Syntactic complexity in learner-generated research paper introductions: Rhetorical functions and level of move/step realization

• Published in: Journal of English for academic purposes Vol. 53; p. 101037
• Main Authors: Saricaoglu, Aysel, Bilki, Zeynep, Plakans, Lia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2021; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Clauses; College students; Move/step realization; Research paper introductions; Rhetoric; Rhetorical functions; Second language learning; Statistical analysis; Syntactic complexity; Move/step realization; Syntactic complexity; Rhetorical functions; Research paper introductions
• ISSN: 1475-1585; 1878-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeap.2021.101037

This study explored the relationship between syntactic complexity and rhetorical functions and the relationship between syntactic complexity and level of move/step realization in learner-generated research paper introductions. We created a corpus of 79 introductions written by undergraduate L2 students at intermediate to high-intermediate levels. We annotated the introductions for moves and steps, measured their syntactic complexity at the global, clausal, and phrasal levels, and rated their level of move/step realization across four levels (no, low, intermediate, and high). We conducted one-way MANOVA, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and stepwise multiple linear regression analyses. We found sentences realizing Reviewing items of previous research function to be significantly longer than other steps in Move1 and to contain significantly more clausal and phrasal complexity features. Sentences performing Claimingcentrality function also demonstrated significantly more phrasal complexity features as measured by complex nominals per clause. We also found a higher level of phrasal complexity in introductions with a higher level of move/step realization, which can be attributed to introductions including Step1 and Step3, rather than containing all steps. Our findings imply that there is value in developing explicit instructions on how to use complex structures in performing rhetorical steps in research paper introductions.