1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. English Text Construction
  4. Volume 17, Issue 2
  5. Article
Volume 17, Issue 2
  • ISSN 1874-8767
  • E-ISSN: 1874-8775
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

This study explores the possible interplay between the rhetorical functions of the introduction section in applied linguistics research articles and the linguistic structuring of its argument through the use of -clause that expresses evaluative meanings. To this end, article introductions were analyzed in terms of the formal/functional coding of -clauses. The findings highlight that complement clauses are frequently used for the epistemic evaluation of current/previous research. Of note, however, is that nuanced differences in the writers’ intended purposes give rise to variations in the use of -clause parameters, particularly those concerning verbal entities that evaluate the author’s claims, as opposed to those reviewing previous research findings and/or attributing an evaluation to distinct sources. The study concludes that tactful structuring of academic arguments hinges on the skilled exploitation of function-dependent variations associated with the evaluative components of -clauses.

© 2024 John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/etc.23007.abb
2025-10-16
2025-11-09

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/etc.23007.abb
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Abbasi Montazeri, Ebtesam, Alireza Jalilifar & Jorge Arus Hita
    2021 Evaluative language in applied linguistics research article discussions: exploring the functions and patterns of that-structures in argumentative texts. Language Awareness32(2).193–216. 10.1080/09658416.2021.1990938
     https://doi.org/10.1080/09658416.2021.1990938 [Google Scholar]
  2. Abdollahzadeh, Esmaeel
    2019 A cross-cultural study of hedging in discussion sections by junior and senior academic writers. Ibérica381. 177–202.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Adams, Heather & Quintana-Toledo, Elena
    2013 Adverbial stance marking in the introduction and conclusion sections of legal research articles. Revista de Lingüística y Lenguas Aplicadas8(1). 13–22. 10.4995/rlyla.2013.1028
     https://doi.org/10.4995/rlyla.2013.1028 [Google Scholar]
  4. Biber, Douglas
    2006 Stance in spoken and written university registers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes5(2). 97–116. 10.1016/j.jeap.2006.05.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2006.05.001 [Google Scholar]
  5. Bruce, Ian
    2014 Expressing criticality in the literature review in research article introductions in applied linguistics and psychology. English for Specific Purposes361. 85–96. 10.1016/j.esp.2014.06.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2014.06.004 [Google Scholar]
  6. Bonk, William. J.
    2000 Second language lexical knowledge and listening comprehension. International journal of listening, 14(1). 14–3110.1080/10904018.2000.10499033
     https://doi.org/10.1080/10904018.2000.10499033 [Google Scholar]
  7. Bundgaard-Nielsen, Rikke L., Catherine T. Best & Michael D. Tyler
    2011 Vocabulary size matters: The assimilation of second-language Australian English vowels to first-language Japanese vowel categories. Applied Psycholinguistics, 32(1). 51–67. 10.1017/S0142716410000287
     https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716410000287 [Google Scholar]
  8. Chang, Peichin & Mary Schleppegrell
    2011 Taking an effective authorial stance in academic writing: Making the linguistic resources explicit for L2 writers in the social sciences. Journal of English for Academic Purposes10(3). 140–151. 10.1016/j.jeap.2011.05.005
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2011.05.005 [Google Scholar]
  9. Charles, Margaret
    2004 The construction of stance: A corpus-based investigation of two contrasting disciplines. Birmingham: Doctoral dissertation, University of Birmingham.
  10. Charles, Maggie
    2006a The construction of stance in reporting clauses: A cross-disciplinary study of theses. Applied Linguistics27(3). 492–518. 10.1093/applin/aml021
     https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/aml021 [Google Scholar]
  11. 2006b Phraseological patterns in reporting clauses used in citation: A corpus-based study of theses in two disciplines. English for Specific Purposes25(3). 310–331. 10.1016/j.esp.2005.05.003
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2005.05.003 [Google Scholar]
  12. 2007 Argument or evidence? Disciplinary variation in the use of the noun that pattern in stance construction. English for Specific Purposes26(2). 203–218. 10.1016/j.esp.2006.08.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2006.08.004 [Google Scholar]
  13. Deng, Liming, Yanfan Cheng & Xiaoping Gao
    2024 Engagement patterns in research article introductions: A cross-disciplinary study. System1201. 1–17. 10.1016/j.system.2023.103204
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103204 [Google Scholar]
  14. Deng, L., Wang, M., & Xiaoping Gao
    2023 Predicting the variation in stance-taking: The use of evaluative-that in English as a lingua franca academic writing. Scientometrics128(6). 3283–3311. 10.1007/s11192‑023‑04700‑x
     https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-023-04700-x [Google Scholar]
  15. Durrant, Philip & Norbert Schmitt
    2009 To what extent do native and non-native writers make use of collocations?International Review of Applied Linguistics471. 157–177. 10.1515/iral.2009.007
     https://doi.org/10.1515/iral.2009.007 [Google Scholar]
  16. Foltz, Peter. W., Lynn A. Streeter, Karen E. Lochbaum & Thomas K Landauer
    2013 Implementation and applications of the Intelligent Essay Assessor. InMark D. Shermis, & Jill Burstein (eds.), Handbook of automated essay evaluation: Current applications and new directions, 68–88. Routledge. 10.4324/9780203122761
     https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203122761 [Google Scholar]
  17. Granger, Sylviane & Yves Bestgen
    2014 The use of collocations by intermediate vs. Advanced non-native writers: A bigram-based study. IRAL521. 229–252. 10.1515/iral‑2014‑0011
     https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2014-0011 [Google Scholar]
  18. Hafner, Christoph A.
    2014 Embedding digital literacies in English language teaching: Students' digital video projects as multimodal ensembles. TESOL Quarterly481. 655–685. 10.1002/tesq.138
     https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.138 [Google Scholar]
  19. Halliday, M. A. K.
    1994 An introduction to functional grammar. London: Edward Arnold.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Halliday, M. A. K. & Christian M. I. M. Matthiessen
    2014 Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar, 4th edn. Oxen and New York: Routledge. 10.4324/9780203783771
     https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203783771 [Google Scholar]
  21. Ho, Victor & Cissy Li
    2018 The use of metadiscourse and persuasion: An analysis of first year university students’ timed argumentative essays. Journal of English for Academic Purposes331. 53–68. 10.1016/j.jeap.2018.02.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2018.02.001 [Google Scholar]
  22. Hyland, Ken
    1999 Academic attribution: Citation and the construction of disciplinary knowledge. Applied Linguistics20(3). 341–367. 10.1093/applin/20.3.341
     https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/20.3.341 [Google Scholar]
  23. 2009 Academic discourse: English in a global context. London and New York: Continuum.
     [Google Scholar]
  24. 2016 Academic publishing: Issues and challenges in the construction of knowledge. Oxford: OUP.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. 2020 The communication of expertise: Changes in academic writing. InGotti Maurizio, Michele Sala & Stefania Maci. (eds.), Scholarly pathways: Knowledge transfer and knowledge exchange in academia, 33–56. Bern: Peter Lang.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Hyland, Ken & Feng Jiang
    2018 ‘We believe that…’: Changes in an academic stance marker. Australian Journal of Linguistics38(2). 139–161. 10.1080/07268602.2018.1400498
     https://doi.org/10.1080/07268602.2018.1400498 [Google Scholar]
  27. 2019 Points of reference: Changing patterns of academic citation. Applied Linguistics40(1). 64–85. 10.1093/applin/amx012
     https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amx012 [Google Scholar]
  28. 2022 Metadiscourse choices in EAP: An intra-journal study of JEAP. Journal of English for Academic Purposes601. 101165. 10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101165
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101165 [Google Scholar]
  29. Hyland, Ken & Polly Tse
    2005a Evaluative that constructions: Signaling stance in research abstracts. Functions of Language12(1). 39–63. 10.1075/fol.12.1.03hyl
     https://doi.org/10.1075/fol.12.1.03hyl [Google Scholar]
  30. 2005b Hooking the reader: A corpus study of evaluative that in abstracts. English for Specific Purposes24(2). 123–139. 10.1016/j.esp.2004.02.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2004.02.002 [Google Scholar]
  31. 2007 Is there an “academic vocabulary”?TESOL Quarterly41(2). 235–253. 10.1002/j.1545‑7249.2007.tb00058.x
     https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2007.tb00058.x [Google Scholar]
  32. Jalilifar, Alireza
    2010 Research article introductions: Sub-disciplinary variations in applied linguistics. The Journal of Teaching Language Skills2(2). 29–55.
     [Google Scholar]
  33. Jiang, Feng
    2017 Stance and voice in academic writing: The noun+that construction and disciplinary variation. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics22(1). 85–106. 10.1075/ijcl.22.1.04jia
     https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.22.1.04jia [Google Scholar]
  34. Jiang, Feng & Ken Hyland
    2015 The fact that: Stance nouns in disciplinary writing. Discourse Studies17(5). 529–550. 10.1177/1461445615590719
     https://doi.org/10.1177/1461445615590719 [Google Scholar]
  35. Kanoksilapatham, Budsaba
    2012 Research article structure of research article introductions in three engineering subdisciplines. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication55(4). 294–309. 10.1109/TPC.2012.2223252
     https://doi.org/10.1109/TPC.2012.2223252 [Google Scholar]
  36. Kawase, Tomoyuki
    2015 Metadiscourse in the introductions of PhD theses and research articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes201. 114–124. 10.1016/j.jeap.2015.08.006
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2015.08.006 [Google Scholar]
  37. 2022 How do applied linguistics researchers structure coherence relations in the process of establishing a niche for their research?Text & Talk42(2). 233–254. 10.1515/text‑2019‑0302
     https://doi.org/10.1515/text-2019-0302 [Google Scholar]
  38. Khedri, Mohsen & Konstantinos Kritsis
    2018 Metadiscourse in applied linguistics and chemistry research article introductions. Journal of Research in Applied Linguistics9(2). 47–73.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. Kim, Chanhee & Peter Crosthwaite
    2019 Disciplinary differences in the use of evaluative that: Expression of stance via that-clauses in business and medicine. Journal of English for Academic Purposes411. 100775. 10.1016/j.jeap.2019.100775
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2019.100775 [Google Scholar]
  40. Lim, Jason. M. H.
    2012 How do writers establish research niches? A genre-based investigation into management researchers’ rhetorical steps and linguistic mechanisms. Journal of English for Academic Purposes11(3). 229–245. 10.1016/j.jeap.2012.05.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2012.05.002 [Google Scholar]
  41. Lin, Ling & Stephen Evans
    2012 Structural patterns in empirical research articles: A cross-disciplinary study. English for Specific Purposes31(3). 150–160. 10.1016/j.esp.2011.10.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2011.10.002 [Google Scholar]
  42. Lindsay, David
    2011 Scientific writing: Thinking in words. Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. 10.1071/9780643101579
     https://doi.org/10.1071/9780643101579 [Google Scholar]
  43. Liu, Yali & Louisa Buckingham
    2018 The schematic structure of discussion sections in applied linguistics and the distribution of metadiscourse markers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes341. 97–109. 10.1016/j.jeap.2018.04.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2018.04.002 [Google Scholar]
  44. Liu, May S. M. & Jason M. H. Lim
    2023 Establishing a research territory in economics: Implications for academic writing instruction. Southern African Linguistics and Applied Language Studies41(4). 433–447. 10.2989/16073614.2022.2136224
     https://doi.org/10.2989/16073614.2022.2136224 [Google Scholar]
  45. Loi, Chek-Kim, Jason M. H. Lim & Sue Wharton
    2016 Expressing an evaluative stance in English and Malay research article conclusions: International publications versus local publications. Journal of English for Academic Purposes211. 1–16. 10.1016/j.jeap.2015.08.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2015.08.004 [Google Scholar]
  46. Luo, Xianqing & Jason M. H. Lim
    2022 Succinct summaries of research methods: A genre analysis of expert writers’ communicative resources in social sciences. Ibérica441. 75–100.
     [Google Scholar]
  47. Mansourizadeh, Kobra & Ummul K. Ahmad
    2011 Citation practices among non-native expert and novice scientific writers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes10(3). 152–161. 10.1016/j.jeap.2011.03.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2011.03.004 [Google Scholar]
  48. Martin, J. R. & David Rose
    2003 Working with discourse: meaning beyond the clause. London: Continuum.
     [Google Scholar]
  49. Martin, J. R. & White, P. R. R.
    2005 The language of evaluation: Appraisal in English. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. 10.1057/9780230511910
     https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230511910 [Google Scholar]
  50. Mayer, Richard E.
    2009 Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  51. Moghaddasi, Shahin & Heather A. B. Graves
    2017 “Since Hadwiger’s conjection… is still open”: Establishing a niche for research in discrete mathematics research article introductions. English for Specific Purposes451. 69–85. 10.1016/j.esp.2016.09.003
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2016.09.003 [Google Scholar]
  52. Mu, Congjun, Lawrence J. Zhang, John Ehrich & Huaqing Hong
    2015 The use of metadiscourse for knowledge construction in Chinese and English research articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes201. 135–148. 10.1016/j.jeap.2015.09.003
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2015.09.003 [Google Scholar]
  53. Mur-Dueñas, Pilar
    2011 An intercultural analysis of metadiscourse features in research articles written in English and in Spanish. Journal of Pragmatics43(12). 3068–3079. 10.1016/j.pragma.2011.05.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2011.05.002 [Google Scholar]
  54. Öztürk, İsmet
    2018 Rhetorical organisation of the subsections of research article introductions in applied linguistics. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language)12(1). 52–65.
     [Google Scholar]
  55. Parkinson, Jean
    2013a Representing own and other voices in social science research articles. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics18(2). 199–228. 10.1075/ijcl.18.2.02par
     https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.18.2.02par [Google Scholar]
  56. 2013b Adopting academic values: Student use of that-complement clauses in academic writing. System41(2). 428–442. 10.1016/j.system.2013.03.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2013.03.002 [Google Scholar]
  57. Peacock, Matthew
    2006 A cross-disciplinary comparison of boosting in research articles. Corpora1(1). 61–84. 10.3366/cor.2006.1.1.61
     https://doi.org/10.3366/cor.2006.1.1.61 [Google Scholar]
  58. Politzer-Ahles, Stephen, Jeffery Holliday, Teresa Girolamo, Maria Spychalska & Kelly Harper Berkson
    2016 Is linguistic injustice a myth? A response to Hyland (2016). Journal of Second Language Writing341. 3–8. 10.1016/j.jslw.2016.09.003
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2016.09.003 [Google Scholar]
  59. Rezaei, Shirin, Davud Kuhi & Mahnaz Saeidi
    2021 Diachronic corpus analysis of stance markers in research articles: The field of applied linguistics. Cogent Arts & Humanities8(1). 1872165. 10.1080/23311983.2021.1872165
     https://doi.org/10.1080/23311983.2021.1872165 [Google Scholar]
  60. Rezzano, Norma. S.
    2004 Modality and modal responsibility in research articles in English. InFachinetti Roberta & Frank R. Palmer (eds.), English modality in perspective: Genre analysis and contrastive studies, 101–118. Berlin: Peter Lang GmbH.
     [Google Scholar]
  61. Rozycki, William & Neil H. Johnson
    2013 Non-canonical grammar in Best Paper award winners in engineering. English for Specific Purposes321. 157–169. 10.1016/j.esp.2013.04.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2013.04.002 [Google Scholar]
  62. Samraj, Betty
    2013 Form and function of citations in discussion sections of master’s theses and research articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes12(4). 299–310. 10.1016/j.jeap.2013.09.001
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2013.09.001 [Google Scholar]
  63. Shin, Dong-shin & Tony Cimasko
    2008 Multimodal composition in a college ESL class: New tools, traditional norms. Computers and Composition251. 376–395. 10.1016/j.compcom.2008.07.0
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compcom.2008.07.0 [Google Scholar]
  64. Swales, John M.
    1990 Genre analysis: English for academic and research settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  65. 2004 Research genres: Explorations and applications. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9781139524827
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524827 [Google Scholar]
  66. Swales, John M. & Christine B. Feak
    2012 Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills, 3rd edn. Michigan: University of Michigan Press ELT. 10.3998/mpub.2173936
     https://doi.org/10.3998/mpub.2173936 [Google Scholar]
  67. Vičič, Šarolta G.
    2015 Variation and change in the grammatical marking of stance: The case of that-Complement clauses in research articles. ELOPE: English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries12(2). 9–28. 10.4312/elope.12.2.9‑28
     https://doi.org/10.4312/elope.12.2.9-28 [Google Scholar]
  68. Wang, Weihong & Chengsong Yang
    2015 Claiming centrality as promotion in applied linguistics research article introductions. Journal of English for Academic Purposes201. 162–175. 10.1016/j.jeap.2015.05.002
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2015.05.002 [Google Scholar]
  69. Yang, Ruiying & Desmond Allison
    2003 Research articles in applied linguistics: Moving from results to conclusions. English for Specific Purposes22(4). 365–385. 10.1016/S0889‑4906(02)00026‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(02)00026-1 [Google Scholar]
  70. 2004 Research articles in applied linguistics: Structures from a functional perspective. English for Specific Purposes23(3). 264–279. 10.1016/S0889‑4906(03)00005‑X
     https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(03)00005-X [Google Scholar]
  71. Zhang, Guiping
    2015 It is suggested that… or it is better to…? Forms and meanings of subject it- extraposition in academic and popular writing. Journal of English for Academic Purposes201. 1–13. 10.1016/j.jeap.2015.02.004
     https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2015.02.004 [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/etc.23007.abb
Loading
Evaluative stance in academic arguments
English Text Construction 17, 166 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1075/etc.23007.abb
/content/journals/10.1075/etc.23007.abb
/content/journals/10.1075/etc.23007.abb
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keyword(s): academic writing; evaluative that-clause; linguistic structuring; research article introduction

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error