Term
Fall 10-15-2015
Capstone
Thesis
Degree Name
MAESL
Primary Advisor/Dissertation Chair
Julia Reimer
Secondary Advisor/Reader One
Bonnie Swierzbin
Peer-Reviewer/Reader Two
Amani K. Hamdan
Abstract
This capstone analyzes 25 texts written by female university students in Saudi Arabia using the paradigm of Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and genre-based writing focusing on the textual metafunction. The research methodology used was a description of the patterns that emerged in the students’ writing related to features of coherence and cohesion with basic frequency tables to support the qualitative data. The findings illustrate that while the texts showed some clear elements of coherence and cohesion and a partial understanding of the genre used in instruction, similar to international and regional studies, features of academic writing related to the textual metafunction were used inappropriately or showed a lack of language complexity. The participants’ writing, at times, illustrated missing elements of the genre requested and overuse of basic and underuse of more complex cohesive devices. Implications for L2 writing are discussed to assist students in creating more effective texts.
Keywords
ESL/ ELLs, Writing
Recommended Citation
Deraney, Philline Mary, "Analysis of EFL Academic Writing in a Saudi University" (2015). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations. 238.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_all/238