OSNOVA PROJEKTU 1. Vymezení řešené problematiky a základních pojmů (dle tématu práce) Linking devices are words that are used to connect two sentences or parts of sentences together. The focus of this thesis will be on linking adverbials which are adverbials that are used to conjoin two sentences or parts of sentences by expressing the semantic relationship between them. In Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English (1999) by Biber et al., they are divided into six groups. The seven groups recognized by the authors are addition and enumeration, summation, apposition, result/interference, contrast/concession and transition. 2. Shrnutí dosavadního stavu řešení či poznání (stručná rešerše, východisko pro cíl práce, formulace výzkumných problémů apod.) The topic of linking adverbials is very complex, as it contains every word that can be used to connect two sentences or parts of a sentence. Due to this, we can even find differences between the names of semantic categories of linking adverbials in different grammar books (e.g. Huddleston & Pullum 2002, Quirk et al. 1985). Some linking adverbials can also belong to more than one group of semantic categories and their meaning is dependent on the context and on what the particular writer is trying to say. This makes linking adverbials a very important part of the English language as they are used very frequently in written discourse. Because without linking adverbials or other linking devices we could not connect or express semantic connections between sentences or parts of sentences clearly. The frequency and usage of different semantic categories of linking adverbials are dependent on what type of written discourse we are writing as different semantic categories are more commonly used in different types of written discourse. 3. Cíl práce The aim of my bachelor thesis is, firstly, to investigate which semantic categories of linking adverbials and which types (e.g. however, though) are most frequently used in linguistics research articles represented by RAs selected from the journal Discourse and Interaction and, secondly, to compare the use of different semantic categories of linking adverbials between Introductions and Conclusions of the articles. 4. Pracovní postup (přístup k řešení, metody, techniky, nástroje apod.) In order to see the frequency of the linking adverbials used, I will prepare two tables. In the first table, I will include all linking adverbials used in the selected articles to see which linking adverbials are most frequent. In the second table, all linking adverbials will be divided into semantic categories based on the grammar book called Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English by Biber et al. (1999) to find out which categories of linking adverbials are most common in Introductions and Conclusions of research articles. Lastly, I will compare the data concerning the use of different semantic categories (the second table) to find out what are the differences in the use of linking adverbials between Introductions and Conclusions of research articles 5. Organizační, materiální a finanční zabezpečení práce (časový harmonogram práce aj.) July 2021 – August 2021 – preparations September 2021 – October/November 2021 – theoretical part November 2021 – January 2022 – practical part (text analysis) 6. Předpokládané využití výsledků (způsoby prezentace, publikace apod.) The results of this research can be useful in further research on the use of linking adverbials in written discourse, especially written academic discourse by non-native speakers of English.