Analytical Appeals of Move Structures in Systematically Organising and Communicating Research Ideas

Abstract

This paper sought to explore the Aristotelian appeal of emotions (Pathos) based on the writers’ emotive discursivity of writing through their rhetorical use of move structures in organising the content of their research abstract. It is referred to as the TPS move structure which represents the Territory (T), Problem (P), and Solution (S) moves. A total of 480 academic research abstracts (ARAs) of indexed journals from the outer circle of Malaysian Non-native English writers (MNNEWs) and the inner circle of Native English writers (MNNEWs). An NVivo12 software application was used in this study to analyse the frequency of the writers’ different types of TPS move structures. It was found that both groups would prefer the non-linear TPS type (non-TPS) of move structures by organising their research ideas through PTS or TPTS structures. These non-TPS structures were discursive, non-linear, and repetitive which reflect the oriental way of writing in trying to appeal to the readers’ emotional minds. Despite all writers’ less usage of TPS structure in showing their linearity and directness, further analysis showed the Malaysian English writers would be more linear and direct than the native English writers. In doing so, Malaysian English writers would be more likely to omit the move related to the problem statement, demonstrating their less emphasis on the research gap. Further research could be conducted to explore the reasons for the writers’ lack of Anglo-European direct writing style in academic research abstracts.