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Article In: Language and Dialogue: Online-First Articles

Why does dialogue matter in writing studies?

A case study of citation as a key site of disciplinary dialogue

 | University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
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Abstract
This contribution argues that dialogue is not merely a feature of writing but its constitutive condition, and that this dialogic nature is most visible in academic citational practices. Academic writing is seen as an ongoing negotiation among textual voices, in which writers present ideas by positioning themselves within a field of prior utterances. From this perspective, citation functions as a key site where authors converse with prior scholarship, address potential audience reactions, and navigate complex relationships of alignment and critique. The argument is supported by an analysis of expert writing in the field of medicine, showing how writers negotiate, inhabit, and transform the voices of others in the production of knowledge.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Literature review: Dialogic approaches to academic writing
    • 2.1Polyphony and textual voices
    • 2.2Academic writing
  • 3.Citation practices
    • 3.1Citation in Knowledge Construction
    • 3.2Language features and rhetorical functions
  • 4.Community voices: A case study
    • 4.1An overview of community voices
    • 4.2Community voices in the development of authorial argument
  • 5.Conclusion
  • AI Statement
  • Author queries
  • References
References (69)
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