scholarly journals Common Paragraph Writing Errors Made by Saudi EFL Students: Error Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 178
Author(s):  
Farooq AlTameemy ◽  
Amer Daradkeh

Relying on Error Analysis, this article presents an empirical study that scrutinizes comprehensively the types and frequencies of errors in paragraph compositions made by 80 EFL students, Preparatory Year Deanship, at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University. In addition, it aims at exploring the differences between male and female students in regards to these errors as well as investigating whether or not native and non-native English teachers affect significantly the types and frequencies of errors committed in writing. After analyzing 80 paragraphs at the sentence-level and the paragraph-level based on a particular rubric, the results reveal that the 80 students committed 1580 errors in total. At the sentence level, the subjects made 1316 errors in grammar (42.15%), Punctuation (16.14%), spelling (14.81%) and capitalization (10.19%). At the paragraph -level, the participants produced 264 errors illustrated in the following order: Errors in paragraph development (5.13%), Errors in paragraph coherence (4.87%), Errors in paragraph unity (3.80%) and Errors in inconsistency of point of view (2.91%). The results found that except for errors of grammar, there are no statistically significant differences between male and female students at the preparatory Year in Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University in the types of errors in paragraph writing. Moreover, the statistical analysis showed that there are statistically significant differences between university students taught by English native-speaker instructors and university students taught by non-native English instructors in some types of errors in paragraph writing i.e. errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation.

Author(s):  
Nasrah Mahmoud Ismaiel

The purpose of the current research is to scrutinize the relationship between metamemory and EFL learners` achievement. The participants were 250 first year university students who were chosen from a large sample of the preparatory year Science and Humanities streams at Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia. The objective of the research is twofold: (a) to assess whether metamemory can predict English language skills achievement (listening, speaking, reading, and writing, and (b) to assess if there exist notable discrepancies between male and female students and the different academic streams (the science stream and the humanities stream) on the metamemory factors. Students` metamemory was measured by the Metamemory questionnaire (SMSQ) of Tonkovic and Vranic (2011). The results of this study show that metamemory is a good predictor of the EFL students` language learning skills achievement. It also indicates that there are differences between male and female students on the metamemory factors in favor of females. Furthermore, the findings reaffirm that there are differences between the academic streams, in favor of the science stream.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 234
Author(s):  
Sultan Altalhab

This study examined the use of reading strategies amongst Saudi EFL university students, exploring which strategies are perceived to be the most frequently used. Additionally, this study also aimed to explore gender differences in Saudi EFL university students’ adoption of reading strategies. The total number of the participants in this study was 148 students (75 male, 73 female) and they completed a questionnaire on the use of reading strategies. The results revealed that Saudi EFL university students were aware of most types of reading strategies. No significant differences were found between male and female students in the use of reading strategies. A noteworthy finding was that most of the students were likely to spend limited time, only 15 minutes or less a day reading English texts.


2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 397-401
Author(s):  
Abusaied Janfaza ◽  
Yousof Rezaei ◽  
Afshin Soori

This study tries to investigate the relationship between the male and female language performance and the level of anxiety among Iranian EFL students. The participants of the current study were 26 Iranian EFL students studying English in Islamic Azad University, Larestan, Iran who were selected in terms of the administering of an Oxford Placement Test. Then, the students were given The Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale. Finally, they were given an English class test which consisted of 40 multiple-choice items. The researcher calculated the correlation between the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and the performance of both Iranian male and female students on English Class test. The findings indicated that there was a negative correlation between the level of anxiety and the students' performance on English Class Test scores. Moreover, Iranian male students were more anxious in learning English than female students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Aliyah Ali ◽  
Shagufta Nasreen ◽  
M. Abuzar Wajdi

Gender based sociological and linguistic studies show that differences exist in communication style of men and women, boys and girls. Although many gender stereotypes have changed with modernization and awareness about gender issues however common assumption is that ‘girls are talkative’ and boys are ‘less emotional’. In the context of transitions in culture and society, this study explored verbal and nonverbal communication differences among male and female university students. Using purposive sampling method, male and female students were observed in three types of groups sitting at different social spots in University of Karachi. In total 30 male and 30 female students were observed for verbal and nonverbal communication. The units of observations were Paralanguage (words, pitch, volume, speaking rate) for verbal communication and gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, distance and space when sitting and standing. Results showed that overall both boys and girls were talkative and used slang language within same sex groups. However, the topic of discussion was personal for girls and politics for boys. Females kept a space and distance while sitting and standing as compared to boys. Within groups, male and female student’s body language showed superiority. The study has limitations therefore generalization of results for other gender-typed situations are not promising. Future studies could examine in other situations where status and power difference exist within relationships.


Author(s):  
Endang Setyaningsih

Current trend in education has acknowledged the urgency to move students from the role of traditional receiver and echoer of information to the role of critical listener, speaker, reader, and writer. In so doing, the students need to embrace the role of text analysts who continuously question texts that they encounter. This study looked for indices of students’ engagement in text analyst role. The data for the analysis were collected from 25 EFL university students’ reviews which were randomly selected. Using the guidepost developed from Luke and Freebody’s (1999) Four Resources Framework, the study highlighted points of information and/or questions or issues addressed in the students’ writing which indicated students’ role as text analysts. The study revealed that 40 percent of the students failed to practice the text analyst role. Meanwhile, those who addressed the role showcased five major patterns of indices: (1) questioned the trustworthiness of text, (2) recognized bias, (3) uncovered hidden intention/agenda, (4) identified harmed/benefitted party, and (5) provided alternate point of view/way of saying and/or personal standing. This study concludes that the students will be able to engage in text analyst role under two conditions (1) they are not struggling with the basic comprehension and (2) they have reached a state of habituation of mind in terms of questioning text. It is therefore recommended that the students be given sufficient time for familiarization and have continuous practices to make a critical approach to texts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Unknown / not yet matched

Abstract Focusing on the move from gakusei ‘student’ to shakaijin ‘working adult, lit. fully socialized adult’ during a period of continuing economic stagnation and social dislocation, the current study analyzes contemporary Japanese university students’ alignments with respect to ideologies surrounding adulthood including entering the job market and marriage. Data includes naturally occurring conversations with male and female students at a mid-high ranked city university on the outskirts of Yokohama as well as media materials associated with job-hunting practices. Analyzing individuals’ discursive (re)-framing of economic practice, this study demonstrates how individuals convey complex alignments towards future economic and social practices and their attendant ideologies. These complex alignments are analyzed as instances of ‘making do’ (de Certeau, 1984). Attending to subtle shifts in discursive (re)-framing, this paper demonstrates how micropolitical alignments are enacted in language at the level of everyday, ordinary practice.


2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Andreis Vicente da Costa ◽  
Helana Maria de Siqueira Ferreira ◽  
Juliana Da Silva Nogueira ◽  
Ednaldo Cavalcante De Araújo

RESUMOEstudo exploratório e descritivo, de abordagem quantitativa, cujo objetivo foi identificar opiniões de estudantes do Curso de Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco sobre os preservativos masculino e feminino. A população foi constituída por 427 estudantes de ambos os sexos e a amostra, do tipo intencional, por 88 estudantes do 1º ao 7º período do Curso, que responderam um questionário com 10 assertivas de múltiplas escolhas, após aprovação do projeto de pesquisa pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa do Centro de Ciências da Saúde, em 2003. Os dados foram organizados, analisados e apresentados em tabelas, procedendo à discussão com a literatura pertinente. Quanto aos resultados, houve predominância de estudantes do sexo feminino (92,0%) em detrimento do masculino (08,0%); em ambos os sexos, 45,4% encontravam-se na faixa entre os 17 aos 20 anos, 88,6% eram solteiros e 11,4% casados; 22,7% estavam no primeiro período do Curso, ao passo que 13,6% no sétimo. Com relação à opinião sobre os preservativos, 31,2% dos estudantes e 30,8% das estudantes opinaram em favor que o preservativo masculino diminuía o prazer sexual; 08,9% dos estudantes opinaram que era mais seguro usar dois preservativos masculinos durante as relações sexuais enquanto que nenhuma das estudantes opinou; 06,1% dos estudantes opinaram que, por medida de segurança, deveriam ser usados os preservativos masculino e feminino ao mesmo tempo durante as relações sexuais; 78,7% dos estudantes e 76,5% das estudantes opinaram contra, que os preservativos não precisavam ser usados com quem se ama. Mediante estes resultados, urge a necessidade para que sejam implantadas oficinas educativas que possam atender as necessidades de educação no exercício da sexualidade destes jovens, de maneira sistemática, ao se considerar uma proposta pedagógica interativa, que os conduzam a prevenção e promoção de saúde com mudanças de atitudes em relação aos preservativos e adesão às práticas sexuais seguras. Palavras-chave: Opinião; Estudantes; Enfermagem; Preservativo; Sexualidade.ABSTRACTDescriptive and exploratory study, of quantitative boarding, whose objective was to identify opinions of Nursing Course students of the University Federal of Pernambuco about male and female condoms. 427 students of both genders constituted the population, by means of intentional not probabilistic sample of 88 students from the first to seventh degree, that answered the questionnaire with ten assertives of multiple choices, after the research project to have been approved for the Committee of Ethics in Research of the Health Sciences Center. The data had been organized, analyzed and presented in frequencies relative and absolute, proceeding to the quarrel with pertinent literature. The results had evidenced that predominated the students of the feminine sex (92,0%) in detriment of the masculine ones (08,0%); in both, 45,4% of them were between 17 and 20 years old, 88,6% were single and 11,4% married; 22,7% were in the first period of Course and 13,6% in the seventh ones. Regarding to the opinion on the condoms, from the 48 answers, 31,2% of the male students and 30,8% of the female students agreed in favor of the male condom diminishing the sexual pleasure; 06,1% of the male students answered that by security both condoms should be used at the same time whereas none of the female students thought; 78,7% of the students and 76,5% of the female students had thought against, that the condoms did not need to be used with who loves. By means of these results, urges the necessity so that educative workshops are implanted in order to supply the necessities of education in the sexuality exercise of these youngs in systematic way of considering a proposal pedagogical interactive, that the prevention and the promotion of health with changes of sexual behaviors lead them, attitudes regarding to the condoms and adhesion to practical the sexual insurances are elaborated. Keywords: Nursing; Opinions; Students; Condoms; Sexuality.RESUMENEstudio exploratorio y descriptivo, de la clase cuantitativa, que tenía el objetivo a identificar opiniones de los estudiantes del curso de enfermería de la Universidad Federal de Pernambuco sobre los condónes masculinos y femeninos. 427 estudiantes de ambos géneros constituyeron a población, por medio de la muestra non probabilistic intencional de 88 estudiantes del primer a séptimo grado que contestaron al cuestionario con diez asertivos de opciones múltiples, después del proyecto de investigación haber sido aprobados para el Comité del Ética en la Investigación del Centro de las Ciencias de la Salud, en 2003. Los datos habían sido organizados, analizados y presentados en las frecuencias relativas y absoluto, procediendo la discusión con la literatura pertinente. Los resultados habían evidenciado que predominado los estudiantes del sexo femenino (92,0%) en detrimento del masculino (08,0%); en ambos, 45,4% eran entre 17 y 20 años, 88,6% eran solos y 11,4% casaron; 22,7% eran en el primer grado por supuesto y 13,6% del séptimo grado. El mirar a la opinión sobre los condónes, de las 48 respuestas, 31,2% de los estudiantes y 30,8% de las estudiantes habían pensado en el favor del condón masculino diminuía el placer sexual; 08,9% de los estudiantes habían pensado que él era más seguro utilizar los condónes masculinos durante las relaciones sexuales mientras que ninguno del pensamiento de las estudiantes; 06,1% de los estudiantes habían pensado que, para la medida de seguridad, tendría que ser utilizada los condónes masculinos y femeninos al mismo tiempo durante las relaciones sexuales; 78,7% de los estudiantes y 76,5% de las estudiantes habían pensado contra, que los condónes no necesitaron ser utilizados con quién ama. Por medio de estos resultados, se elabora la necesidad para implantar talleres educativos para proveer las necesidades de la educación en el ejercicio de la sexualidad de estos jóvenes de la manera sistemática de considerar una oferta interactivo pedagógico, que la prevención y la promoción de la salud con los cambios de comportamientos sexuales los conducen, de las actitudes en lo referente a los condónes y de la adherencia a práctico seguras sexuales. Palabras clave: Opiniones; Estudiantes; Enfermeria; Condónes; Sexualidad. 


Author(s):  
Ahmad M. Mahasneh ◽  
Ahmad F. Al-Alwan

This study aimed at identifying the effect of a training program in developing the use of learning English language strategies among a sample of the Hashemite University students, and the differences in using these strategies due to gender and the type of group (experimental and control groups). The study sample consisted of 76 male and female students from the Department of English Language, divided into two groups (an experimental group of 34 male and female students and a control group of 42 male and female students). To achieve the aims of the study, Oxford's language learning strategies scale was used. The study used a quasi-experimental research design with pre-test and post-tests. ANCOVA and T-tests were used to analyze the data. The results of the study revealed that there is a statistical significant difference between the two groups in developing language learning strategies in favor of the experimental group. Also, results showed that there is no statistically significant difference in using language learning strategies attributed to gender.


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