Blurb:

In this chapter we outline the methodology adopted during the study. The method differs in a number of ways from the methods used in the first two studies. Most notably, the speech samples came from naturally occurring conversation. Moreover, a data driven, qualitative approach to analysis was taken. This can be contrasted with a more traditional, experimental approach.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the acoustic-phonetic features associated with self-repair in the conversational speech of two persons with dysarthria secondary to MS. Further to this, to explore the techniques adopted by the conversational participants to resolve difficulties with understandability and as such participate in the ongoing repair sequences. The methodology was guided by interactional phonetics and as such the data were recordings of naturally occurring conversational speech. These were transcribed using conventions inspired primarily by conversation analysis. Turn-by-turn interactional and phonetic analysis was then used to uncover the manifestation of dysarthria in conversation. In this chapter we describe the participants, both of whom where adults with a diagnosis of MS, and their speech characteristics. We also outline the data collection technique and the phonetic analysis. The latter part of the chapter will be useful for any readers wanting to carry out their own interactional phonetic studies, particularly focusing on communication difficulties.