Textual deviation and coherence problems in the writings of Arab students at the University of Bahrain: sources and solutions

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Qaddumi, Muhammad K.H. (1995) Textual deviation and coherence problems in the writings of Arab students at the University of Bahrain: sources and solutions. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

The present study compares the writings of a group of Arab students at the University of Bahrain in both Arabic and English. The main purpose is to investigate possible sources and solutions to the problem of textual incoherence and deviation. To this end, four hundred and sixty composition papers have been reviewed and thirty texts were analyzed in both languages to discover possible interference at the linguistic, cultural and rhetorical levels.

The study investigates a variety of opinions on coherence from different perspectives such as cohesion, recoverability, continuity, development of topics, role of lexis, text structure and organization. For the analysis of texts, the researcher proposes and applies a new measurement for text coherence and topic development.

The cultural, rhetorical and linguistic background of Arabic is presented as variables affecting students' performance in writing in both Arabic and English. The analysis of texts reveals that repetition, parallelism, sentence length, lack of variation and misuse of certain cohesive devices are major sources of incoherence and textual deviation in students' writing. The study is supplemented by the views of the Arabic Department staff on the quality of students' performance in Arabic. Interpretation of and solutions to various problems are suggested. The major conclusion is that there should be more concentration on the preservation of topic unity in teaching writing. A proposed plan for teaching writing based on the findings of this study is also suggested.

Item Type: Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors: Carter, R.A.
Subjects: P Language and literature > PE English
Faculties/Schools: UK Campuses > Faculty of Arts > School of English
Item ID: 11212
Depositing User: EP, Services
Date Deposited: 31 Mar 2010 12:34
Last Modified: 14 Oct 2017 19:46
URI: https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/11212

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