INTRODUCTION
Rationale
In the era of globalization, English has become crucial in various sectors, including economy, politics, and culture, resulting in a high demand for English education worldwide Recently, learners have prioritized communication skills, often misunderstanding that communication competence solely pertains to spoken language This misconception has led to an overemphasis on speaking and listening abilities, while writing skills receive inadequate attention As noted by Coffin and Hewings (as cited in Xinghua & Thompson, 2009), there is a significant lack of focus on the writing skills of EFL/ESL students.
Recent developments in teaching writing skills in English are promising, as writing is a crucial skill for effective communication and learning Setiawan et al (2014) emphasize that writing enables learners to express their ideas in a foreign language The primary goal of teaching writing is to enhance students' learning and improve their daily communication skills.
Ho Hoang Thuy (2009) supported with this view She said that writing skill helps
“developing the students’ English writing skill in paticular and communicative competence in general” (p.61)
Writing skills are crucial yet complex, as highlighted by various studies (Setiawan et al., 2014; Trinh & Nguyen, 2014; Nguyen, 2009) According to Tangpermpoon (2008), writing poses significant challenges for learners due to the necessity of mastering lexical and syntactic knowledge, along with organizational principles in a second language Additionally, Hoang (2010) points out that the low quality of English language teaching contributes to the difficulties in writing skills (as noted in Trinh & Nguyen, 2014) Consequently, these issues are particularly evident in writing classes within the Vietnamese context.
Learners often neglect to utilize effective writing strategies and a clear understanding of the writing process when creating their texts (Trinh & Nguyen, 2014, p.65) Eliwarti and Maarof (2014) highlight that achieving proficiency in writing requires simultaneous engagement in various activities They assert that as students articulate their ideas, they must consider appropriate vocabulary, spelling, mechanics, style, and the correct structure to construct coherent English sentences (p.112).
Language serves a crucial role in expressing opinions, attitudes, and thoughts about people, objects, and phenomena The ability to convey interpersonal meanings—such as opinions, judgments, and emotions—is vital for fostering critical thinking skills among students This expression occurs in both spoken and written forms, highlighting the high demand for effective evaluation and idea construction in communication Mastery of evaluative language is essential for learners when crafting evaluative paragraphs; however, many struggle with its proper and effective use Given the importance of evaluative language, numerous studies have been conducted in this area, including research by Mei and Allison (2005), Xinghua and Thompson (2009), and Lancaster (2014).
In Vietnam, there is a scarcity of studies on evaluative language, which is also seldom taught in English writing classes This highlights the need for the research titled "An investigation into how Vietnamese students have improved the use of evaluative language to express attitude in English paragraph writing - a case study of Nguyen Truong To High School in Hue City." The study aims to enhance understanding of students' use of evaluative language in writing and provide valuable suggestions for teachers and students in English writing classes It will equip English teachers with effective strategies for teaching evaluative paragraphs and help students clearly understand and master evaluative paragraph writing in English.
Aims of the study
This study aims to achieve three specific objectives: first, to analyze the evaluative language used to express attitudes in English paragraph writing; second, to investigate how students construct evaluative paragraphs in English; and third, to offer recommendations for enhancing students' skills in writing evaluative paragraphs.
Scope of the study
This study explores the application of evaluative language in writing tasks based on three topics assigned to high school students in Hue, utilizing the Appraisal framework Conducted with 40 students from grade 11B4 at NTT High School, the research specifically examines the ATTITUDE subsystem, one of the three key components of the Appraisal framework.
Research Question
In order to serve the aforesaid aims, the study attempts to answer the following questions:
1 What are students' perceptions of the use of evaluative language in writing in English?
2 How have Nguyen Truong To high school students used evaluative language to express attitude about some given topics in their paragraph writing in English?
3 Which techniques can be applied to improve their evaluative writing in English paragraphs?
Research Significance
This study aims to enhance understanding of how students utilize evaluative language in writing, providing valuable insights for both teachers and students in English writing classes It offers recommendations for teachers on effective strategies to teach evaluative paragraphs, while also helping students to clearly grasp and improve their skills in writing evaluative paragraphs in English.
Thesis organization
This study includes five chapters
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This chapter reviews relevant studies on the use of evaluative language and its theoretical background.
Previous studies
The ability to convey emotions, attitudes, and opinions is crucial for effective communication As noted by Ngo and Unsworth (2015), expressing feelings and viewpoints fosters a unique relationship with the audience, either by aligning with their perspectives or persuading them toward a specific stance Language plays a vital role in articulating these interpersonal meanings.
“there exist opinion-related meanings in language as resources of evaluation or appraisal in language”(Wu, 2013, p.55) Wu also showed that:
Attitude is a crucial aspect of appraisal resources, significantly influencing the expression of interpersonal meanings in language It reflects how one behaves towards others or in specific situations, revealing underlying feelings The Appraisal Framework offers a structured approach to analyze how language is utilized to evaluate, adopt stances, and establish interpersonal relationships.
Chusna and Wahyudi (2005) highlight the unique application of Appraisal theory in modern show commentaries, emphasizing its significance in the field of linguistics Their research, conducted in 2005, explores this phenomenon in depth.
The study titled "Appraisal Devices on the X Factor Indonesia Commentaries" aimed to identify patterns in the commentaries of judges and contestants on the show Participants included two prominent female judges, two well-known male judges, and three contestants, with data collected from YouTube in Indonesian The research focused on the judges' commentaries to explore the presence of attitude, graduation, and engagement Findings revealed a total of 118 attitude systems, with 12.71% related to affect, 44.9% to judgment, and 42.37% to appreciation The results indicated that judges are more inclined to evaluate behavioral aspects rather than express personal emotions or quality assessments.
Xinghua and Thompson (2009) conducted a study titled “Attitude in Students’ Argumentative Writing: A Contrastive Perspective,” which examined the use of evaluative language in the argumentative writings of Chinese EFL students in both Chinese and English, utilizing Appraisal Theory to identify evaluative resources in English (Hyland, 2005) Their research revealed both similarities and differences in the distribution of attitudinal values, concluding that the English essays of students featured a diverse range of attitudinal items, with judgment ranking highest, followed by appreciation and affect.
The use of attitudinal resources is a defining feature of the argumentative genre (Lee, 2016, cited in Xinghua, 2013, p.44) In a student's Chinese essay, appreciation ranked highest, followed by judgment and affect These variations in attitudinal values may stem from differences in language proficiency and the contrasting traditions of Western and traditional Chinese writing rhetoric (Wu & Rubin, 2000, cited in Xinghua & Thompson, 2009) This study focused on a Chinese university student with nine years of English study, considered upper-intermediate in proficiency The student wrote an English essay on a specific topic and, a week later, a Chinese essay on a similar theme, which served as the primary documents for analysis.
In her 2013 study titled “Evaluation in Chinese University EFL Students’ English Argumentative Writing: An Appraisal Study,” Xinghua investigated the use of evaluative language in high- and low-rated English argumentative essays by Chinese university EFL students The findings revealed that high-rated essays effectively utilized appraisal values to enhance authorial voice and engage readers, thereby strengthening the persuasiveness of their arguments The research involved over 30 third-year English majors who completed an English writing task, leading to the selection of the highest and lowest rated essays for analysis Xinghua identified key similarities and differences in the use of evaluative resources between these essays, suggesting that English writing instruction in EFL/ESL contexts should focus more on evaluative meanings rather than mere grammatical correctness The study highlighted the challenges students face in argumentative writing, which often lack critical stance and personal voice Xinghua emphasized the importance of training EFL students in the proper use of evaluative language to establish personal voice and construct critical arguments, advocating for practice in analyzing their writing from an interactional perspective.
Ngo and Unworthy (2015) conducted a study to extend the framework for expressing attitudes, focusing on Vietnamese students' experiences in Australia, their evaluations of lecturers, and their professional status in Vietnam This research is particularly beneficial for Vietnamese students in English-speaking countries, as effective participation in daily conversations, expressing opinions in class, and evaluating peers are crucial for non-native English speakers The study builds upon the Appraisal framework developed by Martin and White (2005), enhancing the understanding of evaluative language Sixteen Vietnamese students at a Sydney university participated, divided into eight groups, with four engaging in Vietnamese conversations and four in English, allowing each student to experience both languages.
In Vietnam, the application of the Appraisal framework to evaluate language has gained significant attention Notably, Nguyen Thi Thuy Phuong (2015) examined the appreciation in Larry Berman's "Perfect Spy" and its Vietnamese counterpart "Điệp viên hoàn hảo" by Đỗ Hùng The study aimed to present, describe, and analyze the evaluative language through the lens of syntactic features in Functional Grammar and semantic features within the Appraisal framework.
Phan Thi Hong Mai (2016) conducted a study on the appraisal analysis of mood adjuncts that express assurance and concession in the discourses of American Idol and Vietnamese Idol The research highlights both the similarities and differences in the syntactic and semantic features of mood adjuncts in English and Vietnamese within these contexts.
Nguyen Thi Hong Lien (2016) conducted a study analyzing the language used by judges on American Idol, focusing on the syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic elements of their evaluative language within the context of the reality game show.
As I presented above, the use of evaluative language to express attitude has been implemented in the world in general and in Vietnam in particular with many different fields However, these studies overfocused on linguistic and theoretical aspect Little attention was paid to implications for language teaching Especially, in context of Vietnam, these studies of writing skill have been concentrated; however, they have tended to focus on issues, such as problems and solutions in teaching writing, strategies or approaches to teaching writing skill (Tran, 2007; Nguyen, 2009;Trinh & Nguyen, 2014) There have been a limited number of studies of how to teach skills of evaluative writing successfully, based on a theoretical framework of Appraisal framework
I have chosen to research the thesis titled "An Investigation into the Improvement of Evaluative Language Use by Vietnamese Students to Express Attitude in English Paragraph Writing: A Case Study of Nguyen Truong To High School in Hue City."
Theoretical Background
It was recognized that evaluation is a both common and complex phenomenon
Recent studies have increasingly focused on evaluation, which Hunston (1989) defines as a specific type of meaning inherent in individual lexical items (p.2) Essentially, evaluation encompasses the words and phrases that convey evaluative meaning (Hunston, 2011, p.10) To clarify this concept, she provided two illustrative examples.
“excellent” or “terrible” as examples to express evaluative meaning She also indicated that one of the most typical features of evaluation was that being
In discussing evaluative meaning, it is important to recognize that statements like "Sam is a well-behaved boy" reflect personal opinions that are subjective and unverifiable The validity of such a statement relies on the listener's trust in the speaker's judgment about behavior, highlighting the personal nature of evaluative expressions.
1989, p.3).This feature of the term evaluative meaning was reasserted in her another research According to her, “evaluation is personal, private, subjective”(Hunston,
Hunston and Thompson (2000) define evaluation as a comprehensive term for expressing a speaker's or writer's attitude, stance, or feelings towards the entities or propositions being discussed This definition effectively encapsulates the essence of evaluation, highlighting both the evaluator—the individual conducting the evaluation—and the object of evaluation, which includes the entities or propositions in question As noted by Yliopisto (2014), this emphasizes that evaluation is an action performed by a person through specific linguistic choices.
Yliopisto noted that Hunston and Thompson's definition of evaluation emphasizes the linguistic expression of evaluation as a focal point It highlights that the meanings associated with evaluation reflect the speaker's or writer's attitude or stance regarding the viewpoints or feelings about the entities or propositions being discussed.
Tokunage (2010) highlights the significance of Hunston’s and Thompson’s definition of evaluation in understanding how language conveys opinions about entities and propositions He notes that opinions of entities reflect positive or negative feelings, often identified through lexical resources In contrast, opinions of propositions pertain to varying degrees of certainty and are typically recognized through grammatical structures (Martin & White, as cited in Tokunage, 2010, p 2).
To convey interpersonal meanings like opinions, judgments, and emotions, specific language resources known as evaluative language are essential According to Du Bois (2007), this type of language is crucial for expressing evaluations effectively.
“evaluative language is the language which indexes the act of evaluation or the act of stance-taking”(as cited in Hunston, 2011, p.1) Hunston (2011) claimed
Evaluative meaning is conveyed through a variety of lexical and other indicators, with the Appraisal Framework being a key component in expressing this evaluative language Bourns and Myers (2014) highlight the significance of Appraisal Theory, a recent advancement in Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), stating that it offers a nuanced approach to defining and describing evaluative language They explain that Appraisal encompasses the linguistic resources used to express various attitudes, which are considered part of the interpersonal metafunction.
“Appraisal refers to the grammatical and lexical resources for expressing evaluation, which involves the expression of attitudes, including reacting emotionally, judging morally, and evaluating aesthetically ”(p.10) Ngoand
Unswork(2015)appreciated the APPRAISAL FRAMEWORK developed by Martin and White (2005):
The article provides a comprehensive overview of various types of attitudes and linguistic strategies for expressing these attitudes effectively Rather than simply suggesting a politeness strategy focused on the hearer's interests and needs, the Appraisal Framework offers a broader perspective by categorizing attitudes into Affect, Judgment, and Appreciation This detailed approach enhances language learners' understanding of how to convey attitudes in diverse contexts.
Appreciation) rather than only “interest, wants, needs and goods” with linguistic resources to realize these attitudes (p.2)
The Appraisal system, as outlined by Martin and White (2005), comprises three key subsystems: attitude, engagement, and graduation Attitude encompasses our emotional responses, behavioral judgments, and evaluations of objects Engagement focuses on the sourcing of attitudes and the interplay of voices in discourse Graduation pertains to the amplification of feelings and the blurring of categories Each of these subsystems includes specific subcategories that contribute to their overall function.
This research focuses mainly on the Attitude system
According to Xinghua and Thompson (2009), attitude serves as a crucial subsystem within the Appraisal framework, encompassing evaluative language (p.4) This framework consists of three sub-systems: affect, which registers positive and negative feelings such as love and hate; judgement, which assesses behaviors we admire or criticize, like bravery or dishonesty; and appreciation, which evaluates semiotic and natural phenomena (Martin & White, 2005, p.43).
Affect refers to the emotional response elicited by a person, event, or situation, which can be expressed through various linguistic elements such as emotional verbs, adverbs, adjectives, and nominalizations (Xinghua & Thompson, 2009) Martin and White (2005) categorize affect into three distinct subtypes.
Valladares and Roux (2015) categorize emotions into three distinct groups: un/happiness, in/security, and dis/satisfaction The first group encompasses feelings associated with happiness and sadness, including nouns like "misery" and adjectives such as "miserable." The second group pertains to emotions related to peace and anxiety, with examples like "restless," "confident," and "anxious." Lastly, the third group is connected to achievements and frustrations, featuring lexical items like "angry," "pleased," and "satisfied" (p 67).
According to Martin and White (2005), judgment is influenced by social esteem and social sanction Social esteem reflects judgments rooted in social ethics, often conveyed through oral culture like conversations, gossip, and humor This type of judgment encompasses concepts of normality, represented by terms such as natural and stable; capacity, indicated by words like powerful and weak; and tenacity, illustrated by adjectives such as brave and cowardly.
Social sanction involves judgments grounded in formal legal or religious rules, while it also encompasses the concepts of truthfulness and morality, reflected in terms such as honest, dishonest, good, and evil According to Martin & White (2005), these distinctions highlight the relationship between language and societal values.
Social esteem is monitored within oral cultures through various forms of communication such as chat, gossip, jokes, and storytelling In contrast, social sanctions are typically documented in written forms like edicts, decrees, rules, and regulations.
Summary
This chapter provides a comprehensive review of literature pertinent to the current research, starting with an examination of previous studies on evaluative language conducted both internationally and in Vietnam Additionally, it covers the theoretical foundations, including definitions of evaluation, evaluative language, and evaluative writing, as well as various approaches to teaching evaluative writing skills.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter describes the methodology employed in conducting the present research It presents information about the research design, subjects of study, data collection and data analysis.
Research Design
This thesis employs both qualitative and quantitative research methods to provide a comprehensive analysis Qualitative research, as defined by Creswell (2014), explores the meanings that individuals or groups assign to social or human issues, involving emerging questions, data collection in participants' settings, and inductive analysis to derive general themes Conversely, quantitative research tests objective theories by examining relationships among measurable variables, allowing for statistical analysis of numerical data The integration of both methods is essential for ensuring the validity and reliability of the thesis's findings.
The research design utilized questionnaires to gather quantitative data on students' perceptions of evaluative expression, their use of evaluative language in writing across three topics, and suggestions for effective teaching of evaluative paragraphs Additionally, a qualitative method was employed, collecting 60 paragraphs related to the three topics during the pre-test The researcher presented, analyzed, and interpreted the information in tables, emphasizing the significance of paragraph writing in the pre-test as a crucial aspect of data collection and analysis in the thesis.
Subjects of the study
The study focused on 40 students from the 11B4 class at NTT High School, comprising both male and female participants Despite having similar durations of English study, their proficiency levels varied Notably, over half of the students scored between 5 and 6 marks on their initial 45-minute test.
Besides, the study includes 60 evaluative paragraphs about 3 given topics picked up randomly from students’ paragraphs Each participant was asked to write 3 evaluative paragraphs about 3 given topics
The Internet offers a wealth of information and convenience, making it an invaluable resource for many However, the overwhelming amount of data available can also lead to confusion and potential issues, such as misinformation and information overload Balancing the benefits of easy access to knowledge with the challenges it poses is essential for navigating the digital landscape effectively.
- Topic 2: Write a paragraph about 200 words to evaluate your favourite movie Say the reasons and how much you like it
- Topic 3: Write a paragraph about 200 words to tell about the teacher you admired most Say the reasons for your admiration and how much you and your classmates enjoy him/ her.
Data collection
Data for this study were collected through 60 students’ evaluative paragraphs and a20-item questionnaire
This study analyzed 60 evaluative paragraphs selected from a pool of 120, focusing on three specific topics among students in class 11B4 at NTT High School The primary aim was to identify commonly used evaluative language in English writing and to understand how students express their evaluations To address the research question regarding the use of evaluative language by Nguyen Truong To High School students, a paragraph writing pre-test was conducted, shedding light on their attitudes towards the assigned topics.
- Procedure of implementing paragraph writing pre-test
Over a span of three weeks, students from class 11B4 at NTT High School engaged in writing assignments on three distinct topics Initially, 40 students submitted papers on Topic 1, from which 20 were selected for further evaluation Prior to this assignment, the researcher facilitated a comprehensive understanding of evaluation by providing relatable examples from daily life To ensure clarity, students were encouraged to vocalize their comprehension of evaluation and share additional examples Similarly, the second round involved 40 papers on Topic 2, with 20 chosen for review, continuing the pattern established in the first round.
3 were done by 40 students of class 11B4 NTT High School and a total of 20 were chosen
Questionnaires are an effective tool in educational research, as they allow individuals to complete them independently, saving time and minimizing the need for direct assistance (Salkind, 2012, p.147) In this thesis, a 20-question questionnaire was administered to 40 students at NTT High School after addressing three key topics, aiming to gather responses to the thesis's three main questions.
Question 1 : What are students' perceptions of the use of evaluative language in writing in English?
Question 2: How have Nguyen Truong To High School students used evaluative language to express attitude about some given topics in their paragraph writing in English?
Question 3: Which techniques can be applied to improve their evaluative writing in English paragraphs?
In Part 1 of the questionnaire, students reflected on their experiences with writing evaluative paragraphs on three assigned topics They were prompted to express their perceptions regarding the use of evaluative language in their writing.
Part 2 of the questionnaire focused on the language elements utilized by students to express their positive and negative affect, judgment, and appreciation across three specific topics This section was developed based on the analysis of students' pre-test paragraphs The researcher identified the relevant language elements that reflect positive and negative affect, judgment, and appreciation from these pre-test writings.
+ Part 3 of the questionnaire: In this part, it focused on looking for solutions and techniques of writing which teacher should have to help students write an evaluative paragraph successfully
- Procedure of implementing questionnaire to participants
Questionnaires were distributed to participants in 2 times
In the initial phase of the study, 40 questionnaires were distributed to participants, featuring both close-ended and open-ended questions in part 2 To facilitate the open-ended questions, the researcher provided evaluative paragraphs, allowing participants to identify the language elements they used to express positive and negative affect, judgment, and appreciation across three topics Unfortunately, after a break period, the researcher received feedback indicating that participants struggled to differentiate between affect, judgment, and appreciation, resulting in none of the participants completing all three parts of the questionnaire.
+ The second time: questionnaire was corrected in this stage From students’ paragraphs, the researcher listed the typical options; hence, informants only needed to tick their options
The data collection procedure from questionnaire involved the following steps:
- The researcher gave the paragraphs back to the participants who were asked to write before
- Questionnaire was given to participants for the first time to pilot
- Questionnaire was given to participants for the second time and also the last time.
Data Analysis
The data analysis utilized both quantitative and qualitative methods, with questionnaire responses examined through statistical frequency and percentage for quantitative insights, while qualitative analysis focused on the content of the responses Results are presented through numerical data and tables, accompanied by discussions that qualitatively describe and comment on each answer, grounded in theoretical frameworks and the actual experiences of students using evaluative writings.
The study employed both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyze students' paragraphs, aiming to identify the language elements used to express positive and negative affect, judgment, and appreciation across three specific topics.
The data analysis procedure from students’ paragraphs involved the following steps:
- Count the language elements students used to present their evaluation in 3 separated sub-domains of attitude: affect, judgement and appreciation
- Put the numbers into percentages to make analysis
- Point out typical examples and illustrations students used to present evaluation in their paragraphs
This article examines how students express positive and negative emotions, judgments, and appreciation in their writing across three specific topics It draws on theoretical frameworks and analyzes the practical application of evaluative writing among students The findings reveal insights into students' emotional engagement and critical thinking skills, highlighting the importance of understanding their evaluative language in academic contexts.
Summary
In this chapter, the research design, subjects of the study, data collection and data analysis used in the study were described
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
Introduction
This chapter focuses on analyzing the data collected from questionnaires, addressing three key research questions: students' perceptions of using evaluative language to express attitude in English writing, the actual use of language elements to convey attitude, and recommendations for techniques to enhance students' evaluative writing in English paragraphs Additionally, results from a paragraph writing pre-test are included to provide insights into the reality of using evaluative language to express attitude on three topics at NTT High School The survey findings are presented in tables for clarity.
Students' perceptions of the use of evaluative language in writing in English
The data gathered from the questionnaire were organized into tables that displayed respondents' answers, with percentages clearly represented These percentages were calculated by dividing the number of identical responses by the total number of respondents for each statement and then multiplying by 100 The analysis was based on the responses from forty completed questionnaires returned from the 11B4 class at NTT High School.
Question 1: In your opinion, what is an evaluative paragraph?
Table 1 Students’ perception of an evaluative paragraph
Expressing of your attitude, feelings, making judgements about people, human behaviour, ideas, and possible actions
Writing about what a person, place, or thing is like
Writing about the similarities or differences between two or more people, ideas, things, or places 3 7,5%
Explaining how or why something happens or has happened 0 0%
For this question, 37 out of 40 respondents, accounting for 92,5%, states that
An evaluative paragraph expresses attitudes and feelings, making judgments about people, behaviors, ideas, and actions Only 7.5% of respondents believe it involves comparing similarities or differences between multiple subjects Additionally, none of the respondents consider an evaluative paragraph as one that describes the characteristics of a person, place, or thing, nor do they view it as an explanation of how or why events occur.
Most students demonstrate a clear understanding of what evaluation entails An evaluation paragraph involves making judgments about individuals, ideas, and potential actions According to Hunston and Thompson (2000), evaluation broadly refers to expressing a speaker's or writer's attitude, stance, viewpoint, or feelings regarding various entities or propositions.
Question 2: As a student, is it necessary to present your evaluation in writing?
Table 2 Students’ perception of the importance of presenting evaluation in writing
A survey revealed that 65% of respondents, totaling 26 out of 40, believe it is essential to provide written evaluations Meanwhile, 30% rated the necessity as "very necessary." In contrast, only 2.5% of participants indicated that written evaluations are "little necessary" or "not necessary."
The findings indicate that respondents strongly believe in the importance of written evaluations According to Tokunage (2010), a key function of language is to convey interpersonal meanings, such as expressing opinions, emotions, and judgments Consequently, students are frequently encouraged to articulate their personal views on a range of issues and topics through writing.
Question 3: What issues do you think it suitable to present evaluation? Table 3 Students’ perception of suitable topics/ issues for presenting evaluation
Responses Number of respondents (N@) Percentage (%)
Table above indicates that 18 respondents representing 45% chose people, 42,5% chose things, 7.5% chose phenomenon, only 5% chose events
Students are often required to share their opinions, attitudes, and feelings on a variety of topics, including people, events, and phenomena However, they tend to focus on evaluating subjects that are familiar and personally relevant to them This inclination is further supported by the use of evaluative language observed in their pre-test results.
Question 4: What language elements do you need for evaluation when writing? Table 4 Students’ perception of language elements for evaluation when writing
From the table above, it is indicated that among 3 language elements, words are chose most, 60% Second place is phrases, 27.5% 12.5% of the respondents choose sentences
Evaluating is a common phenomenon in daily life, often oversimplified by individuals After watching a film, for instance, people tend to express opinions using basic terms like "interesting," "boring," or "handsome." This tendency leads many students to rely heavily on single words in their evaluative writing However, evaluative language encompasses not just single words, but also phrases and sentences, with sentences playing a crucial role in effective evaluation As highlighted in Hunston’s (2011) book, understanding the broader scope of evaluative items can enhance students' writing skills.
Corpus approaches to evaluation highlight the significance of context in interpreting evaluative language As noted, phrases like "my cup of tea" carry evaluative meaning, despite the individual words "cup" and "tea" lacking such connotation Context is crucial for understanding evaluative expressions, as it encompasses factors like the evaluator and the subject of evaluation According to Hunston (2011), the meaning of words and phrases becomes clear only when situated within their specific context.
Single-word expressions fall short in fulfilling the demand for evaluative meaning For instance, the term "electric" or the phrase "extremely electric" lack evaluative significance In contrast, the sentence "I find her performance was electric" conveys a clear evaluative and positive meaning (Hunston, 2011, p 14) This assertion is further corroborated by Pekarova’s Master’s Diploma Thesis.
(2011) that “it is important to realise that it is not created only by individual words, but rather one comes across whole utterances which contain evaluative stances”(p.45)
Question 5: What kind of words have you used most frequently in evaluation paragraph?
Table 5 Students’ perception of kind of words used most frequently in evaluative paragraph
Opinions Number of respondents (N@) Percentage(%)
Table 5 indicates that 55% of respondents choose adjectives to use most frequently in evaluative paragraph 27,5% of respondents choose verbs 10% of respondents choose nouns Only 7.5% of respondents choose adverbs
In the researcher’s viewpoint, this is respondents’ another misconception Hunston (2011, p.13) found out one of the typical evaluative items includes
Adjectives like "terrible" and "wonderful" are often perceived by ordinary readers as evaluative, even when taken out of context However, this assumption is incorrect Evaluation can be expressed through a diverse array of lexical items, which includes nouns (e.g., "success"), verbs (e.g., "fail"), adjectives (e.g., "excellent"), and adverbs (e.g., "unfortunately").
Question 6: What kind of phrases have you used most frequently in evaluative paragraph?
Table 6 Students’ perception of kind of phrases used most frequently in evaluative paragraph
Table 6 indicates that 70% of respondents prefer using adjective phrases most frequently in evaluative paragraphs, while 17.5% opt for verb phrases Additionally, both noun phrases and adverb phrases are chosen by 7.5% of respondents.
Evaluation can be expressed through various phrases, including noun, verb, adjective, and adverb phrases The choice of phrase depends on factors such as the topic of the evaluative paragraph, the evaluator's preferences, and their familiarity with different evaluative phrases Interestingly, most respondents believe that adjective phrases are the most frequently used in evaluative writing, which reflects a common misconception.
Question 7: What kind of sentences have you used most frequently in evaluative paragraph?
Table 7 Students’ perception of kind of sentences used most frequently in evaluative paragraph
Responses Number of respondents (N@) Percentage(%)
For this question, 21 out of 40 respondents, accounting for 52.5%, say that they utilize mental process sentences most frequently in evaluative paragraph
Relational sentences are less frequently used, accounting 35% 10% of respondents choose behavioral sentences Only one of them chooses verbal sentences, accounting for 2.5%
Mental process sentences, which are expressed through verbs of emotion, perception, and thought—such as love, hate, frighten, reassure, interest, bore, know, think, and understand—reflect our conscious experiences of the world According to Halliday & Matthiessen (2004), these sentences are fundamentally about sensing and align with our evaluative perceptions When events occur, witnesses convey their attitudes, feelings, and thoughts, ultimately sharing their unique experiences of reality.
Relational process sentences, which account for the second highest percentage, are primarily expressed through verbs such as "be" and "have," including examples like become, seem, keep, remain, and feel These verbs are typically accompanied by adjectives or adjective phrases Furthermore, adjectives and adjective phrases are essential for effective evaluation in writing, making them a frequent choice among writers.
Only 10% of respondents, or 4 out of 40, selected behavioral process sentences for this question, indicating a potential lack of understanding regarding evaluation Behavioral process sentences, which include verbs such as "smile," "sleep," and "cough," may not have been fully recognized by the participants.
The reality of the use of evaluative language to express ATTITUDE towards 3
This article addresses the preparation of NTT high school students for writing evaluative paragraphs by dividing the analysis into three key parts The first part investigates students' readiness, while the second part explores the language elements used to convey positive and negative affect, judgment, and appreciation across three specific topics, incorporating findings from a paragraph writing pre-test Finally, the article examines the challenges students face in identifying appropriate language elements for evaluation within the same topics.
4.3.1 NTT High School students’ preparation for writing an evaluative paragraph
Question 10: How have you been preparing for writing an evaluative paragraph?
Table 10 Percentage of opinions of students’ preparation for writing an evaluative paragraph
Find clear and specific criteria to evaluate 16 40%
Find supporting evidence for each criterion 5 12.5%
Brainstorm evaluative language and ideas for topic 11 27.5%
Finding clear and specific criteria for evaluation constitutes the largest percentage at 40% The second most common approach involves underlining key words and ideas from the assigned task, which accounts for 27.5%.
20% of respondents say that they try to searching for as many model texts as possible Only 5 out of 40, accounting for 12.5% , reveal they find supporting evidence for each criterion
Most respondents believe that establishing clear and specific evaluation criteria is the most crucial step in preparing to write an evaluative paragraph However, the researcher disagrees, asserting that brainstorming evaluative language and ideas related to the topic holds greater significance While the evaluation criteria are important, the writer must first understand their focus by narrowing the topic to a specific aspect and generating relevant ideas and evaluative language.
4.3.2 The reality of the use of language elements to present ATTITUDE towards 3 given topics
4.3.2.1 Data from paragraph writing Pre-test
Topic 1 : Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of information and much convenience Others think access to so much information creates problems and brings potential troubles
Table 11 Attitude totals in topic 1
Table 11 presents the total attitudes regarding topic 1, highlighting the positive and negative aspects of affect, judgment, and appreciation in students' evaluative paragraphs The results indicate that appreciation constitutes 88.5% of the responses, while judgment accounts for 7.5%, and affect represents 4.1% Furthermore, the data demonstrate a higher frequency of positive findings compared to negative ones.
The data indicates that NTT High school students predominantly utilize the Attitude system of appreciation, with a significant 88.5% reflecting this trend This suggests that appreciation serves as the primary means for these students to express their positive and negative sentiments.
The study highlights a tendency to prioritize Internet use over emotional expression and behavioral evaluation This aligns with Xinghua's (2013) findings, which suggest that reduced affect and judgment correlate with diminished personal emotional disclosure and a tendency to evade direct ethical or moral assessments.
Table 11 reveals that Appreciation resources significantly outnumber Judgement and Affect resources, with Appreciation constituting nearly 90% of the total system and exhibiting a clear dominance of positive meanings.
Example 1: it can‟t deny that Internet plays an important [+ appreciation: valuation] role in our life
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 2: Sitting too much in front of the Internet leads to serious consequences [ - appreciation: valuation]
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 3: In my opinion, Internet provides us with a lot of valuable [+ appreciation: valuation]information rather than harmful problems [- appraciation: valuation]
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 4: Internet helps people do many things like: relax, calculate, communicate with friends and relatives
Appreciation of the Internet is primarily conveyed through positive terminology, such as "important" and "valuable," highlighting its significance Conversely, the drawbacks of the Internet are articulated using negative expressions like "serious consequences" and "harmful problem," effectively communicating its potential issues.
Respondents implicitly express their appreciation values, as demonstrated in example 3 While the phrase "harmful problems" conveys a negative evaluation, the writer uses it within a broader context to emphasize a positive assessment of the Internet.
An important aspect of the Appreciation subsystem is that even when words do not convey evaluative meaning, readers can still perceive the writer's values of appreciation For instance, in Example 4, the writer emphasizes the benefits of the Internet.
Table 11 reveals that 7.5% of the students employ attitude system of
Judgement Their judgement is explicitly expressed on the term of negative veracity through words and phrases like hackers, heroes keyboard, bad guys Next,
Judgement values can reflect both positive and negative capacities For instance, the term "can" signifies the potential of individuals, particularly when supported by the Internet, as illustrated in example 5 Martin & White (2005) noted that "Judgement of capability measures how capable someone is." Conversely, in example 6, the judgement value associated with "can" conveys a negative implication.
Understanding the positive or negative connotations of a judgment requires analyzing words within phrases or sentences and their specific context As noted by Hunston (2011), "the meaning of any word cannot be identified reliably if the word is encountered in isolation" (p.14) Student writers have utilized the normality subsystem of judgment to highlight the adverse effects of the Internet on individuals, particularly noting its detrimental impact on children's behavior These negative values are explicitly conveyed through adjectives such as violent, lazy, and passive.
Example 5: People can [+judgement: capacity] talk with each other any time and any place with the Internet
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 6: People who spend too much time on Internet can [-judgement: capacity ]easily get ill
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 7: Internet makes children become violent, lazy, and passive [- judgement: normality]
Through instances analyzed above, I would like to make conclusion that the students tend to employ the judgement of social esteem in which they assess the people’s capability and behavior
There are 6 occurrences of Affect values (see table 11), accounting for
The writers convey their emotions related to Internet use through emotional verbs, termed mental processes, and emotional adjectives, reflecting both negative and positive feelings They effectively utilize affectual resources in conjunction with attitudinal resources, such as combining Affect with Appreciation to enhance their expression.
Example 8 : As far as I‟m concerned I believe [+affect: security] that the Internet definitely provides us with a lot of valuable[+appreciation: valuation] information
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 9: Internet makes people feel exhausted[-affect: dissatisfaction] because of sitting in front of it too long
(from student‟s paragraph) Example 10: I feel comfortable[+affect: security] when relaxing by sitting in front of it after hard work time
Topic 2: Write a paragraph about 200 to evaluate your favourite movie Say the reasons why you like and how much you enjoy it
Table 12 Attitude totals in topic 2
The analysis of the table indicates that the writers utilize a significantly higher proportion of Appreciation (42.6%) and Affect (35.1%) items compared to Judgement (22.3%) within the three subsystems of Attitude Furthermore, the attitudinal values are predominantly expressed in a positive manner, with 85.5% of the expressions being positive and only 14.9% negative.
The analysis of the table reveals minimal percentage differences among the three subsystems of ATTITUDE: affect, judgment, and appreciation This suggests that presenting these subsystems is a manageable task.
The techniques can be applied to improve their evaluative writing in English
Question 16: How should you prepare for writing an effective paragraph?
Table 39 shows most of the respondents reveal that looking for ideas is their preparation with the hope to write an effective paragraph, accounting for 42.5%
In a recent survey, 27.5% of respondents indicated that they read model paragraphs to prepare for writing, while 17.5% prefer to focus on drafting a first version Additionally, only 12.5% reported that they write and revise a draft before composing their final paragraph.
A significant number of students believe that generating ideas is crucial for writing an effective paragraph However, discovering these ideas is not always straightforward; it requires several preparatory steps, including identifying key words from assigned topics, reading model texts, and brainstorming In summary, thorough preparation is essential for crafting a well-structured paragraph.
Question 17: Where can you get ideas for paragraph?
Table 40 The students’ responses to get ideas
Table 40 demonstrates that most of the students say that they look for ideas from brainstorming, accounting for 50% 27.5% of them choose from reading
Getting ideas from questions is chosen by 7 respondents accounting 17.5% 5% of them say they get ideas from freewriting
Generating ideas is a crucial step in the writing process Inspiration can be drawn from various sources such as brainstorming, posing questions, reading, or engaging in freewriting There is no definitive method that works best for everyone Effective prewriting occurs when a writer discovers the words that resonate most with their unique voice.
However, for me, I prefer to get ideas from brainstorming activity because it can stimulate the imagination to produce ideas in easy and fast way
“Brainstorming for ideas helps you start your writing more quickly and save your time in the later stages” (Oshima & Hogue, 1998, p.4)
Question 18: How should you do for mastering language elements for evaluation?
Table 41 The students’ ideas about activities for mastering language elements for evaluation
Responses Number of respondents(N@) Percentage Read model evaluative paragraphs as more as possible 17 42.5%
Identify evaluative language elements in model paragraphs 5 12.5%
Read and learn by heart (if possible) evaluative language in framework for evaluative language
Learn emotive and evaluative words/phrases and their synonyms as more as possible 13 32,5%
According to Table 41, 42.5% of respondents frequently read model evaluative paragraphs, representing the highest percentage Additionally, 32.5% reported learning emotive and evaluative words and their synonyms Furthermore, 12.5% identified evaluative language elements in model paragraphs, while another 12.5% preferred to read and memorize evaluative language within the framework to master these elements effectively.
Many respondents find it challenging to identify the language elements necessary for evaluation To master these elements, engaging in various activities is essential I believe that practicing these elements is crucial for gaining familiarity Consequently, recognizing evaluative language elements in model paragraphs should be prioritized as a key activity for mastering evaluation language.
Question 19: How should you yourself do to be able to write an effective evaluative paragraph?
Table 42 Students’ responses to be able to write an effective evaluative paragraph
Responses Number of respondents(N@) Percentage
Make comments and provide evidence to support evaluative paragraph 9 22.5%
Express emotions, attitude towards topic through evaluative language 6 15%
Table 42 presents that most of the students confirm they read model evaluative paragraphs, accounting for 35% 11 out of 40 respondents which accounts for
According to the survey, 27.5% of respondents establish specific criteria for their evaluations, while 22.5% provide comments and evidence to support their valuations Additionally, 12.5% express their emotions and attitudes on the topic using emotive language.
A significant number of respondents provided appropriate answers to the question posed Saddler (2004) emphasizes that advancements in writing skills are closely associated with the development of reading abilities, as noted in "Teaching Writing to Adult English Language Learners."
Question 20: Which techniques of writing should your teacher help you write an evaluative paragraph successfully?
Table 43 The students’ responses to techniques to develop evaluative writing skill
Responses Number of respondents(N@) Percentage
Organization of the paragraph technique 8 20%
According to Table 43, 35% of respondents believe teachers should assist them with brainstorming techniques, while 32.5% express a need for guidance in selecting evaluative language Additionally, 20% feel that training in paragraph organization techniques is essential, and 12.5% suggest that instruction in judgment-making techniques should be included in their education.
Most respondents expressed a desire to be trained in brainstorming techniques, which are crucial for effective writing, especially in evaluative contexts Brainstorming serves as the foundational step necessary for progressing to subsequent writing stages.
Some suggestions how to teach evaluative paragraph in English
The researcher aims to identify the challenges students face in selecting language elements for evaluative paragraph writing, based on findings from questionnaires and pre-test practices To assist students in enhancing their skills in writing evaluative paragraphs in English, several targeted suggestions will be provided.
The researcher aims to enhance students' skills in writing evaluative paragraphs by implementing a process approach in their teaching model Specifically, the study utilizes students' own paragraphs as model texts, which are crucial for guiding the writing of evaluative paragraphs, as highlighted by Sun and Feng.
Analyzing a model text is essential for students, as it helps them understand the specific ways to express their ideas This process provides them with the necessary structure and context to adapt the model to convey their own meanings effectively.
Topic : Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of information and much convenience Others think access to so much information creates problems and brings potential troubles
Nowadays, the Internet is popular everywhere in the world The internet provides many useful utilities for users However, it also has negative
The Internet serves as a vast repository of information on a wide array of topics, accessible through popular search engines like Google and Bing It also enables users to share knowledge globally However, there are significant drawbacks, particularly for children who may inadvertently access inappropriate content Additionally, the accuracy of information can vary greatly, as many websites may provide unreliable data, potentially leading to misinformation and adverse consequences for users.
In conclusion, I strongly believe the Internet brings us much more advantages than disadvantages as long as you use it properly
(From student‟s paragraph) Instructions step-by-step
After topic is given to students Teacher instructs and helps students analyze the model paragraph above:
- Ask students to indentify evaluative languages in model paragraph
Students can list evaluative languages in paragraph
Examples: big store of information, popular, disadvantages, bad websites, easily, good, not good, etc
- After teacher checks and give feedback, asks them brainstorm evaluative languages related in given topics
From the evaluative languages are available from model text, students add their evaluative language Remind them to write as many words as possible without caring about mistakes
Examples: big store of information, popular, disadvantages, bad websites, easily, good, not good, valuable, correct, incorrect, useful, harmful, feel comfortable, feel depressed, can communicate, cheapest, make friends, lazy, etc
- Ask students to share their list to partner Teacher tells them to be able to add, remove words if they find it necessary
After returning the papers, the teacher compiles a list of evaluative language By gathering input from students, the teacher introduces additional evaluative words to expand their vocabulary and enhance their writing skills.
The internet serves as a vast store of information, offering both valuable resources and potential drawbacks While it can be a popular tool for communication and making friends, it also presents disadvantages such as the prevalence of bad websites and the risk of encountering incorrect or harmful content Users can easily access a wealth of information rapidly, but this can lead to feelings of laziness and depression Additionally, excessive screen time may harm the eyes, highlighting the need for a balanced approach Ultimately, while the internet provides a source of entertainment and positive experiences, it is essential to remain aware of its negative aspects and potential problems.
Students should underline key words and phrases that reflect the criteria of the topic Next, they must number the evaluative language that corresponds to each criterion and eliminate any inappropriate words This process continues until all words have been addressed.
- Ask students to write sentences happening evaluative languages, and then share their papers to their partner
- Ask student indentify introduction/ or topic sentence(s), supporting sentences and concluding sentence
To help students craft effective introductions and topic sentences, teachers should provide simple, clear steps It's important to remind students that while these guidelines can be beneficial, they are not mandatory; alternative writing methods are also acceptable.
Example: 1 One sentence is “for” the topic
2 One sentence is “against” the topic
3 One thesis statement about what you are going to write in your paragraph
- Instruct students to be able to write supporting sentences by add evidence and examples into each criterion in next step
- Instruct students how to write concluding sentence
- Students again share your paper to partner
- After papers are returned, students start to write ideas into sentences, focusing on mechanics of writing, such as grammar, spelling, transition words signal words, etc
- Students start to official writing
- Teacher makes their paragraphs publish by collecting them, asking students to exchange their paragraphs, or choosing some students’ paragraphs to correct in front of class.
Summary
The data collected and analyzed from the questionnaire and paragraph writing Pre-test can be summarized as below:
(1) Student’s perceptions of the use of evaluative language in writing in English
- Most of the students have rather accurate perceptions of it However, the students have not had correct perception of language elements for evaluation yet
(2) The reality of the use of evaluative language to express attitude in evaluative paragraph writing in English
- Most of the students do not seem to have done careful and adequate preparation for writing an evaluative paragraph
Evaluative language plays a significant role in writing evaluative paragraphs about teachers, particularly in topic 3 Students can effectively convey their evaluations through three key subsystems: affect, judgment, and appreciation, which are also applicable in topic 2.
- The students have difficulties in using the Attitude system of affect in topic 1 (expressing attitude towards using Internet)
- The students have difficulties in searching for language elements as well as ideas to express their evaluation in writing
(3) The techniques can be applied to help the students improve their evaluative paragraph writing in English
Brainstorming technique, technique of organization paragraph, and technique of making judgement wished to be trained to improve their evaluative paragraph writing in English.