TEXTUAL ORGANISATION AND LINGUISTIC FEATURES IN APPLIED LINGUISTICS RESEARCH ARTICLES: MOVING FROM INTRODUCTION TO METHODS
Abstract
Abstract
Writing and publishing research articles (RAs) in English is crucial because an RA is considered as one of the channels to communicate among researchers and scholars worldwide. Research publication has become one of the requirements for Thai graduate students before graduation; however writing for publication is a daunting task to them as it requires substantial writing skills to ensure that researchers can efficiently present research findings and express themselves in response to textual convention and academic community. This paper centres on the rhetorical structures and linguistic features commonly used in the Introduction and Methods sections of the RA genre as written in a particular set of journals. Inspired by Swales’ analytical framework (1990; 2004) and work by Biber, Conner and Upton’s (2007) steps of conducting a move analysis, this study examined 25 RA Introduction and Methods sections in the field of applied linguistics. These RAs were analysed by genre analysis into ‘moves’ and ‘steps’. The results revealed that each section displayed a generic pattern, comprising a series of moves and steps. Lexico-grammatical features associated with a communicative function were also identified. Pedagogically, the findings generated by this study could be useful for teaching students how to write scholarly publications in EAP classrooms. The structural patterns and linguistic features found to functionally interact with one other may facilitate the understanding of novice writers and Thai graduates of published research articles in these sections. Moreover, the rhetorical patterns generated by this study might be meaningful for teachers in implementing relevant reading and writing materials for advanced learners to improve their writing skills to effectively disseminate discoveries in their fields.
Keywords: Research articles, Introduction, Methods, genre analysis, rhetorical structures.
References
- Basturkmen, H. (2012). “A Genre-Based Investigation of Discussion Sections of Research Articles in Dentistry and Disciplinary Variation”. English for Academic Purposes. 11(2).
- Biber, D., Conner, U., & Upton, T. (2007). Discourse on the Move. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
- Bhatia, V. K. (1993). Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings. London: Longman.
- Brett, P. (1994). “A Genre Analysis of the Results Section of Sociology Articles”. English for Specific Purposes. 13 (1).
- Bruce, I. (2008). “Cognitive Genre Structures in Methods Sections of Research Articles: A Corpus Study”. English for Academic Purposes, 7 (1).
- Canagarajah, A. S. (1996). “Nondiscursive Requirements in Academic Publishing, Material Resources of Periphery Scholars, and the Politics of Knowledge Production”. Written Communication. 13 (4).
- Cook, G. (1990). Discourse. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Duenas, P. (2007). “Structure of Business Management Research Articles: The Methods Section”. Odisea 8.
- Flowerdew, J. (1999). “Writing for Scholarly Publication in English: The Case of Hong Kong”. Journal of Second Language Writing 8.
- Flowerdew, J. (2001). “Attitudes of Journal Editors to Non-Native Speaker Contributions”. TESOL Quarterly, 35 (1).
- Hyland, K. (2004). Genre and Second Language Writing. Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press.
- Hyland, K. (2009). “Writing in the Disciplines: Research Evidence for Specificity”. Taiwan International ESP Journal. 1 (1).
- Hyon, S. (2002). “Genre and ESL Reading: A Classroom Study”. In A.M. Johns (Ed), Genre in the classroom: Multiple perspectives (pp. 121-141). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Kanoksilapatham, B. (2007). “Writing Scientific Research Articles in Thai and English: Similarities and Differences”. Silpakorn University International Journal. 7.
- Kanoksilapatham, B. (2011). “Language of Civil Engineering Introductions: Textual Structure and Linguistic Characterizations”. The Asian ESP Journal 7 (2).
- Kanoksilapatham, B. (2012). “Structure of Research Article Introductions in Three Engineering Subdisciplines”. The IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. 55 (4).
- Lakic, I. (1997). “Genre Analysis of Article Introductions in Economics”. ASP. 15 (18).
- Lim, J.M.H. (2006). “Method Sections of Management Research Articles: A Pedagogically Motivated Qualitative Study”. English for Specific Purposes. 25 (3).
- McCarthy, M. (1991). Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Nwogu, K. (1997). “The Medical Research Paper: Structure and Functions”. English for Specific Purposes, 16 (2).
- Ozturk, I. (2007). “The Textual Organization of Research Article Introductions in Applied Linguistics: Variability within a Single Discipline”. English for Specific Purposes. 26 (1).
- Peacock, M. (2011). “The Structure of the Methods Section in Research Articles across Eight Disciplines”. The Asian ESP Journal. 7 (2).
- Samraj, B. (2002). “Introductions in Research Articles: Variations across Disciplines”. English for Specific Purposes. 21.
- Sombatsompop. N., Chancheewa, S., Markpin, T., Premkamolnetr, N., Ittiritmeechai, S., Wongkaew, C., Yochai, W., & Ratchatahirun, P. (2012). “Thai –Journal Citation Index (TCI) Centre: 10 Years of Experiences, Lesson Learned, and Ongoing Development”. Malaysian Journal of Library and Information Science.17 (3).
- Swales, J. (1990). Move Analysis: English in Academic and Research Setting. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Swales, J. (2004). Research Genres: Explorations and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Wharton, S.M. (2006). “Given and New in TESOL Texts: The Management of Community Consensus and Individual Innovation”. IRAL International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. 44 (1).
- Yang, R. & Allison, D. (2003). “Research Articles in Applied Linguistics: Moving From Results to Conclusions”. English for Specific Purposes. 22.
Abstract
References
- Basturkmen, H. (2012). “A Genre-Based Investigation of Discussion Sections of Research Articles in Dentistry and Disciplinary Variation”. English for Academic Purposes. 11(2).
- Biber, D., Conner, U., & Upton, T. (2007). Discourse on the Move. Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
- Bhatia, V. K. (1993). Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings. London: Longman.
- Brett, P. (1994). “A Genre Analysis of the Results Section of Sociology Articles”. English for Specific Purposes. 13 (1).
- Bruce, I. (2008). “Cognitive Genre Structures in Methods Sections of Research Articles: A Corpus Study”. English for Academic Purposes, 7 (1).
- Canagarajah, A. S. (1996). “Nondiscursive Requirements in Academic Publishing, Material Resources of Periphery Scholars, and the Politics of Knowledge Production”. Written Communication. 13 (4).
- Cook, G. (1990). Discourse. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Duenas, P. (2007). “Structure of Business Management Research Articles: The Methods Section”. Odisea 8.
- Flowerdew, J. (1999). “Writing for Scholarly Publication in English: The Case of Hong Kong”. Journal of Second Language Writing 8.
- Flowerdew, J. (2001). “Attitudes of Journal Editors to Non-Native Speaker Contributions”. TESOL Quarterly, 35 (1).
- Hyland, K. (2004). Genre and Second Language Writing. Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press.
- Hyland, K. (2009). “Writing in the Disciplines: Research Evidence for Specificity”. Taiwan International ESP Journal. 1 (1).
- Hyon, S. (2002). “Genre and ESL Reading: A Classroom Study”. In A.M. Johns (Ed), Genre in the classroom: Multiple perspectives (pp. 121-141). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Kanoksilapatham, B. (2007). “Writing Scientific Research Articles in Thai and English: Similarities and Differences”. Silpakorn University International Journal. 7.
- Kanoksilapatham, B. (2011). “Language of Civil Engineering Introductions: Textual Structure and Linguistic Characterizations”. The Asian ESP Journal 7 (2).
- Kanoksilapatham, B. (2012). “Structure of Research Article Introductions in Three Engineering Subdisciplines”. The IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication. 55 (4).
- Lakic, I. (1997). “Genre Analysis of Article Introductions in Economics”. ASP. 15 (18).
- Lim, J.M.H. (2006). “Method Sections of Management Research Articles: A Pedagogically Motivated Qualitative Study”. English for Specific Purposes. 25 (3).
- McCarthy, M. (1991). Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Nwogu, K. (1997). “The Medical Research Paper: Structure and Functions”. English for Specific Purposes, 16 (2).
- Ozturk, I. (2007). “The Textual Organization of Research Article Introductions in Applied Linguistics: Variability within a Single Discipline”. English for Specific Purposes. 26 (1).
- Peacock, M. (2011). “The Structure of the Methods Section in Research Articles across Eight Disciplines”. The Asian ESP Journal. 7 (2).
- Samraj, B. (2002). “Introductions in Research Articles: Variations across Disciplines”. English for Specific Purposes. 21.
- Sombatsompop. N., Chancheewa, S., Markpin, T., Premkamolnetr, N., Ittiritmeechai, S., Wongkaew, C., Yochai, W., & Ratchatahirun, P. (2012). “Thai –Journal Citation Index (TCI) Centre: 10 Years of Experiences, Lesson Learned, and Ongoing Development”. Malaysian Journal of Library and Information Science.17 (3).
- Swales, J. (1990). Move Analysis: English in Academic and Research Setting. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Swales, J. (2004). Research Genres: Explorations and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Wharton, S.M. (2006). “Given and New in TESOL Texts: The Management of Community Consensus and Individual Innovation”. IRAL International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. 44 (1).
- Yang, R. & Allison, D. (2003). “Research Articles in Applied Linguistics: Moving From Results to Conclusions”. English for Specific Purposes. 22.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal Section | Articles |
| Authors | |
| Publication Date | August 31, 2015 |
| Submission Date | August 30, 2015 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2015Volume: 1 Issue: 2 |
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