Marketization attempts by universities in Hong Kong: An appraisal analysis of institutional responses to quality audit evaluations

Publication date: Available online 10 February 2020Source: LinguaAuthor(s): Victor HoAbstractDrawing upon Appraisal Theory as the analytical tool, the study attempts to provide evidence for the marketization of tertiary education by showing how universities in Hong Kong achieve a positive self-presentation with appraisal resources in constructing their responses to quality audit evaluations. The study reveals that a positive self-presentation could materialize through the universities’ use of appraisal resources in pursuing four possible strategies, depending on the favourability of the evaluations: (1) highlighting and emphasizing the audit panels’ positive evaluations, (2) making positive self-evaluation through reformulating the panels’ positive evaluations, (3) including positive evaluations made by a third party, and (4) making positive self-evaluation of their current and future practices and plans. The study discusses the way appraisal resources can be used to achieve the marketization of tertiary education through positive self-evaluation and sheds light on the construction and interpretation of a high-stake but relatively little-researched written genre.

Source: Lingua - February 11, 2020 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: research