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A Context-Based Approach to the Identification of Hedging Devices and Features of Writer-Reader Relationship in Academic Publications

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Occupying Niches: Interculturality, Cross-culturality and Aculturality in Academic Research

Part of the book series: Second Language Learning and Teaching ((SLLT))

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Abstract

Studies into stance-taking in scholarly publications remain inconclusive. Using software programs that employ predetermined lists of items to analyze data from large corpora fails to account for the role played by context in stance-taking and limits the possibility of discovering new items. Academic writers’ experience and knowledge, as well as their attitudes towards their subject matter and readers have also tended to be ignored. This paper reports on the development and application of two instruments for identifying hedging devices and features of writer-reader relationship that adopt a broader, context-based approach to the analysis of these aspects of stance. We suggest that these tools enrich our understanding of stance-taking, thus making an innovative and valuable contribution to the field of academic discourse analysis.

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Correspondence to Maizura Mohd Noor .

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Mohd Noor, M., Mulder, J., Thompson, C. (2014). A Context-Based Approach to the Identification of Hedging Devices and Features of Writer-Reader Relationship in Academic Publications. In: Łyda, A., Warchał, K. (eds) Occupying Niches: Interculturality, Cross-culturality and Aculturality in Academic Research. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02526-1_5

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