Rhetorical Strategies and Grammar
Proficiency in the Compositions of
Bambang Yudi Cahyono
This
study investigated the use of rhetorical strategies in English persuasive
essays written by Indonesian university students of EFL. The study also
examined the extent to which grammar proficiency is predictive of the
rhetorical strategies used in the English persuasive essays. Two extreme groups
of undergraduate students were involved – the first and fourth year students in
the English Department of the State University of Malang,
Indonesia. The students were assigned to write English persuasive essays on
whether violence on the television should be restricted. This study shows that
there is a statistically significant difference between the rhetorical
strategies used in English persuasive essays written by the first and fourth
year students. In general, the fourth year students are more successful than
the first year students in using the superstructure of argument, the Toulmin model of informal reasoning, and the persuasive
appeals. This study also shows that there is a positive significant correlation
between the students’ grammar proficiency and the rhetorical strategies used in
English persuasive essays.
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Cahyono, B. Y. (2001, April). Rhetorical strategies and grammar proficiency in the
compositions of Indonesian university students. Paper
presented at the 36th RELC International Seminar,
Website:
www.geocities.com/eltindonesia
Email:
eltindonesia@yahoo.com