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Article published In: Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 38:1 (2025) ► pp.162–191

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Linguistic variation in two written academic sub-registers

A multi-dimensional analysis

ORCiD logo with link | Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
ORCiD logo with link | Centennial College
ORCiD logo with link | University of Arizona
ORCiD logo with link | Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
Published online: 8 April 2024
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.22052.ans
Abstract
The present study aims to compare abstracts written by graduate students and internationally-published authors using Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar Multi-Dimensional (MD) model. To this end, two corpora of abstracts (1800 texts each) from research articles (RA) published in top international Applied Linguistics journals, and theses completed in the same field were compiled. We compared the two corpora with regard to three of Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar dimensions: involved versus informational production; elaborated vs. situation-dependent reference; and abstract vs. non-abstract style. Our results revealed that RA abstracts and thesis abstracts are similar when compared to non-academic registers of English, but different when compared to each other. Relative to thesis abstracts, RA abstracts are more informational but less elaborated and less impersonal. Interestingly, we found that RA/thesis abstracts differ from Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar academic prose register along the three dimensions. Our findings can further our understanding of the differences between RA and thesis abstracts, thus contributing to the instruction of academic writing at the graduate level.
Resumen
Variación lingüística en dos subregistros académicos escritos: Un análisis multidimensional
El presente estudio tiene como objetivo comparar resúmenes escritos por estudiantes de posgrado y autores publicados internacionalmente utilizando el modelo multidimensional (MD) de Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar. Para ello, se compilaron dos corpus de resúmenes (1800 textos cada uno) de artículos de investigación publicados en las principales revistas internacionales de Lingüística Aplicada, y tesis realizadas en el mismo campo. Comparamos los dos corpus con respecto a tres de las dimensiones de Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar: producción involucrada versus producción informativa; referencia elaborada vs. dependiente de la situación; y estilo abstracto vs no abstracto. Nuestros resultados revelaron que los resúmenes de artículos de investigación (research article (RA) en inglés) y los resúmenes de tesis son similares cuando se comparan con registros no académicos de inglés, pero diferentes cuando se comparan entre sí. En relación con los resúmenes de tesis, los resúmenes de los RA son más informativos, pero menos elaborados y menos impersonales. Curiosamente, encontramos que los resúmenes de tesis/RA difieren del registro de prosa académica de Biber, D. (1988). Variation across speech and writing. Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar en las tres dimensiones. Nuestros hallazgos pueden mejorar nuestra comprensión de las diferencias entre los resúmenes de los RA y los de las tesis, contribuyendo así a la instrucción de la escritura académica a nivel de posgrado.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review
    • 2.1Comparative studies of thesis and RA abstracts
    • 2.2Multi-dimensional studies in academic language
    • 2.3Research gaps and research questions
  • 3.Methodology
    • 3.1The corpora
    • 3.2The situational analysis of the corpora
    • 3.3Analytical procedure
    • 3.4Statistical analysis
  • 4.Results and discussion
    • 4.1Dimension 1: Involved versus informational production
      • 4.1.1RQ 1a: RA/thesis abstracts vs. non-academic registers with regard to dimension 1
      • 4.1.2RQ 2a: RA vs. thesis abstracts with regard to dimension1
      • 4.1.3RQ 3a: RA/thesis abstracts vs. Biber’s (1988) academic prose with regard to dimension 1
    • 4.2Dimension 3: Elaborated vs. situation-dependent reference
      • 4.2.1RQ 1b: RA/thesis abstracts vs. non-academic registers with regard to dimension 3
      • 4.2.2RQ 2b: RA vs. thesis abstracts with regard to dimension 3
      • 4.2.3RQ 3b: RA/thesis abstracts vs. Biber’s (1988) academic prose with regard to dimension 3
    • 4.3Dimension 5: Abstract vs. non-abstract style
      • 4.3.1RQ 1c: RA/thesis abstracts vs. non-academic registers with regard to dimension 5
      • 4.3.2RQ 2c: Differences between RA and thesis abstracts with regard to dimension 5
      • 4.3.3RQ 3c: RA/thesis abstracts vs. Biber’s (1988) academic prose with regard to dimension5
  • 5.Conclusion and implications
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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