A Comparative Study On Metadiscourse In English M.a. Thesis Introductions In Linguistics By English Native Speakers And Postgraduates In Xinjiang

In recent years there has been a growing interest in studying metadiscourse. However, according to literature review, few studies focus on the use of metadiscourse in English M.A. theses by Chinese postgraduates, and even fewer by postgraduates in Xinjiang. Applying Hyland's interpersonal model of metadiscourse, the present study has conducted a comparative study on the use of metadiscourse in English M.A. thesis Introductions in Linguistics by English native speakers and postgraduates in Xinjiang, China.Two corpora are established first in this study. The first one consists of 50 M.A. thesis Introductions selected from ProQuest Digital Dissertations (PQDD) by postgraduates who are English native speakers; the second one consists of 50 M.A. thesis Introductions selected randomly from M.A. theses by postgraduates from Colleges of Foreign Languages in Xinjiang Normal University and Xinjiang University who study English as a foreign language. Interviews are also done to collect information about Xinjiang postgraduates'attitudes towards the use of metadiscourse. The present study aims at exploring the similarities and differences in the two corpora, and explaining the reasons accordingly. Therefore, this study can provide some useful information for future postgraduates'English M.A. thesis writing in Xinjiang.The findings show that metadiscourse is frequently used in these English M.A. thesis Introductions. Postgraduates in both groups use more interactive resources than interactional resources, but there are some differences in the use of subcategories of metadiscourse. And there is statistically significant difference in the use of hedges, self mentions, and evidentials. Three possible reasons for these similarities and differences are explored, including genre influence, cultural influence and postgraduates'awareness of the requirements for academic writing.Based on the findings and discussion, it is concluded tentatively that postgraduates in Xinjiang are writer-oriented with focus on the structure of M.A. thesis, but neglect the interaction between the writer and the reader, whereas English native speakers pay more attention on the interaction between the writer and the reader in writing.