5.1.6　Research Questions

The present study,as an empirical investigation under the framework of genre knowledge for intercultural communication,examines the differences in genre practices in three local disciplinary communities and explores possible explanations for the differences in social context.It aims to address the following research questions:

1.What are the differences in genre practices among Master’s students in China,New Zealand and America?

2.Is there a relation between the differences and the epistemological and social traditions of the three local disciplinary communities?