A Comparative Study of Textual Metadiscourse Markers in Introduction and Method Sections of Applied Linguistics Research Articles

Subject Areas : Journal of Language, Culture, and Translation

Alireza Jalilifar ¹ , Fariba Kabezadeh ²

1 - Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2 - Islamic Azad University, Khuzestan Science and Research Branch, Iran

Received: 2014-04-16 Accepted : 2014-04-16 Published : 2012-05-01

Keywords: Metadiscourse markers, Genre Analysis, rhetoric structure, textual metadiscourse,

Abstract :

One important approach to macro structure study of a text is to analyze it in relation to its generic structure. The present study investigated variations in the use of textual meta-discourse markers (TMMs) in two major sections of research articles (RAs), that is introduction and method. It aimed to find out how TMMs are deployed and whether differences in the rhetorical structures of introduction and method account for any change in the distribution and use of TMMs. Sixty-five RAs from international journals published 2005 onward were selected. In order to identify TMMs, Hylands' (2004) model of metadiscourse markers (MMs) was used. Findings marked variations in the use of TMMs in introduction and method sections which, in turn, justify generic variations in the two sections. An awareness of the kinds of meanings that can be construed and the linguistic resources available to do so may be an important step in students’ learning to manage these resources in their own writing.