ENGLISH SIGNPOSTS AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR DEVELOPING ACADEMIC WRITING SKILLS OF FUTURE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

Abstract

The article investigates English language signposts as an effective tool for developing academic writing skills of future law enforcement officers. The purpose is to classify these linguistic units according to the semantic functions they perform in the text and to justify their implementation in the educational process as a means of improving cohesion, coherence, and structural organization of English-language academic texts. The research employs the analysis of scientific sources, contextual-semantic analysis of discourse markers, descriptive and comparative methods for classifying English signposts from the perspective of their functions within the structure of academic writing, as well as the method of linguodidactic modelling to demonstrate their influence on the quality of academic writing. The practical component of the study involves a comparative analysis of two versions of an identical text fragment, one of which contains signposts, while the other does not. The article introduces the term ‘language signposts’ as a more accessible and comprehensible designation for discourse-organizing means, particularly for non-linguistic students. A classification of English signposts according to their semantic functions is developed and illustrated with examples from law enforcement discourse. For the first time, the effectiveness of teaching language signposts for enhancing academic writing competence of future law enforcement officers is substantiated. The findings demonstrate that English language signposts significantly improve the logical structure of academic texts, facilitate information perception, and ensure clear and coherent argumentation. The proposed classification contributes to the systematic and conscious use of these linguistic units in English academic writing. Further research may focus on developing teaching materials and exercises to support the integration of language signposts into the professional training of future law enforcement officers.