Interactive and interactional metadiscourse markers in research articles of Indonesian expert writers

Abstract

Academic writing articles as the medium of communication to share knowledge are made in such a way that the idea they deliver is both understandable and acceptable by employing metadiscourse markers. Viewed as an essential element of credible written texts, these markers were investigated in this study. Employing descriptive qualitative approach, data of interpersonal metadiscourse markers were collected using extreme-case sampling from the articles published by the selected Indonesian expert writers. Following that, interviews were conducted to gain deeper understanding on their functions in academic writing. Thematic analysis of qualitative research was performed to the discussion section of the articles and the results show that the metadiscourse markers in the articles are found to be similar to the commonly used markers among academic community, including interactive and interactional markers. Moreover, the employment of markers in the articles reveal the functions of them to indicate relation between sentences, involvement of readers, existence of example, limitation of commitment to propositions, emphasis on general practice and certainty, and reference to the writer.