Rhetorical Structure Theory: looking back and moving ahead
Abstract
Rhetorical Structure Theory has enjoyed continuous attention since its origins in the 1980s. It has been applied, compared to other approaches, and also criticized in a number of areas in discourse analysis, theoretical linguistics, psycholinguistics, and computational linguistics. In this article, we review some of the discussions about the theory itself, especially addressing issues of the reliability of analyses and psychological validity, together with a discussion of the nature of text relations. We also propose areas for further research. A follow-up article (Taboada and Mann, forthcoming) will discuss applications of the theory in various fields.
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In RST, moves can be considered as hierarchical.
“Furthermore, in RST, moves can be considered as hierarchical -parts of the discourse can be subordinated to other stretches to show complex relations, although this can result in the hierarchy imposing an artificial structure on the description (Taboada and Mann 2006:431).”
From Rhetorical Structure and Reader Manipulation in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (2009) · cites this paper as Taboada and Mann 2006:431
RST also incorporates theories of coherence into its model of text structure.
“Finally, RST also incorporates theories of coherence into its model of text structure.”
From Rhetorical Structure and Reader Manipulation in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express (2009) · cites this paper as Taboada and Mann 2006:431
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Noroozi, O., Weinberger, A., Biemans, H. J. A., Mulder, M., & Chizari, M. (2012) · Educational Research Review · doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2011.11.006 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
Rhetorical Structure and Reader Manipulation in Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express
Alexander, M. (2009) · Miscelánea: A Journal of English and American Studies · doi:10.26754/ojs_misc/mj.20099713 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Taboada, M., & Mann, W. C.
- Affiliations
- Simon Fraser University (CA)
- Independent Researcher
- ORCID
- Taboada, Maite
- Venue
- Discourse Studies
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2006-06
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 423-459
- ISSN
- 1461-4456 (ISSN-L)
- 1461-7080
- OpenAlex
- W2137640092
- Cited by
- 451
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 27 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 41 · 2017: 54 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 21
- FWCI
- 114.05
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Discourse Studies (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Linguistics and Discourse Analysis
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Literature and Literary Theory › Discourse Analysis in Language Studies
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Syntax, Semantics, Linguistic Variation
- Keywords
- Rhetorical Structure Theory, textual relations, discourse structure, psychological validity, discourse analysis, computational linguistics, psycholinguistics, linguistic theory
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