Using genre theory along with the hierarchy of scientific statement types of Latour and Woolgar (1979) and the scientific stases and scientific topoi of Prelli (1989), this thesis analyzes the three Nobel lectures in chemistry from 1996 to discern the characteristics of ceremonial discourse in science and its relation to scientific ethos. Throughout, the Nobel lectures are analyzed in reference to the original research reports published in the scientific literature. The unique social context of the Nobel lectures results in a distinct genre with textual characteristics that include statements with little moderation or hedging, arguments for the long-term significance of the work, recognition of colleagues and coworkers, and, significantly, discussion of the nature of science itself and of proper conceptual approaches and procedures.
","abstract_html":"<p>Using genre theory along with the hierarchy of scientific statement types of Latour and Woolgar (1979) and the scientific <em>stases</em> and scientific <em>topoi</em> of Prelli (1989), this thesis analyzes the three Nobel lectures in chemistry from 1996 to discern the characteristics of ceremonial discourse in science and its relation to scientific ethos. Throughout, the Nobel lectures are analyzed in reference to the original research reports published in the scientific literature. The unique social context of the Nobel lectures results in a distinct genre with textual characteristics that include statements with little moderation or hedging, arguments for the long-term significance of the work, recognition of colleagues and coworkers, and, significantly, discussion of the nature of science itself and of proper conceptual approaches and procedures.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Casper, Christian Fredrick"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Arts (MA)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"English Language and Literature","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Ann M. Blakeslee, Ph.D., Chair","Nancy Allen, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2005,"date_issued":"2005-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2005-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:30Z","subjects":["Rhetoric","Communication in science","Rhetoric and Composition"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/125","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Ann M. Blakeslee, Ph.D., Chair","Nancy Allen, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Casper, Christian Fredrick"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["English Language and Literature"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Arts (MA)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Rhetoric","Communication in science","Rhetoric and Composition"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/125"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Using genre theory along with the hierarchy of scientific statement types of Latour and Woolgar (1979) and the scientific stases and scientific topoi of Prelli (1989), this thesis analyzes the three Nobel lectures in chemistry from 1996 to discern the characteristics of ceremonial discourse in science and its relation to scientific ethos. Throughout, the Nobel lectures are analyzed in reference to the original research reports published in the scientific literature. The unique social context of the Nobel lectures results in a distinct genre with textual characteristics that include statements with little moderation or hedging, arguments for the long-term significance of the work, recognition of colleagues and coworkers, and, significantly, discussion of the nature of science itself and of proper conceptual approaches and procedures.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["In praise of carbon: Genre and the 1996 Nobel lectures in chemistry by Christian Fredrick Casper"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Ann M. Blakeslee, Ph.D., Chair","Nancy Allen, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Casper, Christian Fredrick"],"dc:description.abstract":["Using genre theory along with the hierarchy of scientific statement types of Latour and Woolgar (1979) and the scientific stases and scientific topoi of Prelli (1989), this thesis analyzes the three Nobel lectures in chemistry from 1996 to discern the characteristics of ceremonial discourse in science and its relation to scientific ethos. Throughout, the Nobel lectures are analyzed in reference to the original research reports published in the scientific literature. The unique social context of the Nobel lectures results in a distinct genre with textual characteristics that include statements with little moderation or hedging, arguments for the long-term significance of the work, recognition of colleagues and coworkers, and, significantly, discussion of the nature of science itself and of proper conceptual approaches and procedures.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/125"],"dc:subject":["Rhetoric","Communication in science","Rhetoric and Composition"],"dc:title":["In praise of carbon: Genre and the 1996 Nobel lectures in chemistry by Christian Fredrick Casper"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["English Language and Literature"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Arts (MA)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:16:30Z"}