Conversation Analysis Methodology

Conversation Analysis (CA) is a research method used to study how people communicate through talk and gestures in everyday interactions. It examines the structure and patterns of conversations—such as turn-taking, pauses, and how responses are timed—to understand how social order and understanding are created moment by moment. CA involves carefully listening to recordings, transcribing interactions in detail, and identifying recurring features to reveal how people coordinate their talk naturally. This approach helps us understand the subtle, often unconscious, rules that govern human communication.