Understanding the Rhetorical Structure of Experimental Aerospace Engineering Research Articles

Abstract

Background: Composing research articles (RAs) for international publication poses considerable challenges for novice writers, particularly in mastering rhetorical structure. Literature review: Previous studies have shed light on the rhetorical structure of RAs in various disciplines and demonstrated that their structure is specific to and depends on disciplines and subdisciplines, but no study has touched upon the rhetorical structure of RAs in aerospace engineering (AE), a cutting-edge field characterized by advanced technological innovation and complex experimental reports. Research questions: 1. What is the rhetorical structure of experimental AE RAs? 2. How does this structure differ from those in other engineering subdisciplines? Methodology: A corpus of 40 experimental RAs in the AE field was compiled based on disciplinary experts’ recommendations and journal impact factors. Then, a rhetorical move–step analysis was conducted on the corpus. Results and discussion: The analysis identified 12 rhetorical moves and 48 rhetorical steps in total. Compared with prior studies on RAs in other engineering subdisciplines, differences were observed at both the move and step levels, particularly in the description of experimental design and the experiments. These results highlight the distinctive rhetorical practices of AE RAs. Conclusion: The findings have significant implications for the writing of AE RAs and its teaching, enhance understanding of rhetorical variations in engineering communication, and inform English for Specific Purposes instruction and professional writing training in engineering contexts. More broadly, this study also contributes to technical and professional communication by revealing how rhetorical conventions shape the organization and presentation of experimental knowledge in engineering research.