Following the mode of analysis proposed by Halliday and Hassan (1976), the researcher counted the total number of the cohesive devices used by subjects in each composition, classifying the devices as conjunction, substitution, ellipsis, synonym, repetition, and adverbial.
The raw data collected from the students of Adamu Augie College of Education Argungu, on the use of cohesive devices was used for presentation and analysis. The statistical
techniques employed for the study were frequency count, simple percentages and Chi- square.
The frequency count was used to count all the cohesive devices used by the students for each question separately, to be able to identify the number of use or occurrences of a particular type of cohesive device in a particular type of writing. The simple percentage of responses gave percentage of occurrences of cohesive devices for each question .i.e. what percentage of the cohesive devices used a particular type of writing and what percentage of such devices are less or not used based on a particular type of writing. This was shown in a tabular form and was also interpreted.
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In other to test the hypothesis Chi-square was used to identify the differences in the use of cohesive devices in the three types of writing and also to find out whether there is significant variation in the use of cohesive devices in the five departments.
RQ1: What types of cohesive devices are used in a narrative form of writing?
Table 4: Analysis of an identification test by subjects in Narrative Essay Cohesive Devices Departments
Biology % English Social Studies PES Agric Conjunction 347 37.2% 470 46.3% 389 42.2% 270 34.7% 180 30.6%
Substitution 10 1.1% 06 0.6% 06 0.7% 10 1.3% 12 2.0%
Reference 467 50% 402 39.6% 376 40.8 308 39.5% 207 35.2%
Ellipsis 07 0.9% 08 0.8% 04 0.4% 00 0% 00 00%
Synonym 05 0.5% 12 1.2% 09 1% 40 5.1% 13 2.2%
Repetition 19 2.0% 05 0.5% 15 1.6% 13 1.7% 22 3.7%
Adverbial 76 8.2% 112 11.0% 123 13.%3 138 13.7% 154 26.2%
The analysis of the above table revealed that item 1 of table 4 has the highest percentage (37.2%) in biology department in a narrative essay, while item 2 of the table indicated that 1.1%
of use in the substitution. Item 3 show the highest percentage of 50% of use. Item 4 indicated only 0.9% of use. Similarly, item 5 and item 6 indicated 0.5% and 2.0% of use respectively.
Finally, item 7 of the table indicated 8.2% of use in Biology.
On the same vein, item 1 of the table indicated 46.3% of use by the students of English department, item 2 of the table shows 0.6% while item 3 indicated 39.6% of use. In addition, item 4 of the table show 0.8%. Furthermore, item 5 and 6 indicated 1.2% and 0.5% of use respectively, while item 7 of the table shows 11%.
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Item 1 of the table indicated 42.7% of use among the students of Social Studies but item 2 of the table shows 0.8% only. Item 3 of the table indicated 40.8%. The next item (4) of the table indicated 0.4% only. Similarly, item 5 indicated only 1% of use. In the same vein, item 6 indicated 1.6% respectively. While at last, item 7 of table shows 13.3%.
In PES department, item one of the table indicated 34.7% of use while item 2 shows 1.3%, item 3 of the table shows 39.7% and item 4 of the table indicated less use (0%) .little attention was given to both item 5 and item 6 indicating 5.1% and 1.7% respectively. While item 7 of the table indicated 13.7%.
The findings in Agric Education department revealed that item 1 of the table indicated30.6% but item 2 suggested only 2.0%. item 3 of the table shows 35.2% of use. Item 4 and 5 of the table indicated 0% and 2.7% respectively. While item 6 indicated 3.7%. The table indicated 26.2% for item 7.
The table therefore, indicated that reference has the highest percentage of use in Biology, Primary Education Studies, and Agric Education departments, with the exception of English and Social Studies departments where conjunction devices recorded the highest percentage The adverbial devices were also used across all the departments.. Other cohesive devices such as ellipsis, synonym, substitution and repetition received little attention.
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RQ2: What type of cohesive devices are used in the Expository essay?
Table 5: Analysis of an identification test by subjects in Expository Essay Cohesive Devices Departments
Biology English Social Studies PES Agric Conjunction 356 54.8% 469 50.6% 402 47.4% 294 43.1% 274 51.9%
Substitution 05 0.7% 06 0.6% 09 1.0% 06 0.9% 04 0.8%
Reference 205 31.5% 340 36.7% 304 35.7% 283 41.4% 180 34.2%
Ellipsis 07 01% 08 0.9% 04 0.5% 03 0.4% 01 0.2%
Synonym 08 0.7% 06 0.6% 09 1.1% 08 1.2% 02 0.4%
Repetition 19 2.7% 05 0.5% 04 0.5% 03 0.4% 12 2.3%
Adverbial 53 8.6% 93 10% 116 13.7% 86 12.6% 54 10.2%
The analysis of the above table revealed that item 1 of the table has the highest percentage (54%) in Biology department in expository essay, while item 2 of the table indicated that 0.7% of use in the substitution. Item 3 show 31.5% of use. Item 4 indicated only 1% of use.
Similarly, item 5 and item 6 indicated 0.9% and 2.7% of use respectively. Finally, item 7 of the table indicated 8.6% of use in Biology.
On the same vein, item 1 of the table indicated 50.6% of use by the students of English department, item 2 of the table shows 0.6% while item 3indicated 36.7% of use. In addition, item 4 of the table show 0.9%. Furthermore, item 5 and 6 indicated 0.6% and 0.5% of use respectively, while item 7 of the table shows 10%.
Item 1 of the table indicated47.4% of use among the students of social studies but item2 of the table shows 1% only. Item 3 of the table indicated 35.9%. The next item (4) of the table
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indicated 0.5% only. Similarly, item 5 indicated only 0.5% of use. In the same vein, item 6 indicated o.5% respectively. While at last, item 7 of table shows 13.7%.
In PES department, item one of the table indicated 43.1% of use while item 2 shows 0.9%. item three of the table shows 41.4% and item 4 of the table indicated less use (0.4%) .little attention was given to both item 5 and item 6 indicating 1.2% and 0.4% respectively. While item 7 of the table indicated 12.6%.
The findings in Agric Education Department revealed that item 1 of the table indicated51.9% but item 2 suggested only 0.3%. Item 3 of the table show 34.2% use of cohesive devices. Item 4 and 5 of the table indicated 0.2% and 0.4% respectively. While item 6 indicated 2.3%. The table indicated 10.2 for item 7.
The table therefore, shows that conjunction has the highest percentage of use across all the departments with the exception of Primary Education Studies department where reference took the highest percentage with conjunction taking the second position the next cohesive device that received attention was the adverbial. Other cohesive devices such as ellipsis, synonym, substitution and repetition received lit le attention.
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RQ3: What type of cohesive devices are used in the Argumentative Essay?
Table 6: Analysis of an identification test by subjects in Argumentative essay Cohesive Devices Departments
Biology English Social Studies PES Agric Conjunction 348 43.8% 367 44.5% 380 53% 287 46.7% 208 42%
Substitution 10 1.3% 12 1.2% 09 1.4% 03 0.5% 11 2.2%
Reference 304 38.3% 346 42% 209 31.6% 212 34.5% 186 37.5%
Ellipsis 05 1.0% 04 0.5% 02 0.3% 03 0.5% 04 0.8%
Synonym 13 1.6% 07 0.8% 03 0.5% 04 0.7% 05 1.0%
Repetition 12 1.5% 01 0.1% 03 0.5% 03 0.5% 04 0.8%
Adverbial 99 11% 88 10.7% 84 12.7%. 102 16.6% 78 15.7%
The analysis of the above table revealed that item 1 of table has the highest percentage (43.8%) in biology department in Argumentative essay, while item 2 of the table indicated that 1.3% of use in the substitution. Item 3 shows 43.3% of use. Item 4 indicated only 1% of use.
Similarly, item 5 and item 6 indicated 1.6% and 1.5% of use respectively. Finally, item 7 of the table indicated 11% of use in Biology.
On the same vein, item 1 of the table indicated 44.5% of use by the students of English department, item 2 of the table shows 1.2% while item 3 indicated 42.% of use. In addition, item 4 of the table shows 0.5%. Furthermore, item 5 and 6 indicated 0.8% and 0.1% of use respectively, while item 7 of the table shows 10.7%.
Item 1 of the table indicated 53% of use among the students of social studies but item2 of the table shows .41% only. Item 3 of the table indicated 31.6%. The next item (4) of the table
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indicated 1.3% only. Similarly, item 5 indicated only 0.5% of use. In the same vein, item 6 indicated 0.5% respectively. While at last, item 7 of table shows 12.7%.
In PES department, item 1 of the table indicated 46.7% of use while item 2 shows 0.5%.
Item three of the table shows 34.7% and item 4 of the table indicated less use (0.5%) little attention was given to both item 5 and item 6 indicating 0.7% and 0.5% respectively. While item 7 of the table indicated 16.6%.
The findings in Agric Education department revealed that item 1 of the table indicated 42% but item 2 suggested only 2.2%. Item 3 of the table shows 37.5% of use. Item 4 and 5 of the table indicated 0.8% and 1.0% respectively. While item 6 indicated 0.8%. The table indicated 15.7% for item 7.
The table therefore, shows that conjunction has the highest percentage of use across all the departments in argumentative essay followed by reference devices. The next cohesive device that received attention was the adverbial. Other cohesive devices such as ellipsis, synonym, substitution and repetition did not receive much attention.
RQ4:: Students’ Problems in the Use of Cohesive Devices
From the findings of this research, in general the subjects in the current study were able to employ some cohesive devices in their writings. However, several problems were found in their writings in respect of the devices ranging from wrong use of the devices to inability of the students to use or employ such devices completely.
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Table 7: Analysis of Students’ Problems in the Use of Cohesive Devices.
Cohesive Devices Types of Essay
Narrative Expository Argumentative Conjunction 218 32.0% 119 30.7% 173 36.5%
Substitution 40 9.0% 29 7.5% 25 5.3 % Reference 286 42.0% 156 40.5% 197 41.6%
Ellipsis 23 3.0% 14 3.6% 18 3.8%
Synonym 27 4.0% 17 4.4% 20 4.2%
Repetition 33 4.0% 22 5.7% 12 2.5%
Adverbial 43 6.% 28 7.3% 29 6.1%
The analysis of the table above revealed that item 1 indicated 32% of the total problems faced by the students in narrative .item 2 indicated only 9% while item 3 shows 42%, item 4 suggested 3.0%, item 5 and 6 indicated 4% each respectively, and item 7shows 6%
The findings in an expository essay revealed that item 1 indicated 30.7% of the total problems faced by the students in narrative .item 2 indicated only 7.5% while item 3 shows 40.5%, item 4 suggested 3.6%, item 5 and 6 indicated 4.4% and 5.7% respectively, and item 7shows 4.3%
The findings in an argumentative essay revealed that item 1 indicated 36.5% of the total problems faced by the students in narrative .item 2 indicated only 5.3% while item 3 shows 41.6%. Item 4 suggested 3.8%, item 5 and 6 indicated 4.2%, and 2.5% respectively, and item 7shows 6.1%
The table therefore, shows that reference and conjunction has the highest percentage of students’ problems in the use of cohesive devices in the three types of essay writing, followed by
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adverbial. The next cohesive device in which problems arouse was the synonym. Other cohesive devices such as ellipsis, substitution and repetition are the devices in which little problems were realised.
Some of the students problem include pronoun shift especially in using reference as in:
“At first the foreigner found himself in fishing festival Argungu, he will see a lot of people that aware in the place, you expected to see even then, you will see them”.
Likewise in repetition thus:
The leaders are the source of breaking the laws and order for achievement of their personal aims. Especially during the political periods, a leaders will use all the power and the material that he has to make sure his personal aims achieved. A leaders may find among groups of ……….of their responsible at that time.
Over use of lexical item is another problem in the use of cohesive devices, thus:
Although, it is a celebration of made by those that mostly indigenes of Argungu.
However, occasion is organised to display acts and also different traditional display.