High Heels, Compass, Spider-Man, or Drug? Metaphor Analysis of Artificial Intelligence in Academic Writing

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: AI and Literacy in 21st-Century Classrooms (Table 3)

Abstract

This research employed metaphor analysis to explore 313 postgraduate students’ perceptions of the role of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in academic writing. All participants were international students, from a total of 14 countries and regions. Data collection was carried out in two phases. The first was a survey comprising metaphor-related questions, and the second involved metaphor checking. The data yielded 59 unique metaphors, divided into four conceptual categories in what we term the 4T Pyramid Model. They are Technical Support (high-heeled shoes), Text Development (i.e., compass), Transformative Potential (i.e., Spider-Man), and Threat (i.e., drug). The respondents’ academic disciplines influenced their perceptions of GenAI, but overall, the results suggest that most viewed it as transformative, i.e., more than just a writing tool.

Authors

• Fangzhou Jin, The University of Hong Kong

• Lanfang Sun, University of Hong Kong

• Yunqiu Pan, University of Hong Kong

• Chin-Hsi Lin, University of Hong Kong