The Effect of Topical Structure Analysis Instruction on University Students’ Writing Quality

Abstract

Coherence is considered one of the characteristics of effective writing. Topical structure analysis (TSA) has been taught to students as a revision strategy to raise their awareness of importance of textual coherence and helps them clearly understand its concept. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of TSA instruction in improving university students' writing quality and to explore the proportions of topical progression in essays written by high and low proficiency students. It also examined the opinions of the students on TSA instruction. The participants consisted of two groups of 20 third year students majoring English Education at Chiangrai Rajabhat University. Data were collected through the pretest and the posttest of essay writing, two selected essays of high and low proficiency students, a questionnaire and an interview. The results indicated that TSA instruction had a significantly positive effect on students' writing quality. More specifically, TSA instruction was more beneficial to the low proficiency students than the high proficiency ones. Further, both successful and less succesful students employed the sequential progression the most in the essays. The students had positive opinions on TSA instruction.

Topical Structure Analysis as an Assessment Tool in Student Academic Writing

“…Interestingly, findings of the present study resonate with the findings of some studies (Liangprayoon, Chaya, & Thep-ackraphong, 2013;Alamaden 2006;Carreon, 2006;Simpson, 2000;Schneider & Connor, 1990;Connor & Farmer, 1990) where presence or use of topical progressions is highly evident in the students' writings.…”

“…This contrast could be attributed to the difference in genre or text type used in writing: extended definition essay vs. comparison-and-contrast essay for the present study. Ghabanchi andAlavi (2011, (in Liangprayoon, Chaya, &Thep-ackraphong, 2013) "found in their study this relationship between text type and topical progression used" (p. 65).…”

“…Finally, Oshima andHogue (2006, in Liangprayoon, Chaya, &Thep-ackraphong, 2013) argued that "when writers write expository essays (which includes compare-contrast essays, parenthetical note supplied), they develop their ideas in the essays by adding details and giving examples of the topics they discuss" (p. 66).…”

تحلیل البنیان الموضعی الداخلی للمقالات الجدلیة لدى طلبة الجامعات المصریة

“…This is why L2 learners experience the pressure of transferring their own culture writing conventions into the second language writing discourse (Zainuddin and Moore, 2003). Furthermore, finding a relation between the writer and the reader in addition to establishing a connection between clauses, sentences, and paragraphs are the keys to successful written texts (Liangprayoon et al, 2013;Almaden, 2006).…”

English language proficiency level of Higher Secondary level students in Nepal

“…Yunus, Salehi, & Nordin (2012) suggest the stepwise procedures of software paragraph punch writing comprising the procedures of selecting a topic, constructing a topic sentence, generating supporting ideas and writing a conclusion. Liangprayoon, Chaya, & Thepackraphong (2013) prescribe the topical structure analysis consisting of two segments namely topic and comment for raising learners' awareness in the textual coherence. Jingxia & Li (2013) prescribe the theme theory to help learners "get out of the narrow scope of syntax improving their writing coherence and overall writing proficiency" (p. 128).…”