Ph.D. Students' Perceptions and Practices of Rhetorical Moves in Abstract Writing: A Case Study at the Faculty of Science, Ben M'Sik, Casablanca.

Abstract

The ability to craft a well-organized abstract is a critical skill for graduate students entering the academic community, particularly within scientific research. This study explores the use of rhetorical moves of research article abstracts written by graduate students at the Faculty of Science Ben M'Sik, Casablanca, Morocco. Using pre- and post-lecture questionnaires focused on rhetorical moves in abstracts, this research analyzes the impact of targeted instruction on students' academic writing skills. In addition, a corpus of 36 students' written research articles is analyzed to gain deeper insights into their application of rhetorical moves. The findings indicate significant improvements in the students' ability to compose effective abstracts and employ appropriate rhetorical strategies in their full-length articles. However, the study concludes that certain cultural influences may hinder these students’ adherence to scientific conventions