DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF POLITENESS MAXIMS IN WHATSAPP ACADEMIC COMMUNICATION ACROSS MASTER’s ADMISSION PATHWAYS AND LECTURERS

Abstract

Academic communication between students and lecturers has already transformed significantly with the widespread use of instant platform message especially WhatsApp. This study examines the discourse of politeness maxims by Geoffrey Leech (1983) as manifested in WhatsApp based academic communication between Master’s students from distinct pathways and the lecturers. The primary objective is to examine how politeness strategies are used, negotiated, and varied depending on the admission background including regular admission, fast-track program, and Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program. This study employs a qualitative discourse analysis approach, drawing on Leech’s politeness maxims (1983) as the primary theoretical framework and complemented by Brown and Levinson’s politeness strategies (1987). Data were collected through systematic documentation of WhatsApp academic conversations between Master’s students from various admission background and the lecturers. Data were analyzed through discourse interpretation to identify patterns of politeness maxims including tact, generosity, approbation, modesty, agreement, and sympathy maxims. The findings are expected to reveal that students from different admission pathways exhibit distinct pattern in their politeness strategies. Furthermore, this study anticipates that face-threatening acts are mostly mitigated through indirect speech and the use of respectful language. The findings are hopefully able to significantly contribute to the understanding of digital academic course, politeness norms in virtual educational environments, practically work as a reflection for students to be aware and wise in employing politeness strategies to communicate with lecturers, and as a consideration to higher education to formulate digital communication ethic more structured.