Analysis of analogies and metaphors in geography textbooks

This research was conducted in order to identify and analyze metaphors and analogies found in secondary level geography textbooks. In this study, which is based on the qualitative approach, the document analysis method has been used because it allows a detailed analysis of textbooks in accordance with the aims of the research. After the selection of the method, a review of the literature relating to the subject of analogy and metaphor was performed. Then the classification criteria to be utilized in the analysis of data were determined. During the research, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grade Geography textbooks published by the Ministry of Education and used in secondary education were thoroughly examined. The analogies and metaphors found in the study were classified separately by field experts and researchers. Afterwards, a discussion on the information classified separately was held in order to reach consensus and the relevant data were subsequently analyzed and reported.The classification system which would be used in the grouping and analysis of the analogies identified in the textbooks resulted from a thorough review of the literature. Analogies were categorized according to their "relationships", "presentation format", "condition", "position", "level of enrichment" and as "personal analogies". Metaphors, on the other hand, were examined in terms of distribution according to the class levels found in the books and they were not subject to any classification.The findings of the study show that the analogies are functional with respect to their relationships, verbal in relation to their presentation format, concrete-abstract with respect to their condition, activator according to their function and that they carry reasonable weight in proportion to their abundance levels whereas personal analogies are not used frequently. The results also reveal that the distribution of analogies in relation to their class level are not homogenous. Metaphors, on the other hand, are sufficiently frequent but there are inadequacies in the distribution according to their class levels. Considering these findings, we recommend that attention should be paid to the distribution of analogies according to their class levels, abundance levels should be raised, the frequency in the use of personal analogies should be increased and should be adapted to the nature of metaphors.Keywords: Geography Education, Textbook, Analogy, Metaphor.