Study Of The Generic Features Of Literature Review In English-Language Theses Of Applied Linguistics By Chinese M. A. Students

As an essential part in thesis and dissertation, literature review serves as a bridge which connects previous findings and the reviewer's research. By synthesis and critical analysis of the previous findings, literature review aims to identify research gaps and existing limitations. With the development of genre analysis, literature review section in PhD dissertation or Master thesis has begun to raise researchers'attention these years. The available researches have examined the macro-structure, writing strategies and rhetorical features of literature review. However, there seems to be little concern over the generic features of literature review writing in Chinese Master's English-language thesis.The study seeks to analyze the generic features of literature reviews in the English theses of applied linguistics produced by Chinese Masters. Taking literature review model of western academics in O'Connell and Jin's study (2002) as a reference, this study examines literature reviews of 60 Chinese Masters'English theses from different universities.The results reveal that 1) although all the five moves of the LR structure in O'Connell and Jin's study (2002) can be found in the LRs written by Chinese students in the corpus, they are disorder and not well-structured. The examination of move configurations reflects the complexity of literature review move patterns. All of the literature reviews adopt different move configurations; 2) it is found that students are insufficient in critical analysis of previous findings and identification of research gaps in literature review; 3) although most of the elements in literature review model of western academics also appear in the present corpus, there are some special elements in the corpus. It suggests that Chinese students'literature reviews have their own features.The reasons for these observations root in different cultural and academic traditions. In addition, students'vague understandings of generic knowledge of LR may lead to difficulties in LR writing. The application of literature review model in western academics can provide a framework for Chinese learners to write more readable and critical literature review in thesis.