Text coherence: a study with youths and adults

• Published in: Psicologia, reflexão e crítica reflexão e crítica, 2003-01, Vol.16 (1), p.29
• Main Authors: Gonçalves, Fabíola, Dias, Maria da Graça Bompastor Borges
• Format: Article
• Language: Portuguese
• ISSN: 0102-7972; 1678-7153
• DOI: 10.1590/S0102-79722003000100005

Coherence is a linguistic phenomenon responsible for meaning construction which assures the understanding of a text. Investigations led by cognitive psychology, have invested efforts on the analysis of coherence from the perspective of those who receive the text. This study examined if the establishment of textual coherence is related to the acquisition of reading and writing amidst youths and adults, in literacy process, in a situation of text production. Fifteen to 45-year-old students, enrolled in the 1st and 2nd cycles of Basic Education for Youths and Adults at a public school, were individually requested to produce a original. The stories were analyzed according to specific indicators, contained in an analysis system, which expresses different levels concerning the establishment of coherence. Comparisons among the cycles were carried out. The results obtained reinforce a study performed with children. There are some indicators easier to be established than others. It can be said that formal education contributed to the establishment of coherence in stories production.