Author(s)

Yanqing Fang ¹

Affiliation(s)

¹ School of the English Language and Culture, Xiamen University Tan Kah Kee College, Xiamen, Fujian, China

Corresponding Author

Yanqing Fang

ABSTRACT

This study has shown how analyzing the semantics and codemantics of introduction sections in academic papers reveals important differences between disciplines in how knowledge claims are constructed. By applying Legitimation Code Theory, we've gained a deeper understanding of how disciplinary norms shape writing conventions and influence how knowledge is presented and validated. Comparing different fields revealed the unique ways in which epistemological values and research expectations impact the structure and content of introductions. These differences reflect the broader intellectual traditions and the specific standards for validating knowledge in each discipline. Through this analysis, we gain a clearer understanding of how disciplinary identities are shaped through language, and how these conventions reflect the cognitive and social practices that guide academic writing. Overall, the findings contribute to our understanding of academic writing as a socially embedded practice, influenced by both epistemological frameworks and the legitimizing structures of individual disciplines. Future research could examine how these patterns evolve over time or explore how other sections of academic papers, such as literature reviews or conclusions, show similar semantic and codematic distinctions across disciplines. 

KEYWORDS

Multimodal Discourse Analysis, Systemic Functional Linguistics, English Reading and Writing Classes

CITE THIS PAPER

Yanqing Fang, Semantic and Codematic Comparisons of Introduction Sections in Academic Papers across Different Disciplines from the Perspective of Legitimation Code Theory. Information and Knowledge Management (2025) Vol. 6: 1-12. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.23977/infkm.2025.060201.

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