CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

From all of the language skills that should be mastered by a language learner,

writing is considered as the most challenging one (Fareed et al., 2016). In writing,

we are not only focuses on finding an interesting topic but also the right way to state

the idea into a written form so the reader will catch the information and the idea

clearly without having confusion and ambiguity. To write means you only have

words to give information, so, to avoid misunderstanding between the reader and

the writer the words we use must be precise, formal, and generally understood

(Feng-Checkett & Checkett, 2013) .

Furthermore, word selection is not the only thing to considered about when we

write, the idea should also link to each other good order so the flow of the idea in

the writing can be easily understood. Halliday & Hassan (1976) introduces the term

cohesion, it is devices to help link the sentences to each other to produce a coherent

writing, or in other words, to make the ideas in a writing smoothly related to each

other.

Nopita (2011) said that the use cohesion device is to make the paragraph don’t

sound choppy. Cohesion device is divided into two parts, namely; grammatical

cohesion and lexical cohesion. Grammatical cohesion is further divided into

reference, ellipsis, substitution and conjunction, while lexical cohesion is divided

into reiteration and collocation.

1
 2

As language learners, students from the Department of English Education are

expected to be able to write well. On the third semester they must take Basic Writing

course. In this course, students learn how to write various types of texts correctly.

Therefore, students who have taken this course have been given knowledge about

the use of cohesion devices so that they are able to produce a cohesive text. Based

on the above description, researcher is interested in investigating the use of

cohesion devices in writing paragraph by English Education Department students

in Universitas Maritim Raja Ali Haji.

1.2 Limitation of the Problem

This research limits the study about “The English Education Department Students’

Competence in Using Cohesion in Writing Paragraph”. In this paper the researcher

were focused to analyze the cohesion devices in students’ paragraph writing.

1.3 Research Question

This study is done to answer the questions below:

1. How are the students’ competencies in using grammatical cohesion devices

in writing paragraph?

2. How are the students’ competencies in using lexical cohesion devices in

writing paragraph?

1.4 Purpose of the Research

The purpose of this research is:

1. To describe how the students’ competencies are in using grammatical

cohesion devices in writing paragraph.

 3

2. To describe how the students’ competencies are in using lexical cohesion

devices in writing paragraph.

1.5 Significance of the Research

The result of this research is to give useful benefits as follows:

1. Theoretical Significance

This study can contribute knowledge about the cohesion devices in writing

especially writing paragraph.

2. Practical Significance

a. For Students

This study is expected to be useful for the students to expand the students’

knowledge about cohesion so the students can produce a cohesive writing.

b. For Other Researcher

This research is expected to be a reference for other researcher who

interested in developing students writing skill, and hopefully it can give

additional knowledge especially in teaching writing.

1.6 Definition of Key Term

1. Paragraph is an idea in a form of a series of sentences that are related to one

another.

2. Cohesion is devices to link ideas in a paragraph to make a cohesive writing,

cohesion device is divided into grammatical and lexical cohesion.

3. Competence defined as student’s ability in using grammatical and lexical

cohesion devices in writing paragra

 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1 Review of Related Theory

2.1.1 Paragraph Writing

It is important to understand the paragraphs before students actually writing

the sentences. (Oshima et al., 2007) found that the paragraph is the basic

organizational unit for writing group-related sentences and made up of two types of

sentences, which are topic sentence and supporting statements. The amount of topic

sentence in one paragraph is not fixed, but should be sufficient to clearly expand

the main idea.

Paragraph was written to help the reader to get the information written in it.

Paragraphs help readers understand the main idea information and relate it to other

paragraphs. Savage & Mayer (2006) found that a paragraph has three key parts. The

first is the introduction, contains a topic sentence that outlines the main idea of the

paragraph that should be the focus of other paragraphs. Topic sentences are usually

placed at the start of a paragraph, but can also be placed elsewhere. The second part

is the body of the paragraph. Which contains supporting sentences that expand the

main idea. The last part is conclusion. Placed at the end of the paragraph. Emphasize

the point of the paragraph that you want the reader to emphasize. There is usually

a sense of finality.

There are three paragraphs factor that determines the paragraph’s quality. A

paragraph should achieve three elements; unity, coherence and adequate

development. The first is unity, It's about unity of ideas. To be coherent, the

4
 5

paragraph should develop from a single main idea. The main idea is constructed

from at least two sentences and sufficient supporting detail. The main idea used to

drive paragraph unity through the subject. In addition, supporting details are used

to further explain and extend the topic sentence. They should be sufficient to expand

the topic sentence so that the reader can understand the paragraph well.

The second factor is coherence. The link between sentences in a paragraph.

Links between sentences in a paragraph through transitioning words and phrases,

pronoun references, repetition of key terms, and parallel processing. Boardman &

Fridenberg, (2008) found that there are many step to achieve coherence. One way

is to use conjunctions. Subordinating conjunctions, coordinating conjunctions,

transitions, and preposition are general types of conjunctions. Useful for connecting

sentences.

Last is adequate development that must be achieved in a paragraph.

Paragraphs ought to be well expanded and should not leave readers with essential

questions. By providing the right level of supporting detail, choosing the right type

of evidence, and using the right expansion pattern, authors can expand paragraphs

appropriately. There are several paragraphing techniques suggested by Hussen

(2015); brainstorming, planning, drafting, revising and editing.

a. Brainstorming

The first step to writing a paragraph is brainstorming. This is an idea-

gathering technique that acts as a thought organizer and idea collector. This is

counted as a pre-writing activity. (Oshima et al., 2007)suggest that the extra time
 6

an author spends on pre-writing activities, the higher the writing success rate.

Brainstorming can take the form of lists, free text, and mind mapping (Zemach &

Rumisek, 2005). Brainstorming allows the author to collect all potential ideas for

the paragraph and sort and organize them.

b. Planning

The second step, planning, takes place after the author has finished

brainstorming. Planning is when a writer sketches out ideas and puts them in the

form of notes. Planning is the process of choosing and expanding related ideas into

paragraphs after brainstorming (Zemach & Rumisek, 2005). Planning helps you

organize and categorize the ideas you collect in your brainstorm. A plan helps the

author create a sense of unity in the paragraph and gives the reader an introductory

idea of the main topic of the paragraph (Cumming, 2006). It helps to put the ideas

in the correct order and create connections between them.

c. Drafting

The third step in writing a paragraph is drafting, it is the process by which

authors put their ideas down on paper, focusing on content rather than technique

(Hussen, 2015). While writing the first draft, students should find other ideas to add

to the paragraph (Cumming, 2006). Having a good paragraph in the first sentence

is very difficult. A draft is always created as the first letter. A draft is the first

deliverable of paragraphs where the author can insert or add ideas or omit irrelevant

ideas. The focus of the design process is content. Therefore, students do not have

to modify their paragraphs regarding the vocabulary and grammar used.

 7

d. Revising

The next step is revising. Cumming (2006) pointed out that revising is seen

as central to the writing process, as a means by which ideas are born, developed,

and their meanings clarified. Revising means that students check to see if their ideas

are properly structured and arranged. In this step, students explore how a set of

ideas is presented. To determine how the paragraph expands, we need to activate

those logics.

e. Editing

The step in which students review and revise their final version of a

paragraph is named editing. This can be seen as the process of fixing sentence

structure, word’s choice, punctuation, spelling, grammar, and capitalization of

sentences (Hussen, 2015). It is the step where the student pays attention to the

paragraph’s detail. The development of idea is not the focus of this part. Executed

after the revision process. Scientific writing requires the development of systematic

structures, so authors should carefully follow writing development procedures.

Different procedures can lead to inconsistencies and redundancies.

2.1.2 Grammatical Cohesion

Cohesion refers to the range of grammatical and lexical possibilities

available to connect language elements with what precedes and follows the text.

This connection is achieved through the relationship of meaning that exist

within and across sentences (Halliday & Hassan, 1976). Cohesion has a
 8

grammatical cohesion. Grammar cohesion have four elements: references,

substitutions, ellipsis, and conjunctions.

1. Reference

Wales (2011) observe that reference is concerned with relation between

words and extra-linguistic reality. Reference is when one word refers to the

other word. In a text, the terms reference and refer are convenient to describe

the function of words like pronouns and determiners to designate a noun phrase

they identify within the immediate co-text.

According to (Halliday & Hasan, 2014) there are three types of reference,

namely; personal reference, demonstrative reference, comparative reference.

a. Personal Reference

Personal reference is a reference by means of function in the speech

situation, through the category of person. The category of personal reference

includes: (a) personal pronouns, e.g. i, me, you, we, us, him, she, he, her,

they, them, and it; (b) possessive determiners (possessive adjectives), e.g.

my, your, his, her, her, their, their, its; and (c) possessive pronouns, e.g.

mine, his, theirs.

b. Demonstrative Reference

Demonstrative reference is a reference by means of location, on a scale

of proximity. They include the three classes: nominative demonstrative

 9

(this, that, these, those), circumstantial demonstrative (here, there, now,

then), and definite article (the).

c. Comparative Reference

Comparative reference is cohesion in the form of reference that shows

comparison between one thing and another. It is divided into two kinds:

general and particular comparison. General comparison means comparison

that is simply in terms of likeness or unlikeness, without respect to any

particular property: two things may be the same, similar or different (where

‘different’ includes both ‘not the same’ and ‘not similar). General

comparison is expressed by a certain class of adjectives and adverbs.

Adjectives that are used to express general comparison include identity

(same, equal, identical), similarity (similar, such similar), and difference

(other, different, else). Meanwhile, adverbs that are used to express general

comparison include identity (identically), similarity (so, similarly,

likewise), and difference (differently, otherwise). Particular comparison

means comparison that is in respect of quantity and quality. It is also

expressed not by adjectives or adverbs of a special class, but by ordinary

adjectives and adverbs in their comparative forms. Adjectives that are used

to express particular comparison include Numerative (more, fewer, less,

further, additional) and Ephithet (better).

2. Substitution
 10

Substitution is a replacement of one component by another within a text

(SEKEN & Suarnajaya, 2013). A substitute is a short of counter which is used in

place of the repetition of a particular item. The nominal substitutions are

one/ones and same. The verbal substitution is do including the use of does, did,

doing, and done. The clausal substitutions are so and not (SEKEN & Suarnajaya,

2013). Substitution has been classified into four subcategories, too:

one/some/ones (as substitutes of noun phrases), do so/it/that (as substitutes of

predicate), here/there/then (as substitutes of adverbials), and finally so/not (as

substitutes of clauses) (Gailea, Syafrizal, & Hafipah, 2018).

3. Ellipsis

Ellipsis is an omission of an element required by the grammar which is

assumed obvious from the context and need not to be raised. In other words,

ellipsis occurs when some important elements are omitted from a sentence or a

clause and can only be recovered by referring to an element in the preceding

text (Seken et al., 2013). According to Hidayat (2017), ellipsis is the omission

from speech or writing of a word or words that are superfluous or able to be

understood from contextual clues.

For example:

“a tiny being – called Poo – is fully grown and yet (she) measures less than

one inch in length, (she) weighs less than two ounce and (she) is no higher than

a 50p piece).”

4. Conjunction
 11

Conjunction functions to connect one element of text with another. The

element which is connected can be word, phrase, clause, sentence, or even

paragraph (Seken et al., 2013). Conjunction is a borderline case in being mainly

grammatical but with a lexical component in it (Khalil, 1989). According

to Halliday & Hasan (2013), there are four types of conjunction; additive

conjunction, adversative conjunction, causal conjunction, and temporal

conjunction.

a. Additive Conjunction

This conjunction has a function to connect two clauses that contain different

information, and, or, nor, furthermore, besides, that is, in other words, etc.

b. Adversative Conjunction

This conjunction connects two different clauses where each content is in

contrast one to another by using these words such as but, though, yet,

however, on the other hand, in either case, etc.

For example: He is very polite and gentle, however, his sister is such an

arrogant lady.

c. Causal Conjunction

This conjunction indicates a cause or signal. The example of it is so, thus,

hence, therefore, consequently, accordingly, result, in consequence, because

of that, etc.

For the example:

 12

She is known for telling lies all the time, thus, no one would believe her.

d. Temporal Conjunction

Its function is to indicate the order or time when something happens. They

are then, until then, next, afterward, subsequently etc. for example: Your

mother will come home soon, until then, don’t open the door for anyone

else.

2.1.3 Lexical Cohesion

Lexical cohesion deals with the meaning in text. “This is the cohesive effect

achieved by the selection of Vocabulary” (Halliday & Hassan, 1976). It concerns the

way in which lexical items relate to each other and to other cohesive device so

that textual continuity is created. Lexical cohesion concerns two distinct but

related aspects: reiteration and collocation.

a. Reiteration

Reiteration is repetition of a lexical item or occurrence of any kind of

synonym in the context of reference, that is, when the referents of two

occurrences are the same (Halliday and Hassan, 1976). Reiteration could be

in the form of repetition, synonym, hypernym, and general word. All these

devices have the function of reiterating the previous item, either in an

identical or somewhat modified form, and this is the basis for the creation

of a cohesive tie between the items. Often the tie is strengthened by the fact

that the items are co-referential (Tanskanen, 2006).

b. Collocation
 13

Collocation is the use of a word that is related in some way to another

word in the preceding text, either because the word is repeated directly, is

synonymous in some sense, or tends to occur in the same lexical

environment. (Halliday & Hassan, 1976). Collocation is probably the hardest

lexical cohesion to analyse.

2.2 Review of Related Theory

The first study conducted by Yusuf Has (2021) who study cohesion and

coherence in skripsi background in IAIN Parepare. The purpose of this research is

to describe types of cohesion devices used and to infer the students’ competence in

producing coherence writing. The researcher used descriptive qualitative method

for this research and found that students have good competence in using cohesion

and coherence in the background of the skripsi. Almost all of the cohesion devices

found from the data except for substitution.

The second study was conducted by Azmi in 2021, the study was only focusing

on grammatical cohesion devices in the background of skripsi written by students

in Universitas Negri Padang. The research used descriptive qualitative method. The

research aimed to determine the grammatical cohesion devices from the students’

skripsi background. The result of the research was there were 263 cohesion devices

found which consist of reference (142), substitution (62), ellipsis (38), and

conjunction (21).

The third study was conducted in 2016 by Sri Suningsih who studied about

cohesive devices used by students. The researcher used qualitative study to find out

type of grammatical and lexical cohesive devices, the conclusion of the research
 14

was Indonesian major students could produce cohesive devices in their writing.

However, they are quite ignore about some devices such as ellipsis and substitution.

These three previous studies above were related to the topic that the researcher

want to conduct. They have similarities and differences that related to the research.

All of the research above used descriptive qualitative method. The first and third

study analyzed both cohesion and coherence in writing. On the other hand, the

second focused only on grammatical cohesion devices in writing.

 15

2.3 Conceptual Framework

English Education Department Students

Cohesion

Grammatical
Cohesion:
Lexical Cohesion:
- Reference
- Reiteration
- Substitution
- Collocation
- Ellipsis
- Conjunction

The grammatical and lexical cohesion in

paragraph students’ wrote

Figure 2.1 Conceptual Framework

Based on the conceptual framework above, the researcher will analyse cohesive

devices used in paragraph made by English Education Department Students. The

analysis will use the descriptive qualitative method.