A Synopsis of the Three Most Influential Approaches of Critical Discourse Analysis

The objective of this paper is to investigate and summarize the primary and most influential methods used in Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). The paper provides an overview of CDA and its core principles then delves into the three major approaches devised by the three prominent practitioners in the field: Fairclough, Wodak, and Van Dijk. The critical approach by Fairclough, the discourse-historical approach by Wodak, and the socio-cognitive approach by Van Dijk are discussed in a sequential manner. The study also explores the strengths and limitations of each approach and proposes the contexts in which their methodologies might be applied. In conclusion, the paper suggests that a combination of these three approaches is valuable for conducting critical analysis of texts.