According to Sampieri, Collado and Lucio (1998), research is defined as
a systematic, empirical, controlled and critical activity which reaches its
highest peak when the obtained outcomes are published. Research Articles (RA)
may not only entail following conventions settled by the academic world
but also adjusting to RA to purpose and audience. Writers from different
fields “keeping audience's needs in mind will decide over the length, what
kinds of data to include (tables, figures, general graphs, or pictures), how
much to explain, what positions to defend and the visual sophistication
required” (Professional Communication, 2015, para. 3).On account of this, the
present paper will analyse the introduction, literature review and methods
sections in one RA from the educational field "Research paper writing
strategies of professional Japanese EFL writers" written by
Matsumoto (1995), and another from another field “3D
Patients
Simulators and Their Impact on Learning Success: A
Thematic Review”written
by Kleinert R, Wahba R, Chang DH, Plum
P, Hölscher AH, Stippel DL. (2015). Similarities and variations
will be outlined in the aforementioned pieces.
One of the most overriding sections in a RA is the introduction: it is
the last written part and probably the most difficult one since it has to
attract the readers’ attention. Create a Research Space (C.A.R.S.) is a model
that describes a series of “moves” that writers follow in introductions, going
from the general topic of discussion towards the specific situation under
analysis. Each move is characterized by a number of semantic and syntactic
features. In the first move authors create a research space, in the second they
establish the reasons for the study, and finally they occupy the gap stating
the purposes (Swales & Feak, 1994). After examining both articles, it can
be stated that they do follow such model. On the one hand, in the article
written by Matsumoto (1995) the research space is created through reference to
related areas of inquiry, which is linguistically realised through the use of
present perfect; also, the past tense is used to indicate what previous
researchers did (paragraphs 1-3). The second move or niche comes to be
established as a hypothesis “These studies seem not only to provide
evidence for transfer [...] but also to suggest the possibility of"composing universals" [...]”
(Matsumoto, 1995, p. 18). And finally, the purpose of the study is outlined in
the fourth paragraph: “[...] this article was an attempt to explore and
describe research paper writing behaviors and strategies of professional
Japanese EFL writers” (Ibid), and in doing so the niche is occupied.
In the introduction of the medical RA, as opposed to the previously
studied RA, no preceding studies are included or literature review is embedded
in the section. Rather, the state of current knowledge is introduced by using
present simple tense; the opening paragraph begins with a generalization
mentioning the transfer of declarative knowledge into procedural performance in
clinical education, and then, details are given about traditional vs. new
educational strategies in clinical education. Introductions often include
definitions of specific terms in order to make clear what the writer's main
standpoint is. In the case of the second RA, the methods used
to define 3D Immersive Patients Simulators are
labelling, "new educational strategies" for instance,
giving synonyms "skills labs or mannequin simulators" and
lastly by direct definition "Web based IPSs are [...]" (Kleinert
et al., 2015). The niche in this RA is established right in the first
paragraph, 8th sentence, via negative connector however: “[...] however
it is questionable whether this factor affects learner's outcome" (Ibid). The
niche is occupied in the last paragraph, with a purposive statement “It was
the aim of this statement” (Ibid). Two main aims are mentioned: “to
give a thematic review of immersive patients simulators in virtual
worlds (VWs) and to evaluate whether the use of these
simulators has an impact on knowledge gain” (Ibid). On the other
hand, sometimes embedded in the introduction, it can be found the literature
review just as in Matsumoto’s RA from the first to the third paragraph, where
he indicates what previous researchers did (Matsumoto, 1995, p. 17). In
the present analysis, the literature review is the section that is the main
contrastive point between the two articles under discussion. Whereas it is
embedded in the first move of the introduction in the educational article, in
the medical article it is not included at all. A possibility for this may be
the fact that the purpose of the medical RA is the very revision of the
available literature.
The second section found in RA is the methods section. Methods sections
are mainly written following the principles of process paragraphs. This type of
paragraphs shares a series of characteristics, like being clear and concise,
and breaking the process into a series of related steps ordered in a
chronological manner. Methods section constitutes the key similarity between
both papers being studied. It is written under a tittle, method in the medical
RA and methodology, in the educational composition. The heading is not centered
in either piece. Both articles include three subsections (participants,
materials and procedure) which are not explicitly signalled in both RA. In the
article written by Matsumoto (1995) the participants were Japanese professors,
whereas in the medical article the subjects were reviewers; materials, which
are solely described in the paper written by Kleinert R et al. (2015) were
articles from 1986 to 2014 on IPSs and eligibility assessment. As regards the
procedure, it varies from contact establishing tools- “The informants were
contacted directly by telephone [...]” (Matsumoto, 1995, p. 19), type of
interviews carried out- “The interviews were semi structured, that is, although
they centered around the five research questions stated above, the informants
were given opportunities to provide freely any information concerning their
writing habits and behaviors [...]” (Ibid) and data analysis in the educational
work- “[...]qualitative analysis was done solely by listening to the tape and
taking detailed notes [...]” (Ibid) to systematic search of literature in the
medical passage- “[...] A systematic literature search via PubMed was performed
using predefined inclusion criteria (i.e., virtual worlds, focus on education
of medical students, validation testing) to identify all available simulators
[...]” (Kleinert R et al., 2015). The tense used in methods section is past
passive voice for the two articles. For instance: “IPSs were defined as digital
environments” (Ibid), “the informants were contacted directly” (Matsumoto,
1995, p. 19).
In conclusion, the present paper has attempted to analyse the
introduction, literature review and methods sections in two papers belonging to
two different fields: medicine and education, providing evidence in the form of
examples for each case, respectively. The contributions of Swales as regards
Research Paper writing have been referred to as a framework for the study of
RAs and their sections.The introduction follows the CARS model in both RA
although each case presents slight differences on semantic and syntactic
features. Authors have adhered to three moves' structure and layout in general
terms. With reference to the methods section, it was written similarly in
both cases; participants, materials and procedure subsections were
included and the format in the title was used likewise. There is
also a direct correspondece in linguistic elements, bbth RA using past passive
voice in this section. Nevertheless, it s the literature review section that
draws a crucial distinction between the RAs: while it can be found enclosed
within the introduction in the educational paper, it is completely discarded in
thr mrdical piece. All things considered, after the thorough exploration of the
aforesaid papers, it can be stated that the format and content included in each
RA indicate to be deliberately and profoundly shaped by the purpose to be
served and the audience's needs. The common aspects in both pieces far outweigh
the differences, fact that comes to prove the systematic character of research
running and reporting.
References
Hernández Sampieri,
R., Fernández Collado, C., & Baptista Lucio, P. (1998).
Metodología de la
investigación. (2nd ed.). McGraw Hill: México.
Kleinert R.,
Wahba R., Chang DH, Plum P., Hölscher AH, Stippel DL. (2015). 3D Immersive
patient simulators and their impact on learning success: a thematic review. J
Med Internet Res 2015; 17(4):e91
Matsumoto, K.
(1995). Research paper writing strategies of professional Japanese EFL
writers. TESL Canada Journal,13 (1)
Professional Communication. (2015). Retrieved from:
wps.pearsoncustom.com/pls_1256647969_pwo/217/55689/1425653 8.cw/coSntent/index.html
19 April, 2
Swales, J. M.,
& Feak, C.B. (1994). Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential
Tasks and Skills. Ann Harbour, MI: The University of
Michigan Press.
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