Contents


Chapter 1Introduction

1��1Rationale of the Study

1��2Research Objectives and Questions

1��3Significance of the Research

1��4Thesis Overview

Chapter 2Literature Review

2��1Theoretical Studies on Metadiscourse

2��1��1Definition of Metadiscourse

2��1��2Features of Metadiscourse

2��1��3Categorizations of Metadiscourse

2��2Empirical Studies on Metadiscourse in
Academic Writing

2��2��1Metadiscourse in Research Articles

2��2��2Metadiscourse in ESL/EFL
Student Writing

2��3Research Gap

2��4Summary

Chapter 3Analytical Framework of the Present Research

3��1Working Definition of Important Terms

3��1��1Defining Discourse

3��1��2Defining Academic Writing

3��1��3Defining Metadiscourse

3��2Developing an Analytical Framework for the
Present Study

3��2��1Reflexivity of Metadiscourse

3��2��2Writer��reader Interaction in Metadiscourse

3��2��3Analytical Model for the Present Study

3��3Classification of Metadiscourse

3��3��1Reflexivity�� Metatext

3��3��2Writer��reader Interaction�� Interactive
Metadiscourse

3��3��3Writer��reader Interaction�� Interactional
Metadiscourse

3��4Summary

Chapter 4Methodology

4.1Data Collection

4.1.1Corpora

4.1.2Interview

4.2Data Coding

4.3Data Analysis

4.4Summary

Chapter 5Results and Discussion�� Metatext

5.1General Distribution Patterns of Metatext

5.2Disciplinary Similarities and Differences Between
the Two Corpora

5.3Metatext in Use

5.3.1Reference to Discourse Entities

5.3.2Reference to Discourse Acts

5.3.3Reference to Discourse Labels

5.4Summary

Chapter 6Results and Discussion�� Interactive Metadiscourse

6.1General Distribution Patterns of Interactive
Metadiscourse

6.2Disciplinary Similarities and Differences Between
the Two Corpora

6.3Interactive Metadiscourse in Use

6.3.1Transition Markers

6.3.2Frame Markers

6.3.3Code Glosses

6.3.4Evidentials

6.4Summary

Chapter 7Results and Discussion�� Interactional Metadiscourse

7.1General Distribution Patterns of Interactional
Metadiscourse

7.2Disciplinary Similarities and Differences Between
the Two Corpora

7.3Interactional Metadiscourse in Use

7.3.1Hedges

7.3.2Boosters

7.3.3Self��mentions

7.4Summary

Chapter 8Conclusions

8.1Major Findings

8.1.1General Patterns of Metadiscourse in the
Two Corpora

8.1.2Disciplinary Similarities and Differences in
Metadiscourse Between the Two Corpora

8.1.3Metadiscourse in Use

8.2Implications of the Study

8.2.1Theoretical Implications

8.2.2Methodological Implications

8.2.3Pedagogical Implications

8.3Limitations of the Study

8.4Suggestions for Future Studies

References

Appendix AInteractive and Interactional Metadiscourse
Items Investigated

Appendix BCategories of the Three��dimensional
Analytical Model with Examples

Appendix CInterview

��ӛ





List of Figures



List of Figures



Figure 2��1Relationship between propositional discourse and
metadiscourse17

Figure 2��2Personal and impersonal configurations of ��metatext��
and ��writer��reader interaction��24

Figure 2��3Subtypes and the discourse functions of the proposed
taxonomy of metadiscourse26

Figure 3��1Planes of discourse level50

Figure 3��2Rhetorical triangle55

Figure 3.3Self��reflexivity of metalanguage57

Figure 3��4Reflexive triangle62

Figure 3��5Analytical model of metadiscourse for the present research67

Figure 3��6Stance��engagement model of interaction73

Figure 4.1Sample concordance lines operated by AntConc 3.5.081





List of Tables



List of Tables


Table 2��1Narrow approach to metadiscourse22

Table 2��2Broad approach to metadiscourse27

Table 3��1Functions of the reflexive model62

Table 3��2Hyland��s interpersonal model of metadiscourse65

Table 4.1Journal description78

Table 4.2Descriptive statistics of the corpora79

Table 4.3Demographic information of the informants80

Table 5.1Overall results of metatext86

Table 5.2Overall results of metatext across disciplines89

Table 5.3Distribution of subtypes of reference of discourse
entities in the corpora92

Table 5.4Top 5 frequently used reference to discourse entities94

Table 5.5Underused reference to discourse entities98

Table 5.6Frequencies of reference to discourse acts99

Table 5.7Top 5 frequently used reference to discourse acts102

Table 5.8Underused reference to discourse acts105

Table 5.9Frequencies of reference to discourse labels107

Table 5.10Top 5 frequently used reference to discourse labels109

Table 5.11Overused reference to discourse labels112

Table 6.1Overall results of interactive metadiscourse115

Table 6.2Overall results of interactive metadiscourse across
disciplines117

Table 6.3Subtypes of transition markers and Its�� different functions119

Table 6.4Distribution of subtypes of transition markers in the
corpora121

Table 6.5Top 5 frequently used transition markers123

Table 6.6Top 5 overused transition markers125

Table 6.7Underused transition markers127

Table 6.8Misuse of transition markers in CSW corpus129

Table 6.9Distribution of subtypes of frame markers in the corpora134

Table 6.10Top 5 frequently used frame markers137

Table 6.11Top 5 overused frame markers138

Table 6.12Underused frame markers140

Table 6.13Distribution of subtypes of code glosses in the corpora143

Table 6.14Top 5 frequently used code glosses144

Table 6.15Overused code glosses146

Table 6.16Underused code glosses147

Table 6.17Misused code glosses148

Table 7.1Overall results of interactional metadiscourse154

Table 7.2Overall disciplinary distributions of interactional
metadiscourse157

Table 7.3Distribution of various hedging devices in the corpora161

Table 7.4Top 5 most frequently used hedges162

Table 7.5Top 5 most frequently overused hedges163

Table 7.6Underused hedges (per 10,000 words)164

Table 7.7Distribution of booster in the corpora
(per 10,000 words)166

Table 7.8Frequencies of boosters (per 10,000 words)167

Table 7.9Top 5 most frequently used boosters168

Table 7.10Top 5 most frequently overused boosters170

Table 7.11Distribution of self��mentions in the corpora
(per 10,000 words)173

Table 7.12Discourse functions of self��mention in the corpora
(per 10,000 words)178



List of Abbreviations



List of Abbreviations


CSWChinese EFL PhD student writer corpus

EAPEnglish for academic purposes

EFLEnglish as a foreign language

ESLEnglish as a second language

JAWJournal article writer corpus

L1First language

L2Second language

MMsMetadiscourse markers

RAsResearch articles

PPhysics

LSLife science

CSComputer science and technology

MSMaterial science and engineering