Rhetorical Function Research Articles

Why do some retracted articles continue to get cited?

AbstractRetracted publications can still receive a substantial number of citations after the retraction. Little is known about the causes for this phenomenon and the nature of epistemic risk or harm in these retraction cases. Using this phenomenon also as an example for the broader question of how scholarly communities deal with uncertainty in the reception of publications, this case study aims to assess the epistemic contributions of retracted publications with continuous and decreasing citation impact and to relate these to the epistemic environments of the retracted papers and to reception patterns. Several parsing and natural language processing approaches are used, complemented, and validated by qualitative close reading. Specifically, (i) dissent and support are identified in citing and in co-cited publications; (ii) the concept terms of retracted publications are expanded by word embeddings and MeSH terms and traced in citation contexts; and finally (iii) rhetorical functions in citation contexts are identified based on keyword extraction. Empirical support and unresolved disputes are found almost exclusively in cases with continuous citations. Authors emphasize specific informational values in some cases with citations continuing after the retraction, while methodological and more general levels of claims prevail in others. Citations can be meaningfully examined by considering the weighing process between epistemic risks and informational value; persistent citation impact thus doesn’t necessarily indicate the perpetuation of epistemic harm.

Examining Teacher-Written Conference Abstracts: Rhetorical Functions and Syntactic Complexity Features

This study explored the characteristics of accepted conference abstracts (CAs) written by language teachers for a large-scale national conference on English Language Teaching (Best Practices in Language Education Conference; BEST) compared to those produced by researchers or teacher-researchers for the teaching-oriented strands of a large-scale international conference on Applied Linguistics (American Association of Applied Linguistics Conference; AAAL). The comparative analysis focused on three rhetorical features of the abstracts (move-step realization, embeddedness, and sequence) and move-specific syntactic complexity features. Adopting the CA move/step framework of Yoon and Casal (2020a), we examined rhetorical functions and syntactic features in 60 abstracts from each conference: all BEST abstracts and the abstracts accepted to the two pedagogy-oriented strands of the AAAL conference. Our findings generally indicate prominent differences between BEST and AAAL writers in their use of moves, steps, and embedded steps. They also show differences between the two groups in terms of the use of some syntactic measures, such as the length of sentences and the use of complex nominals. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the characteristics of the CA genre and provide insight into language teachers’ research literacy with a focus on CA writing, which may be useful for the development of evidence-based CA writing guidelines for teachers.

From cognitive processes to discursive practices: Taking a critical discursive psychology approach to refugee and asylum seeker integration

AbstractMuch of the research in social and cultural psychology on refugee integration or acculturation has tended to adopt a socio‐cognitive approach which assumes this to be a ‘process’ with a defined outcome that can be measured as successful or not. Such approaches tend to overlook the rhetorical function of talk about integration and in this article I show how research from a critical discursive psychology perspective in relation to refugees and asylum seekers has typically focussed on media, political and lay discourses about refugees. However, more recent research has focussed on analysing the talk of refugees themselves which I will show points towards the importance of shifting how refugee integration is considered and that taking a critical discursive psychological approach suggests that, in the context of research focusing on integration, a shift from ‘processes’ to situated ‘practices’ is useful where meaning is at stake.

Ancient China’s Political Culture in the Classics —On the Base of “Three Appeals” in Western Classical Rhetoric

“Zouyi” is a kind of official document written by court officials and submitted to the emperor in ancient China, which serves the purpose of persuading. Aristotle’s “three appeals”, which consist of ethos, pathos and logos, perform the rhetorical function of persuading. Based on this, some correlation between China’s classics and Western classic thought comes into view. This paper selects three representative Zouyi: “qian chu shi biao”, “zhi an ce” and “jian Tai Zong Shi si shu” and gives primary attention to analyzing the “three appeals” presented in the selected discourses. This analysis will gain a glimpse into the rich political and cultural codes hidden within ancient China’s memorials, the relationship between the emperor and his ministers/officials, and the deep patriotism of the ministers in ancient China.

Transparency in action or political fiction? The pre-inquiry phase of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry

AbstractThis article examines how public inquiries come into being through a detailed analysis of the pre-inquiry phase of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry. We focus on two key points of contestation—around the timing of the inquiry and its terms of reference—and suggest that what is at stake during the pre-stage of an inquiry is its ontological and epistemological orientation. Our analysis traces the emergence of two distinct positions during this phase: a grassroots position (conceiving of the inquiry as a response to the experience of collective grief) and an official position (conceiving of the inquiry as a means of learning lessons). Particular attention is given to the latter position and what it reveals about the rhetorical function of transparency in confirming a political commitment to institutional accountability, at the same time as working towards a particular conception of the inquiry as a practical task, expansive in remit, and future oriented.

When Gestures also Argue: Multimodal Viewpoint Shift as a Rhetorical Strategy in American Political Talk Shows

Drawing on Mental Spaces Theory and Conceptual Blending Theory in Cognitive Linguistics, we examine the interaction between speech and co-speech gestures in The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. Statistical analysis shows that viewpoint shift in the self-built multimodal corpus, generally following the pattern: Base Space->News Narrative Space(->Base space)->Source Viewpoint Space(+)(->Base space), is significantly related to the use of verbal markers and gestural types. Moreover, multimodal viewpoint shift in political talk shows can achieve such rhetorical functions as enhancing ironic effects, solidifying and highlighting opposing positions, and simplifying political issues. Since verbal markers and gestures can mobilize the audience’s embodied experience by primarily activating mental images and motor programs, we claim that mental simulation and perspective taking play a pivotal role in the cognitive processing of multimodal viewpoint shifts by promoting viewpoint alignment between the audience and the host.

Developing advanced citation skills: A mixed-methods approach to corpus technology training for novice researchers

In contrast with most existing corpus technology (CT) studies which focus primarily on general vocabulary and grammar learning, this study investigates the effectiveness of CT in addressing challenges encountered by novice researchers in improving an advanced linguistic skill in EAP writing: using reporting verbs to express rhetorical functions in citations in literature reviews. An eight-week CT training programme featuring a practical framework of the rhetorical functions of citations and utilising the Parallel EAP Corpora was implemented for 50 Chinese postgraduate students who were L2 English users. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. Paired-samples t-tests demonstrated statistically significant improvement with medium effect sizes in the frequency and diversity of reporting verb usage in citations, as well as in the complexity of expressing rhetorical functions of citations. These findings were further corroborated by corpus-aided descriptive statistical and textual analyses. Questionnaire data and interviews further revealed students' positive evaluations towards the training informed by the Parallel EAP Corpora, which facilitated participants' learning in various ways. These findings hold substantial value for EAP pedagogy, indicating that the incorporation of pedagogically sound CT training can significantly improve novice researchers’ development of academic discourse through nuanced citation practices and advanced rhetorical strategies for composing literature reviews.

Toward a rhetorical understanding of Chinese political internet memes amid a Chinese governance crisis

ABSTRACT The global trend of social media communication renders internet memes increasingly popular as democratic-oriented discursive tools in online ideological contests. However, scholarly attention to the rhetorical aspects of memetic political discourse has predominantly been Western-centric, leaving their counterparts in non-Western socio-political environments, especially during times of social crises, relatively unexplored in the existing literature. To bridge this gap, this article employs a social-semiotic-rooted multimodal discourse analysis (MDA) to investigate how Chinese netizens utilize internet memes for ideological contestation during a societal-level Chinese governance crisis in the 2020s, characterized by a series of iconic ideological upheavals. The research examines 357 memes from the “My Post” community on WeChat, one of China’s prominent social apps, to unveil their symbolic processes and rhetorical functions in Chinese online politics. This empirical study reveals that Chinese political internet memes serve as strategic rhetorical devices that: (1) enable civic ideological expressions within an authoritarian media landscape dominated by standardized ideological narratives; (2) foster a dynamic process allowing negotiation among political authority, media institutions, and netizens to establish a discursive space accommodating contentious topics and acceptable compromises; and (3) signify a paradigm shift in rhetorical function, elevating internet memes from online communicative artifacts to a democratic perspective.

Rhetorical Functions of Lexical Collocations in the Inaugural Speech of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

In political communication, inaugural speeches are pivotal, signifying the start of a leader’s term and a new chapter in a nation’s history. These serve as a momentousoccasion where the leader outlines their vision, pledging to guide the country to prosperity and unity. This study delves into the inaugural speech delivered by PresidentBola Ahmed Tinubu upon assuming the highest office in Nigeria in May 2023. Through a meticulous analysis of lexical collocations, the study uncovers the underlying linguistic intricacies, thematic emphasis, and rhetorical strategies employed by President Tinubu in his address, to gain insights into the rhetorical techniques used to connect with the audience and convey his vision as well as the impact of his address on political discourse and public perception. Downloading the speech from the Punch Newspaper website, the analytical approach followed the principles of lexical collocation theory and systemic functional linguistics. The analysis reveals eight strategic rhetorical purposes in President Tinubu’s use of lexical collocations in his speech. These functions encompass appeals to religiosity, political sensibility, national pride, patriotism, unity, hope, calls to action, policy clarification, and exemplifying an inclusive government. His language choices resonate with the audience, eliciting emotions and nurturing a national sense of pride and identity. The analysis of President Tinubu’s inaugural speech contributes to a better understanding of his linguistic legacy and communication strategies during his tenure in office. It becomes a part of the historical record, revealing the president’s approach to governance and leadership.

The Fraternity of Milk: Sovereignty and Anthropotheophagy in Derrida’s Unpublished Seminar Manger l’autre (1989–1990)

Abstract In the unpublished seminars given in the United States and France between 1989–1991, Manger l’autre: Politiques de l’Amitié and Rhétoriques du Cannibalisme, Derrida analyzes the rhetorical function that the act of eating has in the Western tradition’s philosophical texts. In this paper I analyze the reading Derrida makes in those seminars of Saint Augustine’s Confessions, in order to show that they are entangled with a critique of political sovereignty. For Derrida, Augustine has a cogito of his own, which is a cogito du manger l’autre. Augustine’s formulation is “I think, eat and drink” (ego cogito, manduco et bibo), and Derrida understands it as a way of constituting both the self of the ego and the self of the community. The first form of Christian community configured through the intake of food is the fraternity of milk: infants that suck the same milk from the breast of their nurse or mother. The second configuration of the community is, of course, the sacrament of Eucharist, in which the body of the father is divided (partagé) among the brothers. I show how the analysis Derrida makes of Augustine in these seminars is a way of deconstructing the very concept of community and its relation to sovereignty. This is attempted by Derrida through the problem of jealousy: the brothers of milk will always be jealous of each other, being themselves the condition for the breaking of the community and their sovereignty. But the second form of community is also threatened by food: since the holy wafer is an edible thing and the act of incorporation of food is really an act of theophagy.

Metadiscursive Features in Interdisciplinary Lectures: Implications for EAP Notetaking

Abstract Academic lectures are among the primary resources of knowledge for higher education students, which makes notetaking a requirement during lectures. The ability to take good notes and the quality of notes taken during lectures are associated with academic achievement; therefore, notetaking instruction is an important aspect of EAP courses. To this end, the present study aims at offering a genre-based instruction framework for notetaking instruction. In accordance with this purpose, eight interdisciplinary lectures were analysed. First, rhetorical functions were identified using the framework developed by Bouziri (2020). Then, metadiscursive elements signalling the organisational structure were identified using the metadiscourse frameworks developed by Ädel (2010) and Hyland (2005). Major findings indicate a relationship between rhetorical functions and metadiscursive elements. Namely, certain metadiscourse items can signal the use of certain rhetorical functions. Thus, the GBI framework for notetaking was structured focusing on the associations that can be established between the rhetorical functions and metadiscursive elements.

One Journal, Different Practices: A Corpus-Based Study of Interactive Metadiscourse in Applied Linguistics

Abstract Research articles are a primary medium for scholars to communicate with disciplinary community, but there is little evidence suggesting how much writing practices on different research subjects within a discipline diverge in a single journal. This study remedies the oversight by comparing the use of interactive metadiscourse in the papers of Applied Linguistics on language acquisition and discourse analysis. Based on a corpus of 30 research articles on each research subject, results show that writers in language acquisition make a significantly more frequent use of additive and consequential transitional markers, reformulators, and non-integral citations. However, discourse analysts prefer to invest in exemplifiers, linear and non-linear references and topic shifts. All the differences can be attributable to the characteristics of disciplinary research paradigms, which lead to different knowledge-making and interactive patterns in academic writing. The findings offer empirical evidence to the rhetorical function of metadiscourse in constructing disciplinary knowledge, and raise pedagogical implications for EAP instructors to help scholars in applied linguistics increase international publications.

“Here, We Investigate If There Is …”: A Functional Investigation of Self-Mentions in Research Article Abstracts

Abstract The present study explored authorial presence in the abstracts across three purpose-built discipline-specific corpora of RAs in major but relatively less represented disciplines in corpus studies: Civil Engineering (CE), Political Sciences (PS) and Veterinary Medicine (VM). In particular, due to less attention having been paid to these fields, we examined explicit authorial references with a functional perspective in a corpus of abstracts totaling over one million words. To this end, we first conducted a preliminary search for explicit third-person plural author references in the corpora and manually analysed a total of over 6,000 instances to check if they were all markers signaling an authorial presence in the text. Following this, the second manual analyses concentrated on categorizing the rhetorical functions of self-mentions based on Xia’s (2018) framework. The preliminary findings showed that the frequency of “we”-based authorial references in PS outweighed that in the other disciplines (PS: 722.13; CE: 636.81; VM: 481.30 per 100,000 words). Regarding the density of authorial references, we found that each discipline favored being more visible with divergent authorial roles in their abstracts. For example, PS were more rhetorically present in their abstracts by “proposing a theory or approach” whereas CE and VM authors used fewer self-mentions to mark their presence frequently with this rhetorical device. With respect to the functional analyses of the self-mentions of “we”, all three disciplines displayed more low-stakes functions such as “recount experimental procedure and methodology”. We focused on the significance of cross-disciplinary and functional analysis in the study in order to contribute to designing activities in EAP for each discipline.

Analysis of Metaphors in The Old Man and the Sea from the Perspective of Cognitive Linguistics

There has been growing interest in investigating metaphors in literary works recently. However, most studies in the field of metaphor have only focused on its rhetorical function. However, little research has been carried out from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. This study adopts a cognitive linguistics approach to explore how conceptual metaphors function in literary works based on some analyses of the well-known novel The Old Man and the Sea from the perspective of cognitive linguistics. The results show that conceptual metaphors do play a very important role which helps people comprehend literary works much better. In the point of cognitive linguistics, metaphor is a kind of mapping tool and plays an important role in understanding some abstract concepts with specific things. Therefore, conceptual metaphors could definitely reveal the thinking mode of mankind to a great degree. And this study confirms the complex association between conceptual metaphors and The Old Man and the Sea. On the one hand, the findings in this study seek to understand and explain the role of metaphors in novel writing. On the other hand, it also presents a new way of appreciating literary works.

Islam Moderat sebagai Retorika Populisme Aktor Politik: Semiotika Akun @CakIminNow

This study examines the populist rhetoric of political actor, Muhaimin Iskandar, delivered on @CakIminNow during the 2024 Indonesian presidential election campaign, especially in the tweet dated October 1, 2023 regarding the Celebration of Pancasila Sanctity Day. This study uses a critical paradigm and Roland Barthes' semiotic analysis technique in analyzing nine units of analysis posted on @CakIminNow. The results of this study have revealed that the representation of moderate Islam has been utilized as a tool of populist rhetoric by Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) as one of the vice presidential candidates in the 2024 election. In addition, moderate Islam is not only seen as a system of beliefs and religious practices but also as a commodity in political marketing communication efforts by political actors. In short, this populist rhetoric functions as a strategy to strengthen the political image and garner voter support during Indonesia’s 2024 presidential election campaign.

Newspaper Editorial: Genre of Rhetorical Artifact

Newspaper editorials are considered one of the most underrated and mundane texts. While thousands of newspapers publish editorials exerting worldwide influence, it is unfortunate that they have received least scholarly attention and study. What is, therefore, baffling is that newspaper editorials are generally regarded as taken-for-granted texts and not regarded as worthy of scholarly discussion and study. Equally despairing is the approach of common readers who treat editorial texts with an all-out indifference.Against this scenario, it is vitally important to understand how editorials operate to disseminate their contents. Although newspapers have been studied from different perspectives over the centuries, there still exists a big gap in the existing literature about the study of editorial discourse from rhetorical perspectives. While addressing this gap, the paper also aims at enhancing readers' critical understanding of editorial texts and their rhetorical import.To examine this issue, the present article discusses emerging debates among communication scholars about the rhetorical functions and physical components of newspaper editorial texts.After surveying features that constitute a typical editorial text, this paper explores the approaches and paradigms that define editorials as genre of rhetorical artifacts.

Making requests at work: An examination of phrase frames in workplace email communication

As a method of business communication, emails play an essential role in establishing relationships and support systems among colleagues, partners, and sponsors to achieve business goals. Research has suggested that nonnative speakers of English and novice writers face challenges when composing professional email requests for business purposes. Previous studies have underscored the importance of phrase frames (p-frames), which are recurring multi-word sequences with a variable slot, to fulfill rhetorical functions in academic discourse. However, little research has explored how p-frames are used for written communications in business workplace contexts. This study investigated five-word p-frames used for rhetorical moves in business email requests. Using 1,148 authentic request emails extracted from the Avocado Research Email Collection corpus, we analyzed the distribution and linguistic characteristics of p-frames across five rhetorical moves. Results showed that p-frames were unevenly distributed across the rhetorical moves in business request emails. Two moves, making the inquiry and closing, showed the highest degree of formulaicity. P-frames were used in a variety of messages to soften demands and express politeness. This study has pedagogical implications for teaching English for business purposes to both L2 learners and novice writers.

Thematic structure of the translated rhetorical questions in the Quranic text into English

Translating rhetorical questions from one language into another requires the translator’s attention, since rhetorical questions are interrogative in form yet do not expect answers but rather are used to deliver rhetorical functions such as assertion, negation, exclamation and showing abundance. Further, the sustenance of the thematic structure of rhetorical questions is important to maintain their functions. As such, the present study analysed the thematic structure (theme-rheme) of the Quranic rhetorical questions translated into English by Arberry (1996) to determine whether the functions of such questions are reflected accurately. To achieve this purpose, the study employed Halliday’s (1994) textual metafunction. The analysis revealed that the translator made some differences and changes in the thematic structure of the target text, mainly playing on the theme of the rhetorical questions of the source text. The rheme also shows some changes and differences, especially the grammatical categories. Accordingly, the functions of the Quranic rhetorical questions were not accurately reflected.

Learning to read patient notes in the workplace: How reading aloud and reading alongside can help students for whom English is an additional language

Much of the recent research in English for nursing has focused on the specialised spoken discourses rather than the written documentation that nursing students need for patient care. However, patient documentation can be challenging to learn, particularly for some students for whom English is an additional language. This study investigated how novice English as an additional language students learned to read patient documentation during their work placements, and the role that their workplace supervisors played in helping them learn. An ethnographic approach and discourse analysis of workplace interactions with three supervisors and 16 students in three Australian hospitals showed that most nursing students observed required explicit guidance from their supervisors to read the documentation and to understand the linguistic and rhetorical functions of those notes. The findings suggest that developing reading skills in the workplace should involve explicit guidance in learning to read the requisite documentation. It is recommended that English for Specific Purposes courses for nursing students pay attention to written as well as spoken discourses and that language specialists work with nursing educators to provide professional development for workplace supervisors and to ensure that guidelines and expectations for reading documentation are clear for supervisors and students.

Negation in Research Articles Conclusions: Rhetorical Functions and Move Analysis

Extensive studies have been conducted in various sections of research articles, including the abstract, introduction, discussion, and other segments. Remarkably, the conclusion, a component of this academic genre, has received relatively scant attention in genre analysis. Conclusions, serving as the concluding segment, play a crucial role in recalling the previously addressed issues, highlighting key research findings, acknowledging limitations, and suggesting implications for further research. In light of this, authors employ an array of interactive resources to engage with their readership effectively. As an essential part of interactive resources, negation is used to be neglected in discourse analysis. Hence, this study aims to explore the relation between negation and moves in research conclusions. Furthermore, this study seeks to examine how negation contributes to rhetorical persuasion with a focus on its functions and distribution across disciplines. This study shows the rhetorical functions of negation and describes the distribution of negation across disciplines and moves. The findings not only indicate that authors from distinct disciplines exhibit varying preferences in the utilization of negation in their research article conclusions, but also provide some pedagogical implications.