Create-a-research-

space (CARS) Model

Mr. Edward Jay Quinto
Assistant Professor , English and Educational Technology Clusters
School of Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences (SLHS)
August 3, 2015
 Questions:
 What do you find difficult about concept paper writing?

 What do you know about writing in your field?

 What do you need to know?

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press.
 Structure and Language in
Academic Writing

 Writing Introductions - the CARS Model

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 I. The CARS Model
 The Introduction section of research papers typically follows a
specific pattern

 This rhetorical pattern is referred to as the create-a-research-

space (CARS) Model

 In this model, the work of others and/or what is known about

the topic is primary and your own work is secondary

 This is also called a background/foreground relationship

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Three (3) Moves
 The CARS model has three (3) rhetorical moves:

• Move 1: Establishing a research territory

• Move 2: Establishing a niche

• Move 3: Occupying the niche

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Move 1: Establishing a
research territory
 a. show that the general area is important, problematic, or
relevant in some way (optional)

 Language examples:
 Recently, there has been a growing interest in…
 The development of …is a classic problem in…
 A central issue is…
 The relationship between…and…has been investigated by many
researchers

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Move 1: Establishing a
research territory
 b. introduce and review items of previous research in the
area (obligatory)

The literature review can be organized:

1) Beginning with established major theories then moving to
theories associated with individual authors
2) In chronological order
3) According to the theories topics or findings

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Move 2: Establishing a niche
 Indicate a gap in the previous research, or extend previous
knowledge in some way (obligatory)

 Language examples
 However, little information…(attention, work, data, research, few
studies, investigations, researchers, attempts)
 The research tended to focus on…
 These studies have emphasized,…as opposed to…

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Move 3: Occupying the
niche
 a. outline purposes or state the nature of present research
(obligatory)

 b. list research questions or hypothesis

 c. announce principal findings

 d. state the value of the present research

 e. indicate the structure of the research paper

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Practice!
 Please look at the introductions I’ve handed out.

 With a partner, please review the introduction

and try to identify the Three (3) Moves.

 What language and content indicated a

rhetorical shift?

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Questions?

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press
 Works Cited
 Swales, John M. and Christine B. Feak. 2007.
Academic Writing for Graduate Students 2nd ed.
Ann Arbor: Univ. of Michigan Press.

Source: Swales and Feak (2009) Academic Writing For Graduate Students. Ann Arbor:
University of Michigan Press