A multimodal discourse approach to research pitches

Abstract

The communicative purpose of oral academic genres is frequently achieved through multimodal ensembles (i.e., a combination of meaning-making resources or modes). This is the case in research pitches. However, little has been written about this genre and its multimodal nature. Drawing from previous research on multimodality (Jewitt, 2009; Norris, 2009; Valeiras Jurado, 2019), I examine traces of modal density, complexity and cohesion in research pitches’ opening and closing moves, which often reflect researchers’ need to persuade their audience of the importance of their research. The aim of this study is twofold. First, I analyse the rhetorical structure of six well-rated 3-min research pitches following Swales’ move theory (2004). Second, adopting a Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) perspective (Querol-Julián, 2011; Valeiras-Jurado & Ruiz-Madrid, 2019), I describe how the multimodal ensembles orchestrated by the speakers contributed to the communicative aim of the opening and closing moves. By way of conclusion, I derive pedagogical implications from the findings of this study.