Constructing a Research Paper: Introduction Sections

Compare the two kinds of introductory sentences below:

A.
The purpose of this paper is to
This paper describes and analyses
My aim in this paper is to
In this paper we report on
B.
This study of the writing of 22 first graders and 13 third graders in concerned with how
children learn the rules of punctuation (Cordeiro 1988:62)
C.
Many commentators have noted that sentence connectors (e.g. however) are an important
and useful element in expository and argumentative writing (Feak and Swales
D.
Students of foreign languages often rely on various strategies to memorize vocabulary
words (Shapiro and Waters 2005:129).
Where would you expect to read the different kinds of introduction?
What is the difference between B, C and D in the way they choose to start their
introduction?
(assignments vs. real papers; competition; need to get someone to read it; need to compete for attention)

Creating a Research Space:

John Swales has investigated the moves used in research papers to create a research
space (the CARS model Create a Research Space). (Swales and Feak 1996: 174f).
Move 1
1a

1b
Move 2

Move 3
3a
3b
3c

Establish a research territory

By showing that the general research area
is important, or central, interesting,
problematic, or relevant in some way
(optional)
By introducing and reviewing items of
previous research in the area (obligatory)
Establish a niche
By indicating a gap in the previous
research, raising a question about it or
extending previous knowledge in some
way (obligatory)
Occupying a niche
By outlining purposes or stating the nature
of the present research (obligatory)
By announcing principal findings (optional)
By indicating the structure of the RP
(optional)

From Swales JM and Feak CB 1996 Academic Writing for Graduate Students Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press
C:\Documents and Settings\EDS027\Desktop\ltrn\Intro_to_RP.doc
S.Etherington 2006

The Position of Sentence Connectors in Academic English

CB Feak and JM Swales
Introduction
Many commentators have noted that sentence connectors (e.g. however) are an important
and useful element in expository and argumentative writing. Frequency studies of their
occurrence in academic English extend at least as far back as Huddleston (1971). ESL
writing textbooks have for many years regularly included chapters on sentence connectors
(e.g. Herbert 1965). Most reference grammars deal with their grammatical status,
classification, meaning and use. Some attention has also been given to the position of
sentence connectors in clauses and sentences. Quirk and Greenbaum (1973) observe
a) that the normal position is initial; b) that certain connectors, such as hence and overall
are restricted, or virtually restricted, to initial position (p. 248); and c) that medial positions
are rare for most connectors, and final positions are even rarer. The only attempt known
to us to explain differences in position on semantic grounds is an unpublished paper by
Salera (1976), discussed in Celce-Murcia and Larsen-Freeman (1983). The Salera paper
deals only with adversatives like however and suggests that initial position reflects
something contrary to expectation, while medial position reflects a contrast that is not
necessarily unexpected. However, neither of these studies provides any descriptive
evidence of the actual positions of sentence connectors in academic texts. In the present
paper, we report on a preliminary study of sentence connector position in a sample of
twelve published articles.

1. Divide the text into the 3 basic moves.

2. Where would you divide Move 1 into 1a and 1b?
3. What kind of Move 2 is used?
4. What kind of Move 3 is used?
5. Underline or highlight any words or expressions used in the first 3 sentences to
establish a research territory.
6. What are the 6 citations used in the introduction? Do you have any criticisms of the
review of the previous literature here?
7. Where do the 6 citations occur in the sentence? What does this tell us?

From Swales JM and Feak CB 1996 Academic Writing for Graduate Students Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press
C:\Documents and Settings\EDS027\Desktop\ltrn\Intro_to_RP.doc
S.Etherington 2006

High Angle-of-Attack Calculations of the Sub-sonic Vortex Flow in Slender Bodies

D. Almosino

The increasing interest in high angle-of-attack aerodynamics has heightened the need for
computational tools suitable to predict the flowfield and the aerodynamic coefficients in this
regime. Of particular interest and complexity are the symmetric and asymmetric separated
vortex flows which develop about slender bodies as the angle of attack is increased. The
viscous influence on the separation lines and the unknown three-dimensional (3D) shape
of the vortex wake are some of the main flow features that must be modeled in the
construction of a computational method to properly treat this problem. Among the many
potential flow methods developed in attempting to solve body vortex flows are early twodimensional (2D) multivortex methods, 2D time-stepping vortex models that include
boundary-layer considerations, and a quasi 3D potential flow method that uses source and
vortex elements
The potential flow methods are of special interest because of their ability to treat 3D body
shapes and their separated vortex flows using a simple and relatively inexpensive model.
(copyright 1984 AIAA)

What is the subject area?

Which two moves from the CARS model feature here?
Find 3 uses of interest in the passage. How do they change? What does this tell us?
What might the author say in the next sentence in this passage?
Compare the two sentences:
The increasing interest in has heightened the need for
Of particular interest and complexity are..
Other typical opening statements:
Recently, there has been growing interest in
The possibility of has generated wide interest in
The development of is a classic problem in
The development of has led to the hope that
The study of has become an important aspect of
What tense do they typically use?
Why?

From Swales JM and Feak CB 1996 Academic Writing for Graduate Students Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press
C:\Documents and Settings\EDS027\Desktop\ltrn\Intro_to_RP.doc
S.Etherington 2006