Medicinal Plant Research 2025, Vol.15, No.6, 244-253 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/mpr 250 According to the results of topic evolution, early publications mainly focused on the biochemical characteristics and genetic studies of ginseng (with frequent occurrences of terms, like biosynthesis and genome), reflecting an objective, experiment-oriented rhetorical style. After entering the 21st century, research priorities gradually shifted toward pharmacological functions and clinical applications (e.g., anti-cancer, cardioprotective, neuroprotective), accompanied by a stronger emphasis on argumentative and outcome-oriented expressions, indicating a transition of scientific language toward applied and practice-oriented rhetoric (Chen et al., 2017; Arring et al., 2018). Besides, the rise of topics such as “dietary supplements and alternative medicine” signifies an increasing presence of health-related and lifestyle vocabulary in academic discourse, illustrating the expansion of scientific expression toward interdisciplinarity and popularization. 7.2 Rhetorical patterns in highly cited ginseng papers Highly cited ginseng research papers, especially those published in leading journals such as Journal of Ginseng Research and Journal of Natural Medicines, show careful rhetorical organization and strategic citation practices. For example, recent trend analyses and systematic reviews in these journals classify hundreds of studies by research type—such as pharmacology, molecular biology, clinical trials, and reviews—and by research focus, such as ginsenoside biosynthesis or pharmacological mechanisms (Park et al., 2021; Ito and Ito, 2024). These papers usually start with a comprehensive literature review, then divide the research field into systematic sections, and end with integrated insights and future directions. Common writing features include structured abstracts, clear section divisions, and summary tables, which improve clarity and readability. In highly cited ginseng papers, citation density serves multiple rhetorical purposes: establishing authority, providing context for findings, and showing engagement with the academic community. Dense clusters of citations often appear in the background and discussion sections, where authors synthesize previous studies and place their findings within ongoing scholarly debates (Ito and Ito, 2024). Paragraphs are usually organized to move from broad background information to specific discoveries, using smooth transitions to guide readers through complex arguments. This organization keeps the logic clear and strengthens persuasiveness, as seen in systematic reviews and meta-analyses that integrate evidence from multiple sources. 7.3 Linguistic features of clinical research papers Clinical research papers on ginseng, such as systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials, usually use precise reporting language and clear narrative structures to highlight study design, participant characteristics, and outcome measures (Arring et al., 2018). These papers use standardized terms such as “randomized”, “placebo-controlled”, and “outcome measures”, along with structured abstracts to improve clarity and allow comparisons between studies. The narrative structure often follows a logical flow from hypothesis to results, emphasizing transparency and reproducibility in methodology (Arring et al., 2018; Park et al., 2021). Descriptive language plays an important role in data presentation and figure descriptions. Clinical studies often use detailed tables and graphs to show variables, statistical results, and sample characteristics, with explanatory titles summarizing key findings (Arring et al., 2018; Park et al., 2021). For example, a table may list the types of ginseng products tested, dosages, participant demographics, and outcome measures, while figure captions explain the meaning of visualized data and highlight important results (Grazina et al., 2021). 8 Concluding Remarks Research papers on ginseng show clear features in vocabulary and rhetoric. These features are strongly influenced by the norms of scientific writing. The language often includes technical terms, complex noun phrases, and specific sentence structures. These are used to serve rhetorical purposes such as establishing research space, presenting results, and engaging with previous studies. This kind of academic discourse shows high precision, objectivity, and argumentation. The choice of words reflects the focus of the discipline and its way of understanding knowledge. In ginseng research, the language shows systematic patterns, such as using complex syntax to achieve rhetorical goals, organizing the text with clear thematic structures, and building knowledge and authority through citation practices. These linguistic and rhetorical patterns are consistent across scientific fields, though they may vary depending on the research focus and the target audience.
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