Rhetorical Analysis of International Research Journal Article Abstracts

Abstract

  In every research journal, abstracts are an essential section of research articles as it is a concise summary of the study and a critical tool for communicating its significance to readers. In international journals, abstracts are considered obligatory; however, the rhetorical organization within them often varies across disciplines. Understanding these rhetorical moves is therefore vital for authors and publishers to ensure clarity, coherence, and consistency in academic writing. This study examines the rhetorical moves employed in abstracts from three distinct discourse communities: Accounting, Management, and Technology. Thirty abstracts were purposively selected, comprising ten from each discipline, and analyzed using the Create a Research Space (CARS) model. This model identifies typical rhetorical structures, including establishing the research territory, stating the objectives, describing the methodology, presenting the results, and providing conclusions or recommendations. The analysis revealed considerable variation among the three disciplines in the frequency and sequencing of these moves. Some abstracts demonstrated full adherence to the CARS framework, while others omitted crucial components such as methodology or results. These findings highlight disciplinary differences in abstract-writing conventions and underscore the importance of developing standardized guidelines for journal publishers and editors. Establishing uniform requirements that emphasize the essential rhetorical elements—particularly the objectives, methodology, and results—can improve the overall quality, readability, and academic integrity of research abstracts across diverse fields: