Author identity in English academic discourse: A comparison of expert and Hungarian EFL student writing

Abstract

This paper investigates the expression of authorial identity in English published research articles and Hungarian EFL students’ MA theses written in English. Based on the analysis of a computer corpus of 100 research papers in applied linguistics, it compares the frequency of one indication of author identity, author pronouns, and the rhetorical functions for which these pronouns are used in the two corpora. Frequency counts show that student writers employ a considerably higher number of author pronouns than expert writers do. Concordances of the data reveal that qualitative differences also appear in the two corpora regarding the rhetorical functions fulfilled by the personal reference used. The study also reports on the results of interviews conducted with student writers to reveal the reasons for their performance and shed light on their perceptions of pronoun use in English academic discourse. The interviews portray a considerable discrepancy between what students claim about the nature of academic discourse and what they actually do in writing. It is therefore argued that EFL students need special training in EAP courses that pays attention to the various aspects of style and takes into account the students’ stereotypical cultural, linguistic, academic and educational background.