METHOD EA0913

EXERCISE – METHOD SECTION

TITLE OF THE ARTICLE: Metaphor in Ebola’s popularized scientific discourse

OBJECTIVE: To find out the types and functions of metaphors in the
popularized discourse of Ebola.

Please, read the following information and write the appropriate Method
section (minimum 200 words)

TEXTS FOR THE ANALYSIS

 10 articles on Ebola from online Scientific American
(http://www.scientificamerican.com)
 15,000 words
 Published between November 2014- February 2016
 Authors: a medical doctor, medical reporters, journalists and associate editors for
health and medicine

VARIABLES
 Metaphors, according to the Metaphor Identification Procedure (MIP/MIPVU;
Steen et al., 2010).
 Definition of metaphor: it is identified if “the contextual meaning contrasts with the
basic meaning but can be understood in comparison with it” (Pragglejaz Group,
2007: 3).

PROCEDURE
1. Identification of metaphors
2. Classification of metaphors according to
a. their target domain or frame element, and
b. their metaphorical source domain(s);
3. Description of the purposes or functions of metaphors related to the
popularization of Ebola discourses;
4. Determination of the potential effects on education and broadcasting objective
news.