RHETORICAL MOVES AND METADISCOURSE IN DICTIONARY USE ABSTRACTS: A GENRE-BASED COMPARISON ACROSS JOURNAL INDEX

This study explores how research article abstracts on dictionary use are structured and how they employ metadiscourse to communicate key information. The dataset includes 99 abstracts published between 2020 and 2024 in linguistics journals indexed in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), the Arts & Humanities Citation Index (AHCI), and the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), thus covering both high-impact and emerging journals. Using Hyland’s (2000) five-move model adapted by Behnam and Golpour (2014), the analysis revealed that Findings, Purpose, and Method moves dominated across both journal groups, though their distribution varied. ESCI abstracts employed Purpose and Method moves more frequently, whereas SSCI/AHCI abstracts gave greater prominence to Findings and Conclusions. Metadiscourse analysis showed further contrasts: SSCI/AHCI abstracts relied more on transitions, hedges, and self-mentions to project rhetorical sophistication, while ESCI abstracts favored frame markers and code glosses to enhance clarity and accessibility. These results indicate that journal index shapes both rhetorical structuring and metadiscursive choices, with SSCI/AHCI indexed outlets emphasizing disciplinary maturity and interpretive nuance, and emerging journals prioritizing explicitness and transparency. This study offers valuable insights into the rhetorical strategies of applied linguistics writing, especially in the context of dictionary use research.