Review Articles in the English-Language Medical Discourse: Functional Systematization of Genre Varieties
https://doi.org/10.32603/2412-8562-2025-11-4-166-176
Abstract
Introduction. Review is a common type of academic articles, however, its genre status, as well as discursive characteristics of its varieties, have yet to be studied. Analysis of discourse practices of Review in the English-language segment of academic medical discourse might bridge this gap, therefore the objective of the paper is to systematize genre varieties of English-language medical Review in the context of the functional approach to publication discourse practices.
Methodology and sources. The research corpus was collected with original review articles from the leading medical journals, i.e. The New England Journal of Medicine, The British Medical Journal, The Lancet. Semantic analysis, as well as definition analysis, were used to study the requirements for authors, which contents were then verified by the contents and structure of the original articles to assess their genre varieties. Comparative analysis of genre characteristics was used to systematize traditional types of review article, as well as to identify relatively new and specific genre varieties for medical academic discourse.
Results and discussion. The universal genre of review scientific articles in the English-language medical discourse include Review (the Lancet), Clinical Review (BMJ), Clinical Practice Review (NEJM). Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis in medical discourse focus on a comprehensive analysis of bibliographic sources, databases and scientific literature and largely promote evidence-based approaches in medicine. Specific genre varieties of Review, namely Live Systematic Review, Hypotheses, Seminar, Series, Viewpoint, Therapeutics, were identified and analyzed.
Conclusion. The functional approach to Review systematization in the English-language segment of medical academic discourse has proven effective and potentially applicable to other genres, types of discourse and language cultures.
About the Authors
Yu. N. Naumenko
N.N. Burdenko Voronezh State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Yulia N. Naumenko – Can. Sci. (Philology, 2021), Associate Professor at the Department of Foreign Languages
10 Studencheskaya str., Voronezh 394036.
The author of 27 scientific publications.
Area of expertise: linguistics, academic discourse in higher education and science.
A. O. Stebletsova
N.N. Burdenko Voronezh State Medical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Anna O. Stebletsova – Dr. Sci. (Philology, 2016), Docent (2010), Head of the Foreign Languages Department
10 Studencheskaya str., Voronezh 394036.
The author of 124 scientific publications.
Area of expertise: applied linguistics and discourse analysis, professional communication, academic English writing and medical research genres.
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For citations:
Naumenko Yu.N., Stebletsova A.O. Review Articles in the English-Language Medical Discourse: Functional Systematization of Genre Varieties. Discourse. 2025;11(4):166-176. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.32603/2412-8562-2025-11-4-166-176
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