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Barbara Johnstone is a Professor Emeritus specializing in English Linguistics with a focus on discourse studies. Her research intersects rhetoric, linguistics, and critical theory. Johnstone's work examines persuasive styles and strategies in the Middle East, narrative forms and functions in the American heartland, and the role of repetition in language. She is particularly interested in the relationships individuals and communities create and maintain through discourse, which encompasses both talk and writing. Her recent research delves into the dialect known as 'Pittsburghese', exploring how local talk relates to the broader North Midland dialect area, and how local-sounding speech acts as a rhetorical resource. Johnstone employs qualitative and interpretive research methods, including ethnography and discourse analysis, in her teaching and research practices.
Admission is extremely competitive with no strict GPA cut-offs; holistic review is used.