Talking to the Academy

Abstract

Hedging refers to linguistic strategies that qualify categorical commitment to express possibility rather than certainty. In scientific writing, hedging is central to effective argument: Hedging is a rhetorical means of gaining reader acceptance of claims, allowing writers to convey their attitude to the truth of their statements and to anticipate possible objections. Because hedges allow writers to express claims with precision, caution, and modesty, they are a significant resource for academics. However, little is known about the way hedging is typically expressed in particular domains or the particular functions it serves in different genres. This article identifies the major forms, functions, and distribution of hedges in a corpus of 26 molecular biology research articles and describes the importance of hedging in this genre.

Journal
Written Communication
Published
1996-04-01
DOI
10.1177/0741088396013002004
Open Access
Closed
Topics

Citation Context

Cited by in this index (3)

  1. Journal of Business and Technical Communication
  2. Written Communication
  3. Written Communication

Cites in this index (2)

  1. Written Communication
  2. Written Communication
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