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Analysing voice in general paper argumentative essays using appraisal in systemic functional linguistics
Author
Low, Tze Hui
Supervisor
Cheung, Yin Ling
Abstract
Voice has always been a slippery and controversial concept in writing. Although there have been a number of studies on voice in its various guises (Atkinson, 1997; Biber, 2000, 2006; Elbow, 1994, 2007; Hyland, 2005; Labov, 1984; Ramanathan & Atkinson, 1999; Thompson & Hunston, 2000), much of the research has concentrated on the literary aspect of voice, its cultural construct, mass audience texts or academic texts in universities in general. Therefore, this study aims to offer another lens through which written voice can be studied from the appraisal system in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) pioneered by Martin and White (2005) and Martin & Rose (2007). The appraisal system looks at the attitudes evident in a text, the intensity of these attitudes and how these attitudes are sourced that would position the writer and readers, striking a balance between the lexicogrammatical realisation of voice and the social context. This small-scale exploratory study examines argumentative essays written at the pre-university level, where a comparative approach is taken and both high-scoring and low-scoring scripts are analysed to demonstrate the writers’ control over evaluative resources that influence the realisation of voice. It has been observed that high-scoring scripts are more able to utilise dialogic resources to entertain other viewpoints and the writer is more visible through the use of attitudinal resources. Conversely, low-scoring scripts are less dialogic, with the presence of the writer less keenly demonstrated through the lexicogrammar. Teachers interviewed generally found written voice difficult to conceptualise and articulate to students, although they tend to agree that language proficiency and a unique style of writing define voice. Therefore, the findings in this study may be useful pedagogically for educators who find the notion of voice too abstract to teach but nonetheless acknowledge its significance in producing good scripts.
Date Issued
2014
Call Number
PE1404 Low
Date Submitted
2014