Creating a Research Space (the CARS Model)

I am teaching this workshop on writing thesis/dissertation abstracts. The audience is primarily Seoul National University students in the natural sciences and engineering fields.

In preparing for this workshop, I noticed that there was little out there that really described how to write this particular type of abstract, and even less advice and tips for the ESL writer. I did however come across the CARS model (Create A Research Space) developed by Swales and Feak, that is not only very useful to ESL writers but I think valuable to all academic writers in general.

Basically the CARS model outlines three steps for creating a research space; all closely related to the concept of niche. In many instances, writers are taught to move from a general to specific focus in their writing. However, conceptualizing the writing in this manner could be too simplistic – it seems to imply a single step from a general description to a specific description without really specifying how or why that move should be made, or what the real purpose behind making such a move is. This is where the CARS model becomes really valuable. It consists of three main steps and a series of sub-steps that more clearly define what the individual steps are that the writer needs to take:

• Move 1: Establishing a research territory
  • step 1: claiming centrality, and/or
  • step 2: placing your research within the filed, and/or
  • step 3: reviewing items of previous research
• Move 2: Establishing a niche
  • step 1a: Counter-claiming, or
  • step 1b: Indicating a gap in current research, or
  • step 1c: Question raising, or
  • step 1d: Continuing a tradition
• Move 3: Occupying the niche
  • step 1a: Outlining purposes, or
  • step 1b: Announcing present research
  • step 2: Announcing principle findings
  • step 3: Indicating research article structure

The CARS model is from English in Today’s Research World: a writing guide (Swales and Fea, 2000). This book is published by the University of Michigan Press: Michigan Series in English for Academic and Professional Purposes. This series has a lot of valuable books that are of use for the academic writer – definitely worth a look.