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Title:	Using summary and paraphrase strategies in enhancing grammatical cohesion in Iraqi EFL tertiary learners' argumentative essays
Authors:	Jasim Mohammed Abbas (P69994)
Supervisor:	Mohamad Subakir Mohd. Yasin, Dr.
Keywords:	Dissertations, Academic -- Malaysia English language -- Study and teaching -- Iraq -- Foreign speakers
Issue Date:	12-Aug-2016
Description:	Writing argumentative essays has always been a challenging task to Iraqi EFL learners in general. Using Halliday and Hasan's Cohesion model and Hyland's Contrastive Rhetoric theory, this study aims at discovering these learners' use and awareness of grammatical cohesive devices as well as attempting to identify how these devices are used in creating cohesive argumentative essays. This study also attempts to show how grammatical cohesive devices usage is affected by the Arabic language. In doing so, the study also compares and evaluates the current method of teaching writing in Iraqi syllabus with the CUNY Assessment Test in Writing (CATW) method adapted for this study, that is, via the use of reading paraphrasing strategy in teaching a writing course. The primary data for this study come from a questionnaire comprising of 90 students in their third year at Al-Iraqiya University and 120 written samples collected from a pre-test, regular assignments and a final test. In addition, classroom observations and interviews are also conducted to provide relevant supportive data. The writing samples, classroom observations and the interviews are qualitatively analyzed while the questionnaire data are analyzed quantitatively using the SPSS descriptive analysis. The findings show that the students' initial essays are considered non-cohesive because they contain a high percentage use of inappropriate references and conjunctions. In contrast, the usage of substitutions and ellipses usage are verylow which bear a trademark of non-cohesive writings. The students' final essays show a better use and awareness of the four types of grammatical cohesive devices since their awareness has been considerably increased through trainings. However, the usage of other cohesive devices like substitution and ellipsis is still insufficient and in need of improvement. These findings are reinforced by the questionnaire, interviews, and classroom observations data which show the students are mostly unaware of the importance of grammatical cohesive devices because of the interference from the Arabic language as well as the effects of the teaching methods. Hence, this study concludes that the current method of teaching argumentative essays in Iraqi syllabus do not produce cohesive essays. Thus, an approach similar to the CATW approach adapted for this study with several other important modifications to suit the need of the Iraqi EFL students is recommended.,Certification of Masters/Doctorial Thesis' is not available,Ph.D
Pages:	320
Call Number:	PE1128.A2.A234 2017 tesis
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Fakulti Sains Sosial dan Kemanusiaan

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