An Analysis of Conjunctive Cohesive Devices in EFL Students’ Academic Writings

Abstract

This research focuses on the analysis of conjunctive cohesive devices in EFL students' academic writings. Conjunctive cohesive devices are grammatical tools that connect words, sentences, and ideas, playing a crucial role in creating cohesive discourse. The study aims to examine the awareness and usage of conjunctive cohesive devices among second- and fourth-year students in the English department, and to determine the frequency of their usage in academic writing. The research was conducted at Cihan University, involving twenty-four students from both academic levels. The participants were asked to write an essay titled 'the importance of learning English.' The collected data were analyzed based on the number, variety, and usage of conjunctive cohesive devices. The findings reveal that four types of conjunctions were commonly used by the students, and there were differences in the usage patterns between second- and fourth-year students. While fourth-year students displayed a higher awareness and usage of conjunctions compared to second-year students, there were still instances of misuse and limited variety in both groups. Overall, this study emphasizes the significance of conjunctive cohesive devices in EFL students' academic writing and highlights the need for improved awareness and diversified usage of these devices. The findings contribute to a better understanding of how conjunctive cohesive devices contribute to the coherence and cohesion of written discourse.