A Genre Analysis of Research Abstracts of Master of Arts Theses Written by TEFL Students from the University of Tehran and Islamic Azad University of Gorgan
الموضوعات :
1 - Department of English Language and Literature, Golestan University, Gorgan, Iran
2 - Department of English Language Teaching, Gorgan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Gorgan, Iran
الکلمات المفتاحية: move, step, Genre Analysis, Research Abstracts,
ملخص المقالة :
Following Swales’ (1981) definition of genre analysis many scholars have attempted to characterize good academic writing; however, this can be difficult and worrying for non-native writers. Since a well-written abstract encourages readers more effectively, the present study intended to find differences in the rhetorical structures of abstracts by TEFL students from the University of Tehran (UT) and Islamic Azad University of Gorgan (IAUG). To meet this end, 100 abstracts (50 abstracts by TEFL students from UT and 50 abstracts by TEFL students from IAUG) were randomly selected. Swales’ (1981) IMRD (Introduction, Method, Results and Discussion) and Swales’ (1990) CARS (Created A Research Space) models were employed to recognize the rhetorical structure of the abstracts. Then, the frequencies and sequences of moves and steps were calculated using chi-square to find the differences. The results revealed that there were significant differences between the abstracts by TEFL students from UT and IAUG. The findings indicated that TEFL students from IAUG followed the IMRD and CARS more than TEFL students from UT. The findings of this study have some pedagogical implications for both non-native writers and postgraduate students as well as English academic writing teachers and students.
Afros, E., & Schryer, C. F. (2009). The genre of syllabus in higher education. English for Specific Purposes, 8(2), 224-233.
Alhuqbani, M. N. (2013). Genre-Based analysis of Arabic research article abstracts across four disciplines. Journal of Educational and Social Research, 3(3), 360-380.
Al-Khasawneh, F. M. (2017). A genre analysis of research article abstracts written by native and non-native speakers of English. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 4(1), 1-13.
American National Standards Institute. (1997). Guidelines for abstracts. Bethesda, MD: NISO Press.
Amirian, Z., & Tavakoli, M. A. (2010). Swalesian genre approach to the investigation of the introduction sections of English, Persian, and EFL applied linguistics research articles. Iranian EFL Journal, 6(2), 8-100.
Amnuai, W., & Wannaruk, A. (2013). Investigating move structure of English applied linguistics research article discussions published in international and Thai journals. English Language Teaching, 6(2), 240-255.
Aslam, I., & Asim, M. (2014). Genre analysis of conclusion sections of Pakistani research articles in natural and social sciences. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 4(22), 106-113.
Atai, M. R., & Falah, S. (2005). A contrastive genre analysis of result and discussion sections of applied linguistic research articles written by native and non-native English speakers with respect to evaluated entities and ascribed values. Retrieved in August 2016 from: http://www.paaljapan.org/resources/proceedings/PAAL10/pdfs/atai.pdf
Basturkmen, H. (2009). Back cover blurbs: Puff pieces and windows on cultural values. Academic Evaluation, 1(2), (pp. 68-83).
Behnam, B., & Golpour, F. (2014). A genre analysis of English and Iranian research articles abstracts in applied linguistics and mathematics. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 3(5), 173-179.
Bhatia, V. K. (1993). Analyzing genre language use in professional settings. London, UK: Longman Publishing.
Bhatia, V. K. (2002). Applied genre analysis: Analytical advances and pedagogical procedures. In A. Johns (Ed.), Genre in the classroom: Multiple perspectives (pp. 279–283). London, UK: Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc.
Biook, B., & Zamanian, J. (2015). Genre analysis of Oxford and Tabriz applied linguistics research article abstracts: from move structure to transitivity analysis. The Journal of Applied Linguistics, 6(12), 41-59.
Chalak, A., & Norouzi, Z. (2013). Rhetorical moves and verb tense in abstracts: A comparative analysis of American and Iranian academic writing. International Journal of Language Study, 7(4), 101-110.
Chiu, Y. L. T. (2015). Personal statement in PhD applications: Gatekeepers' evaluative perspectives. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 17, 63-73.
Chiu, Y. L. T. (2016). ‘Singing your tune’: Genre structure and writer identity in personal statements for doctoral applications. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 21, 48-59.
Cremmins, E.T. (1996). The art of abstracting (2nd ed.). Information Resources Press, Arlington,VA.
Cross, C., & Oppenheim, C. (2006). A genre analysis of scientific abstracts. Journal of Documentation, 62(4), 428-446.
Dudley-Evans, T. (1994). Genre analysis: An approach to test analysis for ESP. In M. Coulthard (Ed.), Advances in written text analysis (pp. 210-228). London: Routledge.
Dudley-Evans, T. (2000). Genre analysis: A key to a theory of ESP? IBERICA, 2(2), 3-11.
Fallahi, M. M., & Erzi, M. (2003). Genre analysis in language teaching: An investigation of the structure of the discussion section of language teaching journal articles. IJAL, 6(1), 69-81.
Ghasemi, T., & Alavi, M. (2014). A comparative move analysis study of theses abstracts written by Iranian M.A. students of TEFL and English literature. Online International Journal of Arts and Humanities, 3(1), 5-15.
Ghasempour, B., & Farnia, M. (2017). Contrastive Move Analysis: Persian and English Research Articles’ Abstracts in Law Discipline. Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 5(4), 739-753.
Giannoni, D. S. (2006). Book acknowledgements across disciplines and texts. In K. Hyland & M. Bondi (Eds.), Academic discourse across disciplines (pp.151-175). Berlin: Peter Lang.
Gledhill, C. (1995). Collocation and genre analysis: the phraseology of grammatical items in cancer research abstracts and articles. Zeitschrift für Anglistik und Amerikanistik, 43(1), 11-36.
Habibi, P. (2008). Genre analysis of research article introductions across ESP, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics. IJAL, 11(2), 87-111.
Hai-lin, D., & Huan, X. (2010). Generic Structure of Research Article Abstracts. Cross-cultural Communication, 6(3), 36-44.
Halleck, G. B., & Connor, U. M. (2006). Rhetorical moves in TESOL conference proposals. English for Specific Purposes, 5(1), 70-86.
Halliday, M. A. K. (1994). An introduction to functional grammar. London: Arnold.
Hasrati, M., Gheitury, A., & Hooti, N. (2010). A genre analysis of Persian research article abstract: Communicative moves and author identity. Iranian Journal of Applied Language Studies, 2(2), 47-74.
Holmes, R. (1997). Genre analysis and the social sciences: An investigation of the structure of research article discussion sections in three disciplines. English for Specific Purposes, 16(4), 321-337.
Hopkins, A., & Dudley-Evans, T. (1988). A genre-based investigation of the discussion sections in articles and dissertations. English for Specific Purposes, 7(2), 113-121.
Hyland, K. (2000). Disciplinary discourses: Social interactions in academic writing. London, UK: London.
Hyland, K. (2003). Self‐citation and self‐reference: Credibility and promotion in academic publication. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 54(3), 251‐259.
Hyland, K. (2008). Genre and academic writing in the discipline. Language Teaching, 41(4), 543-562.
Ismail, S., & Ahmadshah, M. A. (2014). A genre analysis of abstracts in Islamic journals. Middle-East Journal of Scientific Research 20 (Language for Communication and Learning), 20(1), 75-82.
Jalilifar, A. R., & Vahid Dsatjerdi, H. (2010). A contrastive generic analysis of thesis and dissertation abstracts: Variations across disciplines and cultures. Journal of the Faculty of Letters & Humanities, 26(23), 17-50.
Jalilifar, A. R., & Ahmadi, N. (2011). Towards an analysis of review genres: An investigation of macro and micro structures. In A. R. Jalilifar & E. Abdollahzadeh, Academic research genres in an Asian context (pp. 223-246). Ahvaz: Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz.
Keshavarz, M. H., Ataei, M. R., & Barzegar, V. (2007). A contrastive study of generic organization of research article introductions written by Iranian and non-Iranian writers in applied linguistics. Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran (TELLSI), 1(2), 13-33.
Khalili Sabet, M., & Kazempouri, M. (2015). Generic Structure of Discussion Sections in ESP Research Articles across International and Iranian Journal. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 6 (2). 20-34.
Kuhi, D., & Rezaei, Sh. (2014). Analysis of generic features of acknowledgments in academic writing: Native speakers of English vs. Non-Native (Iranian). International Journal of English Linguistics, 4(1), 19-43.
Li, Y. (2011). A genre analysis of English and Chinese research article abstracts in linguistics and chemistry (Unpublished M.A. thesis). University of San Diego, California.
Lim, J. M. H. (2006). Method sections of management research articles: A pedagogically motivated qualitative study. English for Specific Purposes, 25(3), 282
Loi, C. K., & Evans, M. S. (2010). Cultural differences in the organization of research article introductions from the field of educational psychology: English and Chinese. Journal of Pragmatics, 42(10), 2814‐2825.
Lores, R. (2004). On RA abstracts: From rhetorical structure to thematic organization. English for Specific Purposes, 23(3), 280‐302.
Marefat, H., & Mohammadzade, S. (2013). Genre analysis of literature research article abstracts: A cross-linguistic, cross-cultural study. Applied Research on English Language, 2(2), 37-50.
Martin, P. M. N. (2003). A genre analysis of English and Spanish research paper abstracts in experimental social sciences. English for Specific Purposes, 22(1), 25-43.
Moreno, A. I., & Saurez, L. (2008). A study of critical attitude across English and Spanish academic book reviews. English for Specific Purposes, 7(1), 15-26.
Nasseri, D., & Nematollahi, B. (2014). A Contrastive genre analysis of abstract of Master of Art (MA) thesis in applied linguistics written by native and non-native speakers of English with respect to moves and move maker. Indian J. Sci. Res, 7(1), 1353-1366.
Nicolaisen, J. (2002). Structure-based interpretation of scholarly book reviews: A new research technique. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the fourth international conference on conceptions of library and information science. Seatle, U.S.A.
Önder, N. (2013). Generic structure and promotional elements in best-selling online book blurbs: A cross-cultural study. Ibérica, 1(25). 130-145.
Parson, L. (2016). Are STEM syllabi gendered? A feminist critical discourse analysis. The Qualitative Report, 21(1), 102.
Pho, P. D. (2008). Research article abstracts in applied linguistics and educational technology: A study of linguistic realizations of rhetorical structure and authorial stance. Discourse studies, 10(2), 231-250.
Rezvani, P., Aqdam, S. K., & Saeidi, M. (2013). The effect of genre-based teaching upon EFL writing achievement. Foreign Language Learning and Teaching, 2(1), 589-599.
Rowley-Jolivet, E. (2002). Visual discourse in scientific conference papers: A genre-based study. English for Specific Purposes, 21(3), 19-40.
Salager‐Meyer, F. (1991). A text‐type and move analysis study of verb tense and modality distribution in medical English abstracts. English for Specific Purposes, 11(2), 93‐113.
Salmani Nodushan, M., & Montazeran, H. (2012). The book review genre: A structural move analysis. International Journal of Language Studies, 6(1), 1-30.
Samraj, B. (2002). Disciplinary variation in abstracts: The case of wildlife behavior and conservation biology. In J. Flowerdew (Ed.), Academic discourse (pp. 105‐120). New York, NY: Longman Publishing.
Samraj, B. (2005). An exploration of a genre set: Research article abstracts and introduction in two disciplines. English for Specific Purposes, 24(2), 141‐156.
Samraj, B., & Monks, L. (2008). The statement of purpose in graduate program applications: Genre structure and disciplinary variation. English for Specific Purposes, 27(2), 193-211.
Swales, J. M. (1981). Aspects of article introductions. Birmingham, UK: Language Studies Unit, The University of Aston.
Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Swales, J. M. (1993). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings (3rd ed). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Swales, J. M. (2004). Research genres: Explorations and applications. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2004). Academic writing for graduated students: Essential tasks and skills. The Electronic Journal for English as a Second Language, 8(4), 1-3.
Taylor, G., & Chen, T. (1991). Linguistic, cultural, and sub cultural issues in contrastive discourse analysis: Anglo‐American and Chinese scientific texts. Applied Linguistics, 12(3), 319‐336.
Tiainen, K. (2012). A genre analysis of academic research blogs (Unpublished M.A. thesis). University of Helsinki: Finland.
Tseng, F. P. (2011). Analysis of move structure and verb tense of research article abstract in applied linguistics journal. International Journal of English Linguistics, 1(2), 27-39.
Valor, M. L. G. (2005). Advertising books: A linguistic analysis of blurbs. IBERICA, 10, 41-62.
Van Bonn, S., & Swales, J. M. (2007). English and French journal abstracts in the language sciences: Three exploratory studies. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 6(2), 93-108.
Yang, R. Y., & Allison, D. (2003). Research articles in applied linguistics: Moving from results to conclusions. English for Specific Purposes, 22(4), 365‐385.
