EXAMINING THE EFFICACY OF METADISCOURSE USAGE IN ACADEMIC ESSAY WRITING AMONG EFL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AT SUDANESE INSTITUTIONS: A CASE STUDY

Abstract

The study aims to assist students who are learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in effectively incorporating meta-discourse into their academic essay writing and to raise their awareness of the significance of utilizing these elements in their writing assignments. The study employed a descriptive analytical approach and employed pre and post-tests as data collection tools. The study's sample consisted of sixty (60) randomly selected EFL undergraduate students from Sudanese institutions. Initially, the participants were asked to complete a pre-test on the use of meta-discourse in writing. Subsequently, they received over three weeks of instruction on applying Hyland's (2000) model of meta-discourse markers in essay writing before taking the post-test. The collected data were statistically analyzed using the SPSS program. The findings indicated that many EFL students struggle to incorporate meta-discourse into their academic essays. The study recommends enhancing the instruction of meta-discourse usage in EFL classes to help students write essays that demonstrate the appropriate application of meta-discourse, and emphasizes the importance of students being mindful of incorporating linguistic elements into their writing tasks.