Iraqi EFL University Students’ Awareness of Types and Qualities of a Good Paragraph

Abstract

This paperinvestigates the qualities of a good paragraph. It is divided into two parts, namely: the practical part which examines the concept of a paragraph and related matters such as types andqualities of a good paragraph;the second part examines the variables that make a paragraph more logical and understood. The researcher follows the qualitative and quantitative methods of research. The study is conducted on first-year students (evening and morning sessions) at the Department of English / College of Arts/ Mustansiriyah University. The data is based on responses collected from the students. The paper concludes that:

1. Most students could not produce paragraphs properly. They show a tendency to mix sorts of a paragraph. This is because there is a big gap between recognizing these types of a paragraph and producing them.

1. Students also lack the knowledge of the qualities that make a paragraph better understood. In terms of processes of writing, most students, if not all, juxtapose ideas randomly. The result is a lack of coherence and consistency.