Unity of Structure in EFL Academic Paragraphs: A Discourse Analysis of Upper-Intermediate Libyan Students’ Writing at the University of Zawia Language Center (UZLC)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65405/4dg9gs11Keywords:
Libyan EFL learners, Paragraph Unity, Discourse Analysis, Theme-Rheme, Topical Structure Analysis, Systemic Functional Linguistics, Academic WritingAbstract
The unity of paragraphs is an essential aspect of academic writing, yet it continues to pose a significant challenge for learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) particularly who must achieve both linguistic accuracy and adherence to rhetorical conventions. The well-structured paragraph centered on a single controlling idea and supported by coherent sentences represents the essential unit of academic discourse (Oshima & Hogue, 2006). Despite several pedagogical interventions, EFL students in Arab countries, including Libya, persistently struggle to produce structurally unified paragraphs. Research indicates that Libyan students’ academic writing frequently exhibits poor cohesion, unclear statements, and substantial digressions (El-Gmati, 2022; Ben Khalifa, 2023). These difficulties are not attributable solely to grammatical deficiencies but are deeply embedded in discourse organization. While a lot of studies have cataloged grammatical errors in EFL writing, relatively few have conducted detailed discourse analysis specifically targeting paragraph unity. Informal observations by instructors at the University of Zawia Language Center (UZLC) suggest that upper-intermediate students write paragraphs containing extraneous details, lacking clear topic sentences, and omitting conclusions. However a systematic data-driven investigation employing established discourse analysis frameworks- specifically Topical Structure Analysis (TSA) and Theme-Rheme theory- has to be empirically undertaken to document and categorize these structural shortcomings between Libyan EFL learners at the upper-intermediate level. This research gap is significant because TSA and Theme-Rheme analysis can precisely identify where and how coherence deteriorates, moving beyond surface-level error counts to diagnose deeper rhetorical issues. The present study fills this gap by investigating the maintenance and disruption of unity in the academic paragraphs of UZLC students. The implications for EFL writing instruction and curriculum development in Libyan higher education are examined.
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