Directions for the Future: A Genre-Based Investigation into Recommendations for Further Research and Practical Applications in Forestry

Writers incorporate recommendations in the Discussion sections of research articles to indicate how their findings can lead to interesting avenues for further research and useful applications in real life, but it is not clear how such recommendations are positioned and realised using different language resources in their attempt to get their papers published. Based on a genre-based move analysis of 60 Forestry research articles, we have found that such recommendations appear in a vast majority of the Forestry Discussion sections while two-thirds of them close with a recommendation. Recommendations for practical applications occur far more frequently than those for further research, thus reflecting the applied nature of Forestry. In terms of language resources, recommendations for further research involve largely overt signals indicating possible knowledge outcomes, while those for practical applications require implicit linguistic signals demonstrating additional insights and values. It is suggested that learners be acquainted with the prevalent structures first before attention is directed to other covert strategies for highlighting the practical contributions of a study. Our findings can be used to illustrate how experienced writers aptly deploy rhetorical shifts to sensibly move to their targeted recommendations via relevant statements on the limitations and findings of their current research.