An Exploration of Generic Tendencies in Applied Linguistics Titles

Realizing the need for empirical investigation, this study explored the generic structure of titles of theses and articles in Applied Linguistics. The study took into account 1871 thesis and article titles, assuming that titles of theses and articles have little in common as far as their communicative purposes are concerned. Categorization of the titles was made according to their varying structural constructions and informativeness. The thesis titles appeared to be more informative while the article titles demonstrated greater variation in their structures. An in-depth understanding of a genre which can, to some extent, be brought about by the works done in this area seems unavoidable. This study can definitely increase students‘ awareness of the effects of the generic differences on the conventions of writing which consequently helps them operate effectively in a certain genre.