Multimodal analysis

The advancements in digital technology have led to the emergence of various multimodal genres involving the combination of multiple meaning-making resources. This has prompted researchers to adopt new analytical frameworks to investigate previously unexplored genre features. This chapter provides an overview of the three main approaches employed by applied linguists to examine genre from a multimodal perspective, including Systemic Functional Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Social Semiotics Multimodal Analysis, and Multimodal Corpus Analysis. After delving into the background, objectives, and specific tools employed by each approach, the chapter presents valuable examples of studies investigating various academic and non-academic genres. The present work offers readers an understanding of the common issues and challenges encountered in multimodal genre research and outlines potential directions for future research.