Transforming interactional structures into codes: Methodological cycle for a CA-based coding of conversational actions.

The compatibility of conversation analysis and quantification has been the subject of considerable debate. However, the question seems to be shifting from whether to how a combination of the two approaches can be as fruitful and empirically valid as possible. The "CA-based action coding cycle" ("CABAC cycle") I present in this paper contributes to answering this question. It traces four steps in the development of a scheme for coding conversational actions: initial and embedding in previous observations, systematization, extensive sequential analysis, and application of the coding scheme. It becomes clear that the fundamental tools of conversation analysis provide a particularly sound basis for coding actions. Furthermore, the "CABAC cycle" shows that special attention should be paid to the corpus characteristics and the associated research questions when creating a coding scheme. Finally, the great potential of quantifying actions is emphasized, especially for the field of applied conversation analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]