Linguistic Characteristics of Texts: Methodological Notes on a Missed Step in Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Critical discourse analysis is a set of theoretical and methodological devices used to analyze and challenge how we construct reality by looking for meaning behind words. The process of conducting critical discourse analysis is complex and, in the field of nursing research, is often carried out without regarding the different dimensions entwined in discourse. In this vein, the dimension that concerns the linguistic characteristics of texts is a highly informative one, but all too often left out of study results by researchers in nursing. This article aims to present some methodological notes of our experience conducting an analysis of linguistic characteristics within a critical discourse analysis doctoral research. We discuss the theoretical and methodological reasons why these characteristics should be widely recognized as a fundamental dimension in the framework of critical discourse analysis. We propose general recommendations to make this dimension of analysis more easily accessible and encourage other critical researchers to include the analysis of linguistic characteristics of texts in their research.