The realization of thematic progressionin online ielts writing task 2 samples inan english learning website a case study

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF LINGUISTICS & CULTURES OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES GRADUATION PAPER THE REALIZATION OF THEMATIC PROGRESSION IN ONLINE IELTS WRITING TASK SAMPLES IN AN ENGLISH-LEARNING WEBSITE: A CASE STUDY Supervisor: Nguyễn Thị Minh Tâm (Ph.D.) Student: Nguyễn Văn Thắng Course: QH2016.F1.E1 HA NOI – 2020 ĐẠI HỌC QUỐC GIA HÀ NỘI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC NGOẠI NGỮ KHOA NGÔN NGỮ VÀ VĂN HỐ CÁC NƯỚC NĨI TIẾNG ANH KHỐ LUẬN TỐT NGHIỆP PHÂN TÍCH SỰ TIẾN TRIỂN ĐỀ NGỮ TRONG CÁC BÀI MẪU IELTS TASK TRỰC TUYẾN CỦA MỘT TRANG MẠNG HỌC TIẾNG ANH Giáo viên hướng dẫn: TS Nguyễn Thị Minh Tâm Sinh viên: Nguyễn Văn Thắng Khoá: QH2016.F1.E1 HÀ NỘI – 2020 I hereby state that I: Nguyen Van Thang – Class QH2016.F1.E1, being a candidate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts (B.A Honours Programme) accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Bachelor’s Graduation Paper deposited in the library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the origin of my paper deposited in the library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of the paper Signature Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Ms Nguyen Thi Minh Tam (Ph.D.) for teaching me “Functional Grammar” course, which laid the foundation for my study Given my first encounter with research in Linguistics, she guided me through every step of conducting this paper with her highly selective and enlightening consultation sessions Furthermore, her sense of humour and constant heart-warming encouragement lightened the atmosphere and spurred me on to handle the heavy workload I would also like to acknowledge the Website from which my corpus was taken Without the availability of such materials, this study would not have taken shape Besides, I am immensely grateful to other fellow classmates In the process of completing this research, they willingly offered valuable clarification and explanation for my misgivings Finally, I am appreciative of our families and friends’ love and moral support, which urged me to forge ahead despite setbacks With deepest gratitude, i ABSTRACT This research aims at investigating the frequency of Thematic Progression (TP) patterns and their effects on text quality of online IELTS Writing Task samples Derived from an online website, the corpus consisting of 24 sample essays was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods as well as McCabe’s (1999) model of thematic progression According to the results of this study, Simple Linear pattern is the most frequently employed one in the corpus, followed by Constant, Split Rheme, Split Theme and Derived Hypertheme patterns respectively Such order of frequency is generally in line with the existing literature, while that of Split Rheme is found to be considerably higher than in other studies The analysis also shows that proper employment of TP overall is a contributing factor to the coherence and cohesion of the text, with each type exerting different effects Simple Linear pattern, with its cross-referential links, yields a constantly developing and cohesive text whereas Constant Progression keeps a strong thematic focus Meanwhile, Split Rheme and Split Theme patterns are both found to offer a planned text development and Derived Hypertheme progression creates cohesion with hypernym-hyponym relation Problems related to the overuse of the theme “It” and “There” are also reported from the corpus Future research into this topic is recommended to investigate on a larger scale with the full range of essay genres and other aspects, for example the impact of L1 on TP in essays should be studied in depth as well Keywords: Thematic Progression, Sample IELTS Writing Task 2, text quality ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i ABSTRACT ii LISTS OF TABLES, FIGURES AND ABBREVIATIONS v PART 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale of the Study Research Aims and Objectives 3 Significance Scope of Research Design of the Study CHAPTER I THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Systemic Functional Linguistics and the Metafunctions 1.2 Theme - Rheme System 1.3 Thematic Progression 1.4 Thematic Progression and text quality 1.5 Review of Previous Studies 5 10 11 18 CHAPTER 20 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2.1 IELTS and IELTS Writing Task 2.2 Data Corpus 2.3 Research Methods 2.4 Analytical Framework 2.5 Data Collection and Sampling 2.6 Data Analysis Procedure 20 20 20 20 21 22 22 CHAPTER III 24 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 General Findings 3.2 Simple Linear Progression 3.3 Constant Progression 3.4 Split Rheme Progression 3.5 Split Theme Progression 3.6 Derived Hypertheme Progression 3.7 Problems Related to Thematic Progressions 3.8 Answers to the Research Questions 24 24 27 30 32 35 36 38 40 PART 3: CONCLUSION 44 Summary of the Findings 44 Implications 45 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Studies 46 iii 3.1 3.2 Limitations Suggestions for Further Studies 46 46 REFERENCE 47 APPENDIX 55 iv LISTS OF TABLES, FIGURES AND ABBREVIATIONS LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1: Three metafunctions of language Table 1.2: Types of Topical Themes Table 1.3: Types of Interpersonal Themes Table 1.4: Types of Textual Themes Table 3.1: Proportions of three types of themes 24 Table 3.2: Proportions of five TP types in the corpus 26 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Analytical Framework of TP patterns 21 Figure 3.1: TP patterns of Text and Text 26 Figure 3.2: TP pattern of Text 10 (T-units 8-12) 28 Figure 3.3: TP pattern of Text 21 (T-units 13-15) 29 Figure 3.4: TP pattern of Text (T-units 4-7) 32 Figure 3.5: TP pattern of Text 19 (T-units 1-13) 34 Figure 3.6: TP pattern of Text (T-units 9-15) 36 Figure 3.7: TP pattern of Text (T-units 12-14) 37 Figure 3.8: TP pattern of Text 10 (T-units 6-8) 38 Figure 3.9: TP pattern of Text 20 (T-units 2-4) 39 Figure 3.10: TP pattern of Text (T-units 3-5) 39 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS IELTS: International English Language Testing System TP: Thematic Progression SLP: Simple Linear Pattern CP: Constant Pattern SRP: Split Rheme Pattern STP: Split Theme Pattern DHP: Derived Hypertheme Pattern v PART 1: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the Study The Theme-Rheme system has been a topic of research for language researchers and educators such as Belmonte and McCabe (2001), Bloor and Bloor (1992, 2003), Brown et al (1983), Green et al (2000), Halliday (1994), Halliday and Matthiessen (2014), McCarthy (1991) and McCabe (1999) Generally, there is a consensus among these researchers regarding the role of Theme and Thematic Progression (hereafter called TP) in text coherence and cohesion (Halliday, 1994; Ma, 2001; Mellos, 2011; Naderi & Koohestanian, 2014; Rakhman, 2013; Ren et al., 2009; Wang, 2010) From the perspective of Functional Grammar by M.A.K Halliday, TP plays a crucial part in producing a cohesive and coherent piece of writing Specifically, Ebrahimi and Ebrahimi (2014) assert that TP patterns first “enhance connectivity between ideas” and second “guide the readers through the logical paths constructed by the writers” In the same vein, concerning IELTS Writing Task 2, Soleymanzadeh and Gholami (2014) find that besides morphological, lexical and syntactic aspects, unity, cohesion and coherence, which can be partly achieved through TP, are requirements for effective writing In IELTS Writing Task (Academic Module) specifically, the writers aim at academically and inherently presenting their opinions and supporting ideas using many techniques, among which is the choice and positioning of sentence parts Therefore, the study of Theme and TP is worthwhile as it analyses the contributing factors to the making, persuasive import as well as academic nature of a text (Rørvik, 2003) Besides, writing samples are an intriguing source for analysis as they are supposed to be the model or reference for students Accordingly, the analysis of TP in these writings can highlight certain features related to Theme and TP choices that can influence and be adopted in students’ writings Despite their significance, much research has alluded to the lack of attention to Theme and TP in writing generally and in IELTS Task particularly It is found that too much emphasis is still placed on errors below sentence level such as punctuation, spelling, vocabulary or subject-verb agreement (Soleymanzadeh & Gholami, 2014; Wang, 2007; Wei, 2015; Yang, 2015) while other requirements of coherent discourse organisation, including TP, have been neglected (Yang, 2015) This lack of focus on macro-level discourse is also reported to exist in IELTS Writing Task 2, according to Cotton and Wilson (2011) and Ebrahimi and Ebrahimi (2014) For example, Ebrahimi and Ebrahimi (2014) note that the majority of IELTS examiners tend to focus on linking devices or discourse markers, while only about 30% of them pay attention to logical progression when marking Such insufficient focus on TP is considered as a contributing factor to problems related to text organisation, as highlighted in Bitchener and Basturkmen (2006), Ostrom and Cook (1993, cited in Wei, 2015), Todd, Khongput and Darasawang (2007, as cited in Soleymanzadeh & Gholami, 2014) In particular, Wei (2015, p.1) states that “loosely related events or facts, lack of a focus or central idea”, which are partly due to inappropriate TP choices, are some of the notable problems in students’ writing One further point accounting for the necessity of conducting this study is that this aspect in IELTS Task essays is under-researched According to Ebrahimi (2014, as cited in Coffin & Hewings, 2005), most of research to date has been conducted into the role of argument in IELTS writing and the washback of IELTS tests on the education systems and societies in which they operate (Green, 2006, 2007) while the linguistic features used in the writing section of the IELTS Test have been largely overlooked, except for the research by Ebrahimi and Ebrahimi (2014), Nguyen and Nguyen (2018), Soleymanzadeh and Gholami (2014) Nevertheless, the former is concerned with the correlation between the scoring of IELTS Writing Task and TP patterns while the corpora of the latter two studies consist of samples from published books rather than online sources Such gaps in the current body of research well justify the necessity of investigating Themes and TP in online IELTS Writing Task samples In short, all of the aforementioned conditions afford the researcher a chance to conduct a study entitled “The Realisation of Thematic Progression in Online IELTS Writing Task Samples in an English-learning Website: A Case Study” TEXT 18 In many countries the cost of living is rising What are the effects on individuals and society? What measures can be taken to deal with this problem? It is true that in many countries, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the majority of people to make ends meet While this trend’s effects on individuals and society as a whole are serious, I believe that steps can be taken to address this issue Rising living costs result in hardship for many individuals and serious consequences for society In terms of individuals, they are faced with higher prices for everyday necessities, such as food, paying rent or heating bills They are forced to make cutbacks in their household budgets in order to make the most of the income that they have From the perspective of society, when goods and services are more expensive, major socio-economic changes occur People spend less in stores and on entertainment, or they have to pay in arrears or run up debts, and the whole economy of the country goes into decline However, effective policies must be adopted to tackle the rise in living costs Firstly, governments should provide public subsidies for basic needs, such as food, heating and healthcare For example, universal free medical care should high on the agenda of the government Secondly, if governments curbed public spending on military weapons, they would be able to prioritise expenditure on programmes to reduce taxes for people on low incomes This would help people to afford the higher prices in the shops and enable them to buy the things they need In conclusion, in order to tackle the increase in the cost of living, governments must adopt measures to help those in society who are in most need 72 TEXT 19 People have little understanding of the importance of the natural world What are the reasons for this, and how can people learn more about the natural world? It is true that most people not realise how important the natural world is While there are some reasons to explain this lack of knowledge, there are ways in which people can improve their understanding I believe that the major reason why many people not appreciate the value of the natural world is the disappearance of many traditional ways of life related to working and culture In terms of work, hunting, fishing or agriculture are now the occupation of a small minority of the workforce in most countries Advances in technology mean that most people now spend a large part of their day in a closed working environment, such as an office, shop or factory, without any contact with nature From a cultural perspective, traditional festivals related to the natural seasons in agricultural communities have fallen by the wayside Celebrations of nature, for example at times of spring or harvest, which once provided a link to our roots, continue only in the hands of an ageing population, while younger generations are addicted to the electronic media However, people can learn about the natural world in three important ways Firstly, there are many opportunities to become involved in local volunteer work, carrying out environmentally friendly tasks like planting trees Secondly, schools should include nature studies and environmental science in the curriculum Finally, more nature documentaries on TV and the internet would stimulate a revival of interest in the world around us They are an excellent means of informing the public about life on the planet, and the need to combat the environmental degradation which threatens it In conclusion, although there are important reasons why there is little public understanding of the natural world, there are ways in which this lack of knowledge can be overcome 73 TEXT 20 Research suggests that the majority of criminals who are sent to prison commit crimes when set free What are the reasons? What can be done to solve the problem? It is true that a large proportion of criminals are known to re-offend after they have been released from prison In my opinion, there are some important reasons for this return to a life of crime, but there are solutions which could mitigate the problem I believe that there are two principal reasons why many criminals who have served their sentences, commit further crimes when they are released back into society Firstly, prison is popularly regarded as an institution whose purpose is to punish wrongdoers There is a public outcry against the current operation of prisons, and many argue that only the full weight of the law will act as a deterrent, even though this is obviously not working As a result, few resources are allocated to prison programmes which will help ex-offenders to make a fresh start in society Secondly, prisons are overcrowded and often violent places, in which the most hardened criminals influence and intimidate other inmates, and form networks to plan future crimes, such as a criminal prison gang called the PCC in Brazil Steps should be taken to solve these problems One solution is reintegrating offenders back into the community Programmes can be implemented by institutions which provide vocational training or academic study opportunities in order to give prisoners a chance of rehabilitation and to find work Some universities in the UK and the USA, for example, offer degree programmes to enable offenders to gain qualifications Another solution is to segregate the most dangerous convicts, in order to prevent intimidation and bullying in prisons, from which offenders are released as even more expert criminals In conclusion, while important reasons for the rate of re-offending can be identified, some steps must be taken to implement workable solutions 74 TEXT 21 The tradition that the family gets together to eat meals is disappearing What are the reasons? What are the impacts? It is true that the traditional family mealtime is becoming a thing of the past Personally, there are some reasons which can be put forward to explain this changing pattern of behaviour, and there are significant impacts on family life and health There are two obvious reasons why families no longer share mealtimes as they used to in the past Firstly, children are often too impatient to eat at the table, and parents sometimes allow them to have their meal in front of the TV or sitting in front of the computer Secondly, the close-knit family is disappearing in the face of economic pressures In single-parent households, or in families with working mothers, it can be almost impossible to arrange regular times for meals when all the family is together The consequences for family life and for children’s health are serious From the perspective of the family, meals taken together are an important feature of a stable family background Such family routine is an essential factor in shaping children’s personality during their formative years Family routine mealtimes are a time to share news, give guidance and to make plans together In terms of children’s health, family meals were an opportunity to provide all the family members with a healthier diet, based on wholesome home-made food Without this routine, children are sometimes left to have snacks, or to eat junk food at fast food chains This unhealthy habit often results in health consequences such as obesity and hyperactivity when youngsters fail to eat a balanced diet, such as used to be provided at family mealtimes In conclusion, some reasons can be identified for the decline in shared family meals and the impacts are overwhelmingly negative 75 TEXT 22 Many people believe that international tourism is a bad thing for their country What are the reasons? What are the solutions to change negative attitudes? It is widely argued that global tourism has a negative impact on destination resorts and countries While this view as a strong case, solutions must be applied to resolve some of the serious issues which have arisen There are two primary reasons why local residents often consider international tourism as a cause of serious problems in their countries One reason is that it may have an adverse impact on traditional customs and indigenous practices, because tourists may be insensitive towards the feelings of local residents For example, some western holidaymakers visiting developing Southeast Asian countries may be rowdy or wear unsuitable clothes, which might have an undesirable influence on local young people who copy immodest or provocative behaviour and fashions Another reason is that tourists often pollute or litter beauty spots and several famous beaches in Vietnam, such as Cua Lo and Sam Son, have been spoiled by this lack of respect for the local environment Measures must be taken by governments and international bodies to change negative attitudes Firstly, the undoubted economic benefits of international tourism for local economies ought to be more widely promoted through the official media International tourists spend money in shops and restaurants and create jobs in service industries and this aspect must be publicised At the same time, tourist agencies should urge visitors to respect the local customs and culture of their hosts Secondly, bodies such as the World Tourism Organisation must enforce strict regulations on the tourism industry, ensuring that local operators are responsible for clearing litter and disposing of waste in ways that not harm the environment, and issuing international Blue Flags to indicate clean beaches In conclusion, only by addressing the concerns of local people will negative attitudes to international tourism be changed 76 TEXT 23 Nowadays, many people cannot read or write What problems does this cause? What measures can governments take to solve these problems? It is true that even today, illiteracy is widespread While this presents serious difficulties for individuals and society, there are steps that governments should take to deal with the problem When people can neither read nor write, they are disadvantaged in important ways In terms of the individual consequences of illiteracy, dealing with bureaucracy is a nightmare Reading and writing – or even adding a signature to – an official document is often necessary, for example when people have to apply for social welfare benefits From the perspective of society in general, it is difficult to integrate economic migrants into society who are perhaps illiterate in their home countries, or are unable to read and write in the language of the host country This makes the task of constructing a multicultural society difficult if minority groups are forced to sweated labour, simply because they are illiterate and excluded from better-paid jobs There are, however, policies which national and local authorities can adopt to improve matters Firstly, resources should be allocated to provide basic literacy classes in local colleges or social and community centres to help people to learn to read and write Secondly, government departments must employ staff who have specific responsibility for helping illiterate people to cope with the confusing mass of official paperwork In this way, they will not be discriminated against, for instance by losing welfare rights to which they are entitled Finally, governments even in developing countries must ensure that everyone has the right to a basic education which enables them to read and write In conclusion, although illiteracy is a serious problem, there are steps which governments should take to help those who can neither read nor write 77 TEXT 24 The world of work is changing rapidly and people cannot depend on the same job or the same conditions of work for life Discuss the possible causes for these changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for work in the future It is true that in the modern workplace, employees can no longer rely on keeping the same job, or even the same working conditions, for life While there are some important reasons for this, there are also ways in which people might prepare for work in the future The most important cause for such changes is the introduction of new technology in many fields In terms of manufacturing, few workers can expect to have a steady job This is an inevitable consequence of mechanisation and, while this increases labour productivity, it also reduces the need for workers In product design, for instance, advances in technology, using computer software packages, have resulted in the loss of conventional skills of creative drawing In service industries, online shopping and self-service supermarket checkouts result in fewer staff Order pickers, working alongside robots, in vast warehouses like Amazon mean fewer assistants in stores to provide personal service to customers However, people must prepare for the future world of work by taking certain measures One suggestion is that workers should be prepared to welcome change by accepting the need for flexible working hours, or even moving to another area or country to find employment Another suggestion is that employers ought to play their part by providing vocational courses and training at work, so that their employees can learn new skills For example, a person serving customers in a store would also be able to tackle administrative work requiring them to be computer literate In conclusion, although leading-edge technology has changed how people work, employers and employees must find ways to adapt to such changes 78 APPENDIX 2: THEMATIC PROGRESSION PATTERNS OF THE WRITING CORPUS Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text 79 Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text 80 Thematic Progression of Text Thematic Progression of Text 10 Thematic Progression of Text 11 Thematic Progression of Text 12 81 Thematic Progression of Text 13 Thematic Progression of Text 14 Thematic Progression of Text 15 Thematic Progression of Text 16 82 Thematic Progression of Text 17 Thematic Progression of Text 18 Thematic Progression of Text 19 Thematic Progression of Text 20 83 Thematic Progression of Text 21 Thematic Progression of Text 22 Thematic Progression of Text 23 Thematic Progression of Text 24 84 APPENDIX 3: THEME DISTRIBUTION OF THE WRITING CORPUS Topical % Interpersonal % Textual % SUM Text 50.0 16.7 33.3 18 Text 14 46.7 13.3 12 40.0 30 Text 50.0 11.1 38.9 18 Text 17 60.7 14.3 25.0 28 Text 17 56.7 10.0 10 33.3 30 Text 15 53.6 21.4 25.0 28 Text 13 56.5 13.0 30.4 23 Text 13 59.1 9.1 31.8 22 Text 16 48.5 18.2 11 33.3 33 Text 10 12 60.0 15.0 25.0 20 Text 11 11 45.8 25.0 29.2 24 Text 12 13 54.2 8.3 37.5 24 Text 13 13 72.2 16.7 11.1 18 Text 14 12 70.6 5.9 23.5 17 Text 15 10 66.7 6.7 26.7 15 Text 16 12 75.0 6.3 18.8 16 Text 17 11 61.1 5.6 33.3 18 Text 18 14 58.3 4.2 37.5 24 Text 19 11 61.1 11.1 27.8 18 Text 20 14 60.9 13.0 26.1 23 Text 21 17 70.8 4.2 25.0 24 Text 22 13 68.4 0.0 31.6 19 Text 23 12 57.1 14.3 28.6 21 Text 24 12 57.1 0 42.9 21 Mean 59.2 10.9 85 29.8 APPENDIX 4: THE DISTRIBUTION OF THEMATIC PROGRESSION OF THE WRITING CORPUS CP % SL % HT % ST % SR % SUM Text 0.0 66.7 0.0 0.0 33.3 Text 33.3 66.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 Text 33.3 50.0 0.0 0.0 16.7 Text 40.0 40.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 Text 37.5 50.0 0.0 0.0 12.5 Text 14.3 71.4 0.0 0.0 14.3 Text 40.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 40.0 10 Text 30.0 50.0 10.0 0.0 10.0 10 Text 28.6 57.1 0.0 0.0 14.3 Text 10 28.6 42.9 0.0 0.0 28.6 Text 11 20.0 60.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 Text 12 40.0 20.0 0.0 0.0 40.0 Text 13 20.0 60.0 0.0 0.0 20.0 Text 14 14.3 57.1 0.0 0.0 28.6 Text 15 60.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 10.0 10 Text 16 25.0 25.0 25.0 0.0 25.0 Text 17 16.7 50.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 Text 18 28.6 28.6 0.0 14.3 28.6 Text 19 25.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 75.0 Text 20 40.0 20.0 0.0 20.0 20.0 Text 21 16.7 50.0 0.0 16.7 16.7 Text 22 0.0 33.3 33.3 16.7 16.7 Text 23 16.7 50.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 Text 24 0.0 50.0 0.0 20.0 50.0 Sum 40 Mean 1.6 64 26.7 2.7 42.7 0.2 3.3 86 0.2 36 3.3 1.5 150 24.0 6.3 ... CHAPTER 20 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2. 1 IELTS and IELTS Writing Task 2. 2 Data Corpus 2. 3 Research Methods 2. 4 Analytical Framework 2. 5 Data Collection and Sampling 2. 6 Data Analysis Procedure 20 20 ... researcher a chance to conduct a study entitled ? ?The Realisation of Thematic Progression in Online IELTS Writing Task Samples in an English- learning Website: A Case Study? ?? 2 Research Aims and... by the selection and organisation of these samples for sampling and analysis The total number of sample essays available on the website is 28 , consisting of (1) Argumentative essays – 12 samples,