Abstract

This paper reports an investigation of the variation in the move structures and cognitive genres found in the methods sections of research articles (RAs) in a discipline with diversified research methods. Sixty-five RAs involving two research methods in applied linguistics, namely corpus-based studies and experimental research, were analyzed. The results showed that the methods sections of these RAs contained distinct move structures. These distinct move structures, along with the findings of previous studies on the move structures of various disciplines, suggested that the research method adopted in a study is a stronger factor than discipline is in determining the move structure of the methods section. The analysis of the cognitive genres used in the methods sections showed that authors typically require more than one cognitive genre to realize the major moves of the methods sections. However, this variation in the cognitive genres is low between the two patterns of study. These findings suggested that different research methods yield variations in the move structures of the methods sections. However, the cognitive genres that authors require to realize the move structures tend to be common.

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