This article is a practical report which examines the relationship between
the use of cohesive devices in expository writings and their quality. During an
academic year, forty Grade 12 kosen students were assigned four take-home
writing tasks, followed by writing instructions focusing on the importance of
cohesion and coherence. The last task at the end of the year was analyzed for
this study based on the frequency of cohesive devices used and the evaluation of
writing products. The use of cohesive devices was examined in terms of
reference, lexical cohesion and incidence scores of connectives, applying
indices which were introduced in Halliday & Hassan (1976). In addition, the
writing products were rated using EFL Composition Profile established by
Nakanishi (2006). The results showed that the participants heavily used
personal pronouns, especially the first and second person pronouns, and also
repeated the same words to maintain cohesiveness in their writing products.
Furthermore, a correlation analysis revealed a moderate relationship between
the quality of writing products and the use of personal pronouns. However, no
correlation was found between the quality of writing and either lexical cohesion
or incidence scores of connectives. Further analysis demonstrated more
frequent use of expressions such as “I think” and “I believe”, which are usually
used in conversation or informal settings. The results of this study suggested
that instructions will be necessary on what type of register and paragraph
organization should be used in accordance to an individual rhetorical mode.
Moreover, exercises are recommended where learners are encouraged to replace
words, expressions and sentence structures which they have already used in their
products, regardless of their proficiency levels.
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