Textbook-assigned and self-selected topics of Iranian male EFL learners: topic interest, topic familiarity, topic importance, and topic difficulty

In recent years, learner-centered teaching has emphasized the demand for making healthy environment where learners’ preferences, interests, personal experiences, cultural backgrounds and lifestyles are taken into account when making decisions about various characteristics of language learning/teaching The choice of topics, which are used in EFL discussion classes, is considered to play an important role in learners’ propensity to engage in a negotiation for meaning. This study was aimed to investigate the perception of Textbook-Assigned and Self-Selected Topics of Iranian male EFL Learners: topic interest, topic familiarity, topic importance, and topic difficulty based on correlational design. It was carried out with 200 male Intermediate EFL learners who were selected by convenience sampling. Although most teachers might be aware of the importance of a good assessment strategy on the topic interest and topic familiarity, rarely do they use it for topic importance and topic difficulty. The results of the study showed that Iranian male EFL learners mostly preferred the topics to be more interesting and familiar in both textbook-assigned (M = 3.1259, SD = .21553, Sig = .000) and self-selected topics (M = 4.0531, SD = .13334, Sig = .000). In addition, there was a significant difference between the learners’ perceptions of textbook-assigned and self-selected topics in terms of interest and familiarity, but less difference in terms of importance and difficulty. The findings of the study indicated that learners’ selection of their own topics can provide the potential implications for their willingness to participate in second and foreign language learning and take responsibility for their own learning process.

A National Survey of Teaching and Learning Research Methods: Important Concepts and Faculty and Student Perspectives

In this study, we assessed instructor and student attitudes and knowledge toward research methods (RM). Instructors ( N = 62) answered questions about course format, topic importance, and resources. Students ( N = 166) of some of those instructors answered questions regarding attitudes toward research. Five major factors organize topics that instructors find most important. Only ratings of statistics importance varied by rank. Associate and full professors rated statistics as being more important than other instructors. There were significant relationships between attitudes toward and knowledge of RM together with the higher perceived utility of some course components. Requiring students to conduct their own research was not a significant predictor of attitudes or RM knowledge.

Reduction in Cognitive Dissonance According to Normative Standards in the Induced Compliance Paradigm

This study investigated the influence of the assessment of the discrepant act on dissonance reduction. In particular, we tested the influence of normative standards on a trivialization of the discrepant act and the assessment of research topic importance. The results suggest that dissonance reduction varies depending on whether the discrepant act is assessed as violating normative standards or not. In the cognitive dissonance state and in the absence of standards, performing a discrepant act leads individuals to trivialize it. However, when individuals perceive that the discrepant act violates normative standards, they reduce cognitive dissonance by overestimating the research topic. This result is interpreted in terms of the avoidance of negative consequences of social control reactions and the protection of self-concept.

Writing the Abstract and Title

This chapter addresses how to write abstracts and titles for journal articles. Both the abstract and title provide succinct, informative (not descriptive) summaries of the research. To this end, they are usually written in the final stages of the writing process. After completing this chapter, you should be able to do the following: ■ Write a concise and informative abstract ■ Write a concise and informative title As you work through the chapter, you will write an abstract and title for your own paper. The Writing on Your Own tasks throughout the chapter will guide you step by step as you do the following: 7A Read titles and abstracts 7B Prepare to write 7C Write your abstract 7D Write your title 7E Practice peer review 7F Fine-tune your abstract and title When compared to the Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion sections of a journal article, the title and abstract are quite short; the title usually has fewer than 20 words, and many journals limit the abstract to fewer than 200 words. Despite their brevity (and perhaps because of it), the title and abstract are the most widely read sections of the journal article and thus are viewed by many as the most important sections of the journal article. As you read the title and abstract in excerpt 7A, consider the following: a. Read the title. Which of the following are included: research topic, importance, gap statement, procedures, instrumentation, results, interpretations, citations, conclusions? b. The abstract contains six sentences (107 words). Briefly state the purpose of each sentence. Based on these purposes, propose a move structure for the abstract. c. Are there any sentences in the abstract that do not include science content? Explain. d. Based only on the title and abstract, who are the intended audiences for this article (including subdisciplines of chemistry)? Give reasons for your choices.

Which Topics are Important to Address in Premarital Counseling? A Survey of Clergy

Pastoral counselors who provide premarital counseling must address the topics that are most relevant to couples as they prepare for marriage. This article presents the results of a survey of clergy who provide premarital counseling, demonstrating the relative importance that clergy ascribe to premarital counseling topics, as well as the relationship between religious affiliation and ratings of topic importance.

ORDER OF ELICITED RESPONSES ON A QUESTIONNAIRE AS A MEASURE OF TOPIC SALIENCE

Two studies among US college students (N1 = 88; N2 = 329) examined the relationship between the order in which responses are offered on a questionnaire and the ranked importance of those responses. Both studies found that approximately one third (32%; 31%) of the listed attributes were ranked in the order of mention. Expanding the criteria to include adjacent categories raised the overlap to about two thirds (64%; 65%). The findings of both studies were independent of gender. In addition, Study II measured topic importance/involvement among the respondents; the results indicated it was not a factor in this trend. The factor which did influence the order of mention and rankings was the number of categories used by the respondents. When more than seven categories were used, the stability of mention and rankings tended to become erratic.