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EAP511S - ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES - 2ND OPP - JAN 2025 |
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nAm I BI A un IVERS ITY
OF SCIEn CE Ano TECHn OLOGY
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCESAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGES
COURSE CODE: EAPSllS
COURSE NAME: ENGLISHFORACADEMIC
PURPOSES
SESSION: JANUARY 2025
DURATION: 3 HOURS
PAPER: THEORY
MARKS: 100
EXAMINERS
MODERATOR:
SECOND OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION QUESTION PAPER
Mr C. Gwasira
Ms Y. Lyamine
Dr S. lthindi
Prof N. Mlambo
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer ALL the questions.
2. Read all the questions carefully before answering.
3. Number the answers clearly
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 11 PAGES (Including this front page
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SECTION A: ACADEMIC READING AND COMPREHENSION
[40 marks]
Read the following research article and answer the questions below. The original article has been
adapted for assessment purposes.
Challenges to E-learning Success:The Student Perspective
Omar Hujran and Hanin Hennawi; Sumaya University for Technology, Jordan
Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education March 28 2022; Vol 17(1)
Paragraph 1
Introduction
1.1 E-learning refers to the use of Internet technologies to deliver a broad array of solutions that enhance
knowledge and performance. In another broader view, e-learning can be characterised as the delivery of
information for purposes of education or knowledge management via electronic media, such as the
Internet, satellite broadcast, video tapes and interactive TVs. The topic of e-learning is gaining much
attention, especially because an increasing number of educational institutions including world-class
universities have realized the importance of delivering education and training via the Internet and world-
wide-web to improve the efficiency, cost and quality of learning. There are various e-learning
management systems available in the market today, such as WebCT, Blackboard, Moodie, (Mabed and
Koehler, 2012).
1.2 Although many e-learning systems have been launched around the world, prior research has shown
that developing a successful e-learning environment is challenging and little is known about students
experiences and preferences in e-learning. Prior studies indicated that instructors and students are still
reluctant and do not always accept the Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), including e-
learning, as expected. In addition, a careful review of the literature reported that the implementation of
e-learning systems in developing countries is lagging due to technological, cultural, political, and economic
concerns. Moreover, although e-learning experience in developing countries is relatively not new, there
is limited number of studies investigating issues related to e-learning. Successful understanding of e-
learning requires an in-depth investigation of the issues as perceived by learners and providing
recommendations to encourage more active engagement from learners with these systems.
Paragraph 2
Methodology
2.1 This research adopted a qualitative approach using mainly a focus group as its data collection tool.
The focus group interviews approach was chosen over any other qualitative research method as it allows
the opportunity to generate a "synergistic group effect" in which stimulation of ideas are greatly aided by
participants" feeling of spontaneity and security generated by their communication and interaction with
other group members. The resulting synergy allows each participant to brainstorm collectively from other
members of the focus group, thus allowing different perspectives and understandings from all participants
and, at the same time, drawing a wide range of responses and exploration of the research question.
2.2 The members of the focus group chosen were from the population of interest who are undergraduate
students in their penultimate or final year of their university degree from Sumaya University for
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Technology, Jordan. Students were chosen from these two specific study years with the criterion of
achieving the best possible group composition. The near-graduate students are expected to have enough
experience and exposure to e-learning tools from their time at the university to richly interact, convey,
and collectively rejoin during the focus group session. A personal invitation was made to 15 distinguished
students. Nine students accepted the invitation; 8 female students and one male student. The focus group
discussion lasted for about 65 minutes. The session was audio recorded but only after all participants
approved the recording. Note taking was also used to capture non-verbal signals. The discussion was
continuously moderated around the research question to en- sure coverage of only key areas that is
closely related or relevant to the study.
Paragraph 3
3.1 Discussion of the findings
This section covers the extracted themes that were derived from the analyses of data; each theme
converses an issue related toe-learning and reflects the perspectives of students regarding e-learning and
their experience using e-learning tools.
3.2 Lackof awareness about the usefulness of e-learning
The awareness of student about the availability of e-learning tools is considered a significant success
factor for such tools. Understanding the level of student awareness is essential since the expected benefits
of introducing e-learning in students institute, such as enhancing the quality of teaching and gains in
efficiency, effectiveness, and cost savings cannot be fully realized if students do not understand or lack
the needed understanding about the benefits of e-learning tools in their institution. Therefore, creating
technology awareness is highly needed as a requirement for building and promoting effective e-learning
systems in education sector.
3.3 Unclear understanding of what e-learning is
There is also the issue of defining what constitute e-learning and what technology can be exploited as an
e-learning tool to the benefit of student. Student1 stated "I do not have a clear understanding of what e-
learning is."
3.4 Resistanceto use e-learning from lecturers
Prior research on e-learning indicated that culture is one of the critical success factors for implementing
e-learning systems. The deployment of an e- learning system leads to drastic changes in education
practice. As a result, resistance to change from the old traditional ways of delivering content to the new
e-learning paradigm of content delivery always emerges as one of the most noticeable barriers facing the
successful utilization of e-learning tools. In this research, one of the points that have emerged from our
analysis is lecturers' resistance to change their traditional ways of teaching and to start using e-learning.
3.5 Resistanceto change traditional learning methods by students
Similar to lecturers, students are also resistant to changing their traditional way of acquiring information.
Consistent with several previous studies, such as a study by Fujuan {2014), several participants in this
study expressed their current negative attitudes toward e-learning. For example Student 7 stated:
"Honestly, I like the traditional old way of studying. I like to hold the subject papers within my hands. I can
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add my own explanations on the paper and easily annotate important parts; something I cannot do with
my digital notes obtained through e-learning."
3.6 Non-continuous availability of thee-learning website
Consistently, in this study, participants also revealed that one of the issues with e-learning at their
University is the non-continuous availability of the website through which material is acquired. A
successful e-learning system requires a commitment and an action from the ad-ministration of the
educational institution to ensure that thee-learning website is trouble-free, can be accessed at any time.
Paragraph 4
Conclusion
Despite the obvious benefits of e-learning, its use by learners is not growing as expected. The success of
e-learning in educational institutes is substantially dependent on adeptly addressing key challenges. In-
depth qualitative findings that were presented in this paper based upon the evaluation and perspectives
of undergraduate students toe-learning paradigm and tools reported several of these challenges.
END
PART 1: COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
[20 marks]
1. According to this article, what is the advantage of e-learning?
(2)
2. What is the main purpose of the research presented in this article?
(2)
3. Where did this research study take place?
(2)
4. State two main issues that make it difficult fore-learning to be practised in schools.
(4)
5. Explain the meaning of the word 'reluctant' (in bold) as used in paragraph 1.2
(2)
6. Identify one cohesive device in paragraph 3.2
(2)
7. Identify one cohesive device in paragraph 3.4
(2)
8. What does the pronoun 'their' (in bold) in paragraph 2.2 refer to?
(2)
9. What does the pronoun 'my' (in bold) in paragraph 3.5 refer to?
(2)
PART 2: LANGUAGE USAGE
[10 marks]
1. What part of speech are the words below as used in paragraph 1.1
(3)
1.1 information
1.2 educational
1.3 realised
2. Analyse (breakdown) the following words according to their morpheme structure
2.1 collection (paragraph 2.1)
2.2 continuously (paragraph 2.2)
(2)
3. State whether the following words are derivational or inflectional
(3)
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3.1 effectiveness (paragraph 3.2}
3.2 systems (paragraph 3.2)
3.3 Successful (paragraph 3.4}
4. What type of word formation applies to ICTs(paragraph 1.2}
PART3: RESEARCHANALYSIS
(2}
[10 marks]
1. Identify two methods of data collection used in this research.
(2)
2. Briefly explain what the review of literature section is.
(2)
3. In your opinion, what is the significance of this study?
(2)
4. According to paragraph 2.2, how were the participants for this study recruited?
(2)
5. How was data collected for the research?
(2}
SECTIONB: ACADEMIC WRITING
[60 Marks]
PART 1: REPORTANALYSIS
[15 marks]
Read the following adapted incomplete report written by one of the EAP students for assessment
purposes and answer the questions that follow.
Navigating the impact of artificial intelligence on academic writing: Challenges and opportunities for
students
1.0. Introduction
1Artificial intelligence (Al} has taken the academic and professional world by storm. 21tis one of the most
controversial subjects in research, creative writing, and other industries. 3AI generally refers to the
capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behaviour, enabling it to perform tasks that typically
require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language, recognising patterns, and solving
problems (Russell & Norvig, 2020}. 4Therefore, the purpose of this report is to examine the capabilities of
this intelligent tool and identify the potential drawbacks of its application in academic writing. 5The
information section of this report outlines the challenges associated with Al, while the conclusion and
detailed recommendations follow at the end.
2.0 Discussion(Omitted}
3.0 Conclusion
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The report aimed to shed light on the challenges presented by the increasingly popular demand for Al,
especially where academics are concerned. When using this content, one can easily make mistakes and
become unaware of them. Decreased student communication, a lack of critical thinking, and outdated
information are just a few of the many mistakes one can make. There is a need for students to be aware
of the common pitfalls involved in using Al platforms recklessly.
4.0 ......................... .
Users of Al tools should ensure that their Al-generated content adheres to certain guidelines before using
it. The following guidelines may mitigate the dangers of Al and help deliver optimum results.
4.1 Students should be proficient in cross-referencing Al information and critically analyzing contexts to
effectively apply their thinking in academic writing.
4.2 Regular updates to training data are necessary to ensure Al aligns with available data and social norms.
4.3 Educators must discourage Al use in students' work, promoting group work and discussions to reduce
excessiveAl usage and enhance communication skills.
Helena lmade
19/02/24
1. Correct the title of this report.
(2)
2. What elements of the introduction are exemplified by the following sentences:
(a) Sentence 3
(2)
(b) Sentence 4
(2)
(c) Sentence 5
(2)
3. Write down the missing heading at 4.0.
('.\\.)
4. It is important that readers are given an idea of who the author of the report is, and when it was
written. Identify two errors that the student made in an attempt to satisfy these two
requirements. (4)
5. Where should you place the list of sources cited?
(2)
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PART 2: EDITING ACADEMIC WRITING
(20 marks]
2.1 Which of the following is not true about the drafting and writing stage of the research
writing process? Write the letter of the correct answer only.
(1)
a) Use the outline/skeleton of your paper to write the first draft of your assignment.
b) devote a day to write each section of your paper to ensure each section is perfect.
c) If you forget something while writing, such as an example you want to include, simply
leave some space and continue writing.
d) Disregard grammar, punctuation and spelling errors at this stage and focus on content
only.
2.2 Identify the stage in the writing process during which each of the following actions is likely
to happen.
(6)
a) rewriting a paragraph; removing a sentence; inserting references; redrafting a whole section
b) employing techniques such as brainstorming, outlining, including clustering or mind mapping
which create a visual diagram of interconnected ideas
c) analysing the assignment topic by focusing on key information such as instruction words and
nouns, including special conditions imposed on the topic
2.3 Read the paragraph below and answer the questions that follow.
1Reading is a cognitive process that allows individuals to comprehend and make meaning from written
language, enabling one to explore new ideas, expand their perspectives, and engage with the world of
information and ideas. 2Reading serve as an enduring skill essential for academic learning and
achievement among students. 3Research indicates that students must employ diverse strategies to
effectively acquire, retain, and recall information from written texts. 4Leading to a profound
understanding of the content. 5 Nonetheless, post-secondary students are facing challenges in reading
comprehension, as evidenced by their academic performance, and these difficulties arise from a variety
of factors.
Source: Jelani et al. (2023)
2.3.1 Read the paragraph and identify the following errors in sentence structures. Write the number
of the sentence only.
(3)
a) Sentence fragment
b) Pronoun referent disagreement
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c) Lackof subject-verb agreement
2.3.2 Edit each sentence identified in 2.3.1 and underline the edited parts of the rewritten
sentences. You may use ellipses dots to shorten the sentences.
(3)
2.4 Name the method of incorporating other scholars' ideas exemplified in each sentence below. (3)
a) According to Khairiani (2012), the utilisation of reading strategies has been recognised as a crucial
element in enhancing students' reading comprehension.
b) The development of metacognition in readers is influenced by both their reading proficiency and
overall proficiency in the L2 (Sheorey & Mokhtari, 2001; Anderson, 2002; Mokhtari and Reichard,
2004).
c) "The skills needed to read academic texts are different from reading non-academic texts" (Jelani et
al., 2023, p. 1332).
2.5 Identify the academic writing characteristic exemplified in each sentence below.
(2)
a) Research has shown that many university students have a limited understanding of effective
reading strategies and struggle to monitor their comprehension while reading.
b) Students may not be aware of the importance of pre-reading activities such as previewing the text
or setting a purpose for reading.
2.6 Rewrite the sentence below to ensure clarity is achieved by eliminating redundancies and wordy
constructions.
(2)
Cognitive reading strategies refer to the strategies that students employ to complete
reading tasks while reading.
PART3: TEXT STRUCTURE
[10 marks]
Readthe paragraph below to answer the questions.
The turtle then covers the nest by throwing sand over the nest with its flippers. Finally, the turtle makes
its way back to the sea, and it does not return to attend to the nest. First, the turtle crawls out of the sea
to the beach in search of the right place to build a nest for its eggs. Next, the turtle lays around 120 eggs
the size of ping-pong balls. During the months from May to September, the Loggerhead turtle comes
ashore to nest at night. The turtle does this to protect the eggs from predators. Once the location is
identified, the turtle digs a hole with its flippers that measures 8" wide and 18" deep.
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1. The sentences in the paragraph above are scrambled. Rearrange the sentences to present the
information correctly.
(6)
2. Identify the text structure used after the corrected paragraph.
(2)
3. Why is text organisation important in academic writing?
(2)
PART 4: CITATIONS AND REFERENCES(APA 7TH edition)
[15 marks]
Student A used the three academic resources referenced below to write an assignment on
translanguaging. Help them cite the sentences in questions 4.1 and 4.2. In each case select one
answer from the options provided to complete the sentence with the appropriate citation. Write
only the question number and the letter of the correct answer (e.g. 4.1. F).
References
[1] Csillik, E., & Golubeva, I. (2019). Translanguaging practice in early childhood classrooms
from an intercultural perspective. University of Maryland.
[2] Neokleus, G. (2020). Cultivating literacy in diverse and multilingua classroom.
www.igi.global.com
[3] Bhatti, A., Shamsudin, S., & Said S. B. M. (2018). Code- Switching: A useful Foreign Language
Teaching Tool in EFLclassrooms. English Language Teaching, 11(6), 93-101.
Dio:10.5539/elt.v//n6p93
4.1. Translanguaging can be defined as an approach that allows and incorporates the written and oral use
of different languages in the classroom or an act of using different languages interchangeably to
overcome language constraints ....................................... [source 1 and source 2].
(2)
a) Csillik, E., & Golubeva (2019) and Neokleus, G. (2020)
b) Csillik & Golubeva (2019) & Neokleus (2020)
c) (Csillik & Golubeva, 2019; & Neokleus, 2020)
d) (Csillik & Golubeva, 2019; Neokleus, 2020)
4.2 ................... discussed that "another cause of translanguaging during teaching and learning is believed
to be the ignorance of the English language, because both teachers and learners belong to one language
community and they both speak Oshiwambo dialects" (p.6). [source 3]
(2)
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a) Bhatti Shamsudin & Said (2018)
b) Bhatti et al. (2018)
c) (Bhatti et al., 2018)
d) Bhatti, Shamsudin and Said (2018)
4.3. What type of academic source is presented by source 37
(2)
a) printed book
b) printed journal article
c) electronic journal article
d) electronic newspaper article
4.4. How can one reference an item without author/ s?
(2)
a) enter the whole item in italics
b) enter the year of publication
c) enter n.d.
d) do not reference it
4.5. In the statement below, there is an indirect citation/ secondary source. Indicate the source that will
be in the reference list.
(1)
The basic goal is to protect human subjects by assessingthe potential for harm against the potential for
benefit, to ensure that research participation is completely voluntary and that potential participants get
all of the information they require to make an informed decision about whether or not to participate in
the study (Blessing & Nierbuhr, 2008 as cited in Connelly, 2014).
4.6. The in-text citation below is an example of ..............
(1)
According to Blessing and Nierbuhr (as cited in Connelly, 2014, p.32):
The basic goal is to protect human subjects by assessing the potential for harm against the
potential for benefit, to ensure that research participation is completely voluntary and that
potential participants get all of the information they require to make an informed decision about
whether or not to participate in the study.
4.7. The type of source for the reference list entry below is.............................
(2)
Beres, A.M. (2015). Translanguaging as a strategy to boost human learning: An event-
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related potential (ERP)investigation (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Bangor
University, Bangor.
4.8. What is indicated by each of the following information of the reference below?
(3)
Bhatti, A., Shamsudin, S., & Said S. B. M. (2018). Code-switching: A useful foreign language
teaching tool in EFLclassrooms. English Language Teaching, 11(6), 93-101.
Dio:10.5539/elt.v//n6p93
a) Dio:10.5539/elt.v//n6p93
b) 93-101
c) {6)
THEEND
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