Computational Discourse Analysis: A Methodological Framework

Computational Discourse Analysis is an emerging methodological approach that bridges discourse analysis with quantitative text analysis and natural language processing. While computational discourse analysis is gaining traction across a growing number of case studies, this momentum has not yet been matched by the development of dedicated methodological resources. This article addresses this gap by developing a methodological framework that makes sense of the diverse and scattered works falling under the scope of computational discourse analysis to legitimise this innovative approach and make it accessible to a broad audience. I begin by tracing the methodological traditions that underpin computational discourse analysis: discourse analysis and quantitative text analysis/ natural language processing. I then identify two primary modes through which it is currently practised: “mixed-method” computational discourse analysis and “text-as-discourse” computational discourse analysis. Building on this foundation, I address terminological and practical confusions and clarify what computational discourse analysis is and is not. Finally, I outline the core rationale and key benefits of adopting a computational discourse analysis approach: enhanced rigour, greater efficiency, and increased analytical value. In doing so, the article provides conceptual grounding for a broader methodological conversation at the intersection of qualitative and computational text analysis.