Organizer: Thora Tenbrink, University of Bremen, Germany

Many researchers use language to understand thought processes, for example by asking participants questions about how they performed a task, or by eliciting descriptions or think aloud protocols. Such information can be inspiring in various areas of cognitive science research. In order to exploit the information provided by linguistic data thoroughly, a systematic approach is required. The aim of this tutorial is to familiarize young and experienced researchers with the analysis of language produced in relation to spatial thought processes. Starting from various established perspectives on language in relation to cognitive science (psycholinguistics, verbal protocol and content analysis, cognitive linguistics, and discourse analysis), the method of Cognitive Discourse Analysis (CODA) will be introduced. CODA serves as a coherent framework for empirical methods at the interface of linguistics and spatial cognition. Practical examples will be used for illustration by interpreting sample data from ongoing research. See:

http://www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/~tenbrink/TutorialCosit.html