The Types and the Frequencies of Reporting Verbs in Research Articles Written by Lecturers in a Ghanaian University

Abstract

Citation forms an essential component of academic writing. In citing works of other authors, writers make use of reporting verbs (RVs). The study investigated the use of reporting verbs in research articles written by lecturers in the Department of English. The study used Hyland’s (2002) classification of RV as the theoretical framework. The study found that Discourse Acts type of RVs are mostly used by these lecturers, as compared to Research Acts category of RVs and the Cognitive Acts category of RVs. Like all other researches, this study adds to the existing body of knowledge on academic discourse.

Keywords: reporting verbs, citation, research articles