TED Talks: Receiver-Engaging Strategies in Communicating Science to the Public

Tram TRAN NHU QUYNH, M.A.

Doctoral thesis

Abstract:

Inspired by Hyland's (2010) concept of proximity, this thesis investigates the receiverengaging strategies used by TED speakers in communicating science to the public. Fifty science-related TED Talks were chosen to build the corpus. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used in this study. The dissertation has three main objectives. The first objective is to examine how TED speakers use personal storytelling to communicate their research findings to the general public, with a specific focus on the different types of stories used, their roles in the talk, and the evaluation strategies that make them engaging. The analysis is based on the narrative schema model developed by Labov and Waletzky (1967, 1972). It also incorporates the theories on storytelling by Eggins and Slades (1997) as well as Simmons's (2015) insights on the roles and functions of stories in communication. The data were coded and analyzed using QDA Miner Lite, a free qualitative data analysis software. The second objective is to analyze how language is employed to convey the speaker's attitude and encourage interaction with a diverse audience, paying attention to the types, frequency, and functions of stance and engagement markers, drawing upon Hyland's (2005b) stance and engagement model of interaction in academic discourse. The third objective is to investigate methods for making highly specialized research accessible to non-experts, specifically exploring the types, frequency, and function of reformulation and exemplification markers. The analysis is based on Hyland's (2005a, 2007) reformulation and exemplification markers. The data for the second and third objectives were coded and analyzed using WordSmith Tools 8.0.

Abstract:

Inspired by Hyland's (2010) concept of proximity, this thesis investigates the receiverengaging strategies used by TED speakers in communicating science to the public. Fifty science-related TED Talks were chosen to build the corpus. Both quantitative and qualitative methods are used in this study. The dissertation has three main objectives. The first objective is to examine how TED speakers use personal storytelling to communicate their research findings to the general public, with a specific focus on the different types of stories used, their roles in the talk, and the evaluation strategies that make them engaging. The analysis is based on the narrative schema model developed by Labov and Waletzky (1967, 1972). It also incorporates the theories on storytelling by Eggins and Slades (1997) as well as Simmons's (2015) insights on the roles and functions of stories in communication. The data were coded and analyzed using QDA Miner Lite, a free qualitative data analysis software. The second objective is to analyze how language is employed to convey the speaker's attitude and encourage interaction with a diverse audience, paying attention to the types, frequency, and functions of stance and engagement markers, drawing upon Hyland's (2005b) stance and engagement model of interaction in academic discourse. The third objective is to investigate methods for making highly specialized research accessible to non-experts, specifically exploring the types, frequency, and function of reformulation and exemplification markers. The analysis is based on Hyland's (2005a, 2007) reformulation and exemplification markers. The data for the second and third objectives were coded and analyzed using WordSmith Tools 8.0.

Keywords

receiver-engaging strategies, TED Talks, communicating science to the public

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 3. 1. 2024

Accessible from:: 31. 12. 2999

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 20. 2. 2024
• Supervisor: Mgr. Renata Tomášková, Dr., doc. PhDr. Miroslav Černý, Ph.D.

University of Ostrava

Faculty of Arts

Doctoral programme / field:
Philology / English Language