Investigative Discourse Analysis

Investigative discourse analysis has a multipurpose examination function. It affords the analyst the opportunity to go beyond the surface level of communication to systematically identify the salient components of the narrator's words, sentences, transitions and topics. Additionally, it provides the template for developing amplifying questions for subsequent inquiries and related interviews. Lastly, it serves as a transport into the world of another—the environment, circumstances, and code of conduct that are specific to the individual. Productive investigations involve the building of a bridge between two worlds: the world of the analyst and the world of the person providing the communication.

In the third edition of Investigative Discourse Analysis, Rabon and Chapman expand the efficacy of the analysis into the subsequent goal of the investigator/interviewer, combining theory and application in the search for the truth. In some situations, the analyst will be tasked with briefing the investigator/interviewer on the analysis findings. In other circumstances, the analyst will function as the investigator/interviewer. In either case, the more that is understood, about the individual, their communication, and their circumstances as they perceive them, the greater the opportunity for a successful investigation outcome.

This most recent edition is designed to serve as a Rosetta Stone for discourse analysis. The definitions of terms are directly linked to narrative examples. A chapter to assist the interviewer in conducting analysis within the conduct of the interview has been added, as well as multiple hands-on exercises to aid in the learning process.