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Article published In: Metaphor and the Social World
Vol. 8:2 (2018) ► pp.286–311

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Applying metaphor analysis to academic literacy research

A critical review over 30 years

 | National Huaqiao University, China
 | University of Birmingham, UK
Published online: 23 October 2018
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/msw.17012.wan
Abstract
The article aims to provide a critical review of 23 studies that have used metaphor analysis to provide insight into academic literacy research over the past 30 years. It begins by summarising some of the key issues and trends that have been addressed using metaphor analysis, grouping these into two broad categories: metaphor as a methodological tool, and metaphor as an intervention tool. Methods of metaphor collection and analysis are then outlined and discussed. It is noted that an increasing number of studies in this area have identified methodological issues resulting from what Armstrong, S. L., Davis, H. S., & Paulson, E. J. (2011). The subjectivity problem: Improving triangulation approaches in metaphor analysis studies. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 10(2), 151–163. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar term ‘the subjectivity problem’, and the article thus discusses how such issues may be resolved in future research.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Review procedure
    • 2.1Selection of the literature
    • 2.2Analysis of the literature
  • 3.The use of metaphor
    • 3.1Metaphor as a methodological tool
      • 3.1.1Use of metaphor to uncover students’ conceptualisations of academic literacy skills
      • 3.1.2Use of metaphor to explore students’ understandings of themselves as academic writers
      • 3.1.3Use of metaphor to examine classroom practices of teaching academic literacy skills
      • 3.1.4Use of metaphor to facilitate understanding of literacy education
    • 3.2Metaphor as an intervention tool
      • 3.2.1Use of metaphor to promote teaching academic literacies
      • 3.2.2Use of metaphor to improve academic literacy learning practices
  • 4.Methods of metaphor collection
    • 4.1Prompt
    • 4.2Journal or assignment
    • 4.3Videotaped observation
    • 4.4Questionnaire
    • 4.5Extend given metaphor
    • 4.6Mixed methods
  • 5.Methods of analysing metaphors
    • 5.1Qualitative: Cameron and Low (1999) metaphor analysis
    • 5.2Content analysis
      • 5.2.1Qualitative-focused content analysis
      • 5.2.2Quantitative-focused content analysis
    • 5.3Qualitative: Visual analysis
    • 5.4Mixed methods
  • 6.Discussion
    • 6.1Methodological thoughts
    • 6.2Implications for practice and research
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
References (41)
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