Exploring acknowledgements in ELT/TESOL master’s theses: Comparing native and nonnative writers
Abstract
“The aim of this study is to analyze native and non-native writers’ expression of gratitude in the section of acknowledgements of their research project. Despite acknowledgements may seem as a separate section of the main project, it is considered highly valued since it is the only free-zone of structure and selfexpression influenced by the writers’ cognitive skills, linguistic choices and personality. This research intends to find out similarities and discrepancies between MA TESOL/ELT thesis acknowledgements written by native and nonnative speakers of English. This study consists of a genre and statistical analysis of a corpus of 40 MA theses. A mixed method approach was used to analyze the data in order to identify the structure and frequency of strategies used for gratitude articulation by both native and non-native writers. The results from this study could contribute to better understand the writing processes in Masters’ students in unconventional text genres. Consequently, it expects to guide EAP instructors and thesis supervisors to lead students even in the acknowledgements section, so they will be able to develop a competent academic identity while writing and using their own voice”.
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