COURSE SYLLABUS
Course Title: Discourse Studies
Program: Master of Arts in Education Major in Language and Literature
Duration: 5 Sessions (4 hours/session) – Total: 20 hours
Instructor: Dr. Maria Teresa C. Badilla
Schedule:
Course Term: Second Semester
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This intensive course examines discourse as language in use across various social, cultural, and
institutional contexts. It introduces students to key frameworks and methodologies in analyzing
discourse, such as pragmatics, conversation analysis, genre theory, critical discourse analysis,
and multimodal discourse. Students will explore how discourse shapes and reflects social
identities, ideologies, and power relations, and will apply discourse analysis techniques to real-
world texts and interactions.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
1. Understand core concepts and theoretical approaches in discourse studies.
2. Analyze discourse using different frameworks and methods.
3. Explore the relationship between language, power, ideology, and identity.
4. Conduct basic discourse analysis using authentic data.
5. Develop a research-based paper with a focused discourse analytical framework.
COURSE OUTLINE & TIME ALLOTMENT:
SESSION 1: Introduction to Discourse Studies
Facilitated by the Instructor/Professor
⏱ 4 hours
Course Orientation (20 mins)
Introduction to Discourse: Definitions and Scope (45 mins)
Key Concepts: Discourse vs. Text; Spoken vs. Written Discourse (30 mins)
Theoretical Foundations: Structuralism, Functionalism, Pragmatics (50 mins)
Class Discussion / Sample Text Analysis (30 mins)
Reflection Activity: “Where is discourse in my field?” (30 mins)
Assignment: Reading and reflection log on Discourse & Context
SESSION 2: Context, Conversation, and Genre
⏱ 4 hours
Review and Warm-Up Activity (15 mins)
Discourse and Context: Deixis, Reference, Presupposition, Implicature (45 mins)
Conversation Analysis: Turn-taking, Adjacency Pairs, Repair (60 mins)
Genre and Register in Discourse: SFL and Genre Theory (45 mins)
Group Activity: Analyzing Conversations and Text Genres (45 mins)
Reflection Sharing and Wrap-up (30 mins)
Assignment: Record and transcribe a natural conversation
SESSION 3: Critical and Multimodal Discourse Analysis
⏱ 4 hours
Review and Sharing of Transcriptions (30 mins)
Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): Overview and Models (Fairclough, van Dijk) (1 hr)
CDA in Action: Media, Politics, Institutions (45 mins)
Multimodal Discourse Analysis: Visuals, Text, and Meaning (1 hr)
Hands-on Workshop: CDA or Multimodal Text Analysis (30 mins)
Synthesis and Reflection (15 mins)
Assignment: Choose topic and data for final paper
SESSION 4: Discourse and Social Identity
⏱ 4 hours
Check-in and Warm-Up (15 mins)
Discourse, Identity, and Power: Constructing the Self through Language (45 mins)
Gender, Race, and Social Class in Discourse (45 mins)
Narrative Discourse: Identity in Personal and Institutional Stories (45 mins)
Group Activity: Identity Mapping through Discourse Samples (45 mins)
Final Paper Consultation and Feedback (45 mins)
Assignment: Draft outline of final research paper
SESSION 5: Research Presentation and Integration
⏱ 4 hours
Opening: Course Recap and Final Paper Guidelines (20 mins)
Student Research Presentations (10–15 mins per student) (2.5 hrs total)
Peer Feedback and Open Forum (40 mins)
Final Integration Lecture: Role of Discourse Studies in Language and Literature (20
mins)
Course Evaluation and Closing Remarks (10 mins)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS & EVALUATION:
Requirement Weight
Attendance and Participation 10%
Weekly Reflection Logs 15%
Applied Text/Conversation Analysis 25%
Final Research Paper 30%
Final Presentation 20%
REFERENCES:
Required Texts:
Gee, J. P. (2014). An Introduction to Discourse Analysis: Theory and Method. Routledge.
Fairclough, N. (2013). Critical Discourse Analysis: The Critical Study of Language.
Routledge.
Schiffrin, D. et al. (2001). The Handbook of Discourse Analysis. Blackwell.
Suggested Readings:
van Dijk, T. A. (2008). Discourse and Power.
Wodak, R. & Meyer, M. (2009). Methods of Critical Discourse Analysis.
Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading Images: The Grammar of Visual Design.
Discourse Studies – Topic Assignment for 12 Students Across 5 Sessions
Student Main Topic Subtopics Key Authors Session
- Definition and scope
Introduction to Discourse - Discourse vs. text Schiffrin, Gee,
1
Studies - Spoken vs. written Foucault
1
discourse
- Structuralism vs.
History and Theoretical Functionalism Saussure, Halliday,
2 1
Background - Contributions of Foucault Foucault, Harris
and Harris
- Speech act theory 1
Austin, Searle,
3 Pragmatics in Discourse - Cooperative principle and Donna
Grice
implicature Quizol
- Context dimensions
(linguistic, physical, social) Hymes, van Dijk, 2 Sanel
4 Discourse and Context
- Deixis, reference, Levinson Espina
presupposition
- Turn-taking, adjacency
2
Conversation Analysis pairs, repairs Sacks, Schegloff,
5 Sheina
(CA) - Difference between CA Jefferson
Rojo
and DA
- Genre as social action 3
Genre Theory in
6 - Academic and institutional Swales, Martin Aubrey
Discourse
genres Nebrida
- Register variation 3
Register and Field-Tenor-
7 - Context of situation Halliday Dante
Mode
- Functional linguistics PLata
Introduction to Critical - Fairclough’s three- 3
8 Discourse Analysis dimensional model Fairclough Jayckie
(CDA) - CDA vs. traditional DA Nueva
- Discourse and social
Power, Ideology, and control 3
9 van Dijk, Wodak
Discourse - Political discourse, media
discourse
- Language and identity
construction
Bucholtz & Hall,
10 Discourse and Identity - Positioning theory 4
Wetherell
- Intersectionality in
discourse
- Gendered communication
Gender and Narrative in Tannen, Cameron,
11 - Narrative identity 4
Discourse Labov, Riessman
- Personal storytelling
12 Multimodal Discourse - Image-text relations Kress & van 4
Analysis - Visual grammar Leeuwen
Student Main Topic Subtopics Key Authors Session
- Multimodal texts (ads,
websites, social media)
🗓️Session Schedule Overview
Session Topics / Students Assigned
Session 1 Students 1, 2, 3 – Foundations of Discourse
Session 2 Students 4, 5 – Context and Conversation Analysis
Session 3 Students 6, 7, 8, 9 – Genre, Register, CDA & Ideology
Session 4 Students 10, 11, 12 – Identity, Narrative, Multimodal
Session 5 Final Presentations / Application (All students)
Each student will:
Prepare a 20–25 minute presentation
Include 1 guided class activity (analysis, text reading, short group task)
Submit a one-page handout summarizing their assigned topic with references
Discourse Studies – Course Requirements for Students
Course Duration: 5 sessions (20 hours total)
No. of Students: 12
1. Individual Reporting (20%)
Each student is assigned a specific topic to present during class (see previous table).
Requirements:
20–25 min oral presentation with visuals (e.g., PowerPoint, Google Slides)
Submit a 1–2-page handout summarizing the topic (key points, definitions, examples,
references)
Prepare 1 classroom activity (e.g., discourse sample analysis, short task)
Cite at least 2–3 major authors/sources
2. Reflection Journals (15%)
Students are to submit weekly reflections (1–2 paragraphs) after each session.
Guidelines:
Key insights learned from each topic/session
Connections to one’s research interest or teaching practice
Reactions or questions about the readings/discussions
3. Discourse Analysis Exercise (15%)
A short applied analysis of a chosen text (2–3 pages).
Options:
Conversation transcript
Social media post
News article, speech, or advertisement
Task:
Apply at least one framework (e.g., CA, CDA, MDA, Genre) to analyze the discourse
Use appropriate terminology and cite relevant authors
4. Final Paper / Mini-Research Project (30%)
A 5–8-page academic paper applying discourse analysis on a chosen data set.
Guidelines:
Choose one theoretical lens (e.g., CDA, narrative, multimodal)
Provide brief literature background
Present and analyze authentic data (spoken, written, or visual)
Discuss findings in relation to power, identity, ideology, etc.
Include references using APA or MLA format
5. Final Presentation of Paper (10%)
Each student will present their final paper findings in Session 5.
Requirements:
10-minute presentation
Share methodology, data sample, analysis, and insights
Use of slides optional but encouraged
Peer feedback will be given
6. Participation and Attendance (10%)
Active participation in discussions, group activities, and attendance.
Note: Maximum of 1 excused absence allowed due to the short course duration.
Summary of Grading Breakdown
Requirement Weight
Individual Topic Reporting 20%
Reflection Journals (weekly) 15%
Discourse Analysis Exercise 15%
Final Research Paper 30%
Final Presentation 10%
Participation and Attendance 10%
Total 100%
