Heteroglossic engagement in undergraduate essays

This PhD thesis explores how university students engage with external voices and present their own authorial voice in academic essays. It uses the Engagement framework within Appraisal theory to examine dialogic positioning. Previous research has mainly focused on research articles or compared high-scoring and low-scoring essays in a limited number of disciplines. This study addresses that gap by analysing patterns in how first-language English undergraduate students across three academic levels in Arts and Humanities use linguistic resources to engage with different viewpoints in their essays, drawing from the British Academic Written English (BAWE) corpus. The research combines discourse analysis and corpus linguistics. An initial analysis of 42 essays identified Engagement features, leading to a refined framework. This refined framework was then applied to assess variations across different essay types, academic levels, and disciplines within the corpus. A larger corpus study was conducted to validate these findings. The findings indicate that while undergraduate writers use a variety of ways to engage with external voices, they tend to close down dialogue rather than expand it by including more external perspectives. Variations were observed across different essay subgenres, with higher engagement in final-year essays and noticeable differences between disciplines. The corpus study confirmed consistent patterns in the use of Engagement features.

Frequently asked questions

What are the entry requirements for a PhD in Heteroglossic Engagement in Undergraduate Essays?

Admission to a PhD program in this field typically requires a high level of prior academic achievement, such as a Master's degree or its equivalent, in a relevant discipline.

What are the tuition fees for this PhD programme?

Specific fee information for international or home students is not available on this page, as it pertains to a completed PhD thesis record. Please refer to the University of Birmingham's main postgraduate admissions pages for current fee details.

What are the career outcomes for graduates of this PhD research area?

The findings of this thesis have significant implications for the theorisation and application of Engagement in academic writing, contributing to Systemic Functional Linguistics research. It also offers practical applications for English for Academic Purposes (EAP) programmes and lays a foundation for future research.

How do I apply for a PhD program related to Heteroglossic Engagement?

This page details a completed PhD thesis. Information on how to apply for PhD programs at the University of Birmingham can be found on the university's main postgraduate admissions pages.