Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times

This study compares the rhetorical characteristics of editorials of two different newspapers: The New York Times (NYT) and the New Straits Times (NST) in terms of the functions and occurrences of their rhetorical moves and steps. To realise the objectives, 240 selected editorials (NYT: n=120; NST: n...

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Main Authors: Zarza, Sahar, Tan, Helen, Chan, Swee Heng, Mohamad Ali, Afida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2015
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/1/13%20JSSH%28S%29-0068-2015.pdf
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author Zarza, Sahar
Tan, Helen
Chan, Swee Heng
Mohamad Ali, Afida
author_facet Zarza, Sahar
Tan, Helen
Chan, Swee Heng
Mohamad Ali, Afida
author_sort Zarza, Sahar
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This study compares the rhetorical characteristics of editorials of two different newspapers: The New York Times (NYT) and the New Straits Times (NST) in terms of the functions and occurrences of their rhetorical moves and steps. To realise the objectives, 240 selected editorials (NYT: n=120; NST: n=120) were subjected to content analysis. The analysis was conducted based on a composite framework of Bhatia's (1993), Gunesekar's (1989), Ansary and Babaii's (2005), and So's (2005) models. The analysis showed a typical rhetorical structure for editorials that includes obligatory and optional moves and steps. Variations in the use of the moves and their steps were also observed in both newspapers. Additionally, based on the functions of the moves, it was found that NYT and NST editorials have differing writing stances. To conclude, findings of this study may heighten the awareness of ESP learners on the importance of using appropriate rhetorical moves in achieving a persuasive stance in the writing of editorials. Furthermore, the results of the study may also be an invaluable resource for ESP instructors to tap into for their teaching of successful editorial writing.
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spelling upm-328702016-01-28T02:07:03Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/ Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times Zarza, Sahar Tan, Helen Chan, Swee Heng Mohamad Ali, Afida This study compares the rhetorical characteristics of editorials of two different newspapers: The New York Times (NYT) and the New Straits Times (NST) in terms of the functions and occurrences of their rhetorical moves and steps. To realise the objectives, 240 selected editorials (NYT: n=120; NST: n=120) were subjected to content analysis. The analysis was conducted based on a composite framework of Bhatia's (1993), Gunesekar's (1989), Ansary and Babaii's (2005), and So's (2005) models. The analysis showed a typical rhetorical structure for editorials that includes obligatory and optional moves and steps. Variations in the use of the moves and their steps were also observed in both newspapers. Additionally, based on the functions of the moves, it was found that NYT and NST editorials have differing writing stances. To conclude, findings of this study may heighten the awareness of ESP learners on the importance of using appropriate rhetorical moves in achieving a persuasive stance in the writing of editorials. Furthermore, the results of the study may also be an invaluable resource for ESP instructors to tap into for their teaching of successful editorial writing. Universiti Putra Malaysia Press 2015 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/1/13%20JSSH%28S%29-0068-2015.pdf Zarza, Sahar and Tan, Helen and Chan, Swee Heng and Mohamad Ali, Afida (2015) Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times. Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities, 23 (spec. Dec.). pp. 173-188. ISSN 0128-7702; ESSN: 2231-8534 http://www.pertanika.upm.edu.my/Pertanika%20PAPERS/JSSH%20Vol.%2023%20%28S%29%20Dec.%202015/13%20JSSH%28S%29-0068-2015.pdf
spellingShingle Zarza, Sahar
Tan, Helen
Chan, Swee Heng
Mohamad Ali, Afida
Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times
title Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times
title_full Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times
title_fullStr Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times
title_full_unstemmed Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times
title_short Schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the New York Times and the New Straits Times
title_sort schematic structural analysis of newspaper editorials: a comparative study of the new york times and the new straits times
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/32870/1/13%20JSSH%28S%29-0068-2015.pdf