Like Johanna, I have worries about readers viewing both examples as fragments. As Bill notes, however, the commas help ― but the commas may help sophisticated readers. If our objective is simply to decide what to call these things, I would still vote for conjunctive adverbs (assuming that we need the term "conjunctive"). I like Larry Beason's observations on moveability:

1.  Brand did not, albeit, include the models or the bases for the TSCS and the Check List.

2 The experimentals, though,  did not grow significantly more introspective than the controls.

I don't remember ever seeing a subordinate conjunction that was not at the front of its clause. Moving the words thus eliminates the probability (possibility) of readers taking these as fragments.

My 2 cents.
Ed V.

>>> William J McCleary <[log in to unmask]> 07/17/98 01:19AM >>>
>On Mon, 29 Jun 1998, William J McCleary wrote:
>
>> 1. Is the conjunctive adverb a closed set, or can a creative writer invent
>> new ones? Here are two that one of my students has used:
>>
>> To help gauge self-information, self-concept, and perceived problems, Brand
>> used the responses to the aforementioned questions and the Tennessee
>> Self-Concept Scale and the Mooney Problem Check List. Albeit, Brand did not
>> include the models or the bases for the TSCS and the Check List.
>>
>> Brand's experimental group did increase in range of self-information and
>> sense of identity. Though, the experimentals did not grow significantly
>> more introspective than the controls.
>
>'Albeit' and 'though' are subordinate conjunctions; as such, they are as
>(il)legal for use as conjunctive adverbs as any other sub. conjunctions
>are, right?
>
>I read these two items as fragments, a common enough problem in student
>writing (although only a problem in formal written language). Note
>especially how the last item is synonymous with one that would be more
>acceptable, at least in informal writing:
>
>'The experimentals did not grow significantly more introspective than the
>controls, though.'
>
>As to the license of the creative writer, we all know that fragments can
>be used for stylistic effect, and we also know that formal style keeps
>them to a minimum. I would warn students to avoid fragments until they are
>either very advanced writers or until they know they are writing for an
>audience that will accept them. Since fragments can get people into
>trouble when they are writing for a grade, it's a good idea to be on the
>lookout for them and practice avoiding them in formal writing.
>

Johanna:

I disagree that the student wrote fragments here. She's a graduate student,
an excellent writer, and had no fragments of any other kind in her entire
master's thesis. Furthermore, she put those commas after the introductory
words. While I realize that other students occasionally and mistakenly put
commas after subordinate conjunctions, I'm sure that such is not the case
here. I'm sure that she sees "albeit" and "though" as conjunctive adverbs.
I have a friend who uses "too" in the same type of situation.

So if I'm right and these are intended as conjunctive adverbs, this is
still an error because they can't be used that way. Is that your take on
the issue?

Bill

William J. McCleary
Associate Prof. of English
Coordinator of Secondary English        3247 Bronson Hill Road
SUNY at Cortland                        Livonia, NY 14487
607-753-2076                            716-346-6859
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