Use of Citations in Academic Writing

Use of Citations in Academic Writing

  The appropriate use of citations is an important practice in academic writing. English language learners need to learn the acceptable technical rules for citation practices. In particular, those who may not have experience with the western model of citation in academic texts may have problems with the appropriate rhetorical use of citations. Although the appropriate use of citation in academic texts has been considered an important practice in academic writing, little has been written about its rhetorical functions or about varying citation behaviors across languages and cultures. For the purpose of enhancing the pedagogy of writing instruction for English language learners, this study seeks to reveal the similarities and differences in the use of citations in research article introductions written by Korean writers and those written by native English-speaking writers. Thirty research article introductions were selected from two journals in the field of ESL/EFL education. In this study, differences were observed in the number of references and stance toward prior research. Non-integral forms of citation and the present or present perfect tenses were frequently used. The results of the study can contribute to the pedagogy of writing instruction for writing instructors and English language learners, providing implications for instructional practice.