Genre analysis (GA) studies aim at creating a relationship between the text features and their underlying objectives, systematically built upon a series of moves. Highly motivated by the need to improve graduate students' skills in writing research articles (RAs) and adopting Swales' (1990) Introduction-Method-Results-Discussion (IMRD) framework; the current action research reports on the stages of Genre-Based Instruction (GBI). At the same time, the research describes the features of the RA sections written by twelve Iranian MA TEFL students after the GBI, and reflects their views on this instruction. In parallel, the tasks were created framing the study within the situated learning theory (Lave & Wenger, 1991). The participants received instruction on the organization of RAs, with a particular emphasis on the moves and relying on Swales and Feak's (2012) tasks. Lecture session guidelines and in- and out-of-class group and individual tasks were planned to help form learner's rhetorical repertoire. Analyses of various drafts and student views indicated an advanced awareness and a nuanced understanding of the writing conventions practiced in the composition of the RAs. The results show that such courses could promisingly support early researchers to become members of the discourse community.