RHETORICAL STRUCTURE OF THE DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION SECTIONS IN MASTER'S THESES WRITTEN BY ENGLISH L1 AND L2 STUDENTS

Mirna Varga, Višnja Pavičić Takač

DOI Number
https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP240530043V
First page
555
Last page
572

Abstract


In writing a master's thesis students are expected to demonstrate both disciplinary knowledge and mastery of genre-specific writing conventions, which is particularly challenging for English L2 students writing in English. The present study deals with the analysis of the rhetorical structure of the Discussion and Conclusion sections in the corpus of master's theses (N=40) written by students majoring in applied linguistics at Croatian, UK- and US-based universities. Broadly based on the move-step models of the rhetorical structure of Discussions and Conclusions in research articles, the study explored the distribution of the rhetorical moves and steps across two sections in English L1 and L2 writing. The analysis showed overall higher frequencies of rhetorical moves in L1 thesis sections, indicating that English L1 writers structure the content of the Discussion and Conclusion sections in a rhetorically more elaborate manner than English L2 writers. The findings are discussed in light of their implications for informed genre-based academic writing instruction, particularly in non-Anglophone academic contexts.


Keywords

English L1 students, English L2 students, master's thesis, rhetorical move structure

Full Text:

PDF

References


Ädel, A. (2006). Metadiscourse in L1 and L2 English. John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.24

Ankomah, C., & Afful, J. B. A. (2019). Establishing a niche in research: rhetorical strategies in undergraduate and postgraduate writings in the Department of English, University of Cape Coast. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 7, 3, 359-374. https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP1903359А

Basturkmen, H. (2009). Commenting on results in published research articles and masters dissertations in Language Teaching. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 8, 241-251. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2009.07.001

Biber, D., Connor, U., & Upton, T.A. (2007). Discourse analysis and corpus linguistics. In Biber, D., Connor, U., & Upton, T.A. (Eds.), Discourse on the Move: Using corpus analysis to describe discourse structure (pp.1-20). John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.28

Biggs, J., Lai, P., Tang, C. & Lavelle, E. (1999). Teaching writing to ESL graduate students: A model and an illustration. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 69, 293–306. https://doi.org/10.1348/000709999157725

Bitchener, J., & Basturkmen, H. (2006). Perceptions of the difficulties of postgraduate L2 thesis students writing the discussion section. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 5, 4-18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2005.10.002

Bitchener, J. (2010). Writing an Applied Linguistics Thesis or Dissertation: A Guide to Presenting Empirical Research.: Palgrave Macmillan.

Braine, G. (2002). Academic literacy and the nonnative speaker graduate student. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 1, 59–68. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1475-1585%2802%2900006-1

Bui, Y. (2019). How to Write a Master′s Thesis. SAGE Publications.

Chen, T.-Y., & Kuo, C.-H. (2012). Genre-Based Analysis of the Information Structure of Master’s Theses in Applied Linguistics. The Asian ESP Journal, 8, 1, 24-52. https://www.asian-esp-journal.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Volume-8-1.pdf

Johns, A.M. (1995). Genre and pedagogical purposes. Journal of Second Language Writing, 4, 181–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/1060-3743(95)90006-3

Kanoksilapatham, B. (2007a). Introduction to move analysis. In Biber, D., Connor, U. & Upton. T.A. (Eds), Discourse on the Move: Using corpus analysis to describe discourse structure (pp. 23- 41). John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.28

Kanoksilapatham, B. (2007b). Rhetorical moves in biochemistry research articles. In Biber, D., Connor, U. & Upton, T.A. (Eds), Discourse on the Move: Using corpus analysis to describe discourse structure (pp. 73- 121). John Benjamins Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1075/scl.28

Lu, X., Yoon, J., & Kisselev, O. (2021). Matching phrase-frames to rhetorical moves in social science research article introductions. English for Specific Purposes 61, 63–83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2020.10.001

Nguyen, L.T.T., & Pramoolsook, I. (2016). Master's Theses Written by Vietnamese and International Writers: Rhetorical Structure Variations. The Asian ESP Journal, 106-127. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303697744_Master's_Theses_Written_by_Vietnamese_and_International_Writers_Rhetorical_Structure_Variations

Paltridge, B. (2002). Thesis and dissertation writing: an examination of published advice and actual practice. English for Specific Purposes, 21, 125-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(00)00025-9

Paltridge, B. (2013). Genre and English for Specific Purposes. In B. Paltridge, & S. Starfield (Eds.), The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes (pp. 347- 366). Wiley-Blackwell. DOI:10.1002/9781118339855

Paltridge, B., & Starfield, S. (2007). Thesis and Dissertation Writing in a Second Language: A Handbook For Supervisors. London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203960813

Petrić, B. (2007). Rhetorical functions of citations in high- and low-rated master’s theses. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 6, 238 – 53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2007.09.002

Pho, P.D. (2013). Authorial stance in research articles: Examples from applied linguistics and educational technology. Palgrave Macmillan.

Samraj, B. (2008). A discourse analysis of Master’s theses across disciplines with a focus on introductions. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 7, 55 – 67. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2008.02.005

Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre Analysis: English in Academic and Research Settings. Cambridge University Press.

Swales, J. (2004). Research Genres: Explorations and Applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524827

Swales, J., & Feak, C. B. (2004). Academic Writing for Graduate Students (2nd ed.). University of Michigan Press. https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.2173936

Tardy, C. (2023). English for Academic Purposes. In E. Hinkel (Ed), Handbook of Practical Second Language Teaching and Learning (pp. 55-67). Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003106609

Thomson, P. (2013). Thesis and Dissertation Writing. In B. Paltridge, & S. Starfield (Eds), The Handbook of English for Specific Purposes (pp. 283- 299). Wiley-Blackwell. DOI:10.1002/9781118339855

Varga, M., Kovačević, P., & Molnar, D. (2020). Establishing the Criteria for Building Comparable Corpora in Research on Academic Writing in L1 and L2 English. In S. Gudurić, B. Radić-Bojanić, & P. Mutavdžić (Eds.), Jezici i kulture u vremenu i prostoru IX/1 (pp. 145-154). Filozofski fakultet Univerziteta u Novom Sadu.

Yakut, I., Yuvayapan, F., & Bada, E. (2021). Lexical bundles in L1 and L2 English doctoral dissertations. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes. 9, 3, 475−493. https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP2103475Y

Yang, R., & Allison, D. (2003). Research articles in applied linguistics: Moving from results to conclusions. English for Specific Purposes, 22, 365-385. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(02)00026-1




DOI: https://doi.org/10.22190/JTESAP240530043V

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ISSN 2334-9182 (Print)
ISSN 2334-9212 (Online)