Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Getting it Together: A Genre Analysis of the Rhetorical Structure of Open University Television Programmes in Science and Technology

Jansson, Rowena LU (2000)
Abstract
This thesis is concerned with uncovering the organisational structure underpinning Open University television programmes in scientific and technological fields. Using a genre analysis which takes into account the unique contextual configuration in which vision and pedagogical purpose play a vital part a rhetorical structure is revealed. This structure is based essentially on a string of Episodes. The notion of Episodes is discussed and interpreted as a complete or truncated discourse pattern. Two discourse patterns appear to operate in a potentially complex manner. In general terms, a Situation-Problem-Solution-Evaluation pattern forms the Episodes at an overall structural level while a Demonstration-Explanation-Summary pattern operates at... (More)
This thesis is concerned with uncovering the organisational structure underpinning Open University television programmes in scientific and technological fields. Using a genre analysis which takes into account the unique contextual configuration in which vision and pedagogical purpose play a vital part a rhetorical structure is revealed. This structure is based essentially on a string of Episodes. The notion of Episodes is discussed and interpreted as a complete or truncated discourse pattern. Two discourse patterns appear to operate in a potentially complex manner. In general terms, a Situation-Problem-Solution-Evaluation pattern forms the Episodes at an overall structural level while a Demonstration-Explanation-Summary pattern operates at a lower or embedded level. A basic four-level structure emerges in which the entire discourse or Programme is formed of Episodes which are composed of Sections – the components of a discourse pattern – which in their turn are made up of Clause relations. Embedded Episodes operate at the Section level. The study explores the forms, functions and incidence of Transitions, interactive and metadiscoursal units, which link otherwise unconnected units of discourse. The identification of Episodes and Sections is dependent on visual, prosodic, textual and lexical features which is demonstrated in the study. All these features interweave in getting together a specific genre – OU television programmes in science and technology – revealed by a distinctive rhetorical structure. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • Professor Hoey, Michael
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
English language and literature, distance learning., television teaching, metadiscourse, transition, episode, rhetorical structure, Genre analysis, discourse analysis, Engelska (språk och litteratur)
pages
205 pages
publisher
Department of English, Lund University
defense location
Rum 239, Engelska institutionen
defense date
2000-10-14 14:15:00
external identifiers
  • other:ISRN: LUHSDF/HSEN - 00/1031 - SE + 211
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
41ce337f-4e87-4240-a180-a5ba7e0e3a6f (old id 19546)
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 10:26:43
date last changed
2018-11-21 20:58:48
@phdthesis{41ce337f-4e87-4240-a180-a5ba7e0e3a6f,
  abstract     = {{This thesis is concerned with uncovering the organisational structure underpinning Open University television programmes in scientific and technological fields. Using a genre analysis which takes into account the unique contextual configuration in which vision and pedagogical purpose play a vital part a rhetorical structure is revealed. This structure is based essentially on a string of Episodes. The notion of Episodes is discussed and interpreted as a complete or truncated discourse pattern. Two discourse patterns appear to operate in a potentially complex manner. In general terms, a Situation-Problem-Solution-Evaluation pattern forms the Episodes at an overall structural level while a Demonstration-Explanation-Summary pattern operates at a lower or embedded level. A basic four-level structure emerges in which the entire discourse or Programme is formed of Episodes which are composed of Sections – the components of a discourse pattern – which in their turn are made up of Clause relations. Embedded Episodes operate at the Section level. The study explores the forms, functions and incidence of Transitions, interactive and metadiscoursal units, which link otherwise unconnected units of discourse. The identification of Episodes and Sections is dependent on visual, prosodic, textual and lexical features which is demonstrated in the study. All these features interweave in getting together a specific genre – OU television programmes in science and technology – revealed by a distinctive rhetorical structure.}},
  author       = {{Jansson, Rowena}},
  keywords     = {{English language and literature; distance learning.; television teaching; metadiscourse; transition; episode; rhetorical structure; Genre analysis; discourse analysis; Engelska (språk och litteratur)}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Department of English, Lund University}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  title        = {{Getting it Together: A Genre Analysis of the Rhetorical Structure of Open University Television Programmes in Science and Technology}},
  year         = {{2000}},
}