本研究主要目的在探討英語拒絕策略使用之情形。主要探討問題包括: (1)以英語為外語的研究生拒絕策略為何? (2) 男性和女性研究生在拒絕策略的使用上是否有差異? (3) 以英語為外語的研究生對拒絕策略之使用上其觀感為何? 本研究受測對象為10 位就讀於台灣北部某大學的研究生。此研究採用兩種工具，主要的工具是依據Beebe, Takahashi and Uliss-Weltz(1990)所編製的角色扮演情境，此角色扮演的情境包括12題問題，要求受試者根據實際情形，回答中他們在真實情境中會回應的句子。另一研究工具為訪談，訪談中包括七個問題。研究結果顯示，以英語為外語的研究生，最常使用的拒絕策略為解釋和藉口，其次分別是感激、停頓詞和表示後悔的語句。另外，以英語為外語的研究生最少使用直接拒絕策略。此外，針對男性和女性研究生，最常使用的拒絕策略均為：解釋和藉口。再者，藉由訪談發現本研究中的研究生，最難拒絕的對象是老闆，最容易拒絕的對象是朋友或是同事。另外，對以英語為外語的研究生而言，用中文拒絕比用英文拒絕還要容易，因為他們可以更清楚的傳達意思，不用擔心文化上的差距。最後，希望透過本研究，能對目前台灣以英語為外語的研究生所使用的拒絕策略有更深入了解，並能進一步將拒絕策略的使用融入教材中，以期能提升台灣研究生的英語溝通策略使用之成效。

The purpose of the study was to investigate the refusal strategies used by EFL graduate students and help to offer suggestions for effective communication. The research questions in the study are: (1) What are the refusal strategies of the EFL graduate students? (2) Are there any differences between male and female EFL graduate students in using refusal strategies? (3) What are EFL graduate students’ perceptions toward the use of refusal strategies? The participants of the study were 10 graduate students selected from the graduate students in a university in northern Taiwan. The present study adopted two instruments. The main instrument was a role play sheet which was adopted from Takahashi and Uliss-Weltz’s (1990). A total of 12 situations were created on our role play sheet. Each situation contained a blank in which only a refusal would fit. The other instrument was an interview guide used to obtain more qualitative data. The result of the present study showed that the most frequent strategy used by participants is explanation and excuses. The other strategies used more often include gratitude or appreciation, pause filler, and statement of regret. Besides, The result of the study pointed out that the EFL graduate students utilized fewer direct refusal strategies. In addition, the most frequent refusal strategy is the same for males and females. Furthermore, results also indicated that most of the participants answered that rejecting the boss’s suggestion is the most difficult situations for them to refuse. Besides, most of the participants answered that rejecting a friend or a colleague is easier. In addition, results indicated that refusing in Chinese is much easier that refusing in English. Finally, the results of the present study are sexpected to enhance the understanding of EFL refusal strategies used by graduate students in Taiwan and further facilitate the effectiveness of EFL communication strategies employed by students.

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