Doing Sociolinguistics by Meyerhoff, Miriam; Schleef, Erik; MacKenzie, Laurel;

Short description:

Doing Sociolinguistics: A practical guide to data collection and analysis is an accessible introduction and guide to the methods of data collection and analysis in the field of sociolinguistics. It provides students with all the knowledge and skills needed to conduct their own analyses of language, featuring excerpts from key research articles, exercises using real data from the authors’ own research, and supported by a companion website. Designed to function both as a core text for methods classes in sociolinguistics, and as a companion to the Routledge textbook Introducing Sociolinguistics, this book will be essential reading for all students studying and researching in this area.

Long description:

Doing Sociolinguistics: A practical guide to data collection and analysis provides an accessible introduction and guide to the methods of data collection and analysis in the field of sociolinguistics. It offers students the opportunity to engage directly with some of the foundational and more innovative work being done in the quantitative or variationist paradigm.

Divided into sixteen short chapters, Doing Sociolinguistics:

• can be used as a core text in class or as an easy reference whilst undertaking research








• walks readers through the different phases of a sociolinguistic project, providing all the knowledge and skills students will need to conduct their own analyses of language








• features excerpts from key research articles; exercises with real data from the authors’ own research; sample answers to the exercises; and further reading








• is supported by the Routledge Sociolinguistics Companion website (www.routledge.com/textbooks/meyerhoff) which features further online exercises with sound files.

Designed to function as both a core text for methods classes in sociolinguistics and as a companion to the Routledge textbook Introducing Sociolinguistics, this book will be essential reading for all students studying and researching in this area.

"A highly practical and readable "how to" guide written by expert researchers, filled to the brim with helpful tips … valuable both as a textbook and as a field handbook."
James N. Stanford, Dartmouth College, USA

"These highly experienced researchers walk the budding sociolinguist through the essential stages in data collection and analysis in a no-nonsense yet highly engaging manner."
Jennifer Smith, Glasgow University, UK

"It's hard to think of another book that takes the reader　so quickly and effortlessly into the heart of the field of sociolinguistic research."
Nick Evans, Australian National University

Table of Contents:

Preface and User Guide
PART ONE – DATA COLLECTION
1. Finding a topic
2. Sample design and the envelope of variation
3. Ethics and archiving
4. Sampling techniques and gaining access to speakers
5. Interviews as a source of data
6. Naturally-occurring, spontaneous speech as a source of data
7. Corpora as a source of data
8. Written surveys and questionnaires as a source of data
9. Studying perceptions and attitudes
PART TWO – DATA ANALYSIS
10. Transcription
11. Identifying, coding & summarising your data
12. Analysing your data
13. Presenting your data
14. Analysing multiple independent variables
15. Mixing qualitative and quantitative analysis
16. Writing up your research