Research synthesis

In this chapter, we attempt to synthesise the findings from the previous ten analysis chapters by conducting a comparative meta-analysis in order to answer our overarching research question about the extent to which different approaches to a corpus yield the same results. First, we describe how we carried out the meta-analysis in terms of identifying and comparing findings across the ten chapters. Then we discuss how the findings related to the research questions set, noting that as a by-product of their analysis, some of the authors actually answered a question which was not given to them. We then discuss the extent to which the findings were convergent, complementary, or dissonant, focussing in most detail on those which were dissonant. This is followed by a reflection of the different methods that were used, where we revisit the chapters again, as well as consider the broad categories of corpus-driven, corpus-based, and qualitative approaches. The chapter ends with a consideration of the benefits and challenges of methodological triangulation within corpus linguistics, as well as a discussion of the limitations and implications of our study and suggestions for future research in this area.