A Study of Thai Postgraduate Students’ Authorial Voices in Writing Research Proposals: Systemic Functional Linguistics Perspective
Udomkrit Srinon, PhD

Abstract
This paper presents the analysis of the written texts produced by two Thai postgraduate students whose authorial voices are projected in their research proposals. It highlights how the students project themselves in the introductions and final parts of their proposals at the beginning of their candidature in an EIL PhD program. The study uses the SFL Appraisal framework developed by Martin and White (2005) as a tool to analyse the students? writing. Two students? texts are analysed within the particular “Engagement” system; heterogloss, which is of the larger appraisal framework. The preliminary results of the analysis indicate the students use more dialogic expansion (entertaining and attributing resources) to project their voices and positions at the beginning and ending of their writing than the contracting resources. This trend could be a result of receiving some instructions from their other previous courses or their writing background. It is argued that further development of the students? writing is needed for when they are required to counter other people?s opinions in their fields logically and effectively. However, it is suggested that if students are supervised systemically and frequently, they could develop their own ways of writing clearly when making a position or an argumentation more effectively by being concerned with the audience and the ways that they are engaged in the community discourse. The paper also suggests some pedagogical applications for the further development of effective and explicit authorial stance in academic writing.

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