Rhetorical Analysis of Hedges and Boosters in Academic Articles Written by EFL Writers

This study investigates the use of hedges and boosters,
linguistic devices employed to express uncertainty or
confidence, in academic writing, mainly focusing on the
gendered differences in the context of English as a
Foreign Language (EFL) research articles. The primary
objectives are to explore variations in the application
of hedges and boosters between descriptive and
experimental EFL articles and to investigate disparities
in their use among male and female EFL writers.
Twenty EFL articles from Iranian international journals
were selected, focusing on the rhetorical sections of
Abstract, Introduction, Discussion, and Conclusion. The
study employed descriptive data analysis, calculating
the frequency and percentage of hedges and boosters
per 1,000 words to examine the distribution and usage
patterns across different sections and genders. The
analysis revealed nuanced patterns in the distribution
of hedges and boosters across rhetorical sections, with
the discussion and conclusion sections exhibiting
higher frequencies. Gender differences were
identified, indicating that female writers tended to use
more hedges, expressing uncertainty in their interpretations. In contrast, male writers exhibited
greater confidence, particularly in the introduction and
conclusion sections. This research contributes valuable
insights into the rhetorical strategies of academic
writing, emphasizing the role of hedges and boosters in
shaping scholarly discourse. The study's focus on gendered language use in the EFL context provides a foundation for future research and considerations in language instruction and academic writing pedagogy. Despite limitations, including a specific geographical focus and a relatively small sample size, the study enriches our understanding of linguistic strategies in academic writing and calls for further exploration in diverse EFL contexts.