The importance of cohesion and coherence in writing cannot be overstated, as they
significantly contribute to the overall quality of written work. Students faced
difficulties in achieving cohesion and coherence in their writing. In response to this
issue, a research study was conducted to find types of cohesion and coherence
devices in students’ essay and to identify the difficulties they face in producing
cohesive and coherent essay writing. The research used Halliday and Hasan's theory
of grammatical and lexical cohesion, as well as Oshima and Hogues' principles for
achieving coherence. This study employed a qualitative research method,
specifically utilizing content analysis to examine students' essay writing. There
were a total 22 students participated in this study. This researcher focused on
grammatical cohesion, including reference, substitution, conjunction and ellipsis as
well as coherence aspect such as repetition of key noun usage, consistent pronoun,
transitional signal and chronological order. Additionally, interviews were
conducted with five students to gain insights into their specific challenges. The
results reveal that reference, conjunction, and ellipsis are common cohesion devices
in students' essays, while coherence aspects include the repetition of key nouns,
consistent pronoun usage, and the use of transitional signals. Students often face
challenges in avoiding repetition and organizing their ideas coherently in their
essays