or English.
Spoken text is to be transcribed, and the audio/video file
containing the text is to be submitted along with the project for
instructor review. If the text is in Arabic, examples may be
cited in Arabic, but all discussion of text is to be in English.
Discourse Analysis and Stylistics Perspectives
Discourse and stylistics perspectives are to be applied in a
comprehensive and sophisticated manner. That is, indices are to
be clearly highlighted, explanations of their relation to
frameworks are to be explained, and connections with other
aspects of discourse are to be made. Perspectives discussed in
class include:
1. Intertextuality in discourse
2. Differences between spoken and written discourse
(grammatical intricacy, lexical density, nominalization,
explicitness, contextualization, spontaneity, repetition,
hesitation, redundancy)
3. Speech acts (illocutionary acts, directness/indirectness in
relation to syntactic structures)
4. The cooperative principle (maxims, meta-discourse, flouting,
violating, opting-out, implicatures)
5. Politeness (positive face, negative face, face-threatening acts,
mitigating devices, politeness strategies)
6. Identity construction through language

2. 7. Indexing gender in discourse
8. Critical discourse analysis
9. Stylistics
Individual Contributions
Students are to work individually or in pairs; each student/pair
is to decide on whether to:
· Explore different perspectives in one text, or
· Explore one perspective in multiple texts.
Report Structure
The project is to be submitted as a Word document. Follow APA
format in indicating student name, university ID number, and
course number. The body of the document is to be double-
spaced and structured as follows:
I. Introduction
a. State the source of the text (type of data, title of work, and
year – if applicable.)
b. Provide a characterization of text context (who, what, why,
where, when, and how.)
c. Indicate your main discourse analysis perspective.
d. Specify the framework followed, citing scientific research.
II. Text
a. Transcribe pre-approved text according to discourse analysis
conventions
b. Number each line to the left of text.
c. Capitalize the names of each speaker and the beginning of
their utterances.
III. Analysis
a. Analyze text holistically, avoiding line-by-line analysis.
b. Have a clear topic sentence for each paragraph.
c. Identify discourse phenomena using appropriate technical
terminology.
d. Support statements with illustrative examples.

3. e. Examples are to be single-spaced, followed by line numbers
in parentheses.
f. Each example is to be followed by an elaborate and clear
explanation (in full sentences).
g. Provide scientifically-based interpretations, using hedges and
avoiding personal opinion.
h. Analysis is to be accurate, sufficient, and creative.
IV. Conclusion
a. Summarize findings, and creatively discuss their significance
in the context of the text.
Grade Distribution and Due Date
The project is worth 10 points, distributed as indicated below.
Criteria
Details
Points
Content
Depth, breadth, clarity, and sophistication of analysis.
5
Language
Grammaticality, linking words, smooth transitions between
ideas.
3
Format
Sticking to APA formatting style, neatness of the project.
2

4. I. Introduction: Explaining to the hearer what you are doing,
and introducing your text: what is it, and the source of the text.
II. The Text:
Insert the text. Number the lines of the text.
III. The Analysis:
In this section, you present your analysis using examples to
illustrate each point. Examples will be single-spaced, followed
by line numbers in parentheses. Each example will be followed
by an elaborate and clear explanation (write full sentences).
IV. Conclusion (Interpretation of Findings): Summarizing the
findings and linking them to the purpose and context of text.
V. Report the process of project: process of analysis.,
difficulties, and recommendations, evaluating the process in
general.
Sample
I. Introduction:
We are analyzing two conversations from the movie “You've
Got Mail” and we are going to show how Grice’s maxims of
conversation are being followed or flouted and violated in the

5. chosen conversations.
II. The Text:
Background:
In this movie, the owner of a large bookstore chain (Joe Fox)
starts putting the owner of a small local bookstore (Kathleen
Kelly) out of business.
Meanwhile, Kathleen and Joe have been corresponding over
the internet, under the nicknames of (Shopgirl, NY152)
respectively, without knowing who either of them is.
………………..
The Participants:
Kathleen Kelly is the owner of a little and famous bookstore for
children's books that she inherited from her mother Cecilia
Kelly. Suddenly, the opening of Fox Books discount store just
around the corner endangers her business.
Joe Fox is the son of the owner of the large bookstore chain Fox
Books. His grandfather Schuyler Fox has once dated Kathleen’s
mother Cecilia Kelly whom he described as an “Enchanting”
woman.

6. The setting:
Joe was spending the day with Annabel and Matt (the children
of his grandfather and father, respectively), Joe enters
Kathleen's store to let his younger relatives experience
storytime. Joe and Kathleen have a friendly conversation that
reveals Kathleen's fears about the Fox Books store opening
around the corner, shocking Joe. He introduces himself as "Joe.
Just call me Joe",
The Script
1 ANNABEL: I want all of them.
2 KATHLEEN: That might be an awful lot for your
3dad to buy at one time.
4 ANNABEL: My dad gets me all the books I want.
5 KATHLEEN (looking over at Joe): Well, that is very 6nice of
him.
7 ANNABEL: That is not my dad. That is my nephew
8 KATHLEEN: Oh, I do not really think that is your 9nephew=
III. The Analysis:
Do not just report one what you see line by line. Group and
categorize features you observe in the text relevant to the
approach you are using. Talk it over with your group and agree
on the most effective way of presenting your findings. Here is
the way you site an example in the body of the analysis:
Sometimes, a maxim seems to be flouted by a participant as
conceived by the other participant:
ANNABEL: That's not my dad. That's my nephew.

7. KATHLEEN: Oh, I don't really think that's your nephew=
(Lines 5, 6)
Although to Kathleen, Annabel seems to have flouted the
maxim of quality but she is actually following all the maxims.
What she says is clear, true, brief and relevant.
Sometimes, when people are in a strong emotional state, they
speak driven by passion without paying attention to or
observing Grice’s maxims of a conversation:
ANNABEL: What is that?
(They move to the cashier counter where George – the
cashier- is standing)
KATHLEEN (while standing behind the counter): A
handkerchief. Oh my, do children not even know what
handkerchiefs are? A handkerchief is a Kleenex you don't throw
away. (Lines 11-16)
When Kathleen answers Annabel's question "What is that" -
referring to the handkerchief-, she flouts the maxim of relation
and quantity; She should just identify the handkerchief but she
exceeds to talk with passion about her own handkerchief which
was made by her mother and what that symbols on it means to
her. …….
IV. Interpretation of Findings:
In one or two paragraphs, link the findings you presented and

8. discussed in the previous section to the genre, purpose of the
text, or indicate the significance of the linguistic characteristics
you have reported in the overall value of the literary text (If
you are analyzing a literary text).
V. Process:
Looking back and reflecting on the whole experience from the
beginning until the end and writing this down will help you a
great deal, and will help me too.
Talk about how you, as a group, chose the text, how you chose
the approach, the task of each of the members, difficulties you
have encountered. Also suggest ways of improving this project
to enhance its educational benefit.