A discourse analysis of professor-student conversation: a corpus-based study

Abstract

This study is a corpus based discourse analysis of professor-student conversations in order to identify the linguistic features, power dynamics, politeness strategies, and identity constructions in academic discourse. This research employs a mixed methods approach combining quantitative corpus linguistic tools with qualitative discourse analysis, to study how language reproduces or shapes the hierarchical and mutually working professor-student relationships. The findings show that professors tend to employ complex language, academic terminology and more authoritative speech patterns, as they establish themselves as knowledgeable and guide the conversation, and that the students generally speak more simple language and deploy more deferential politeness strategies as learners. Students, however, varied in their agency, especially when graduate students showed more independence by asking the challenging questions and negotiating power dynamics. To create a collaborative learning environment, professors also hedged their authority with hedging questions and open ended questions. The study’s findings seek to further understanding of how language is used to build academic identities and retain professional boundaries in educational contexts. Finally, recommendations for how to be more inclusive and effective in communication through pedagogical strategies are made, as well as suggestions for future research involving comparative studies among other contexts and multimodal discourse analysis in order to better understand the academic interactions.