Interaction and Persuasion: A Corpus-Based Comparison of Metadiscursive Nouns in Abstracts of Sports Science Master's Thesis in China and the US

Abstract

Academic writing is marked by a prevalence of abstract nouns that package complex ideas like argument, reason, assumption, suggestion, and conclusion. These rhetorical devices, whose meanings are derived from their contextual references or shared disciplinary knowledge, help writers engage with readers, guide their comprehension, and present arguments persuasively. Although metadiscursive nouns have been widely studied in both intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary contexts, the sports science discipline remains an underexplored area in this field. Thus, based on the integrated frameworks proposed by Jiang & Hyland and Jiang, this study aims to explore the most frequent types of metadiscoursive nouns, lexico-grammatical patterns and their functions in the abstract section of sports science master's thesis in China and the US. The findings reveal that "entity nouns", the "Determiner + N" pattern and the "N + post-nominal clause" structure appear most while "relation nouns" and "Determiner + be + N" appear least in both linguistic groups. The prevalence of the stance function of metadiscursive nouns in abstracts, as opposed to the engagement function, can be explained by two key factors: the specific rhetorical aims of the abstract and the characteristics of its intended audience. Regardless of the type or the lexico-grammatical structure, these abstract nouns all play a significant role in the academic writing of both Chinese and American master students. This study aims to provide insights into the academic writing characteristics of the sports science discipline, as well as important pedagogical guidance for students in this field.