Biomedical engineering is a relatively new sub-discipline of
engineering. However, this sub-discipline is particularly vital, focusing
on improving human healthcare and treatment. Meanwhile, English
research articles are increasingly used in advanced education as a
means to disseminate and ratify knowledge. Therefore, the
understanding of how biomedical engineering research articles are
constructed will be beneficial for both students and practitioners in this
sub-discipline. This study analyzes a set of the Methods section of
biomedical engineering research articles written in English with the
objective of elucidating what constitutes appropriate academic style of
writing in this discipline and genre. The dataset representing the high
quality journals in the field is analyzed, using Swales' genre analysis
(2004). The structural organization underlying the Methods section of
biomedical engineering research articles is identified, consisting of a
set of iriformation elements organized in a particular pattern. The
textual organization displays the unique and distinctive nature of
academic communication in this sub-discipline. In addition, the
findings are pedagogically applicable, providing biomedical
engineering graduates with the skills required in disseminating their
knowledge and expertise in the academia, and alerting them to the
existence of intellectual diversity. The study also demonstrates the role
of linguistics to provide an intellectual and holistic understanding of
biomedical engineering enterprise.
