Module 04
Discourse and Genre Analysis
What’s inside:
1. Finding of discourse analysis
2. Finding of genre analysis
Discourse analysis vs. Genre analysis
Discourse analysis is both the global
(umbrella) term for text analysis and, at the
applied level, an actual and specific method if
analysis.
Genre analysis is focused on the distinguishing
features of different texts is especially useful in
looking at both written and spoken texts in all
areas of ESP.
1. Finding of discourse analysis
There are 2 areas of particular interest to ESP in
discourse analysis:
1. Certain text pattern that may be used at any
time and in any text.
2. Turn-taking and topic change within dialogue.
The basic pattern consists of four parts:
•
•
•
•
Situation
Problem with that situation
Response to that problem
Evaluation of that problem
2. Finding of genre analysis
Swales (1981,1991): there is a regular pattern of moves
and steps that appear in a certain order in the majority
of introductions investigated.
A move is a unit that relates both to the writer’s purpose
and to the content that s/he wishes to communicate.
A step is a lower level text unit than the move that provides
a detailed perspective on the options open to the writer
in setting out the moves in the introduction
The Advantage of Genre based analysis
It is able to relate textual findings to features of
the discourse community within which the genre
is produced.
The implications of these findings are:
(+) the discourse analysis could clarify the
text in which cross cultural differences led
to difficulties of communication.
(-) the discourse analysis which concerned
with text fail to take sufficient account of
the academic or business context in which
communication takes place.
Module 05
Discourse and Genre Analysis
What’s inside:
• Techniques in discourse and genre
analysis
The Findings of Genre Analysis
(Swales, 1990:141)
Move 1
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Establishing a Territory
Claiming a centrality
and/or
Making topic Generalizations
and/or
Reviewing Items of Previous research
Move 2
Establishing an Niche
Step I A
Counter-claiming
or
Indicating a Gap
or
Question Raising
or
Continuing a tradition
Step I B
Step I C
Step I D
Move 3
Occupying the Niche
Step I A
Outlining Purposes
or
Announcing Present research
Announcing Principal findings
Indicating research article structure
Step I B
Step 2
Step 3
Dudley-Evans (1994)
Move I
Move 2
Move 3
Move 4
Move 5
Information Move
Statement of Result
Finding
(Un)expected Outcome
Reference to previous research
Move 6
Move 7
Move 8
Move 9
Explanation
Claim
Limitation
Recommendation
Swales (1990: 24-7) six defining characteristics
of a discourse community.
1. A discourse community has a broadly agreed
set of common public goals.
2. A discourse community has mechanisms of
intercommunication among its members.
3. A discourse community uses its participatory
mechanisms primarily to provide information
and feedback.
4. A discourse community utilises and hence
possesses one or more genres in the
communicative furtherance of its aims.
5. In addition to owning genres, a discourse
community has acquired some specific lexis
6. A discourse community has a threshold level of
members with a suitable degree of relevant
content and discoursal expertise.