Formulaic sequences and lexical bundles of pre-sessional Malaysian university students /
English is considered as the second language in Malaysia (Jalaluddin, Mat Awal, & Abu Bakar, 2008). In fact, English is a compulsory subject in Malaysian education, where students have been introduced to the English language since preschool. Thus, Malaysian graduates are expected to successfully...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://studentrepo.iium.edu.my/handle/123456789/11238 |
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| Summary: | English is considered as the second language in Malaysia (Jalaluddin, Mat Awal, & Abu Bakar, 2008). In fact, English is a compulsory subject in Malaysian education, where students have been introduced to the English language since preschool. Thus, Malaysian graduates are expected to successfully acquire and master the language, however, this has not been the case. By conducting a study on formulaic sequences and lexical bundles which have been found to be an indicator of language mastery, we can evaluate the language development of Malaysian university students. Wray (2002:9) defined formulaic sequences as ‘sequences, continuous or discontinuous, of words or other elements, which is, or appears to be, prefabricated: that is, stored and retrieved whole from memory at the same time of use’. One of the elements in formulaic sequences that will be focussed on in this study is lexical bundles. Lexical bundles was introduced in the Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English and defined as multi-word expressions in academic prose (Biber, 2004). Nevertheless, there are a few other definitions for lexical bundles identified as it has been used several times according to scholar’s perspectives. This study aims to explore and examine the lexical bundles used by pre-sessional Malaysian university students in academic writing. To accomplish this, the structural and functional classification introduced by Biber et al.’s (1999) taxonomy were used as a guide in the analysis of 50 graphic-oriented and open-ended essays. In addition, the structural classifications were used as the framework to classify the types of lexical bundles used, whether it is Noun Phrase (NP) or Prepositional Phrase (PP), whereas for functional classification, the lexical bundles will be divided into four categories consisting of referential bundles, discourse organisers, stance bundles and interactional bundles. The essays were analysed and digitised using computer programmes such as AntConc and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The result reveals that NP and PP are the two dominant lexical bundles structures, while referential bundles and stance bundles are the most favourable bundles in functional classification. This is because each element functions based on the types of essays that rely on the attention of the writers to address the readers. It is therefore recommended that in the future, more research should be carried out using the same essay questions and students from the same course, as it will ensure controlled data. This study recommends that in order to enhance the proper use of lexical bundles, students should be exposed to activities that raise awareness about lexical bundles as it will help to improve the students’ writing. |
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| Item Description: | Abstracts in English and Arabic.
"A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Human Science (Applied Linguistics)." --On title page. |
| Physical Description: | xii, 89 leaves : illustrations ; 30 cm. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-87). |