Metaphorical Perceptions of University Students Regarding the Concept of "Academic"

This study aims to reveal university students' perceptions of the concept of "academician" through the metaphors they produce. The study was conducted with 270 undergraduate students studying at a state university. Employing a phenomenological design within qualitative research methods, this study integrates content analysis with thematic network analysis to analyze students' metaphorical perceptions of academicians, ensuring alignment between methodology and analytical techniques. The findings indicate that academicians are perceived as sources of knowledge and guides, but also as authoritarian, biased, and sometimes oppressive figures. The metaphorical analysis categorized academicians into seven groups: sources of knowledge and guides, disciplined and hardworking, enabling development and change, emotional and social, injustice and ego, negative perceptions, and ambiguity and contradiction. Gender differences show that females focus more on fairness and guidance, while males emphasize authority and oppression. By class, first- and second-year students view academicians as knowledge sources, whereas third- and fourth-year students perceive more injustice and stress. Overall, negative metaphors predominate (55%), indicating academicians are seen as significant sources of stress.