How to do Multimodal Analysis

How to do Multimodal Analysis addresses one of the central challenges in multimodal research: the gap between theory and analytical operationalization. While theoretical frameworks are well established, guidance on how to apply them systematically to real-world data remains underdeveloped. This text fills that gap by showcasing multimodal analysis in action across a range of educational and professional settings.

The volume covers a wide range of multimodal approaches, allowing readers to compare methods, datasets, and analytical decisions in a way that no single-approach study can offer. The explicit discussion of methodological strengths and limitations in each chapter makes this a practical resource for researchers navigating the often 'messy' realities of working with multimodal data. Each chapter follows a consistent structure, introducing the method, demonstrating it through a step-by-step analysis of real data, and closing with concrete methodological takeaways. This makes it easy to navigate and directly applicable to readers' own research. The focus on educational and professional settings gives the volume clear thematic coherence while remaining relevant across multiple disciplines, from linguistics and communication studies to language education and workplace research.

The volume makes the case that rigorous multimodal analysis is not a fixed procedure but a situated, reflective practice that responds to the specificities of the data, the research questions, and the theoretical commitments of the researcher.

By bridging the gap between abstract theory and hands-on application, this collection equips readers with the tools and confidence to conduct their own multimodal analyses. Written in an accessible style, it will be a valuable resource for postgraduate students and researchers working with multimodal data in applied linguistics, professional communication, media and communication studies, and language education.