A cross-linguistic and cross-disciplinary study of rhetorical moves in research article abstracts

Abstract Studies on cross-linguistic and cross-disciplinary differences in employing rhetorical moves and stylistic features in research article abstracts (RAAs) are scant. This study explores (a) dominant rhetorical moves in international and local applied linguistics abstracts, (b) differences between Anglo-American (English) and Iranian (Persian/English) abstracts in applied linguistics, and (c) cross-disciplinary discrepancies between applied linguistics and civil engineering abstracts by Anglo-American (English) and Iranian (Persian) writers. To this end, 300 abstracts were analysed in two disciplines (applied linguistics and civil engineering) and two languages (English and Persian). The findings unfold that internationally-published article abstracts discuss research findings significantly more. English applied linguistics abstracts describe the research methodology and potential utility of the research significantly more than abstracts in Farsi. Interdisciplinary differences were found in terms of describing the methodology and discussion of the findings. Tense use varied across different moves of the abstracts giving an indication to the reader about where the writers have got to in their abstracts. A preponderance of present tense in ‘presenting the study’ move in most abstracts by civil engineers and applied linguists was found. Attended forms of demonstratives were the most used by civil engineers. Implications for English for academic writing instruction and research will be discussed.