LANGUAGE NARRATIVE ANALYSIS
| use of primary sources | Primary sources are used heavily in the analysis through either direct quotes from individual narratives, or synthesized interpretation of two or more narratives. Synthesized interpretation might mean that the writer is offering a conclusion on a common feature or difference between the narratives. For example, “….all three narratives refer to code-switching, and there are similarities in context when code-switching happens. All the narratives report that code-switching happens most often in the familial context”. |
| use of supporting sources | All conclusions are supported or explained using a secondary text from either the class reading (viewing) list or a source the analyst found on their own which is relevant to their purposes and holds, as a central theme, multilingualism or language acquisition. The supporting texts should not be narrative themselves. Rather, they should approach multilingualism from a pedagogical or sociological standpoint. |
| diction and usage | The analysis features interpretative language that is aligned with the discipline. Terms and concepts are drawn from supporting texts and defined before discussion. |
| interpretation | The analyst makes a direct statement about how they view the unified features of the narratives. For example, if two or more narratives discuss the loss of L1 when the narrator entered primary school, the analyst might assert that that was caused by language subordination in that there was no opportunity for the narrator to communicate in L1 in the educational context. |
| fulfillment | The analysis fulfills the criteria set forth is the assignment: it’s between 1000-1500 words with MLA standard formatting, and standard academic headings including a title and a works cited list; there are two supporting sources; it draws on the three narratives relatively equally; interview quotes (if used) are cited and the source is included in the works cited list etc. |
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