Written Communication Apr 2018

Coding for Language Complexity: The Interplay Among Methodological Commitments, Tools, and Workflow in Writing Research

Cheryl Geisler Simon Fraser University

Abstract

Coding, the analytic task of assigning codes to nonnumeric data, is foundational to writing research. A rich discussion of methodological pluralism has established the foundational importance of systematicity in the task of coding, but less attention has been paid to the equally important commitment to language complexity. Addressing the interplay among a commitment to language complexity, the selection of tools, and the construction of workflow, this article offers a framework of analytic tasks in coding. Three general purpose coding tools are explored: Excel, MAXQDA, and Dedoose. This exploration suggests that how four aspects of analysis should be supported in order to manage language complexity: code restructuring, segmentation in advance of coding, use of a full coding scheme, and retrieval of full context by code. This analysis is intended to help writing researchers choose tools and design workflow to support coding work consistent with our commitment to language in its full complexity.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
2018-04-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088317748590
Open Access
Closed
Topics
multimodality

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (7)

  1. Griffith et al. (2024)
    A Field Wide Snapshot of Student Learning Outcomes in the Technical and Profess…
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  2. Campeau (2023)
    Who’s a Vaccine Skeptic? Framing Vaccine Hesitancy in Post-Covid News Coverage
    Written Communication
  3. Russell (2022)
    From Methodology to Method in Genre-Based Ethnographies
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  4. Madden et al. (2021)
    Untangling Methodological Commitments in Writing Research: Using Collaborative …
    Written Communication
  5. Koerber et al. (2021)
    Leadership Communication in the STEM Workplace: A Qualitative Study
    Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 7 →
  1. Clegg et al. (2021)
    Programmatic Outcomes in Undergraduate Technical and Professional Communication…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Teston et al. (2019)
    The Grind of Multimodal Work in Professional Writing Pedagogies
    Computers and Composition

Cites in this index (10)

  1. Imbrenda (2016)
    The Blackbird Whistling or Just After? Vygotsky’s Tool and Sign as an Analytic …
    Written Communication
  2. Kuhn et al. (2016)
    Tracing the Development of Argumentive Writing in a Discourse-Rich Context
    Written Communication
  3. Angeli (2015)
    Solving Problems in Technical Communication
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  4. Graham et al. (2015)
    Statistical Genre Analysis: Toward Big Data Methodologies in Technical Communication
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  5. Hashimov (2015)
    Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook and The Coding Manual for Quali…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
Show all 10 →
  1. Read et al. (2015)
    Visualizing and Tracing: Research Methodologies for the Study of Networked, Soc…
    Technical Communication Quarterly
  2. Howard (2014)
    Forum: Why This Humanist Codes
    Research in the Teaching of English
  3. Smagorinsky (2008)
    The Method Section as Conceptual Epicenter in Constructing Social Science Resea…
    Written Communication
  4. Haswell (2005)
    NCTE/CCCC’s Recent War on Scholarship
    Written Communication
  5. Spinuzzi (2002)
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    Journal of Business and Technical Communication
Also cites 10 works outside this index ↓
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CrossRef global citation count: 29 View in citation network →

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