Rhetorical structure analysis on results-discussion chapter by Thai postgraduate students

This current research analyzed the rhetorical structure of master's independent study (IS) Results and Discussion chapters written by Thai graduates. The dataset included twenty independent study Results and Discussion chapters written in the traditional five-chapter research report structure. All the independent study Results and Discussion chapters were purposively selected from the electronic database of a public university in Thailand and analyzed using a genre analysis methodology. The analytical framework incorporated into the analysis was adopted from Chen and Kuo (2012) and the idea to combine frameworks for the combined Results and Discussion chapter from Nguyen and Pramoolsook (2015). Based on the Results and Discussion analysis, the findings revealed that the IS authors in this study employed moves and steps as described in the analytical framework to rhetorically compose their Results-Discussion chapters. The IS authors intended to present their study results and discussion using specific moves and steps. Move 1 serves as the opening move, followed by Move 2 and Move 3 as central moves. Move 4 and REF are often included after Move 3 in order to draw conclusions for each results section and to provide support and justification for the results and discussion. Moves 5-7 are less frequent due to various communication-related reasons and the overlap in information with the following chapter. The occurrence of steps reveals the inclusion of providing background information, locating graphics, reporting major findings, and commenting on results. The findings of this investigation are applicable, particularly for MA students in any field to effectively compose their research Results and Discussion chapters. Additionally, instructors of research report writing for graduate students may derive advantages from the findings in their teaching and provide their students with an appropriate guideline for composing the independent study Results and Discussion chapter.