| Abstract | 第1-6页 |
| 摘要 | 第6-9页 |
| Chapter One Introduction | 第9-14页 |
| ·Background of the present research | 第9-10页 |
| ·Necessity of the present research | 第10-11页 |
| ·Research questions | 第11-12页 |
| ·Organization of the present thesis | 第12-14页 |
| Chapter Two Literature Review | 第14-24页 |
| ·Concepts related to the present study | 第14-17页 |
| ·Clause | 第14-15页 |
| ·Theme and rheme | 第15页 |
| ·Classification of theme | 第15-16页 |
| ·Thematic progression | 第16-17页 |
| ·Models of thematic progression patterns | 第17-20页 |
| ·Relevant Studies on TP patterns | 第20-24页 |
| Chapter Three Theoretical Framework | 第24-30页 |
| ·Logical semantic relations in defining TP patterns | 第24-26页 |
| ·Thematic progression patterns for the analysis | 第26-30页 |
| Chapter Four Research Methodology | 第30-46页 |
| ·Data collection | 第30-31页 |
| ·Research procedure | 第31-32页 |
| ·Sample analysis | 第32-42页 |
| ·Analysis of an abstract sample written by a native student of English majoring in Linguistics | 第32-35页 |
| ·Analysis of an English abstract sample written by a Chinese student majoring in Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics | 第35-40页 |
| ·Analysis of an English abstract sample written by a Chinese student majoring in Chinese Linguistics and Philosophy | 第40-42页 |
| ·Quantitative Studies | 第42-46页 |
| Chapter Five Results and Discussion | 第46-54页 |
| ·The preferred TP patterns in each group | 第46-48页 |
| ·The similarities and differences of TP patterns of the three groups | 第48-49页 |
| ·The present research findings and the previous ones | 第49-50页 |
| ·Factors contributing to the similarities and differences | 第50-54页 |
| Chapter Six Conclusion | 第54-57页 |
| ·Brief summary of the research | 第54-55页 |
| ·Limitations of this study | 第55页 |
| ·Recommendations for future studies | 第55-57页 |
| Bibliography | 第57-60页 |
| Appendix | 第60-68页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第68页 |
