Keywords
mathematical writing
doctoral academic writing
Singapore
EAP
How to Cite
Abstract
Mathematical discourse is unique in that it is made up of “semiotic resources of mathematical symbolism, visual display in the form of graphs and diagrams, and language” (O'Halloran, 1998, p. 360). Natural language plays the important role of guiding the reader through the logical reasoning of the propositional content. This study investigates how logical reasoning processes are expressed and how authors interact with readers. The study used as data publications on mathematical writing, interviews with disciplinary experts, and an analysis of eight PhD theses in mathematics using Hyland’s (2005) metadiscourse framework. The expert writing and interviews showed that a high premium is placed on mathematical content, clarity, conciseness and a sense of collegiality all of which contribute to the aesthetic value of an argument. The analysis of the theses found that mathematical writing at doctoral writing involves both linear mathematical reasoning and meta-mathematical explanations (as defined by Kuteeva & McGrath, 2015). The study also reveals that contrary to the common perception that mathematical writing is impersonal, writers do interact and engage with readers in various ways.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Note: Authors are encouraged to post copies of their AJAL published papers to their own institutional or personal/professional websites along with a link to the original paper at the AJAL website. This will assist in diseminating their work as well as raising awareness of the journal.