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EAP511S - ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES - 2ND OPP - JANUARY 2024 |
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n Am I BI A u n IVER s I TY
OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnDLOGY
FACULTY OF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCESAND EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGES
COURSE CODE: EAP511S
DATE:
DURATION:
JANUARY 2024
3 HOURS
COURSE NAME: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC
PURPOSES
MODE:
FM, PM, DI
MARKS:
100
EXAMINER(S):
MODERATOR:
SECOND OPPORTUNITY EXAMINATION
Mr B. Kamwi
Ms T. Kanime
Mr C. Gwasira
Ms V. Lyamine
Dr S. lthindi
Prof. N. Mlambo
QUESTION PAPER
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Answer all questions.
2. Write clearly and neatly.
3. Number the answers clearly.
PERMISSIBLE MATERIALS
1. Examination paper
2. Examination script
THIS QUESTION PAPER CONSISTS OF 12 PAGES {Including this front page)
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SECTION A: ACADEMIC READING
[40]
Read the following research article and answer the questions that follow. The original article
has been adapted for assessment purposes.
Students' and tutors' perceptions of feedback on academic essays in an open and distance
learning context
Jack Matlou Chokwe
University of South Africa (South Africa)
Abstract
A
1.Feedback is the most important aspect of the learning and teaching process. 2Through
feedback, tutors/ lecturers provide an important intervention in teaching as students would always
like to know where they did right or wrong in their written assessedwork. 3-Without feedback, learning
is not complete. 4This article report.?.on the results of a major study_on academic writing of first year
English Second Language university students in open and distance learning context. 5The study probed
both students' perceptions and tutor.?.'._practices in the provision of giving feedback. 6·Marked
students' assignments were evaluated using document analysis method and interviews were held with
students and tutors. 7The finding.?.show that feedback provided to students is not always sufficient
and therefore denying students' opportunities to learn effectively as they would not know their weak
and strong points.
Introduction
B
Feedback is very critical in learning and teaching. Without feedback, learning is like a ship
without radar as there is no direction given to students regarding their written work. This study was
qualitative in nature. In this study, data were collected using marked students essays by English for
Academic Purposes students, as well as interviews with tutor-markers in an Open and Distance
Learning (ODL) institution. The study found that marking of students' assignments was not satisfactory
and students did not benefit much from feedback. Amongst others, the article recommends a rigorous
training of tutor-markers to ensure that they strengthen the weak link that exists in providing effective
feedback to students in order to enhance learning and the teaching of writing. The article also
recommends training of both staff and students to produce effective feedback and adequately
respond to feedback, respectively.
Research method and design
C
The study was qualitative in nature and used the case study as design. The case study
approach was used because a particular case -ESLstudents' perceptions of feedback- was investigated
to find out how they perceive the quality of feedback they receive on their written work. The sample
comprised tutors who mark assignments and exams for the English for Academic Purposes module,
and the students. A total of eight English tutor-markers participated in the study. All eight tutors who
mark for this module were willing to participate in this study after an invitation was extended to them.
All ethical issues were observed including anonymity (pseudonyms were used instead of real names),
confidentiality and the right to stop participating in the study amongst others. A questionnaire, focus
group interviews and marked student assignments were the data collection instruments used in this
study. A questionnaire was administered to both students (appendix 1) and tutors (appendix 2) and
was subsequently followed by interviews and content analysis of marked assignments. The rationale
behind the use of a combination of these data collection methods (triangulation) was to get rich and
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in-depth data regarding students' and tutors views on feedback (Bell, 2005). This was also done to
replicate the methods used by theorists of the academic literacies approach, which is the theoretical
framework underpinning this study (Lea, 2008; Lea & Street, 1998). As Lea (2008) states, "the
.academic literacies approach generally uses qualitative and ethnographic methods to obtain data.
Accordingly, interviews, students' writing samples and feedback on students' writing were identified
as the common methodological approaches used in academic literacies research" (p. 232). However,
in this study questionnaires were also used as a data collection instrument, and the study adopted a
case study instead of ethnography.
Findings and discussion
This section presents the results of the study. The results are presented by first highlighting the
question asked and the responses to that question, followed by an analysis and interpretation.
Students' responses on feedback
D
Some participants indicated that they value feedback, and it helps them avoid repeating the
mistakes in future writing tasks. For instance, Jim indicated that: "I feel good because I will know the
way forward after that" and Mary noted that: "They help improve your mistakes." Similarly, Sarah
commented that: "During tutorials a tutor must ask students to write an essay and mark them in class
to correct and show us our mistakes before we submit our essays to del lecturer."
E
However, some students were not happy with their feedback due to the effort they put in the
task, particularly when they did research and yet received a lower grade. Some put it like this: "I am
so pleased but at some extent I feel that I deserved more than the mark I got" (Calvin). Debora
indicated that: "Some of the feedback are not good when you give us". Samantha said she is "not
happy because they (tutors) are not satisfied even though I spend a lot of time researching and finding
information on the topic", while David said: "To be honest there was not much feedback because I got
a high mark". These findings corroborate with studies by Dowden et al. (2013) and Price et al. (2010).
F
Participants found that they did not receive good feedback from their tutors regarding their
writing. One student lamented that: "They are not as clear as to what I was supposed to write or
where I was wrong" (Mosima) while another one said that "this time around not useful because of
illegible hand writing". These comments indicate poor use of feedback and participants did not benefit
anything from the comments; it resonates with Krause's (2001) findings. As a result, tutors missed a
good opportunity of communicating with students and learning. This practice on giving feedback
should be discouraged by all means.
G
However, some found that the feedback is "very useful because they pin point all the
mistakes, so I get a clear understanding of what I should do next time on my essay assignments"
(Lerato). Furthermore, another one said: "I like knowing what the lecturer/ tutor thought about my
essay and what they found exciting and not so exciting, the feedback is of great importance, I learn a
lot from them" (Tlou). Seemingly, some markers gave useful comments while others did not give any
helpful comments. The fact that some students indicated that feedback was useful refutes assertions
that students do not value feedback, as alluded by Higgins et al. (2001). Students yearn for teaching
from ESLpractitioners through quality feedback and if we are not doing that, we are failing them.
Tutors' responses on giving feedback
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H
While writing feedback, one tutor made the following comments: "PLEASENOTETHAT TASKS
2&3 WAS SUPPOSEDTO BE SUBMITTED AS TWO SEPARATETASKS. PLEASEENSURETHAT YOU
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONSCAREFULLYIN FUTURE. WHILST YOU HAVE RAISED SOME VALID AND
INTERESTINGVIEWS YOU HAVE NOT MANAGED TO ORGANISEYOURARGUMENT IN A LOGICALAND
COHESIVEMANNER. YOU ALSO NEEDTO PAYPARTICULARATTENTIONTO YOURWORD ORDERAND
SENTENCESTRUCTURE.MAKE USEOF A DICTIONARYTO VERIFYYOURSPELLINGAND VOCABULARY"
(Feedback by tutor)
In this assignment, the marker circled all language errors -for example, spelling and
vocabulary. Language errors were mostly highlighted, as literature has confirmed that most feedback
comments focus on grammar aspects. The student was advised to define different types of euthanasia.
Though this marker is pointing out issues that the student needs to work on, the use of capital letters
is not setting a good example to students, as they may adopt this style of writing in their future writing
tasks. Accordingly, the marker is advising the student to use a dictionary to fix spelling errors and for
improving vocabulary. This could attest to the fact that students delay writing assignments to the last
minute to an extent that they submit poor quality work (Ellis, Taylor & Drury, 2005; Gambell, 1991).
J
When giving feedback, tutors indicated that they make feedback as comprehensive as
possible in order to make the students aware of what they did right and where they need to improve.
For example, one tutor said: "For those who perform badly, I comment on every item e.g. content,
organisation, language, show them what and where to improve" (Tutor 2) while another tutor stated:
"I indicate where they have gone wrong and try to encourage them to correct their mistakes" (Tutor
4). Furthermore, another tutor provides "guidelines as far as possible:-by giving alternative answers,
approaches or different responses, sometimes not possible" (Tutor 4). One tutor said: "Start with
positive things like 'I enjoyed reading your essay, your essay/language/organisation is good'. Then I
indicate the areas which he/she needs to improve" (Tutor 7).
K
This finding indicates a motivational role, which tutors need to adopt when responding to
students' work before pointing out areas where students need to improve (Weaver, 2006). However,
some responses from marked assignments indicate that, when students are doing well in an
assignment, tutors tend not to give elaborate comments. In addition, what tutor-markers have said
did in correspond with what they do in practice.
L
Generally, tutors had different views on commenting on content and grammar. One tutor said:
"I give the student what he deserves, but indicate to him/her where he went wrong with the hope
that she would rectify and also give an average mark for the content and less mark for grammar
obviously when the grammar is irrelevant it mostly distorts the content" (Tutor 3). In contrast, another
one said: "I believe that the content should weigh as much as language because this is academic
writing. Language can sometimes hamper content, but the language is a means to content delivery"
(Tutor 7). Furthermore, one tutor said: "I look at the facts, the right answer more than the grammar.
Although grammar is also important, correct response counts more" (Tutor 4).
M
This finding indicates that it is difficult to evaluate content that is clouded by grammar
mistakes. It can be deduced from these responses that both language and content are important
aspects of writing and should therefore be treated equally. Disappointingly, one tutors' comment was
just a phrase which stated: "Mind your spelling". Some language errors were circled whereas some
were ignored. Good points were appreciated and talkback was used (Lillis, 2001). The comments were
not explicit enough to show the student in detail what she does right or wrong in the essay and how
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the student can improve future submissions. The comment is not sufficient enough as it only
comments on grammar (spelling) and nothing about the content. This confirms Harris' (1977) and
Fregreau's (1999) observations that teachers tend to focus more on grammar and less on content
when marking essay assignments.
Conclusion
N
Overall, the findings of this study do not differ much with the results presented by other
studies. However, the findings of this particular study are important as they help us to understand
how ESLstudents and tutors in an ODL context view and provide feedback, respectively. Therefore,
this study contributes to the body of knowledge in the field of feedback in ESLand ODL contexts.
Factors such as incomprehensible feedback, ambiguous feedback, illegible writing, and student
emotions are some of the challenges unveiled in this study. To sum up, the findings indicate
inconsistencies regarding the provision of feedback by tutors. The study also reported on the case of
students who felt they deserved more and could not impress the marker despite all the hard work
they put into their work. In the ODL context, feedback is not the only way students can be taught and
learn, rather it is pivotal in learning and teaching strategy.
Part 1: Comprehension questions
[20 marks]
1. What is the title of this article?
(1)
2. What does ODL stand for?
(1)
3. According to paragraph B, why is the rigorous training of tutor markers necessary?
(1)
4. Choose the correct answer:
i)
Choose the set of participants whose responses show that they value feedback,
and it helps them avoid repeating mistakes in future writing.
(1)
a) Samantha and Calvin
b) Sarah, Mary, and Jim
c) Calvin, Deborah, and David
d) Mosima and Lerato
ii)
According to paragraph B, which of the following is the TRUEcomplete reason
for the necessity of the rigorous training for tutor markers?
(1)
a) The study found that marking of students' assignments was not satisfactory and
students did not benefit much from feedback.
b) It can guarantee that tutor markers are able to strengthen the weak link
between providing productive feedback to students in order to enhance learning
and the teaching of writing.
c) It can ensure that the weak link that exists between learning and the teaching of
writing is removed.
iii)
What can be inferred from the following quote from paragraph K?
(1)
"For those who perform badly, I comment on every item e.g., content,
organisation, language, show them what and where to improve".
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a) Tutor 2 does not provide comprehensive feedback with the aim of ensuring that
students are aware of their mistakes and areas of possible improvements.
b) Tutor 2 is tired of providing comprehensive feedback with the aim of ensuring
students are aware of their mistakes and areas of possible improvements because
students do not improve.
c) Tutor 2 provides comprehensive feedback with the aim of ensuring that
students are aware of their mistakes and areas of possible improvements.
iv)
Using the information provided in paragraph M, say whether it is Correct or Wrong
to infer the following conclusion:
(2)
If a student gets 100 over 100 in a written task, chances are very high that she will
receive elaborate comments from her tutor.
5. To what do the following pronouns refer?
a) it in paragraph D
(1)
b) they in paragraph F
(1)
c) this in paragraph M
(2)
6. Connect each cohesive device to its function. Write down the Roman number of the
cohesive device and the letter of the corresponding function. Some functions are
distractors, and a function may be used more than once.
(4)
Cohesive devices
i)
Therefore, in paragraph A
ii)
Similarly, in paragraph D
iii)
In contrast in paragraph L
iv)
Furthermore, in paragraph J
Their Function
a) It is showing consequences.
b) It is contrasting.
c) It is showing addition of
information.
d) It is showing exemplification.
e) It is showing emphasis.
f) It is showing comparison.
extra
7. Use contextual clues to connect each word to its closest meaning. Write down the Roman
number of the word and the letter of the corresponding closest meaning. Two meaning are
a distractor.
(4)
Words
i) Anonymity in paragraph C
ii) Resonate in paragraph F
iii) Attest in paragraph I
iv) Incomprehensible in paragraph N
Closest meaning
a)
to have the same view as someone.
b)
to show, prove, or state that
something is true or real.
c)
to reason against someone.
d)
to keep someone nameless.
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e)
not easily understood.
f)
to give someone a name.
Part 2: Language Usage
[10 MARKS]
The following questions are based on the article in part one. Read the abstract and respond to the
questions based on it. The sentences are numbered for your convenience.
1. Identify the word class (part of speech) of the following underlined word in Paragraph A. (2)
a) important
b) effectively
2. Through which word formation process was the word in bold in paragraph A created? (1)
3. Create a word opposite in meaning to the word important in sentence 2.
(1)
4. Create single a word with the same meaning as the phrase below by adding an affix to
the underlined part.
(1)
not complete (Paragraph A, sentence 3)
5. What is the function of each underlined word part in the words below?
(3)
a) report~
(Paragraph A, sentence 4)
b) tutort
(Paragraph A, sentence 5)
c) finding~ (Paragraph A, sentence 7)
6. Analyse the word assignments (sentence 6) according to its morpheme structure and
label each morpheme (bound or free; derivational or inflectional), e.g., assessed = assess
(free)+ ed (bound, inflectional).
(1)
7. Classify the word sufficient (sentence 7) according to its morpheme structure.
(1)
Part 3: Research writing
[10 MARKS]
The following questions are based on the article in part one. Read the article and respond to the
questions based on it.
1. Read the article title and respond to the following questions.
(2)
a) Which word/phrase can be added to the title to specify the type of action done
in the study?
b) What is the broad topic in this article title?
2. Identify the plan of action adopted to carry out the research in this study.
(1)
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3. What is the meaning of the word sample in paragraph C in the context of research?
Select your answer from the options provided below.
(1)
a) A food or drink one tastes in order to determine if one likes it or not.
b) A small number of people or things taken from the larger group to be studied, tested,
or questioned to get information.
c) A small part of a recording that is used in another performer's recording.
d) None of the above.
4. Who are the participants of the study?
(2)
5. Judging from the research instruments used, would you consider this study as empirical
or non-empirical?
(1)
6. How was primary data collected in this study?
(1)
7. What is the significance of this research?
(2)
SECTION B: ACADEMIC WRITING
[60]
PART 1: Report writing questions
[15 marks]
Read the newspaper report below.
Growing substance abuse a big concern
New Era Newspaper, 2019-07-02
(https :// newera live. na/posts/growi ng-substanee-abuse-a-big-concern)
By Steven Klukowski
KEETMANSHOOP - The subdivision Substance Abuse, Prevention, Drug Control and Rehabilitation
of the Ministry of Health and Social Services commemorated the annual international day against
Drug Abuse and illicit trafficking last week in Tses, a village 80km outside Keetmanshoop. Officiating
at the event, Geraldine Kanyinga, a chief social worker in the Ministry of Health and Social Services
said that drug abuse is a complex problem at the intersection of public health, safety, and social
issues. "It takes a heavy toll on our families and communities, claiming more than half a million
lives, worldwide, every year," said the chief social worker.
She said the health ministry joined the rest of the world in commemorating the day under the
theme 'Health for Justice - Justice for Health.' She mentioned social inclusion, building resilience as
well as rehabilitation as instrumental elements in preventing crime and violence. "The sombre
reality, however, is that the substance abuse phenomenon is growing at a rate that cannot be
matched by the services to prevent and treat problems stemming from this abuse," she
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emphasised. Kanyinga added that families, schools, and communities play a vital role, especially by
supporting the youths who may be affected by drug abuse resulting in terrible and long-lasting
consequences.
The health professional called on the general public to "work with and for our people to prevent
drug abuse and help people lead healthier lives and navigate life's choices with strength and
resilience." She regards cooperation in the fields of health and justice as essential in terms of
ensuring that responses include vulnerable communities like youth and women. "Furthermore,
these services should fight discrimination and promote alternatives to imprisonment and expulsion
from school for adults and children with drug use disorders," said Kanyinga. Kanyinga urged people
to show their commitment to fulfill their promise to ensure health and justice for all. "Let us aim to
protect people's security and well-being while striving for the progress and dignity of all." A Namibia
school-based health survey carried out in 2013 shows that 58 percent of the respondents indicated
the use of alcohol. It further implies that 48 percent of students used drugs prior to attaining the
age of 14 years and that 58 percent of them first tried a cigarette by that time.
According to a ministerial synthesis, it has been reported that 40 percent of learners were of the
opinion that drug abuse by their parents caused harm to them.
As a NUST intern at the Ministry of Health and Social Services, you have to write a recommendation
report to brief your supervisor on the dangers of substance abuse by the youths, because the Ministry
wishes to roll out an education campaign on substance abuse to several Namibian towns and villages.
You have decided to focus your report content on 1. The drug abuse situation among the Namibian
youths, 2. The reasons for drug abuse among the youths, and 3. The effects drug abuse has on families
and the country's economic outlook.
Write your report title and introduction section ONLY, paying attention to the correct format,
paragraph structure, and content required for the introduction section of a report.
Part 2: Academic writing
[20 marks]
1. Identify the academic writing conventions exemplified by each of the following sentences
from the article in Section A.
(4)
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(a) The rationale behind the use of a combination of these data collection methods
(triangulation) was to get rich and in-depth data regarding students' and tutors views on
feedback (Bell, 2005).
(b) The findings show that feedback provided to students is not always sufficient and .
therefore denying students opportunities to learn effectively as they would not know
their weak and strong points.
(c) "I feel good because I will know the way forward after that" and Mary noted that: "They
help improve your mistakes."
(d) It can be deduced from these responses that both language and content are important
aspects of writing and; should, therefore be treated equally.
2. Analyse the following sentences. Name the method used to incorporate information from
other scholars in each of the sentences.
(3)
(a) This was also done to replicate the methods used by theorists of the academic literacies
approach, which is the theoretical framework underpinning this study (Lea, 2008; Lea &
Street, 1998).
(b) As Lea (2008) states, "the academic literacies approach generally uses qualitative and
ethnographic methods to obtain data. Accordingly, interviews, students' writing samples
and feedback on students' writing were identified as the common methodological
approaches used in academic literacies research" (p. 232).
(c) To sum up, the findings indicate inconsistencies regarding the provision of feedback by
tutors.
3. Mention the type of in-text citation used in the following sentence:
(1)
This finding indicates a motivational role, which tutors need to adopt when responding to
students' work before pointing out areas where students need to improve (Weaver, 2006).
4. Analyse the following sentences. Identify the type of language errors found in them. (8)
(a) There's a test today, I hope you studied for it.
(b) A lecturer who made history.
(c) Aino's handwriting is terrible, awful, and just, messy.
(d) Overall, the findings of this study does not differ much with the results presented by other
studies.
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5. Correct the errors in sentences (a) and (c) above by re-writing the sentences.
(4)
Part 3: Text structure
(10 marks]
Analyse the following text and answer the questions that follow.
There are many ways to create an online portfolio. First of all, choose a platform and create an
account. Second, choose the layout, a title, and an appropriate design. Finally, enter the information
in each of the categories and remember to update your worksheets on a regular basis. In sum, these
are some of the steps to follow if you need to create an online portfolio.
1) Which pattern of organisation is used to communicate information in the text?
(2)
2) Which word(s) in the text signal(s) the text structure of the paragraph?
(3)
3) Write down three main supporting sentences from the paragraph.
(3)
4) Identify the topic sentence in the text
(2)
Part 4: Citation and reference
[15 marks]
1. State whether each of the following statements is True or False.
The following are the elements of in-text citation:
1.1 Always use the author's surname and first name.
(1)
1.2 When two authors' surnames are cited in brackets, a comma must be used to separate
them.
(1)
1.3 When presenting three or more authors, cite the surnames of all the authors.
(1)
1.4 If the year of publication is not known, use (n.d.) in brackets.
(1)
1.5 Always add the year of publication to an in-text citation.
(1)
2. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.
2.1 Bassnet (2001) gives another aspect of the problem of translation. The scholar posits
that sameness cannot exist between the target language and the source language.
Question: Which technique has been used to incorporate an external source in the extract
above? Choose one:
A. Quoting B. Paraphrasing C. Summarising D. Synthesising.
(2)
2.2 In short, one can say that the Namibian Government's Harambee Prosperity Plan (2017)
is a blueprint that focuses on five major pillars for national development namely: Effective
Governance, Economic Advancement, Social Progression, Infrastructure Development and
International Relations Cooperation.
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Question: Which technique has been used to incorporate an external source in the extract
above? Choose one:
A. Quoting B. Paraphrasing C. Summarising D. Synthesising.
(2)
3. Each of the following Reference List entries has one error. Identify the error and explain
how it can be corrected. Do not copy the entry itself.
3.1 Book with one author:
(2)
Leunen, M.C,. A handbook for the frameworks of English. Macmillan Press.
3.2 Journal item:
(2)
Kooper, G. (2017) Perspectives on English education. Annual Review of Education in Africa,
IV, 27-54.
3.3 Newspaper item:
(2)
lyambo, S. (2023, September 21), Khomanin community demands Government's
intervention on landlessness. The Namibian.
-END OF EXAM-
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