A Contrastive Genre Analysis On Dissertation Introductions Written By Ma English Majors From Key And General Universities

As a main approach of discourse analysis,genre analysis has long been an interest of scholars in the language study.It is mainly used to analyze academic discourse.In different genres of academic discourse,Introduction plays an important role in starting the whole paper and introducing the readers into the paper.As a result,scholars have made genre analysis on research article and dissertation Introductions written by experts and learners,however,related studies have indicated that the genre analysis on dissertation Introductions written by Chinese learners,especially those from different universities,is far from enough.Besides,it is found that some Chinese postgraduates from key and general universities have a difficulty in writing their English M.A.dissertation Introductions because they do not quite understand the componential moves and the language.Thus,this study aims to explore the features and similarities and differences about the use of componential moves and language in dissertation Introductions written by M.A.English majors from key and general universities in China.A total of 90 English M.A.dissertation Introductions in the discipline of Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics were collected from CNKI,including 45 Introductions written by English majors from key universities and 45 from general universities in China.The quantitative and qualitative methods were used in the analysis.The use of quantitative method was to know the quantitative features of componential moves and steps used in Introductions from key and general universities in terms of frequency,while the qualitative method was to know the language expressions used to signal the progress of them.Through data observation and analysis,we found that there were both similarities and differences in the use of componential moves and language expressions in dissertation Introductions written by M.A.English majors from key and general universities.With regards to the componential moves and steps,we found that there was some differences in the choice of moves and steps proposed in Swales'(1990)CARS model between postgraduates from key and general universities.Specifically,as for Move 1(Establishing a territory)and its componential steps,we found that there were no significant differences in the use of Move 1 and Step 1,2,3,4,while there were significant differences in the use of Step 5(Providing summary or comment of previous research)between postgraduates from key and general universities.The data indicated that Step 5 was more frequently used in Introductions written by postgraduates from key universities than those from general universities.As for Move 2(Establishing a niche)and its componential steps,the results showed significant differences in the use of Move 2,Step 3(Question-raising),Step 5(Indicating real world problems)and Step 8(Stating the necessity or urgency of carrying out of the research).The data indicated that Move 2 and the three steps mentioned above were used more frequently by postgraduates from key universities than those from general universities.No significant differences were found in the use of the other steps in Move 2 in the Introductions between postgraduates from key and general universities.As for Move 3(Occupying the niche)and its componential steps,no significant differences were found in the use of this move and its componential steps in Introductions between postgraduates from key and general universities.In terms of the language expressions used to signal moves and steps,we found that a variety of language expressions were used by postgraduates to introduce relevant moves or steps.Specifically,in claiming centrality,expressions such as important,significant,crucial,importance,significance,and phrases such as play a(n)important/significant/crucial/vital/key role/part were frequently used by postgraduates in the study.In reviewing previous research,reporting verbs such as point out,propose,find,show were commonly used.In indicating a gap or problems,expressions such as however,but,few,little,only,problem,do/does/did/be/has/have/can/may not + verb became the frequent choice.In outlining purposes of study,nouns like purpose,aim,goal,verbs like investigate,find out,explore,verb phrases such as aim to/at,attempt to were frequently used by postgraduates from the both.In announcing present research,deictic elements such as this,the present,nouns such as study,paper,thesis,verbs such as carry out,conduct,make were the routine.In stating the significance or value of present research,nouns like significance,implication,theory,contribution,development,adjectives such as theoretical,practical,pedagogical,effective,beneficial,modals such as can,may and will were common choices.In indicating the structure,the corpora frequently used some sentence patterns such as this thesis/paper is composed of five chapters,Chapter one introduces …,Chapter two reviews …,Chapter three reports the methodology …,Chapter four presents the results of …,Chapter five concludes/summaries….The differences in the use of language between postgraduates from key and general universities lay in the amount and proper use of these expressions.Postgraduates from key universities tended to use a variety of language expressions more frequently than those from general universities in their thesis writing.The present study may provide some help in a better understanding about the genre awareness among different learners,and provide some suggestions or guidance for the learning and teaching of dissertation Introductions writing,especially for those from general universities.