Text construction through patterns of signalling nouns: Evidence from the Discussion-Conclusion section of applied linguistics research articles

There has been a great interest in abstract nouns such as concept, problem, result from different research approaches. These nouns, labelled here as ‘signalling nouns’, have been extensively investigated in numerous studies focussing on a range of aspects. Differences in terms of their patterns and uses have been explored between genres, disciplines, and languages, yet little is known about possible variation on the level of rhetorical move. The present study examines the distribution of signalling nouns and their semantic, lexico-grammatical and discourse features across the moves in the Discussion-Conclusion section of 124 applied linguistics research articles. The examination of signalling nouns from such a micro level of move allows for deeper insights into rhetorical factors governing their differing preferences for particular patterns and the performance of each pattern associated with a particular noun. This detailed account also highlights how a text is constructed cohesively through the co-occurrence of moves. Findings from the present study have important implications for academic writing instruction.