Discourse Strategy of the Science and Technology Academic Texts

The presentation of knowledge is a strategic and unique action. It is stated so because the produced discourse conveys a specific area of knowledge, with a specific way and for a specific group of audience. The presentation of knowledge is also a part of communication process between addresser and addressee. This paper explores and analyses the discourse strategy of science and technology (S T) academic text, which was written in Malay language and published in high impact and indexed journal. The study analysed the Introduction section of the academic texts only. The introduction is a very important section of the text where the writers place the track and direction of their writing. The S T academic discourse was analysed from two dimensions, namely the discursive properties and textual features. Discursive analysis interprets the property of the text by means of intertextuality and content. Meanwhile, textual analysis describes the features of the text, namely types of process employed in sentences, pre-sentence adverbial type, type of sentences, and Theme type. The findings show that the strategy of introduction section adopted by S T texts comprises the inclusion of issue and objective of the study, it utilizes intertextuality of stagnant paraphrase technique and situational, and point of view pre-sentence adverbials phrase, and prioritizing action process, simple and marked theme sentences. Identification and explanation of the strategy provides an insight into the S T academia. This findings can also contribute to understand how the number of academic text published in high impact journal in the medium of the national language can be increased. Indirectly, it would also enrich publications and uphold the Malay language as a language of knowledge, besides benefitting the local students.