More diversity, more complexity, but more flexibility: research article titles in TESOL Quarterly, 1967–2022

Gianna Kexin Jiang and Yajun Jiang ()
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Gianna Kexin Jiang: Carnegie Mellon University
Yajun Jiang: Xi’an International Studies University

Scientometrics, 2023, vol. 128, issue 7, No 7, 3959-3980

Abstract: Abstract The title of the journal article as a genre has been extensively investigated for variations across disciplines (e.g., titles in sciences vs. social sciences or in linguistics vs. medicine), genres (e.g., research article titles vs. review article titles), and cultures (e.g., titles composed by native vs. non-native authors). However, little is known about how title language is manipulated at “a highly specific sub-disciplinary” level to make articles stand out (Pearson, Scientometrics 123:997–1019, 2020). Our analysis is based on an investigation of a corpus of 1458 titles of original contributions to TESOL Quarterly over a 55-year period. The results show a considerable increase in the average title length in running words, content words, and syllables. The rate of occurrence of compound constructions (CC) increased by 5.7-fold from 1967 to 2022, accompanied by a 3.7-fold decline in the use of nominal constructions (NC). In addition, CC titles featuring a quotation and a V-ing phrase are increasing, while nominal segments are steadily declining in number. The results support some of the previous findings from research at the disciplinary level of linguistics and sub-disciplinary level of applied linguistics but vary from others, indicating there is value in research into the field- and journal-specific titling practices. In general, the article titles in the journal are becoming increasingly diversified and complex, both stylistically and syntactically, but more flexible by allowing writers to create a balance between informativeness and allure.

Keywords: Research article title; TESOL Quarterly; Lexical density; Diachronic study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s11192-023-04738-x

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