Uses Of Modal Auxiliaries In Discussion Section Of The English Theses In Applied Linguistics By Chinese M.A. Students

Academic papers and articles are receiving much more attention from specialists and scholars all over the world, because they are an important way to exchange academic information. The discussion sections in academic papers deliver the logical deductions of the research results. As a significant section of an academic paper, the discussion section analyzes, interprets and evaluates the research results so as to draw an innovative conclusion.Genre analysis of academic writing is researched by the scholars from related domains. Researches on the discussion sections in academic papers conducted by the scholars aboard and at home cover the aspects such as the macro structures, hedging languages, etc.. However, there are a few researches on structures or hedging devices in the discussion sections in the English theses in Applied Linguistics by the Chinese M.A. students. This study, which is corpus-driven, aims to identify the characteristics of the Chinese M.A. students majoring in Applied Linguistics in the uses of the modal auxiliaries in Discussion.Based on Yang and Allison's (2003) Seven-Move Hierarchical Framework, each move in Discussion of the 55 pieces of M.A. theses written by the Chinese students is identified; then, an analysis of modal auxiliaries in each move of Discussion is conducted according to Halliday's (1994) system of modal meanings in Functional Grammar.The research results reveal that:(1) according to Yang and Allison's Seven-Move Framework, the fourth move, commenting on results has the largest proportion of modal auxiliary occurrences; (2) the most frequently used modal auxiliaries are can, may and will, but repetitive employment is obvious; and (3) the low value of meaning modal auxiliaries which are can and may, account for the biggest percentage but could, might and would which have more tentative modal meanings are less employed.The mother tongue of the Chinese M.A. students might influence the overuse of the three modal auxiliaries in Discussion of their theses and the less uses of could, might and would, which express a more tentative attitude. The academic attitude in Discussion should be discreet, the tone should be tentative and the low value of meaning modal auxiliaries could assist in expressing the authors'opinions objectively. In academic teaching, importance should be attached to the pragmatic uses of modal auxiliaries in Discussion. Better employment of the modal auxiliaries in each move could help the Chinese students to express their academic attitude properly and write an effective discussion section.