THE Response Letters of Concerned Students to their Notice to Explain: A Discourse ANALYSIS

Abstract

This study identified specific pragmatic and rhetorical strategies used by the concerned students in their response letters to the Notice to Explain (NTE). The study sought to reveal student perspectives, concerns, and motivations, explored the reasons behind their language choices, and discern institutional values within the discourse of student conduct. The pragmatic strategies used by the concerned students were mostly Informing, Reporting, and Asserting under the representative speech acts theory of Searle. The rhetorical strategy commonly used was Demonstrating Ethical Commitment under Ethos of the rhetorical appeals by Aristotle. The students used a combination of pragmatic and rhetorical strategies in their response letters to the NTEs to be understood and considered by the letter’s recipients. These strategies helped the students justify their behavior, manifest remorse, and appeal for consideration while indicating their commitment to ethical conduct. It was found that students who promised better conduct and appealed to empathy and forgiveness received lighter disciplinary measures. It is recommended that students enhance their ability to present facts to strengthen credibility, critical thinking, and persuasive communication. The student conduct committee should also conduct thorough investigations rather than relying solely on NTEs to ensure fairness and accuracy. Guidelines for writing effective response letters should be developed to better analyze a larger sample size for more reliable findings.