lecture 4 Flashcards
(15 cards)
What is stance in academic writing?
The writer’s attitude, judgment, or position toward the content or reader, conveyed through linguistic choices (Hyland 2005).
How can stance be realized linguistically?
Through adverbs (e.g., clearly, probably), adjectives (e.g., significant, unlikely), and verbs (e.g., suggest, claim, argue).
Give an example of an explicit authorial voice and an example of a more distanced voice.
“This study argues that…” vs “It is argued that…”
What is voice in academic writing?
The distinct presence of the writer, including how they position themselves and choose between active/passive, first-person use, and reader engagement (Ivanic & Camps 2001).
What is hedging?
Linguistic strategies to express uncertainty, caution, or politeness when making claims or generalizations (Hyland 1998).
Provide three hedging examples.
“The results suggest that…”, “This may be due to…”, “It is possible that…”
Why is hedging important in academic writing?
It protects the writer from overgeneralization and aligns with conventions of modesty and precision.
What is modality?
Expression of possibility, probability, necessity, or obligation, encompassing epistemic (knowledge-based) and deontic (duty-based) meanings (Halliday & Matthiessen 2014).
Give an example of deontic modality. and an example of epistemic modality.
“The government must address this issue.” = denotic
“This pattern might indicate a broader trend.” = epistemic
What are reporting verbs?
Verbs used to cite others’ work and signal how the writer aligns with or evaluates that work, structuring the literature review (Thompson & Ye 1991).
Provide one example each of neutral, tentative, critical, and supportive reporting verbs.
Neutral: “Smith states that…”,
Tentative: “Jones suggests that…”,
Critical: “Taylor questions the assumption that…”,
Supportive: “Lee confirms that…”.
What are the learning objectives for dissertation-focused sessions?
Understand purpose/rationale, describe core components and research orientation, identify disciplinary conventions, and reflect on challenges and value.
What is a dissertation?
A substantial piece of independent research (8,000–20,000+ words) demonstrating critical thinking, project management, and academic knowledge production (Paltridge & Starfield 2007).
Why is the dissertation academically valuable?
It shows originality, rigor, disciplinary understanding, and students’ ability to enter scholarly conversations (Hyland 2009).
What purposes does writing a dissertation serve?
Demonstrate research competence, engage with disciplinary debates, develop autonomous thinking, and prepare for future research roles.
