Corpus-Based Research on Tense Analysis and Rhetorical Structure in Journal Article Abstracts

Corpus-based Research on Tense Analysis and Rhetorical Structure in Journal Article Abstracts Pin-ning Tu Shih-Ping Wang National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan/ #43, Sec. 4, Keelung Rd. Da’an Dist., Taipei 106, Taiwan (R.O.C.) National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan/ #43, Sec. 4, Keelung Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei 106, Taiwan (R.O.C.) promise523@hotmail.com spwang2005@yahoo.com.tw Abstract There has long been a growing interest in journal articles (JA) abstract writing, and this pervading interest has boosted the exigency for further instructive research. This current study aims to investigate both the variant application of the verb tense as well as the rhetorical structure within JA abstracts. A 9.9 million word corpus of 1000 JAs was collected based on four prestigious journals, i.e., Journal of Pragmatics, Journal of Research in Reading, Journal of Second Language Writing, and Reading and Writing, respectively. The quantitative analysis indicates the tendency of tense shown in the commonly applied reporting verbs. On the other hand, the qualitative analysis shows the prevailing adoption of three-, four-, and five-move theories in terms of the CARS model, the IMRD structure, and the IPMPrC structure. The results not only reveal the explicit tendency of the variance within reporting verbs but also suggest a distinct pervasiveness of the IMRD structure over the other models. These findings not only present a more systematic pattern within JA abstracts, but also show potentials for enlightening further pedagogy-oriented composition instruction for JA abstract. 1. Introduction Previous studies have highlighted the indispensable importance of JA abstract in the contemporary flow. The pivotal role of JA abstract has received considerable attention in academic written genre among the international community. Swales (1990) appeals to the academia, claiming that the research in JA abstracts ought not to be ignored inasmuch of its influential significance upon the genre investigation and disciplinary discourse communities. As the knowledge of proficient preferences for language choice as well as rhetorical structure has a great influence on academic written genre, many investigators have recently turned to the relevant research in relation to genre analysis, thematic organization, formulaic language, rhetorical structure, etc. (Cortes, 2004; Hyland, 2008a; Lorés, 2004; Martín, 2002; Swales, 1990; Wang & Chan, 2011; Wang & Kao, 2012). Furthermore, research in terms of corpora decoding for rhetorical structures such as moves and steps is also regarded as one of the recommendations for further research expansion by Flowerdew (2010). Taking the contribution of the previous studies, this current reserach sets out to explore the variation of tense within the reporting verbs among the transitions of moves via the structural analysis in JA abstracts. 2. Literature review In the respect of genre analysis, move analysis has been always considered to be one of the most influential elements. A move is a rhetorical element which serves the function of correlating and cohering within the written or spoken context (Lorés , 2004; Swales, 2004). However, it is not a definite unit which is constraint to perform in a fixed pattern because it is able to vary along with the …

Content truncated to 500 words