A topical structure analysis to create coherence in english essays of fourth year students at english department at vietnam national university, university of language and international studies

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ HỒNG A TOPICAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS TO CREATE COHERENCE IN ENGLISH ESSAYS OF FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS AT ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (Phân tích cấu trúc chủ đề để tạo liên kết mạch lạc luận tiếng Anh sinh viên năm khoa Anh, trường đại học Ngoại Ngữ, đại học Quốc Gia Hà Nội) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60220201 HANOI- 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ HỒNG A TOPICAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS TO CREATE COHERENCE IN ENGLISH ESSAYS OF FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS AT ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (Phân tích cấu trúc chủ đề để tạo liên kết mạch lạc luận tiếng Anh sinh viên năm khoa Anh, trường đại học Ngoại Ngữ, đại học Quốc Gia Hà Nội) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 60220201 Supervisor : Professor Hoàng Văn Vân HANOI- 2016 DECLARATION I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled A TOPICAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS TO CREATE COHERENCE IN ENGLISH ESSAYS OF FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS AT ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in English Linguistics Except where the reference is indicated, no other person‟s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the text of the thesis Moreover, I hereby declare that all the essays which have been used as the primary source for the research has been allowed to be investigated by the students who wrote the essays and the teacher who rated the essays and all these essays haven‟t been used in any preceding research Hanoi, 2016 Nguyễn Thị Hồng i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis could not have been completed without the help and support from a number of people First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Hoàng Văn Vân, my supervisor, who has patiently and constantly supported me through the stages of the study, and whose stimulating ideas, expertise, and suggestions have inspired me greatly through my growth as an academic researcher Secondly, I would like to give my deep thank to Mr Lê Thành A (the pseudonym name of the lecturer), the lecturer of Literature in English in Vietnam National University, University of Language and International Studies, and he is the rater of the essays which I used as primary source of data for my research Last but not least, I am greatly indebted to my family, my friends for the sacrifice they have devoted to the fulfillment of this academic work ii ABSTRACT The present paper sets out to investigate English essays of Vietnamese learners using the Topical structure analysis (TSA) developed by Lautamatii (1978) In the population of forty essays written by forth year students at ULIS, VNU, twenty-six essays including thirteen high-rated and thirteen low-rated ones were taken out for two objectives The first objective is to compare and contrast the physical features of two groups and the topical structures The second objective is to establish a possible relationship between the essay holistic evaluation and the type of topical progressions used Data analysis has revealed the moderately physical differences between two groups in terms of t-units, topical depths, but no significant difference could be found in the numbers of paragraphs and topical structures In addition, findings also indicated that there was significant difference in the progression proportions used in two groups, especially in parallel progression in body paragraph and the subtypes of sequential progression in introductions and conclusions iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ABSTRACT TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES INTRODUCTION DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER - LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Theoretical background of coherence in written texts 1.1.1 Overview of coherence 1.1.2 1.1.2.1 1.1.2.2 1.1.2.3 1.1.3 1.1.3.1 1.1.3.2 Topical structure analysis (TSA) 1.2 Theoretical background of TSA 1.2.1 1.2.2 iv 1.3 Review of the related studies 1.3.1 The findin 1.3.2 The findin 1.4 Summary CHAPTER – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 Research methodology 2.1.1 Restatement of research questions 2.1.2 Research a 2.1.3 Principles 2.2 Research methods 2.2.1 Topical St 2.2.2 Data collec 2.2.3 Data analy 2.3 Summary CHAPTER - FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 3.1 The physical features of essays 3.1.1 Findings o 3.1.1.1 Numbers of essay T-units, paragraphs and sub 3.1.1.2 Findings on the topical structures of clauses 3.1.2 Discussion 3.1.2.1 Numbers of t-units, paragraphs, and sub-topics 3.1.2.2 The topical structures of t-units in essays 3.2 Proportions of topical progressions in essays 3.2.1 Findings o 3.2.1.1 Topical progressions used in all essay paragr 3.2.1.2 Topical progressions in introductions and co 3.2.2 Discussion 3.2.2.1 Topical progressions in all essay paragraphs 3.2.2.2 Topical progressions in introductions and co v CONCLUSION 41 REFERENCE 44 APPENDICES……………………………………………………………… .I vi The analysis of some low-rated essays Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild (1)Life in the wilderness (T1) is a constant fight against nature for survival (2) To survive, human beings (T2) need to fight to the nature even to them, so the wild animals (3) In the novel" The Call of the Wild" (T4), this statement is clearer (4) This novel (T1) said about a long life of a particular dog called Buck (5) It (T1) describes about life and love (6) Love (T1) exists not only between human and human but also between human and wild animals (7) After reading this novel, it is said that people will have a new vision about life of animals (T5) (8) Both people and animals (T1) also have the conflict to exist (9) In this novel, it is said that there were not only internal conflicts but also external conflicts (T5) (10) They (T1) exist at the same time and attracts readers (11) One of the major external conflict (T1) is a struggle for power with another dog called Spitz (12) Buck (T1) is familiar with living in a wealthy and powerful family, (13) so he (T2) has some characteristics like these rich people (14) He (T1) was sold many times and to be a member in a team (15) In this team, Spitz (T2) is the leader (16) This leader – Spitz (T1) does not pay attention to the other dogs (17) He (T1) laughs when seeing Curly attacked (18)After observing Spitz‟s action, Buck (T2) looks down on him even hate him so much “from that momment Buck hates him with a bitter and deathless hatred” (source) (19) In addition, he (T2) desires to become a leader to replace Spitz (20) This desire (T1) is bigger and bigger (21) While Spitz (T2) also hates Buck and always competes with him (22)Spitz (T1) wishes to give Buck to the death as soon as possible (23) Therefore, they (T2) have a lot of small attacks to each other (24) The climax (T1) happens only when Buck is in pursuit of a rabbit and Spitz thwart (25) They (T1) end up fighting (26) and Buck (T2) wins, taking over as leader of the sled dog team.(27) “Buck (T1) stands and looks on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good.” (28) After his struggle, he (T2) is self-confident in front of the others (29) This struggle (T1) is also a solution for both Buck and Spitz (30) Who wishes to exist (T1) needs to win (31) In this world, they (T2) need to fight for survival and not have another decision (32) In the battle, only one animal (T2) can survive and exist: Buck or Spitz (33) Finally, Buck (T2) is the champion and becomes the leader (34) This external conflict (T1) expresses the thirst for survival of all wild animal in general, and of Buck and Spitz in particular Be killed or kill things? (35) To sum up, Call of the Wild (T2) consists a lot of conficts which partly expresses the life of human (36) If human (T4) wish to exist, they need to fight XX Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild Life in the wilderness Human beings and wild animals T T It Both people and animals 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 C 36 XXI Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild (1)The Call of the Wild (T1) is one of the most famous novels of Jack London (2) The novel (T1) is about the life of a dog Buck (3) There are a lot of conflicts (T3) in the book of Jack London: between man and man, man and dog, and dog and dog (4) Besides these external conflicts, internal conflicts (T2) in the mind of Buck are very special (5) In chapter 2, we can see that he has a strong conflict (T5) when he has to decide whether to become subservient before the life of wildness or to assert himself (6) The name of this chapter (T1) is “The law of club and fang”, (7) it means the rules (T3) governing this society (8) Stripped of the niceties of civilization, the only rule (T2) that governs, a rule that supersedes any loyalty, is the rule of power (9) As we know that Buck (T5) is a civilized dog, (10) and he (T2) had a comfortable life in his first master (11) However, after his master died, he (T2) gets so many difficulties to adapt the life of wildness (12) The distinction (T1) in his mind between the civilization and the wildness is strong (13) Firstly, when Buck (T4) sees the death of Curly, it is an important symbolic moment in the novel (14) In the previous chapter, we find that the man with the club (T5) supported for the brutal relationship between humans and their dogs; (15) Curly’s fate (T1) here express that this savagery also exists among the dogs themselves (16) Friendliness and peaceful coexistence (T1) is replaced by cruelty and violence, (17) and any animal (T2) that cannot stand up for itself will be killed ruthlessly (18)“So that was the way,” Buck (T2) realizes “No fair play.” (19) Fair play (T1) is the law of civilization; (20) but, in the wilderness, the only law (T2) is the “law of club and fang.” (21) Curly’s death (T1) symbolizes the transition to this new, harsher law of life (22) The old Buck (T1) is a creature of civilization, (23) and he (T2) would die “for a moral consideration”; (24) but the new Buck (T2) is more than willing to steal food from his masters (25) Buck (T1) has to adjust to this bleak, cruel vision of animal existence when he realizes that the moral focus of human civilization have no place in the kill-or-bekilled world of the wild (26) What order does appear in this world (T1) is instead the order of the pack, which we observe in the way the other members of the team help train Buck as a sled dog (27) Even within the pack rivalry surfaces, however, as the emerging antagonism (T2) between Spitz and Buck demonstrates (28) Adapting this new way of life (T1) is the final decision of Buck (29) This is also the only way for him (T3) if he wants to live in that world (30) In conclusion, the life (T2) is never fair, in both human‟s life and wild life (31) Therefore, anybody (T2) has to fight to have a better life (32) Also, Buck (T2) in this situation (33) From a civilized dog, he (T2) becomes a sled dog (34) Buck (T1) instinctively knows that either he asserts himself or becomes subservient or even killed XXII No 1 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 The call of the wild The novel A lots of conflicts Internal conflicts 29 30 31 32 33 34 Topic: Internal conflict in The call of the wild (1)“The call of the wild”(T1), as its meaningful name, is a really wonderful story describing the changes of Buck from a domesticated dog to a wild animal and struggle for survival (2) When the circumstance alters, it (T4) is forced to give up its previous happy life and learns to adapt to new hard environment even by becoming more aggressive and designing (3) As shown clearly, after being sold to Francois by the gardener, it seems to get through an internal conflict (T5) between the consciousness of a civilized dog and its wild instinct to follow the wildlife rules so as to protect itself from danger (4) Coming from the world of civilization, Buck (T2) never thinks that, one day, it must serve any people except Judge Miller, stand in lower position than other dogs and worry about its existence (5) However, things (T2) change totally when it does not live in Mr Miller‟s house anymore (6) After falling into the hand of Francois, following to this man and some other dogs (T2) seems to be a must to Buck because violence is around (7) and if it unfortunately makes something wrong or does not satisfy the man or its partners, it (T4) can be punished seriously or even killed (8) Therefore, although it, without doubt, does not want to lose its authority, it (T4) has no other better way in this situation (9) There appears that at the first time (T3), “every hour was filled with shock and surprise (10) He (T1) had been suddenly jerked from the heart of civilization and flung into the heart of things primordial”… “All was confusion and action, and every moment life and limb were in peril”(source) (11) Buck (T1) is clearly not familiar to this complied way, (12) so it (T2) tends to show its resistant attitude and being beaten terribly is an obvious result (13) In the dog‟s mind, it (T2) is likely to still think of itself as a pampered animal of Judge Miller, (14) so it (T2) has no need to obey anyone (15) and its inner arrogance (T2) does not let it be under others; (16) however, it is the fact that it (T5) cannot win the rods of wise people and strong attack of some aggressive dogs (17) Sometimes, silence (T2) is a good way for Buck to be alive, (18) but in several cases, it (T2) still does not really work (19) As can be seen in chapter two, “The law of club and fand”, it is believed that the rule (T5) “no fight, no lives” is completely true for all animals at this time (20) As a civilized dog, no doubt, Buck (T2) does not want to fight and bite madly as other ones (21) and for sure, it (T2) find not interesting or easy to struggle like that (22) “He (T1) had never seen dogs fight as these wolfish creatures fought, (23) and his first experience (T2) taught him an unforgettable lesson” (24) Besides, if it does so, it (T4) may feel that it is same to the usual ones (25) However, if it always makes concession, it (T4) will not be in safe because of being attacked continuously (26) As a result, Buck (T2) goes to the call of the wild at the end and returns to its instinct of a wild animal for saving the life (27) Getting through the time in difficulty, it (T2) recognizes that status is no longer important, (28) but knowing how to adapt (T2) to new environment and learn to survive in all situations is much essential (29) It may be true for XXIV Buck (T3) to think that “Though his dignity was sorely hurt by thus being made a draught animal, he was too wise to rebel He buckled down with a will and did his best, though it was all new and strange” Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild No Topical depth The call of the wild It It Buck It It 10 He 11 12 Buck It 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 It It Buck It He It It 26 27 28 Buck It 29 Buck Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild (1)The call of the Wind (T1) is one of Jack London‟s best- loved novels (2) The main character (T1) is Buck (3) He (T1) has several both external and internal conflicts which make reader unable to take their eyes of the novel (4) Buck (T1) has external conflict between himself and Spitz- the leader of Perrault‟s dog team (5) When Buck first appears in dog team, Spitz (T4) shows himself to be the leader (6) When towing, Spitz (T2) seems to be a leader by “while he could not always get at Buck, he growled sharp reproof now and again, or cunningly threw his weight in the traces to jerk Buck into the way he should go” (source) (7) Maybe the conflict (T2) between Buck and Spitz is easy to understand (8) To exist in dangerous nature and to be the best, they (T2) have to fight and be willing to sacrifice (9) Buck (T1) wants to be the most important part of dog team while Spitz knows that Buck is a barrier (10) Therefore, either Buck or Spitz (T2) realizes that among them there is only one can become the winner and a survival game will be occurred whenever and wherever, like in the novel, Francois's rejoinder "All de tam I watch dat Buck I know for sure Lissen: some dam fine day heem get mad lak hell an' den heem chew dat Spitz all up an) spit heem out on de snow Sure I know." (11)Throughout first three parts of the novel, the fight (T2) appears many times (12) First (T1) is when Spitz shows his power by bits Buck and guide him to their work (13)Then, Buck (T2) tries to make a mess by motivating other dogs not following Spitz‟s order (14) And Buck (T2) is very intelligent as Francois says “Dat Buck for sure learn queek as anyt'ing" when doing his plan without Perrault and Francois awareness (15) And the climax or the solution of this conflict (T2) is the survival fight which one of them is the winner and one loses, or even dies (16) This fight (T1) occurs when both of them and many other dogs caught a rabbit (17) When Spitz caught the rabbit, Buck (T4) rushes in and devours Spitz (18) But it is not easy because Spitz (T5) is an experienced dog, (19) he (T1) avoids the attacks of Buck, even fall Buck many times (20) There is a time (T3) thought as Buck losers, (21) but by his creativity, he (T2) bites broken two legs of Spitz, and finally the fatal bite, ending any hope of Spitz (22) The end of conflict (T1) is “The dark circle became a dot on the moon-flooded snow as Spitz disappeared from view Buck XXVI stood and looked on, the successful champion, the dominant primordial beast who had made his kill and found it good.” (23) To sum up, the conflict (T2) between Buck and Spitz is quite simple (24) It (T1) presents the natural rude that the strongest will be the winner (25) If you only stay the same and unchanged anything, you (T4) will be lose you will be disqualified from the survival life fight at any time Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild No Topical depth The call of the wild 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 XXVII Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild (1)In the literature, describing psychological (T2) requires subtle observations of the author; (2) however, with Jack London, this (T2) seemed to be gifted by God (3) In novel “Call of the Wild”, the story about Buck – a dog, all his feelings, emotions (T2) were built very closely and vivid (4) Especially, in the end of the novel, Jack’s talent (T2) clearly revealed through Buck‟s conflict between his love for Thornton and the wildlife (5) John Thornton (T1) is one of the surprising complexities in the novel (6) Throughout entire the story, Buck’s transformation (T2) from a tame dog to wild beast, (7) and one of the reasons of this transformation (T2) is due to the man who take roles as Buck‟s masters (8) However, John Thornton (T2) was exception; (9) he (T1) was different from other Buck‟s masters (10) Buck (T1) accepted John Thornton because John treats Buck with love, honor and mutual respect (11) With Buck, John (T2) was “the ideal master”; (12) he (T1) is the human connection (13) The relationship between Buck and Thornton (T1) was not master and servant; (14) that (T1) is relationship between partnership (15) Nevertheless, this connection (T2) did not last long because John was died (16) Last connecting to human (T1) was disappeared, (17) Buck (T1) was pushed back the wildlife fully (18) The end of the novel (T1) was the image of Buck with “the dominant primordial beast,” is the ultimate killer (19) Perhaps, in the deep soul of Buck, he (T2) always wanted to come back to human life, come back to small house when he was a pet, (20) but life (T2) did not allow him to turn back because no one could accept him as John, no one could rescue him once again (21) He (T1) must be stronger to exist because the kill-or-be-killed was the nature of life in the wild, must run into a new world where the others accept him (22) Maybe that (T2) was the only way of Buck; (23) there was no solution (T3) to rescue Buck back (24) If John was not died, Buck (T4) could turn back into human life and have a happy life with John; (25) Buck (T1) would not become a beast (26) However, the society (T2) at that time did not allow (27) A killer (T1) must be killed, (28) and there was the only way (T5) for a murder (29) This novel (T1) was not only a story about a dog but also behind it was a brutal society where shoved an honest man to a beast, (30) and there was no way (T5) for him to escape (31) That was the society (T3) Jack London wanted to reflect through this novel “Call of the Wild” XXVIII Topic: External conflict in The call of the wild No 1 The story about Buck Jack's talent John Thornton Buck's transformatio One of the reas John Thornton He 10 11 12 Buck John He 13 14 15 16 17 Buck 18 19 He 20 21 He 22 23 24 25 Buck Buck 26 27 28 29 This novel 30 31 XXIX ...HANOI- 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES NGUYỄN THỊ HỒNG A TOPICAL STRUCTURE ANALYSIS TO CREATE COHERENCE. .. ANALYSIS TO CREATE COHERENCE IN ENGLISH ESSAYS OF FOURTH YEAR STUDENTS AT ENGLISH DEPARTMENT AT VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (Phân tích cấu trúc... in all essay paragraphs Both groups of essays mainly use SP and PP at the last paragraph of the essays However, the percentage of SP in low-rated essays is greater than high-rated 32 essays, and