Citation practices in the discussion sections of Vietnamese and international economic research articles
Vol.19,No.1(2026)
Discourse and Interaction
This study examines the similarities and differences in citation practices within the discussion sections of 60 English and 60 Vietnamese economics journal articles. Utilizing Thompson and Tribble’s (2001) citation forms and Samraj’s (2013) citation function framework, citations were identified and analyzed using AntConc (version 3.5.6). The findings indicate that Vietnamese scholars tend to employ fewer citations overall, demonstrating a marked preference for integral citations that emphasize authorial presence and establish credibility. In contrast, international authors predominantly use non-integral citations, which aligns with the impersonal and objective tone characteristic of English academic discourse. Additionally, international research articles demonstrate a higher citation density, indicating extensive engagement with prior literature and a stronger reliance on intertextuality. Analysis of citation functions further indicates that international authors incorporate citations more rigorously in theoretical discussions, thereby situating their work within broader scholarly discourse, whereas Vietnamese researchers tend to favor self-explanatory reasoning and practical recommendations. These insights contribute to an in-depth understanding of how citation practices are shaped by various scholarly traditions and academic conventions. The study offers valuable implications for educators, researchers, and academic institutions by highlighting the need for tailored strategies to enhance research writing practices in diverse cultural contexts.
citation practices; discussion section; research articles; citation forms; citation functions
Loan Thi To Pham
Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam
Loan Thi To Pham is a lecturer at the Faculty of English, Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam. She obtained a PhD degree in Linguistics at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University.
Her research interests include linguistics, teacher professional development, student development, English as a medium of instruction, and intercultural communication.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8588-7277
Address: Loan Thi To Pham, Faculty of English, Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam, 79 Ho Tung Mau Street, Mai Dich Ward, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, Vietnam. [e-mail: loanptt@tmu.edu.vn]
References
Anthony, L. (2018). AntConc (Version 3.5.6) [Computer software]. Waseda University. http://www.laurenceanthony.net/software
Basturkmen, H. (2012). A genre-based investigation of discussion sections in applied linguistics research articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 11(2), 87–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2011.10.004
Berkenkotter, C., & Huckin, T. (1995). Genre knowledge in disciplinary communication: Cognition/culture/power. Lawrence Erlbaum.
Booth, W. C., Colomb, G. G., & Williams, J. M. (2008). The craft of research (3rd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Brown, J. D. (1988). Understanding research in second language learning: A teacher’s guide to statistics and research design. Cambridge University Press.
Canagarajah, A. S. (2002). A geopolitics of academic writing. University of Pittsburgh Press.
Chang, C. F., & Kuo, C. H. (2011). A corpus-based approach to online materials development for writing research articles. English for Specific Purposes, 30(3), 222–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2011.04.001
Cotos, E. (2014). Conceptualizing genre-based AWE for L2 research writing. In Genre-based automated writing evaluation for L2 research writing (pp. 65–95). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137333377_4
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage.
Dontcheva-Navratilova, O. (2016). Rhetorical functions of citations in linguistics research articles: A contrastive (English–Czech) study. Discourse and Interaction, 9(2), 51–74. https://doi.org/10.5817/DI2016-2-51
Gilbert, N. (2008). Researching social life (3rd ed.). Sage.
Hart, C. (1998). Doing a literature review: Releasing the social science research imagination. Sage.
Harwood, N. (2009). An interview-based study of the functions of citations in academic writing across disciplines. Journal of Pragmatics, 41(3), 497–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pragma.2008.06.001
Hoang, C. H. (2021). Glocal production of knowledge: Exploring Vietnamese scholars’ perception of ‘good’ research. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 53(1), 123–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2021.1884046
Hoang, C. H., & Dang, T. T. D. (2021). Developing a framework to explore local researchers’ engagement with global academia: The case of Vietnamese social sciences scholars. Asian Social Science, 17(5), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v17n5p1
Hoang, T. (2021). Fighting dishonesty, maintaining scientific integrity. In T. Hoang, B. C. Ngo & H. V. Vu (Eds.), On the road to scientific standards (pp. 75–77). Hanoi Publishing House.
Hu, G., & Wang, G. (2014). Disciplinary and ethnolinguistic influences on citation in research articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 14, 14–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2013.11.001
Hyland, K. (1999). Academic attribution: Citation and the construction of disciplinary knowledge. Applied Linguistics, 20(3), 341–367. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/20.3.341
Hyland, K. (2000). Disciplinary discourses: Social interactions in academic writing. Longman.
Hyland, K. (2004). Disciplinary discourses: Social interactions in academic writing. University of Michigan Press.
Kwan, B. S. (2006). The schematic structure of literature reviews in doctoral theses of applied linguistics. English for Specific Purposes, 25(1), 30–55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2005.06.001
Le, H. T. H, Nguyen, T. K. N, Nguyen, T. T., & Verances, J. (2023). Practice of referencing
and citation in academic integrity of universities in Vietnam. Russian Law Journal,
11(3), 1935–1947. https://doi.org/10.52783/rlj.v11i3.1962
Le, H. V., & Nguyen, L. Q. (2024). Promoting L2 learners’ critical thinking skills: The role of social constructivism in reading class. Frontiers in Education, 9, 1241973. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1241973
Lillis, T., & Curry, M. J. (2010). Academic writing in a global context: The politics and practices of publishing in English. Routledge.
Mansourizadeh, K., & Ahmad, U. K. (2011). Citation practices among non-native expert and novice scientific writers. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 10(3), 152–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2011.03.004
Nesi, H., & Gardner, S. (2012). Genre analysis of academic writing: Understanding textual practices in discipline-specific contexts. Routledge.
Nguyen, L. T., & Pramoolsook, I. (2016). Citation practice in the whole TESOL master’s theses by Vietnamese postgraduates. 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature, 22(3), 79–92. https://doi.org/10.17576/3L-2016-2203-06
Nguyen, Q., & Buckingham, L. (2019). Source-use expectations in assignments: The perceptions and practices of Vietnamese Master’s students. Journal of English for Specific Purposes, 53, 90–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2018.10.001
Okamura, A. (2008). Citation forms in scientific texts: Similarities and differences in L1 and L2 professional writing. Nordic Journal of English Studies, 7(S3), 61–81. https://doi.org/10.35360/njes.101
Pecorari, D. (2006). Visible and occluded citation features in postgraduate second-language writing. English for Specific Purposes, 25(1), 4–29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. esp.2005.04.004
Petrić, B. (2007). Rhetorical functions of citations in high- and low-rated master’s theses. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 6(3), 238–253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2007.09.002
Pham, T. T. L., Nguyen, K. N., & Hoang, T. B. (2022). Mediating job satisfaction among English medium instruction teachers in Vietnamese universities. In M. Pham, & J. Barnett (Eds.), English medium instruction practices in Vietnamese universities (pp. 61–80). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-2169-8_4
Pho, P. D., & Tran, T. M. P. (2016). Obstacles to scholarly publishing in the social sciences
and humanities: A case study of Vietnamese scholars. Publications, 4(3), 19–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/publications4030019
Samraj, B. (2013). Form and function of citations in discussion sections of master’s theses and research articles. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 12(4), 299–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2013.09.001
Soler-Monreal, C., & Gil-Salom, L. (2014). Academic voices and claims: Reviewing practices in research writing. In L. Gil-Salom & C. Soler-Monreal (Eds.), Dialogicity in written specialised genres (pp. 23–54). Amsterdam: John Benjamins.
Stotesbury, H. (2003). Evaluation in research article abstracts in the narrative and hard sciences. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 2(4), 327–341. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1475-1585(03)00049-3
Swales, J. M. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge University Press.
Swales, J. M., & Feak, C. B. (2012). Academic writing for graduate students: Essential tasks and skills (3rd ed.). University of Michigan Press.
Thompson, P. (2005). Points of focus and position: Intertextual reference in PhD theses. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4(4), 307–323. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. jeap.2005.07.006
Thompson, P., & Tribble, C. (2001). Looking at citations: Using corpora in English for academic purposes. Language Learning & Technology, 5(3), 91–105. https://doi. org/10.64152/10125/44568
Yang, R., & Allison, D. (2003). Research articles in applied linguistics: Moving from results to conclusions. English for Specific Purposes, 22, 365–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0889-4906(02)00026-1
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Copyright © 2026 Loan Thi To Pham