Objective Modality in Academic Writing: Can and May in RA Introductions and Conclusions

• 발행기관: 현대문법학회
• 저자명: Soon-Boon Park
• 간행물 정보: 『현대문법연구』제57호, 159~179쪽, 전체 21쪽
• 주제분류: 인문학 > 언어학
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2009.09.01

영문 초록

This paper examines the uses of modal auxiliary verbs in English research article (RA) Introductions and Conclusions in applied linguistics. Variation in distribution of the modal auxiliaries in the two rhetorical sections is observed in terms of moves and steps from Swales s (2004) framework for the Introduction section and from the combined framework of Bunton (2005) and Yang and Allison (2003) for the Conclusion section. It is found that can and may are most frequent in Move 1 of the Introduction and Move 1-Step 5 of the Conclusion, where writers make a point based on previous research and current research, respectively. The analysis of modal auxiliaries in RAs supports Thompson s (2002) suggestion in his analysis of Ph.D. Theses/Dissertations that modal auxiliaries, such as can and may, in academic writing express not only tentativeness but also a certain degree of objectiveness.

목차

1. Introduction

2. Methods

3. Results and Discussion

4. Conclusion

키워드

modal auxiliary verbs objectiveness RA Conclusions RA Introductions