An Analysis of Metadiscourse in Chinese EFL Argumentative Writing

The present study aims to investigate how they use specific academic language forms to signal organization and stance in the essays by Chinese EFL graduate students, especially non-English majors. Data in the study was collected from 159 non-English major graduate students in a university in central China, with 81 essays in the high-score group and 66 essays in the low-score group. The analysis indicates that stance markers displays a lower frequency than organizational markers and the students in the high-score group are more proficient in the use of frame markers and additive markers. Yet, a tendency to use boosters is identified both in the high-score group and low-score group.