| Abstract in English | 第1-7页 |
| Abstract in Chinese | 第7-8页 |
| List of Figures | 第8-9页 |
| List of Tables | 第9-13页 |
| Chapter 1 Introduction | 第13-21页 |
| ·Background of the present study | 第13-14页 |
| ·Significance of the present study | 第14-19页 |
| ·Linguistic significance | 第14-16页 |
| ·Practical significance | 第16-19页 |
| ·Scope and structure of the present study | 第19-21页 |
| Chapter 2 Literature Review | 第21-37页 |
| ·Studies on epistemic modality | 第21-31页 |
| ·Theoretical studies of modality | 第21-29页 |
| ·Modality in logistics | 第21-22页 |
| ·Modality in semantics | 第22-23页 |
| ·Modality in Halliday's SFG | 第23-27页 |
| ·Modality in Engagement system | 第27-29页 |
| ·Empirical studies of modality | 第29-31页 |
| ·Studies on Introductions of research articles | 第31-35页 |
| ·Studies on the structure of Introductions | 第32-34页 |
| ·Studies on the lexical-grammatical features of Introductions | 第34-35页 |
| ·Summary | 第35-37页 |
| Chapter 3 A Functional Approach to the Analysis of Epistemic Modality | 第37-54页 |
| ·Theoretical foundations for the analysis of epistemic modality | 第37-49页 |
| ·Dialogism and intertextuality | 第37-41页 |
| ·Bakhtin's dialogism | 第37-40页 |
| ·Kristeva's intertextuality | 第40-41页 |
| ·Interpersonal meaning within SFG | 第41-43页 |
| ·Halliday's interpersonal meaning | 第41-42页 |
| ·Thompson's system of evaluation | 第42-43页 |
| ·Martin's APPRAISAL theory | 第43-45页 |
| ·Engagement system within APPRAISAL | 第45-49页 |
| ·A suggested model for the analysis of epistemic modality | 第49-52页 |
| ·Summary | 第52-54页 |
| Chapter 4 Coordinating Interpersonal Relationship | 第54-67页 |
| ·Acknowledging readers' role in ratifying knowledge | 第54-58页 |
| ·Perceiving the possibility of disagreement | 第55-57页 |
| ·Accepting the existence of previous research | 第57-58页 |
| ·Initiating and sustaining dialogue with readers | 第58-61页 |
| ·Inviting different opinions | 第59-60页 |
| ·Engaging with existed voices | 第60-61页 |
| ·Creating solidarity in discourse community | 第61-66页 |
| ·Aligning with agreeing positions | 第62-64页 |
| ·Establishing solidity of knowledge claims | 第64-65页 |
| ·Achieving consensus with established statements | 第65-66页 |
| ·Summary | 第66-67页 |
| Chapter 5 Staging Academic Communication | 第67-84页 |
| ·Catering for the objectivity of scientific language | 第67-70页 |
| ·Attributing the source of claims | 第68-69页 |
| ·Diminishing writers' presence | 第69-70页 |
| ·Retaining the subjectivity of authorial stance | 第70-76页 |
| ·Subjective evaluation of existed literature | 第71-73页 |
| ·Subjective certainty of knowledge claims | 第73-74页 |
| ·Balance of subjectivity and objectivity | 第74-76页 |
| ·Fulfilling the communicative purposes of "Three Moves" | 第76-83页 |
| ·Dialogic expansion | 第80-81页 |
| ·Dialogic contraction | 第81-83页 |
| ·Summary | 第83-84页 |
| Chapter 6 Conclusion | 第84-88页 |
| ·Summary of major findings | 第84-85页 |
| ·Implications of the present study | 第85-86页 |
| ·Limitations and further studies | 第86-88页 |
| Bibliography | 第88-97页 |
| Appendix | 第97-99页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第99-100页 |
| 攻读学位期间取得的科研成果清单 | 第100页 |
