Critical Discourse Analysis of Academic Advertisement

Abstract

The present study entitled Critical Discourse Analysis of Academic Advertisements is an effort to identify and analyze the linguistic features of academic advertisements critically in terms of lexical and syntactic features and to investigate discursive strategies used in academic ads to manipulate customers. Fairclough’s three dimensional CDA framework was been used in order to achieve the objectives and reach at findings and conclusion of the study. This study covered hundred academic ads. I used purposive non- random sampling procedure and data were collected using observation guidelines as the tool of data collection. The data were analyzed and interpreted descriptively and thematically. It was found that the advertisers employ their ideology and maintain power through the use of different linguistic features and demonstration of pictures. Personal pronouns, adjectives and noun are used as lexical features as well as questions, imperatives, code- mixing, verb less sentence are used as syntactic features. The study also found advertisers used several discursive techniques like use of scientific evidence, celebrity endorsement, use of numbers, use of popular names, use of slogans, use of attractive pictures and so on. The study showed that the academic sectors are also highly inclined towards the marketing policy alike other sectors like beauty products, electronic gadgets and so on. This research consists of five chapters. The first chapter deals with background information of the study, statement of the study, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, delimitations of the study and operational definition of the study. The second chapter deals with related theoretical literature review, empirical literature review, implications of the reviewed literature and conceptual framework. Moreover, the third chapter deals with methodological part of the study. It consists of research design, sample and sampling strategies, sources of data, data collection tools, data collection procedure and analysis and interpretation of the data. The fourth chapter deals with analysis and interpretation of the data. Finally, the last chapter consists of findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the study.