TITLE:
“The Limitation of This Study Is…”: A Diachronic Corpus Analysis of Hedges and Boosters in Communication Research Articles
AUTHORS:
Yumei Zhu
KEYWORDS:
Diachronic, Hedge, Booster, Rhetoric
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.12 No.2,
February
28,
2024
ABSTRACT: This diachronic corpus analysis investigates shifts
in hedges and boosters within the “Limitation” rhetoric of Communication
Research Articles (RAs). By investigating
data from Communication journals of selected two periods, the study reveals a
significant increase in the incorporation of limitation rhetoric, hedge
markers, and a small increase of boosters. The study contributes insights into
evolving scholarly communication, emphasizing the delicate balance between
caution and confidence in addressing study limitations.