Syntactic Complexity in the Perceived Credibility of Academic Writing: A Cross-Disciplinary Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46991/BYSU.B/2025.16.2.076Keywords:
academic writing, syntactic complexity, perceived credibility of texts, multi-clause structures, cross-disciplinary analysisAbstract
This study examines the role of syntactic complexity in shaping the perceived credibility of academic writing across four disciplines: bioengineering, physics, history, and sociology. Through qualitative analysis of multi-clause constructions in recent research articles, the study explores how syntax aligns with disciplinary conventions and communicative goals. Findings reveal that syntactic complexity serves as a crucial tool for balancing clarity and intellectual rigor. In bioengineering and physics, multi-clause structures emphasize empirical precision and functional relationship. History employs causal and sequential structures to construct coherent narratives, fostering trust in historical interpretation. Sociology utilizes embedded and relational clauses to unravel social dynamics. While scientific disciplines prioritize measurable precision and technical clarity, humanities and social sciences favor contextual richness and narrative coherence. The comparative analysis highlights how syntax reflects intellectual rigor, disciplinary priorities, and audience expectations, contributing to the perceived credibility of scholarly texts.
References
1. Chomsky, N. (2014). The Minimalist Program. MIT Press.
2. Givón, T. (2009). Syntax: An Introduction (2nd ed.). John Benjamins.
3. Halliday, M. A. K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. (2004). An Introduction to Functional Grammar (3rd ed.). Arnold.
4. Radford, A. (2009). Analyzing English Sentences: A Minimalist Approach. Cambridge University Press.
1. Improved Hypertension Risk Assessment with Photoplethysmographic Recordings Combining Deep Learning and Calibration. https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/12/1439
2. Electroconductive Nanofibrous Scaffolds Enable Neuronal Differentiation in Response to Electrical Stimulation without Exogenous Inducing Factors. https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5354/10/12/1438
3. Optical Properties of Two Complementary Samples of Intermediate Seyfert Galaxies. https://www.mdpi.com/2624-8174/5/4/69
4. Dynamical Sensitivity of Three-Layer Micro Electromechanical Systems to the Optical Properties of the Intervening Liquid Layer. https://www.mdpi.com/2624-8174/5/4/70
5. Review of periodical literature for 2023:(iii) 1500–1700. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ehr.13402
6. The formation and cross-border connectivity of bank branch networks across the Canadian provinces: regional internationalization via interbank networks and foreign trade (1879–1900). https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/ehr.13394
7. The unstable social networks of students: Where does dissimilarity drive tie dissolution? https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/socf.13034
8. Making the match: How Chinese food-movement organizations develop consumers in the alternative market. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/socf.13033
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ruzanna Karapetyan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
