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Science in the news: critical genre analysis of science popularization news

This paper presents a Critical Genre Analysis (advocated in MEURER, 2002; BHATIA, 2004; MOTTA-ROTH, 2005, based on the theoretical principles of BAKHTIN, 1986; SWALES, 2004; CHOULIARAKI; FAIRCLOUGH, 1999; HALLIDAY, 2004) of science popularization (PC) news, focusing on the reported speech that popularizes science. Thirty exemplars of PC news from the BBC News and Scientific American sites were analyzed. Through the mobilization of different enunciative standpoints (researcher, colleague / institutions, government, public and the journalist him / herself), the media performs three discursive functions: inform about new findings, explain scientific principles / concepts, and clarify the relevance of the research for the collectivity. The expression of scientists and colleagues is hegemonic, the public participation, timid.

Critical Genre Analysis; pop science news; enunciative standpoints


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