A cross-paradigm macro-structure analysis of research articles in Information Systems. (January 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kwan, Becky S.C.
• Is Part Of: English for specific purposes. Volume 45(2017:Jan.)
• Page Start: 14
• Page End: 30
• Publication Date: 2017-01
• Subjects: Research articles -- Cross-paradigm comparison -- Macro-structures -- Paradigm-specific macro-structures; English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers -- Periodicals; English language -- Business English -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; English language -- Technical English -- Study and teaching -- Periodicals; Anglais (Langue) -- Étude et enseignement -- Allophones -- Périodiques; Enseignement professionnel -- Périodiques; Anglais (Langue) -- Anglais commercial -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; Anglais (Langue) -- Anglais technique -- Étude et enseignement -- Périodiques; English language -- Business English -- Study and teaching; English language -- Study and teaching -- Foreign speakers; English language -- Technical English -- Study and teaching; Periodicals; 428.007
• DOI: 10.1016/j.esp.2016.08.002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0889-4906

Abstract

Abstract: The study presented in this paper examined the macro-structures (MSs) of research articles (RAs) in Information Systems (IS). Unlike most previous MS studies, which have tended to look for a single unified MS model to represent the discipline under investigation and have provided post hoc explanations of intra-disciplinary variability, this study set out to examine how MSs of RAs in IS may vary with the epistemological paradigms they follow. Thirty articles of behavioural science research and thirty design science research articles were collected from eight IS journals. Their main sections were subjected to a series of analyses. Results show distinct macro-structural variations across the two corpora. Implications for teaching and future research of MS will be discussed. Highlights: Compared the macro-structures (MSs) of BSR and DSR articles in Information Systems. Marked differences in the MSs of the two types of articles were observed. A distinctive section found in the BSR RAs is Research Model / Hypotheses . Two distinctive sections found in DSR RAs are Artefact and Evaluation . Two models are proposed to represent the MSs of the two types of articles.