Unpacking the rhetoric of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statements for academic job application purposes: A step-driven rhetorical move study

Despite the wealth of productive ESP/EAP research on promotional genres over the past decade, such research has yet to spotlight Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statements (DEISs) for academic job application purposes in U.S. higher education. To address this gap, this study systematically analyzes the rhetorical features of 80 DEISs and explores the perceptions of faculty administrators, ESP/EAP writing teachers, and novice writers regarding the genre analysis findings.

A step-driven rhetorical move analysis targeting the frequency and distribution of rhetorical moves/steps, as well as patterns in inter- and intra-move sequences within the DEISs, was implemented. The analysis unveiled five reoccurring moves, each consisting of multiple steps, with varying frequencies across different texts. It also identified a mixture of circular, linear, and somewhat disorganized patterns in inter-move sequences.

Furthermore, through subsequent semi-structured interviews with three faculty members and one L2 student writer, the study revealed a consensus among the interviewees regarding the practical value of the genre analytic findings, particularly for ESP/EAP writing instruction and professional assessment. Meanwhile, it highlighted the interviewees’ mixed reactions concerning specific rhetorical features of the DEISs and their collective doubts surrounding the writing and use of DEISs.