RHETORICAL PATTERNS AND LINGUISTIC MARKERS ON STUDENTS' ESSAYS: AN AI-ASSISTED ANALYSIS

EDUCATION - ENGLISH

This study examined rhetorical patterns and linguistic markers in students’ essays across three genres: narrative, argumentative, and persuasive. Analyzing 75 essays, it identified genre-specific conventions alongside persistent grammatical issues. Despite these, students demonstrated emerging genre awareness through consistent use of temporal adverbs, modal verbs, and emotive language to fulfill rhetorical functions. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining qualitative analysis with quantitative frequency counts of key markers. The study reported a Cohen’s Kappa of 0.71 in interrater reliability, indicating substantial agreement between raters and validating the AI- assisted (ChatGPT) analysis. Findings show that narrative essays relied on chronological sequencing, argumentative essays featured hedging and appeals to authority, and persuasive texts emphasized emotional appeal and rhetorical questioning. To address observed gaps, the Genre-based Approach to Rhetorical Instruction and Literacy (G.A.R.I.L.) was developed. This supplementary resource includes genre-specific modules, L1-L2 contrastive tasks, and assessment tools aligned with DepEd competencies. A follow-up expert review yielded a Kappa of 0.76, supporting the content validity of G.A.R.I.L. Overall, the study confirms that L2 writers can produce genre- sensitive rhetoric. G.A.R.I.L. aims to enhance instructional practices by promoting reflective, persuasive, and evidence-based writing among Filipino learners.

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