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Structure of Moves in Research Article Abstracts in Applied Linguistics

Author

Listed:
  • Seden Can

    (Department of English Language Teaching, College of Education, Yeditepe University, 26 Ağustos Yerleşimi, İnönü Mah., Kayışdağı Cad., 34755 Istantul, Turkey)

  • Erkan Karabacak

    (Department of English Language Teaching, College of Education, Yeditepe University, 26 Ağustos Yerleşimi, İnönü Mah., Kayışdağı Cad., 34755 Istantul, Turkey)

  • Jingjing Qin

    (Department of English and Writing Studies, Zayed University, P.O. Box 144534, Abu Dhabi, UAE)

Abstract

An abstract summarizes the accompanying article in order to promote it. While many move-analysis studies of abstracts in applied linguistics (AL) have used similar coding frameworks and demonstrated similar rhetorical organizations, their findings have not yet been aggregated to show the overall picture. The present study aimed to both examine move structures in AL abstracts and compare the results with previous studies both synchronically and diachronically. Fifty abstracts were collected from articles published in the journal English for Specific Purposes (ESP) between 2011 and 2013. Sentences were coded using a five-move scheme adapted from previous studies. Combining the results from previous research and the present study showed that most AL abstracts give information on the purpose, methodology, and findings of the associated article, while about half of the articles omit introduction of the topic and discussion of the findings. It was also found that authors frequently violate the move sequence expected by current schemes. These findings consistent with previous research suggest that future researchers informed by move analyses should explore the connection between the findings of move analyses and teaching materials for academic writing.

Suggested Citation

  • Seden Can & Erkan Karabacak & Jingjing Qin, 2016. "Structure of Moves in Research Article Abstracts in Applied Linguistics," Publications, MDPI, vol. 4(3), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jpubli:v:4:y:2016:i:3:p:23-:d:74169
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qian Li & Issra Pramoolsook, 2014. "Research Article Abstracts in Two Subdisciplines of Business—Move Structure and Hedging between Management and Marketing," English Language Teaching, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 8(1), pages 1-52, January.
    2. Supachai Saeeaw & Supong Tangkiengsirisin, 2014. "Rhetorical Variation across Research Article Abstracts in Environmental Science and Applied Linguistics," English Language Teaching, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 7(8), pages 1-81, August.
    3. Watinee Suntara & Siriluck Usaha, 2013. "Research Article Abstracts in Two Related Disciplines: Rhetorical Variation between Linguistics and Applied Linguistics," English Language Teaching, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 6(2), pages 1-84, February.
    4. repec:ack:journl:y::id:161 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Shaoliang Xie, 2020. "Multidimensional analysis of Master thesis abstracts: a diachronic perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 123(2), pages 861-881, May.
    2. Ho Yoong Wei & Abu Bakar Razali & Arshad Abd Samad, 2022. "Writing Abstracts for Research Articles: Towards a Framework for Move Structure of Abstracts," World Journal of English Language, Sciedu Press, vol. 12(6), pages 492-492, September.
    3. Victor A Sanchez-Azanza & Raúl López-Penadés & Lucía Buil-Legaz & Eva Aguilar-Mediavilla & Daniel Adrover-Roig, 2017. "Is bilingualism losing its advantage? A bibliometric approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-13, April.
    4. Hesham Suleiman Alyousef, 2021. "Structure of Research Article Abstracts in Political Science: A Genre-Based Study," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, August.

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