Abstract
This paper investigates semantic categories of reporting verbs across four disciplines: Accounting, Applied Linguistics, Engineering and Medicine in research article genre. A general corpus of one million words and sub-corpus (for each discipline) were compiled from a total of 120 articles representing 30 articles from each discipline. In this study, two levels of analysis were conducted. Firstly, I randomly selected five articles from each discipline and read and reread each article identifying what reporting verbs are used, in what context are used and why such reporting verbs are used. This process enabled me to identify semantic categories of reporting verbs. Secondly, on the basis of the identified list of semantic categories of reporting verbs, I used the list in generating concordance output for quantitative textual analysis of each sub-corpus of the four disciplines, as well as the general corpus. The results of the study show that writers from both Accounting and Applied Linguistics are having a high frequency of reporting verbs than writers from Engineering and Medicine disciplines. It also shows that there are certain commonalities and differences between the disciplines. For example, all the disciplines are having frequency of the three semantic categories of reporting verbs but with certain degree of variations. The study recommends raising awareness of students on semantic categories of reporting verbs. The results could also help EAP/ESP teachers in designing course materials for discipline specific reporting verbs. It could also be helpful for textbook course designers in developing textbooks for teaching reporting verbs.
Highlights
This paper examines various theoretical frameworks of reporting verbs and identifies its own analytical framework
This study examines the use of reporting verbs across four contrasting disciplines in research article genre
The results show that writers from Applied Linguistics and Accounting have used a wide range of affirmative verbs, while writers from both Engineering and Medicine have used a limited number of affirmative reporting verbs
Summary
This paper examines various theoretical frameworks of reporting verbs and identifies its own analytical framework. I argue that reporting verbs are primarily divided into three main semantic categories. It is one of the key linguistic features academic writers use to evaluate incorporated sources into their texts, making the writers to be critical about the source text (Kwon, Staples & Partridge, 2018; Charles, 2006; & Thompson & Ye, 1991). A number of studies have been conducted on reporting verbs, focussing on different genres and contexts. Kwon et al (2018) look at undergraduate L2 writers’ use of reporting verbs. This study examines the use of reporting verbs across four contrasting disciplines in research article genre
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