Journal of Technical Writing and Communication Apr 2011

Outlining Purposes, Stating the Nature of the Present Research, and Listing Research Questions or Hypotheses in Academic Papers

Wasima Shehzad Air University

Abstract

Driving research questions from the prevailing issues and interests and developing from them new theories, formulas, algorithms, methods, and designs, and linking them to the interests of the larger audience is a vital component of scientific research papers. The present article discusses outlining purposes or stating the nature of the present research, and listing research questions or hypotheses in the introduction of academic papers. This corpus-based genre study focuses particularly on Move 3 of the model “occupying the niche.” The results indicating disciplinary variation show that the writers of Computer Science (CS) research articles, over the years have developed an increased use of outlining purpose/stating the nature of the present research, having the characteristics of purposive, descriptive, extension of the previous work, contrast to the existing work, brevity, complexity, and a description of methodology. It also shows that listing research questions or hypothesis may have distinctively different functions in developing genres as compared to the established ones such as physics.

Journal
Journal of Technical Writing and Communication
Published
2011-04-01
DOI
10.2190/tw.41.2.c
CompPile
Open Access
Closed
Topics
Export
BibTeX RIS

Citation context

Cited by in this index (1)

  1. Zhang et al. (2026)
    Understanding the Rhetorical Structure of Experimental Aerospace Engineering Re…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

References (38) · 3 in this index

  1. Anthony (1999)
    Writing research article introductions in software engineering: how accurate is…
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  2. 10.4324/9780203332450
     ↗
  3. Blicq R. S. (1986)
    Technically-write: Communicating in a technological era
  4. Booth V. (1993)
    Communicating in science: Writing a scientific paper and speaking at scientific meetings
  5. 10.4324/9780203469255
     ↗
Show all 38 →
  1. Cooper C. (1985)
    Aspects of article introductions in IEEE publications
  2. Crème P. (2003)
    Writing at university
  3. Godfrey J. W. (1960)
    The technical writer: An aid to the presentation and production of technical literature
  4. Heidegger M. (1954). The question concerning technology and other essays (pp. 3–35). Lovitt W. (Ed.). New Yor…
  5. 10.1515/text.1.1998.18.3.349
     ↗
  6. 10.1016/S0889-4906(97)00058-6
     ↗
  7. Lewin A. (2001)
    Expository discourse: A genre-based approach to social science research texts
  8. Lindeberg A-C. (1994)
    Talous ja kieli 11 [Business and language 11]
  9. Lindeberg A-C. (2004)
    Promotion and politeness: Conflicting scholarly rhetoric in three disciplines
  10. Lovitt W. (1977)
    The question concerning technology and other essays
  11. 10.4324/9780203478684
     ↗
  12. Okamura A. (2003)
    The Economic Journal of Takasaki City University of Economics
  13. Orr (1999)
    Genre in the field of computer science and computer engineering
    IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication
  14. Posteguillo S. (1995)
    Genre analysis in English for computer science
  15. 10.1016/S0889-4906(98)00001-5
     ↗
  16. Reppen R. (2002)
    Applied linguistics
  17. Scott M. (1997)
    WordSmith manual
  18. Shehzad W. (2006)
    Selected Papers from the Fifteenth International Symposium on English Teaching
  19. 10.1163/9789401203845_014
     ↗
  20. Shehzad W. (2007)
    Malaysian Journal of ELT Research
  21. Shehzad W. (2008)
    IBERICA
  22. Shehzad W. (2010)
    IBERICA
  23. Swales J. M. (1981)
    Aspects of article introductions
  24. Swales J. M. (1990)
    Genre analysis. English in academic and research settings
  25. Swales J. M. (1994)
    Academic writing for graduate students
  26. Swales J. M. (2004)
    Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills
  27. SWALES et al. (1987)
    The Writing of Research Article Introductions
    Written Communication
  28. 10.1163/9789401203845_014
     ↗
  29. Shehzad W. (2007)
    Selected papers from the Fifteenth International Symposium on English Teaching
  30. Shehzad W. (2007)
    Malaysian Journal of ELT Research
  31. Shehzad W. (2008)
    IBERICA, Journal of the European Association of Languages for Specific Purposes
  32. Shehzad W. (2010)
    IBERICA, Journal of European Association of English for Specific Purposes
  33. Shehzad W. (2010)
    Pakistan Journal of Life and Social Science Genre Approaches to Comparable Discourses with a focus on Computer Science Research Article
CrossRef global citation count: 9 View in citation network → Build reading path →

Related articles

  1. Written Communication Feb 2026
    Exploring the Relationship Between Plan Features and Argument Essay Performance ↗
    Yi Song; Paul Deane; Chen Li
    genre theory argument digital rhetoric
  2. Philosophy & Rhetoric Sep 2024
    Where’s the Rhetoric? Imagining a Unified Field ↗
    Joshua Hanan
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism composition theory genre theory discourse analysis cultural rhetorics argument qualitative research quantitative research digital rhetoric social media grammar and mechanics gender and writing disability studies public rhetoric affect and writing body and rhetoric editorial matter
  3. Communication Design Quarterly Sep 2024
    Redrawing the Maps: Digital Literacy Practices of Grassroots Activists ↗
    Amber Buck
    genre theory digital rhetoric social media literacy studies community literacy
  4. Communication Design Quarterly Jun 2024
    Redrawing the Maps: Digital Literacy Practices of Grassroots Activists ↗
    Amber Buck
    genre theory digital rhetoric social media literacy studies community literacy
  5. Rhetoric & Public Affairs Mar 2023
    Remembering Women Differently: Refiguring Rhetorical Work ↗
    Carly S. Woods
    modern rhetorical theory rhetorical criticism genre theory feminist rhetorics teacher development argument archival research qualitative research digital rhetoric multimodality race and writing gender and writing