Developing a study protocol for research using conversation analysis to examine clinical consultations

Applied linguists using the tools and findings of conversation analysis have provided much insight into how effective communication is achieved through diverse interactional practices across a range of clinical and other healthcare settings. The expertise conversation analytic researchers bring to recording, describing, and interpreting communication in practice allows for a more granular examination, revealing practices that constitute clinical work in situ. This work also provides evidence and an analytic language to facilitate discussion to improve research and institutional practices. However, conducting research within healthcare settings requires various critical considerations, especially in designing the study, recording potentially sensitive clinical interactions, protecting participants, and obtaining approval from ethics committees. In this article, I highlight some of the key challenges faced by conversation analytic researchers of clinical consultations and offer a research protocol with strategies for mitigating and managing them. As I will show, proactively planning for these issues and concerns through a clear study protocol and data management plan can reduce time in obtaining ethical approval and ensure that the study is ethically and methodologically sound. Such efforts can also encourage critical reflection and lead to more accountable research practice and training.