An Analysis of Topical Structure in Argumentative Essays of EFL Learners

Year 2018, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 33 - 39, 01.12.2018

Bilal Genç Volkan Darmaz Namık Ülkersoy

Abstract

In teaching and learning foreign language teachers
and learners aim to improve four skills to the extent which is considered
native-like or at least advanced. Quite naturally success in each skill is assessed
based on different parameters. This paper explores improvement in writing
skills of English language learners through the examinations of compositions
written in May of 2014 and 2017. Syntactic and lexical complexities alongside
with topical structure analysis are used to discover the potential improvement
between the two groups of papers written by 31 participants of the study. The
statistical analyses revealed that there were statistically significant
differences between the two performances of the participant students writing
performances in terms of lexical complexity and a remarkable though not
significant improvement in their syntactic complexity.

Keywords

topical structure analysis, argumentative essay

References

• Almaden, D. O. (2006). An Analysis of the Topical Structure of Paragraphs Written by Filipino Students. The Asia-Pacific Education Research, 15 (1), 127-153.
• Alptekin, C. (2008). Topical Structure Analysis of Student Compositions in English and Turkish. In N. Kunt, J. Shibliyev and F. Erozan (Eds.), ELT Profession: Challenges & Prospects: The Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on ELT (pp.1-5). Muenchen: Lincom Gmbh.
• Bowen, G. A. (2009). Document Analysis as a Qualitative Research Method. Qualitative Research Journal, 9 (2), 27-40.
• Brown, H. D. (2004). Language assessment: Principles and classroom practices. White Plains, NY: Pearson Education.
• Dumanig, F. P., Esteban, I. C., Lee, Y. P. & Gan, A. D. (2009). Topical Structure Analysis of American and Philippine Editorials. Journal for the Advancement of Science & Arts, 1 (1), 63-72.
• Hamp-Lyons, L. (1994). Second language writing: assessment issues. B. Kroll (Ed.). Second Language Writing: Research Insights for the Classroom (pp.69-87). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Kılıc, M., Genc, B., & Bada, E. (2016). Topical Structure in Argumentative Essays of EFL Learners and Implications for Writing Classes. Journal of Language and Linguistics Studies, 12 (2), 107-116.
• Lautamatti, L. (1987). Observations on the Development of the Topic of Simplified Discourse. In U. Connor and R .B. Kaplan (Eds.), Writing across Languages: Analysis of L2 Text (pp.87-114). Reading, MA: Addison Wesley.
• Liangprayoon, S., Chaya, W. & Thep-ackraphong, T. (2013). The Effect of Topical Structure Analysis Instruction on University Students’ Writing Quality. English Language Teaching, 6 (7), 60-71.
• Schneider, M. & Connor, U. (1991). Analyzing topical structure: Not all topics are equal. Studies in Second Language Acquisition 12, 411-427. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0272263100009505
• Simpson, J. M. (2000). Topical Structure Analysis of Academic Paragraphs in English and Spanish. Journal of Second Language Writing, 9 (3), 293-309. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1060-3743(00)00029-1