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Persuasion in Specialized Discourse: A multidisciplinary perspective
Edited by Chiara Degano, Dora Renna and Francesca Santulli
[Argumentation in Context 22] 2024
► pp. 190–211

Chapter 9
Argumentation in scientific discourse

A pragma-dialectical pilot study

| University of Bergamo

This pilot study investigated scientific argumentation from a pragma-dialectical methodological approach with the aim of characterizing possible prototypical argumentative patterns by reconstructing argumentation structures, and identifying and analyzing the standpoints, arguments, starting points, and strategies. The results corroborated the findings of previous studies regarding the complexity of standpoints, structures, and patterns, the dialogical nature attained by advancing doubts and criticism, and the important role of exploratory argumentation (comparing and evaluating options). New insights also emerged: Causal argumentation appeared to play a more pervasive role than was previously assumed, which was supported by different subtypes of argument schemes. Furthermore, scientific argumentation proved to be indirect but strong, with standpoints that were not predominantly descriptive, and weighing was used strategically.

Keywords: scientific discourse, pragma-dialectics, analysis of argumentation, prototypical argumentative patterns, indirect argumentation, German scientific papers, Italian scientific papers
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical background
    • 2.1Pragma-dialectics
    • 2.2Scientific discourse and argumentation
  • 3.Empirical analysis
    • 3.1Methods and texts
    • 3.2Argumentation in the German paper
    • 3.3Argumentation in the Italian paper
  • 4.Interpretation of the results and conclusions
  • Notes
  • Bibliography
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