Using (Swales, 1990) and (Swales, 2004) Create-A-Research-Space model (CARS) as an investigative tool and Hyland's (2005) model of metadiscourse, this article reports on a pragmatic two-level rhetorical analysis of the constituent moves and steps of research article introductions and focuses on the identification and mapping of the metadiscoursal features most frequently employed to signal such moves. Findings reveal that the application of Swales' CARS models shows no radical departure from the traditionally prescribed M1+M2+M3 rhetorical pattern, and unveil the existence of particular step combinational patterns to achieve different communicative purposes. On the one hand, a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the metadiscourse in the moves indicates that evidentials, transition markers and code glosses are the most pervasive interactive categories. On the other hand, interactional metadiscourse is best reflected through the use of hedges and boosters. It is through a balanced combination of these two types of metadiscoursal features that writers manage to guide readers through the argumentative nature of the introduction to position themselves within the wider research context while abiding by the politeness conventions that underlie academic writing. This study has pedagogical implications for the writing practices of native and non-native researchers and contributes to the widening of current research on the genre of the RA. (Contains 8 tables and 3 figures.)