Directive Use in Thesis and Topic Sentences Across EFL Academic Genres

<p class="ql-align-justify">This study investigates the correlation between directive use and the strength of thesis and topic sentences in essays written by English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students, where strength refers to their clarity, specificity, and rhetorical effectiveness. While directives have been examined in academic writing, their role in shaping effectiveness, clarity, and coherence within EFL contexts remains underexplored. To address this gap, the study analyzed essays from eighty Modern College of Business and Science (MCBS) General Education students enrolled in ENG101 and ENG102, including classification, argumentative, problem-solution, and report-writing tasks. Using a mixed-methods design that combined qualitative content analysis with descriptive and inferential statistics, the research examined how directives influence the quality of thesis and topic sentences. Manual qualitative coding was conducted, and results were cross-checked using Microsoft 365 Copilot as a secondary validation tool; independent human coders adjudicated discrepancies to ensure reliability. Findings revealed a positive correlation between varied directive use and stronger sentence construction, enhancing clarity and persuasive impact. These results underscore the pedagogical value of explicit instruction in directive usage, suggesting that targeted teaching and feedback can significantly improve EFL academic writing. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of syntactic strategies in genre-based writing and highlights practical implications for curriculum design and instruction.</p>