Abstract: There have been few researches focusing on analyzing abstracts model adopted by journals. Therefore, the present study takes English abstracts in English and Chinese journals as examples and analyzes nearly 400 abstracts extracted from authoritative English and Chinese linguistic journals in order to explore differences between English abstracts in term of move structure and stylistic features. Results show that the move structure of abstracts in English journals is more integrated and long including Purpose, Method, Result that are conventional moves and four-move pattern is the most frequent one, while abstract model adopted by Chinese journals is shorter with two conventional moves and the dominant move pattern has three moves, the blending of Method move and Purpose move is the most frequent. From the perspective of stylistic features, hedges seldom occur in Method move while often exist in Result move. Purpose and Result moves generally are present tense while Introduction move generally is present perfect tense. The frequency of the occurrence of first person pronouns in English journals is much higher than that of Chinese journals, domestic writers prefer to use “we” and hardly use “I”. 

Key words: journal abstracts; move structure; stylistic features

CONTENTS

Abstract

摘要：

1. Introduction.1

2. Literature Review.2

  2.1 The Definition of Abstract

2.2 Studies on Move Structures of Abstracts

2.3 Studies on Abstracts’ Stylistic Features

3. Differences on Stylistic Features of Abstract.5

  3.1 Research Design

  3.2 The First Person Pronouns  

  3.3 Tenses

  3.4 Modals

4. Differences on Move Structures of Abstract10

  4.1 Move Pattern

  4.2 Move Frequency

  4.3 Unconventional Move Pattern

5.Conclusion..16

Bibliography..18

Acknowledgements19