Read the paper by Shaw and Bailey on discourse analysis, which gives examples of studies that have used discourse analysis to examine e.g. communication in medical consultations and decisions about psychiatric treatment.
Search the literature and see what other studies you can find that use discourse analysis to study issues relevant to health and illness. Select one of these studies that you find particularly interesting.
Then prepare 200-300 words to include a description of what discourse analysis is (trying to write this in your own words); a very brief description of the discourse analysis study you have selected and two bullet points on how you think the study has – or has not – enriched your understanding of health and illness. When you are happy with your draft, cut and paste it into a new thread, with a title relevant to your example (e.g. ‘Discourse analysis of interpreted consultations’ or ‘Health professionals views of mental illness’).
