TITLE:
A Comparative Analysis of Syntactic Complexity in Applied Linguistics Abstracts Written by Chinese Novice Writers and Native English Advanced Writers
AUTHORS:
Mingming Zhao, Tianshuang Ge
KEYWORDS:
Syntactic Complexity, Rhetorical Functions, Research Article Abstract, L2 Academic Writing
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Applied Sciences,
Vol.14 No.1,
January
2,
2024
ABSTRACT: The rhetorical structure of abstracts has been a widely discussed topic,
as it can greatly enhance the abstract writing skills of second-language
writers. This study aims to provide guidance on the syntactic features that L2
learners can employ, as well as suggest which features they should focus on in
English academic writing. To achieve this, all samples were analyzed for
rhetorical moves using Hyland’s five-rhetorical move model. Additionally, all
sentences were evaluated for syntactic complexity, considering measures such as
global, clausal and phrasal complexity. The findings reveal that expert writers
exhibit a more balanced use of syntactic complexity across moves, effectively
fulfilling the rhetorical objectives of abstracts. On the other hand, MA
students tend to rely excessively on embedded structures and dependent clauses
in an attempt to increase complexity. The implications of these findings for
academic writing research, pedagogy, and assessment are thoroughly discussed.