Abstract:

Language used in research writing especially in top tier publication demands more than good grammar. Description of how complex research matters are conveyed by the research cult benefits not only writers but also supervisors and language instructors. While many writing models on rhetorical strategy have been proposed, it is unclear if the prolific writers follow any writing model. Description of how the prolific writers write can accelerate the research writing process, enables novice writers to emulate the strategies used by prolific writers, and enhance teaching and learning of this genre by providing authentic and relevant examples. Similar studies stop short at analysing one single section of research article. Moreover, analysis of all sections of the engineering research article is uncommon compared to articles in law, business, and education discipline. Besides, engineering text is difficult to be analysed by language researchers. Unresolved, engineering researchers are often stuck with general communicative language proficiency materials which mostly are irrelevant and out of context. Driven by the urgent needs, this study analysed 20 most cited research articles in drone related engineering discipline. This study aims to identify the rhetorical strategies used, and to describe the techniques used to accomplish the rhetorical strategies by the prolific engineering researchers. This qualitative study uses genre analysis approach and computer assisted text analysis. The main expected outcome is a description on the techniques used by the prolific writers as extension of the existing model which then could be used for teaching and learning of technical writing.

Keywords:

Technical Writing, research article, text analysis, rhetorical strategies, English language teaching.