Roles of the cited author in citations of the literature review by EFL postgraduates

Abstract

The study analysed the clauses of the integral citations to identify the functional roles of the cited author1 used by EFL postgraduates. The Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) was adopted in analysing the clauses qualitatively. A purposeful sampling was utilized in choosing the literature review of 20 PhD theses in Information Technology and Applied Linguistics at a public Malaysian university. In terms of the interpersonal meanings, the cited author functions as a ‘Subject’, a ‘Complement’, and an ‘Adjunct’. For the experiential meanings, the cited author has functions based on the processes types used in each clause, including an ‘Actor’ and a ‘Goal’ with material processes, a ‘Senser’ and a ‘Phenomenon’ with mental processes, a ‘Sayer’ and a ‘Verbiage’ with verbal processes, a ‘Behaver’ with behavioural processes, a ‘Carrier’, a ‘ Carrier: Possessor’, an ‘Attribute’, a ‘Token’, and a ‘Value’ with relational processes, and an ‘Agent: Attributor’ with causative processes. Other functions related to the Circumstantial under the experiential meanings involved an ‘Agent’, a ‘Location (Place)’, a ‘Manner: Comparison’, an ‘Accompaniment’ and a ‘Matter’. Field and tenor affected the role of the cited author; field’s effect was demonstrated by using a higher number of the cited author’s roles in the Applied Linguistics, whereas tenor’s influence was illustrated in assigning similar roles to the cited author in the Applied Linguistics and Information Technology. These results extend the findings of previous studies, help students in using citations in academic writing, and present more outputs about citations that can be employed pedagogically.