Evaluative language in history textbooks
This three-module thesis employs quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate evaluative language in Canadian secondary school and university history textbooks. The first module overviews approaches to the study of evaluation and key issues of historical discourse in need of research. The second module proposes a framework (Levels of Evaluation) for investigating history texts that combines methods from Martin and Whiteâs (2005) Appraisal theory, and Hunstonâs (2011) Status, Value and Relevance. The third module further theorizes this framework, employing Kress and van Leeuwenâs (2006) methods to account for evaluative features of visual texts. The Appraisal framework is also elaborated to include two subcategories of Judgment: Normality, and the Appreciation network is reworked to account for different types of historical significance. Coffinâs (2000) Voices of History framework is expanded to include an intermediary voice between Recorder and Appraiser, which was found to be a salient feature of history textbooks. Key findings include a higher frequency in secondary school than university textbooks of inscribed Attitude, a high overall occurrence of the resources of Affect, and a low overall
Myskow, Gordon
P Philology. Linguistics
Evaluative language in history textbooks. This three-module thesis employs quantitative and qualitative methods to investigate evaluative language in Canadian secondary school and university history textbooks. The first module overviews approaches to the study of evaluation and key issues of historical discourse in need of research. The second module proposes a framework (Levels of Evaluation) for investigating history texts that combines methods from Martin and Whiteâs (2005) Appraisal theory, and Hunstonâs (2011) Status, Value and Relevance. The third module further theorizes this framework, employing Kress and van Leeuwenâs (2006) methods to account for evaluative features of visual texts. The Appraisal framework is also elaborated to include two subcategories of Judgment: Normality, and the Appreciation network is reworked to account for different types of historical significance. Coffinâs (2000) Voices of History framework is expanded to include an intermediary voice between Recorder and Appraiser, which was found to be a salient feature of history textbooks. Key findings include a higher frequency in secondary school than university textbooks of inscribed Attitude, a high overall occurrence of the resources of Affect, and a low overall
evaluative language history_textbook module employ quantitative_qualitative method_investigate evaluative language canadian secondary_school university history_textbook first module overview approach study evaluation key_issue historical discourse need research second module proposes framework levels evaluation investigate history texts combine method martin_white appraisal_theory status value relevance third module framework employ method account evaluative feature visual text appraisal framework also elaborate include judgment normality appreciation network rework account different_type historical_significance coffin voices history framework expand include intermediary voice find salient_feature history_textbook key_finding include high_frequency secondary_school university textbook inscribed attitude high overall occurrence resource affect low overall