Brooks, Cathryn (2009) A Discursive Analysis of So-prefaced Utterances in a Qualitative Research Interview. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
There have been several linguistic studies conducted on so-prefaced utterances in sociolinguistic interviews (Schiffrin, 1987), experimentally unstructured conversations (Műller, 2005), and large corpuses of spoken English (Blackmore, 1988). However, there have been few studies which have examined so-prefaced utterances in qualitative research interviews. Therefore, this exploratory study aimed to examine so-prefaced utterances in a semi structured research interview situation. Due to the exploratory nature of this thesis, there are no pre-set research questions. A data segment was examined in order to identify the instances of so. Following this, analysis was undertaken in order to establish the various forms and functions of the so-prefaced utterances. This was achieved by analysing an interview on race and race relations which was conducted by Margaret Wetherell in New Zealand in the mid 1980‟s. In the current study, three functions for so-prefaced utterances were identified. These included so used to change the subject, so functioning to re-focus the interview and formulate answers, and so used to mark a response. So was found to be a dynamic tool which can be utilised in interview talk to perform numerous functions. It is underestimated and undervalued and is an outstanding conversational resource. It would be highly advantageous for individuals involved in interviewing to familiarise themselves with so in order to utilise its various functions. Due to the important functions that so plays in reaching answers and progressing interviews further study and training in the use of so in an interview setting would be highly beneficial. These findings demonstrate the importance of conversation analysis which makes a tacit resource such as this explicit.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
| Supervisors: | Steve Christensen |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Oct 2025 05:04 |
| Last Modified: | 21 Oct 2025 05:04 |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52181 |
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