A study of thematisation choices in four academic history journal articles
In recent years there has been considerable interest in the way micro-level lexicogrammatical choices realise discourse goals at various levels of written text. Much of this work has focused on how writers start their sentences and made use of the theme-rheme perspective on clause and sentence structure associated with a Hallidayan approach to text analysis. At the same time, there has been increasing awareness of the influence of generic context on language use and several studies have sought, in particular, to relate choices of linguistic form to the methodological practices of particular academic disciplines. This study also makes use of a theme-rheme analysis of sentences, along with other perspectives on the organisation of information in written text, in order to examine the discourse goals served by choices as regards placement of various types of lexicogrammatical items in academic writing. The specific context chosen for the investigation is the academic journal article in the field of history, a type of discourse which has been under-researched so far. Four history journal articles were selected for analysis, two from the sub-discipline of modern history and two by medieval historians. All the sentence
Gollin, Jacqueline
A study of thematisation choices in four academic history journal articles. In recent years there has been considerable interest in the way micro-level lexicogrammatical choices realise discourse goals at various levels of written text. Much of this work has focused on how writers start their sentences and made use of the theme-rheme perspective on clause and sentence structure associated with a Hallidayan approach to text analysis. At the same time, there has been increasing awareness of the influence of generic context on language use and several studies have sought, in particular, to relate choices of linguistic form to the methodological practices of particular academic disciplines. This study also makes use of a theme-rheme analysis of sentences, along with other perspectives on the organisation of information in written text, in order to examine the discourse goals served by choices as regards placement of various types of lexicogrammatical items in academic writing. The specific context chosen for the investigation is the academic journal article in the field of history, a type of discourse which has been under-researched so far. Four history journal articles were selected for analysis, two from the sub-discipline of modern history and two by medieval historians. All the sentence
study choice academic history journal_article considerable_interest way micro_level choice realise discourse goal various_level write_text much work focus writer start sentence make_use theme_rheme perspective clause sentence_structure associate text_analysis time increase_awareness influence generic context language_use several study_seek particular relate choice linguistic_form methodological practice particular academic_discipline study also_make use theme_rheme analysis sentence along perspective organisation information write_text order_examine discourse goal serve choice regard placement various_type item academic_writing specific_context choose investigation academic journal_article field history type discourse under_researched far history journal_article select analysis sub_discipline modern history medieval historian sentence