EAP511S - ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES - 1ST OPP - JUNE 2023 :: NUST past examination papers between 2020 and 2024

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EAP511S - ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES - 1ST OPP - JUNE 2023

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EAP511S - ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC PURPOSES - 1ST OPP - JUNE 2023

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nAm I BI A u n IVE RS ITV

OF SCIEnCE Ano TECHnOLOGY

FACULTY OF COMMERCE, HUMAN SCIENCES, AND EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, AND LANGUAGES

COURSE CODE: EAP511S

DATE:

DURATION:

JUNE 2023

3 HOURS

COURSE NAME: ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC

PURPOSES

MODE:

FM, PM

MARKS:

100

EXAMINER(S):

MODERATOR:

FIRST OPPORTUNITY

Mr B. Kamwi

Ms T. Kanime

Mr C. Gwasira

Ms Y. Lyamine

Dr S. lthindi

Dr N. Mlambo

EXAMINATION

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 20 PAGES {Including this front page)

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SECTION A: ACADEMIC READING

[40)

Read the following research article and answer the questions below. The original article has been

adapted for assessment purposes.

Approaching the use of Facebook to improve academic writing and to acquire social competences

in English in higher education

Marfa Martinez Lirola

Abstract

A (Abstract omitted)

INTRODUCTION

B The twenty-first century is a virtual era that involves rethinking the role of education and the

incorporation of digital skills apart from the content requested in any subject (Cozar-Gutierrez & Saez-

Lopez, 2016). In this sense, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Social Networking

Sites (SNS)can play a key role in updating education, because their use can have pedagogical purposes

(Lin et al., 2016; Rwodzi et al., 2020). This article offers a proposal for integrating the social network

Facebook into an English as a Foreign Language (EFL)classroom in tertiary education. The purpose of

this study is to show how Facebook provides opportunities to develop writing in English and to acquire

social competences in the EFL classroom. In fact, this research establishes a relationship between

using Facebook to motivate students to write and to reflect on global social topics associated with the

oral presentations they have to prepare every week. In this sense, writing is combined with other skills

and with the revision of grammar at the same time that both contribute to promoting the acquisition

of social competences. Students have to reflect upon the social issuesthat the oral presentations were

based upon.

C The main objectives of this article are the following: 1. To offer a pedagogical proposal so that

students can develop written skills and grammar at the same time that they acquire social

competences using the social network Facebook and 2. To know students' opinions about the use of

Facebook in an EFLsubject and the main competences that they have acquired while using this social

network in the teaching-learning process. The hypothesis is that Facebook is an appropriate social

medium to integrate the practice of different skills and grammatical aspects at the same time that

social competences are acquired in an educational context. Consequently, the paper will be guided by

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the following research question: Is Facebook a suitable social network for students to develop written

skills and to revise grammar at the same time that they acquire social competences?

D This study is justified because, during the pandemic, students' attendance in class was restricted.

This also meant there were limited opportunities to interact and discuss different points of view or to

work on cooperative writing in the classroom. For this reason, the teacher chose Facebook so that

students had a social network as a supplementary platform of the subject where they could write

during the semester and as a collaborative learning tool. The popularity of social media among young

learners provides opportunities for students to communicate using English for academic purposes. In

this sense, students can write their own posts, and they can read what others write, which facilitates

interaction in a virtual environment. The fact that the teaching-learning process was dual, i.e., teaching

was synchronously done with students in the classroom and students connected on line (the students

in the classroom were different each week because they were rotating) was a challenge that involved

difficulties. Students at home had to be able to hear the comments that students made in the

classroom. Consequently, Facebook offered the opportunity to post comments at any time for both

students in the classroom and students at home. In this way, students' posts could be read at any time

by the other students, and students could write before, during, or after the lecture. What was initially

an oral practice activity also became a written activity that involved the use of the grammar and

vocabulary studied in the subject.

LITERATUREREVIEW

This section is divided in two sub-sections: the first is more general and concentrates on the use of

technology for educational purposes; the second is more specific and deals with the educational uses

of Facebook.

Technologyfor Educational Purposes

E In the last few decades, technology has had a key role in education because it has been used to

facilitate students' learning. It has an integral part in the preparation of the lessons and in the

teaching-learning process (Ahmadi, 2018; Pourhossein, 2017). The use of the internet increases

students' motivation (Arifah, 2014). Following Ahmadi (2018, p. 118): "When learners learn with

technology, it assists them in developing their higher order thinking skills. It can be concluded that the

true combination of multimedia and teaching methodology is very important to attract learners'

attention towards English language learning." The way students learn through technology is diverse,

for example, mobile learning (m-learning) and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) (C::akmak,

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2019a; Kukulska-Hulme & Viberg, 2018), wikis and biogs (Seaman & Tinti-Kane, 2013). Social

networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, or lnstagram have been applied to

foreign language education for more than a decade (Alnujaidi, 2017; Andujar & Salaberri-Ramiro,

2019; <;:akmak,2019b; Gallardo-Lopez & L6pez-Noguero, 2020; Gettman & Cortijo, 2015; Lomicka &

Lord, 2016; Vahdat et al., 2020). Their use is justified because they can facilitate language learning at

the same time that digital competence is incorporated in the teaching-learning process (Alsaied, 2017;

Martfn-Monje et al., 2018; Solmaz, 2018). Social media facilitate interaction and continuous learning.

They also promote online communication (Ruiz & Fachinetti, 2018) by creating a network where

students generate content and share knowledge at the same time that they interact with each other,

by promoting participation and cooperation (Cela-Ranilla et al., 2017; Fernandez-Ferrer & Cano, 2019).

This involves blended learning models (Chen Hsieh et al., 2017; Hung, 2015; Law et al., 2019), which

facilitate education taking place in more autonomous contexts than traditional classrooms.

Facebook for Educational Purposes

F This article will concentrate on the use of Facebook in English as an EFLclassroom within the context

of a Spanish university. Facebook is one of many Web 2.0 tools (wikis, YouTube, podcasts, etc.) that

are listed as having potential applications for teaching and learning. It is used to maintain or create

new networks, which justifies it being an educational micro-community of students registered in a

language subject in tertiary education (see Methodology). The literature on the educational uses of

Facebook is constantly growing. This section offers an overview of the direction that research has

taken on the pedagogical uses of Facebook. Then it concentrates on the literature review on using

Facebook for English learning. Facebook was created in February 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard

University. Membership was originally limited to Ivy League college students but was later (since 11

September 2006) extended to anyone with a valid email address (Torgeson, 2006). According to the

report Digital 2020: Global Digital Overview, prepared by the companies 'We are social' and

'Hootsuite' (2020), about 3.484 billion people use social networks, that is, 45% of the world's

population. The number of people who use social networks in an active way in Spain is 29 million. In

January 2020, Facebook was the third most visited website in the world, only surpassed by Google and

YouTube, and had a total of 2.41 billion active monthly users (Newberry, 2020).

G In December 2020, Martin del Campo Fernandez-Paniagua (2020) affirmed that Facebook can be

considered the most famous social network in the world, used by 87% of users, followed by YouTube

(68%) and lnstagram (54%). Some researchers have concentrated on using Facebook for teaching and

learning in an innovative way and how this has an effect on effective learning (Daher, 2014; David &

Akcaoglu, 2014; Li et al., 2013; Shraim, 2014). There are also studies that have explored the effect of

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using Facebook on students' interests and motivation (Aubry, 2013; Ru-Chu, 2011) and on the

relationship between students and teachers (Ellison et al., 2011; Mazer et al., 2007). In addition,

research has explored the positive and negative effects of Facebook (Hutchens & Hayes, 2014; Manca,

& Ranieri, 2016; Vural, 2015). Some of the main positive aspects are its benefits for interaction and

collaboration and the possibilities it offers to share interests and to make connections; students can

develop content and language knowledge through Facebook; it favours positive relationships between

students and between students and teachers; it can also contribute to incidental learning of language

skills (Adi Kasuma, 2017). Some of the negative aspects are that learners can be distracted by the

different features of Facebook such as friend requests, notifications, and chat box. There are also

issues of security and privacy that can be problematic. Moreover, it involves extra work for teachers

because they have to monitor the suitability of the language so that students do not learn inaccurate

language production in online environments, for example (Marin-Diaz & Cabero-Almenara, 2019;

Miller, 2020).

H Focusing on English learning, generally, studies concentrate on the use of Facebook to improve

students' English communication skills (Adi Kasuma, 2017; Chugh & Ruhi, 2018; Dweikat, 2016;

Mariappan et al., 2017), paying special attention to post classroom materials, to reach students with

learning materials, to post words and definitions for vocabulary review, to share questions and ideas

about discussions, etc. (Kabilan et al., 2010). Research has explored specifically the use of Facebook

to improve writing in English (Annamalai, 2016; Ibrahim, 2013; Majid et al., 2015; Shih, 2011). For

example, Melor and Salehi (2012) highlight the effectiveness of Facebook to improve writing at the

same time that students can learn new vocabulary from reading other students' comments. Similarly,

Vikneswaran and Krish (2014) point out that students wrote better in English through Facebook thanks

to peer influence, due to the fact that students exchanged ideas with each other. However, hardly any

study concentrates on adding a reflection on social topics to writing and on the acquisition of social

competences. The few studies found show that the acquisition of social competences contributes to

students' engagement and socialization (Ainin et al., 2015; Junco, 2012). In consequence, this study

will focus on that area in order to show that the implementation of the writing proposal through

Facebook goes beyond the development of writing skills, by incorporating social competences in the

study.

METHODOLOGY

Design of the Study

The methodology is mainly qualitative-descriptive because it is based on the compilation and

analysis of the students' posts in the discussions on Facebook. The teacher divided students into 18

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groups (9 in group A and 9 in group B) so that they could prepare a cooperative oral presentation on

a social topic of their choice. Each presentation had to be followed by a discussion on Facebook.

Facebook was a complementary tool to the UACloud platform provided by the University of Alicante,

which was used by the teacher to provide materials for students, to answer tutorials, hand in tasks,

etc. The Facebook group was created at the beginning of the semester, and all the students registered

in the subject were invited to join the page. Students' comments on Facebook were taken into account

for the grade in attendance and participation. In this way, the active participation of students in an

online discussion was encouraged. The group in charge of the week's discussion had to post a list of

at least five questions. Students were asked to use that advanced vocabulary and the formal

grammatical expressions explained in the classroom on the posts. The results of the questionnaire

students answered at the end of the semester and the analysis of the main grammatical errors of the

students offer some quantitative data based on students' answers and posts.

Participants and Context

J The participants were 94 third-year students enrolled in the subject English Language V (79 women

and 15 men) during the first semester of the 2020-2021 academic year of the degree in English Studies

at the University of Alicante. Most students were 20 years old and had studied English from the first

year in the degree. They would like to work as high school teachers or in international companies

when they finish the degree. The main aim of the subject is that students develop the different skills

in English in order to acquire level Cl (Council of Europe, 2001). The subject was taught twice a week

for two hours each day during fifteen weeks. The first two hours were devoted to academic writing

and to grammar; the second two hours were devoted to oral and interaction skills through oral

presentations and discussions.

Research Instruments

K The research instruments were students' posts in the Facebook group and a questionnaire

constructed by the teacher. The Facebook group 'English Language V' allows students to interact

based on a common interest or affiliation, i.e., students participate in this study because they are

registered in the subject. The teacher collected all the posts and revised the grammar and vocabulary.

After that, a classification of the main grammatical mistakes was established so that students could

get some feedback for the next grammar lesson. The questionnaire on google forms consisted of ten

questions whose purpose was to know the opinion of the students who have participated in the

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Facebook discussions during the semester (see Appendix 1). There were three yes/no questions and

seven using the Likert scale (S=strongly agree, 4=agree, 3=neutral, 2=disagree, l=strongly disagree).

Procedure

L The teacher decided to create a Facebook group because the COVID-19 pandemic involved

uncertainty in the teaching-learning process in the number of students who could come to class and

of the types of activity that could be done in the classroom. Moreover, the possibility that, in any

moment, a resurgence of the pandemic would limit students' access to the classroom was another

reason to choose Facebook. The limitation of students per classroom and the distance that it was

necessary to keep among them made the teacher think of the necessity of choosing a social network

that facilitated cooperation between students without being physically present and of the necessity

of providing a virtual environment to facilitate the acquisition of skills and competences of the subject

with only some students present in the classroom. Firstly, the teacher created the Facebook group

'English Language V' and informed students about it so that they could join this page and create a

Facebook account if they did not have one. Secondly, the teacher posted discussion topics on social

issues during the first three weeks of the semester so that student could share their opinions, read

other students' comments, practice vocabulary associated with the topic being discussed and reflect

on the social issue studied every week.

M Students were informed that the Facebook group was only used for the discussions associated

with the oral presentations. If they had questions about the subject, they had to use the platform

UACloud provided by the University of Alicante. From week four on, one group of students was in

charge of posting the discussion topic and the questions based on the topic of the oral presentation

in Facebook. The discussions in the Facebook environment were confined during the lessons and

outside classroom time. In fact, each group was asked to post the questions for the discussion at least

two days before the oral presentation. Thirdly, the teacher revised students' posts and prepared a list

with the main grammatical mistakes found in the posts. Next, the teacher revised the grammatical

mistakes in the next grammar class and asked students to revise the grammar associated with them.

The discussion contents with grammatical mistakes were reported by using quotes from the students'

posts without indicating students' names. Finally, if students had doubts or questions, they could ask

the teacher in a tutorial. These phases continued until the last week of the semester when students

presented the last oral presentation and the discussion through Facebook.

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DISCUSSION

N Facebook is a social network that facilitates interaction and engagement in communication in the

teaching-learning process. The Facebook group 'English Language V' is an instrument that allows

students to interact based on the common fact that they are registered in the subject at the same

time that they engage with the social topic that is discussed every week. Integrating Facebook into a

language subject as a supplementary learning tool can provide students with a real and natural setting

of communication and enhance their motivation. Consequently, students learn easily and actively by

interacting with their classmates and teacher using social network that they also use for personal

communication. Encouraging students to communicate through Facebook discussions in and outside

the classroom offers students many opportunities to write in Engli~h without time restrictions.

Moreover, students learn and write at their own pace, which promotes a learner-centred approach.

Consequently, shy students can be more confident about writing and interacting than when the

interaction takes place face to face in the classroom. Facebook is a flexible environment that students

can access synchronously and asynchronously (Shih, 2011). The flexibility already mentioned has

implications for teachers and educator managers because it is necessary that they check students'

comments in Facebook regularly so that they can provide students with the appropriate feedback and

address the main mistakes as soon as they appear. In this sense, it is useful that teachers advice

students about the main times of the day and of the week they will check the Facebook group so that

students do not expect an immediate answer to their comments or some suggestions to improve their

writing. In addition, using Facebook as a pedagogical resource is challenging for teachers because they

have to learn about the multiple uses of Facebook in general in order to adapt it for the educational

activity selected.

0 Moreover, the use of Facebook is also challenging for students because they have to clearly

distinguish the academic use of Facebook from the personal or entertainment one. This challenge is

associated with the use of standard English for the on line discussions, i.e., the teacher needs to make

sure that students avoid informal English or Spanglish so that the quality of English in online

discussions is as good as possible. In this sense, it is essential that the teacher insist on the importance

of revising the writing before it is posted in Facebook, which involves revising vocabulary, grammar,

and spelling. The Facebook group 'English Language V' encouraged group cohesion and the collective

creation of knowledge because students got engaged with the topic that was discussed each week by

answering the questions that the presenting group had prepared, by making reference to what other

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students had said in the Facebook posts and by establishing connections between the various

discussions. Consequently, collaborative learning and a participatory methodology are observed in the

teaching-learning process. Although the teacher encouraged students to write in Facebook during the

teaching-learning process, some students were reluctant to do so, which means that they did not

make the most of the opportunity of using Facebook to practice writing skills. On balance, Facebook

contributed to promoting reading (some students did not write, but they read what other students

wrote) and cooperative learning, because students can learn from each other by reading the different

posts. The fact that the oral presentations are cooperative and that the same group has to prepare

and post the questions for the discussion in Facebook and comment on other students' posts also

reinforces collaboration between group members.

P Consequently, communication and cooperation are social competences that are promoted by

participating in the Facebook discussions. The group in charge of organising the Facebook discussion

each week had to motivate the rest of the classmates to participate. This contributed to promoting

leadership, a social competence that students need for the labour market. The results of the

questionnaire show that Facebook is effective for English learning, for connecting different skills and

for improving students' literacy. The social topics that frame students' interaction through Facebook

contribute to students' development of language knowledge and social competences at the same

time. It is remarkable that some groups (10 out of 18) not only shared some questions to discuss

aspects about the oral presentation topic, but they also shared the links to some videos and articles

associated with the topic. This shows that students took the initiative to provide extra information for

their classmates. Measuring the academic performance of students though Facebook is always

challenging: it is difficult to select the aspects to be analysed and to determine the type of feedback

that students will receive. In this study, giving students the opportunity to discuss social topics had a

central role although the quality of the language was also important, and the grammar mistakes were

also analysed (see Figure 2).

CONCLUSIONS

Q Technology and social networks such as Facebook facilitate effective distance learning in a context

like the one we live in nowadays, where a pandemic has challenged traditional classroom practices.

This article has explored the use of Facebook for online discussions in higher education and has

observed that Facebook discussions contribute to forging interaction and good relationships between

students and to facilitating the acquisition of social competences. Using Facebook in an English subject

offers the opportunity to apply a social network environment so that students can learn about social

topics at the same time that they practice their English. In this sense, Facebook promotes web-based

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interaction between students outside the classroom, i.e., there is flexibility to interact without having

the time and space constraints of the classroom. This reinforces autonomous learning, because

students were free to participate in the Facebook group synchronously and asynchronously during the

teaching-learning process. In addition, the teacher decided to use Facebook for online discussions as

a substitute for cooperative writing in the classroom because it shows that the English language is

constructed throughout the cooperative-based discussions on social topics that take place every

week. In fact, Facebook is an appropriate tool to stimulate students to write in English at the same

time that they reflect on social topics. Consequently, different skills and competences are integrated

and developed during the teaching-learning process. The use of Facebook in the subject English

Language V involved incorporating into the classroom a new trend of today's communication and a

change in students' academic performance. In this sense, students can associate using Facebook with

their personal communication, which means that the task of academic writing done through Facebook

can be more motivating than doing it in the classroom without using social network. In conclusion,

Facebook contributes to improving students' writing in English language and promotes authentic

language interaction and the acquisition of social competences.

(Source: Lirola, M. M. (2022). Approaching the Use of Facebook to improve academic writing and to

acquire social competences in English in higher education. Contemporary Educational Technology,

14(1), 1-15.)

Part 1: Comprehension questions

[20 marks]

1. Who wrote this journal article?

(1)

2. Why can ICT and SNS play a role in updating education?

(1)

3. According to this article, what is the purpose of this study?

(2)

4. Which social media was used in this study?

(1)

5. Say whether the following statements are True or False.

(4)

a) During the pandemic, students' ability to attend classes was limited.

b) The pandemic did not restrict students' ability to interact with each other and collaborate

on writing activities in class.

c) The popularity of social media among young people is a great opportunity for them to

communicate in English for Academic Purposes.

d) Grammar and vocabulary were not part of the oral activity.

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6. Choose the correct answer.

(2)

ii) The true combination of ____

and ____

can attract learners' attention

towards English language learning.

a) multimedia and learners

b) multimedia and teaching methodology

c) teaching methodology and higher thinking skills

d) higher thinking skills and technology

7. The following social networking skills have been applied to foreign language education.

a) wikis, Facebook, Twitter

b) biogs, Facebook, lnstagram

c) biogs, wikis, Facebook

d) Facebook, WhatsApp, and lnstagram

8. Connect each source(s) to their findings. Write down the Roman number of the finding and the

letter of the corresponding source(s). One of the study options is a distractor.

(2)

The findings

The studies (sources)

Some researchers have

a) Daher, 2014; David & Akcaoglu,

concentrated on using Facebook

2014; Li et al., 2013; Shraim, 2014)

for teaching and learning in an

innovative way and how this has

b) (Aubry, 2013; Ru-Chu, 2011)

an effect on effective learning

ii)

and on the relationship between

c) (Ellison et al., 2011; Mazer et al.,

students and teachers

2007)

9. Find a word that is closest in meaning to each of the following descriptions in each of the given

paragraphs.

(3)

a) not physically existing (Par B)

b) relating to teaching (Par C)

c) consisting of two parts (Par D)

10. To what does each of the following pronouns refer?

(4)

a) they (Par C)

b) it (Par E)

c) it (Par F)

d) it (Par

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Part 2: Language usage

[10 marks]

1. What word formation process was used to create the following words?

(3)

a) EFL(Paragraph B)

b) Facebook (Paragraph B)

c) WhatsApp (Paragraph E)

2. State whether the underlined affix in each word below is derivational or inflectional. {2)

a) Problematic (Paragraph G)

b) effectiveness (Paragraph H)

3. Classify each word below from paragraph N according to its morpheme structure. {2)

a) teaching-learning

b) asynchronously

4. What is the function of the underlined inflections to each of the words from paragraph E

below?

(3)

a) studenW

b) learner~

c) incorporate_g_

Part 3: Research analysis questions

[10 marks]

1. One of the research objectives was: To know the students' opinions about the use of

Facebook in an EFLsubject and the main competences that they have acquired while using

this social network in the teaching-learning process.

Formulate a research question from this research objective.

(2)

2. What evidence in the article suggests that this was a qualitative-descriptive study? (2)

3. How significant was the use of UACloud tool in the study?

(2)

4. Comment on the gender and age distribution of the study participants

(2)

5. Besides the questionnaire, Facebook was used as a data collection instrument.

Explain how?

(2)

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SECTION B: ACADEMIC WRITING

[60]

PART 1: Report writing questions

[15 marks]

Read the extract below taken from an academic article, before attempting to answer the question.

The focus of the article is on the challenges that new students experience when they move from

high school to university.

Transition of first year students into the university can be difficult for some students. This report will

provide a discussion about the issues affecting the transition of first year students into university life.

Making a transition of first year students into academic life at a tertiary institution can be one of the

most challenging experiences. It is challenging not only in terms of academic purposes but also as it is

the stage in students' life where they will most likely experience emotional, financial, and social

problems. As a student of tertiary school there will be huge adjustments that will have to be by

students such as adjustments to new learning and teaching styles, assessments styles and writing

practices. Despite it all, transition to university life is a very rewarding experience they will ever have.

Transition is simply defined as moving from one level to another, it is a process and not an event. It

symbolises change. It can be seen as a motion from familiar into unfamiliar (Levin, 1987), for example

environment. The student's relationship with tertiary education is not the same as the one they had

in primary or secondary. University has a more complex and comprehensive environment than

secondary schools, and many students give up their closeness with their families, friends, and home

to cope within the university life. The students' transition is all about the students dealing with the

whole university life and not just simply the university as formal and more academic institutions.

Students have to adjust into new learning styles and new surroundings. They also have to

communicate and familiarise with new people, strangers in the institutions during their university life.

Anthropologist Van Gennep, Tinto (1988) has stated that the cycle of entering the university moves

through three distinct stages - separation, transition and incorporation. During the separation stage,

student will require to disconnect theirselves from their connections of prior relationships with

communities such as family, high school or home environments in order to adapt to university life.

There are some main experiences in which transition can be problematic. People tend to worry

themselves when entering a new stage of their life, just like how students worry when entering

university life. Continuity with respect to subject course studies can be problematic because some

students are not aware of the difference of the subject studied in high school and universities, in terms

of workloads and assessments style.

Most students undertaking their first year at the university have hard times fitting into the new

environment. Most students often start their first year at the university excited in making friends and

meeting new people but sometimes, university is not described as a friendly place, as more students

going to the university focus more on their academic life than their social life.

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One of the issues that cause a student to withdraw and give up their studies is the workload. Students

who do not know how to manage their time for every subject end up lagging behind their study course.

Finally, when students enter university, they become independent from family. They have a sense of

freedom which they sometimes abuse by doing what they would not do if they were at home.

[Retrieved from https://www.ukes/education/transition-of..first-year-students-into-university-life-

education-e.php ?vref=1]

The Report question:

Many students experience some problems when they transition from high school to university. These

challenges may jeopardise their education and life in general. You have been instructed by The

Director of Student Affairs at NUST to research and identify three main problems new university

students encounter when they transition from high school to university. You then have to compile a

Recommendation Report. You have decided to focus your report content on three main challenges 1.

Students experience emotional, financial, and social problems, 2. They have difficulty adjusting to new

learning and teaching styles, assessments styles, and writing practices, and 3. They are unable to

manage their time and workload.

Write your Report title and Conclusion section ONLY, paying attention to the correct format,

paragraph structure and content required for the Conclusion section of a report.

Part 2: Academic writing

(20 marks]

Read the paragraph and answer the questions that follow.

In December 2020, Martfn (2020, p.20) affirmed that "Facebook might be considered one of the most

famous social networks in the word. Used by 87% of users, followed by YouTube {68%) and lnstagram

(54%)". Some researchers have concentrated on using Facebook for teaching and learning in an

innovative way and how these has an effect on effective learning (Daher, 2014; David & Akcaoglu,

2014; Li et al., 2013; Shraim, 2014). There aren't studies that have explored the effect of using

Facebook on students' interests and motivation (Aubry, 2013; Ru-Chu, 2011) and on the relationship

between students and teachers (Ellison et al., 2011; Mazer et al., 2007). In addition, research has

explored the positive and negative effects of Facebook (Hutchens & Hayes, 2014; Manca, & Ranieri,

2016; Vural, 2015), some of the main positive aspects are its benefits for interaction and collaboration

and the possibilities it offers to share interests and to make connections; students develops content

2.5 Page 15

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and language knowledge through Facebook; it fevers positive relationships between students and

between students and teachers; it can also contribute to incidental learning of language skills (Adi

Kasuma, 2017). Some of the negative aspects are that learners can be distracted by the different

features of Facebook such as friend requests, notifications, and chat box. There is also issues of

security and privacy that can be problematic moreover, it involves extra work for teachers because

they have to monitor the suitability of the language so that students does not learn inaccurate

language production in online environments, for example (Marin-Diaz & Cabero-Almenara, 2019;

Miller, 2020).

Identify the spelling errors in the following sentences from the text. Write the misspelt word

and its correct format only.

(3)

(a) In December 2020, Martin (2020, p.20) affirmed that "Facebook might be considered one of

the most famous social networks in the word.

(b) Some researchers have concentrated on using Facebook for teaching and learning in an

innovative way and how these has an effect on effective learning (Daher, 2014; David & Akcaoglu,

2014; Li et al., 2013; Shraim, 2014).

(c)

In addition, research has explored the positive and negative effects of Facebook (Hutchens &

Hayes, 2014; Manca, & Ranieri, 2016; Vural, 2015), some of the main positive aspects are its benefits

for interaction and collaboration and the possibilities it offers to share interests and to make

connections; students develops content and language knowledge through Facebook; it fevers positive

relationships between students and between students and teachers; it can also contribute to

incidental learning of language skills (Adi Kasuma, 2017).

Which academic conventions do the following sentences respect or disrespect?

(6)

(a)

Some researchers have concentrated on using Facebook for teaching and learning in an

innovative way and how this has an effect on effective learning (Daher, 2014; David & Akcaoglu, 2014;

Li et al., 2013; Shraim, 2014).

(b) Facebook might be considered one of the most famous social networks in the word. Used by

87% of users, followed by YouTube (68%) and lnstagram (54%)".

and motivation (Aubry, 2013; Ru-Chu, 2011) and on the relationship between students and teachers

(Ellison et al., 2011; Mazer et al., 2007).

What type of sentence construction error does each of the following sentences exemplify? (6)

(a) Used by 87% of users, followed by YouTube (68%) and lnstagram (54%).

(b) In addition, research has explored the positive and negative effects of Facebook (Hutchens &

Hayes, 2014; Manca, & Ranieri, 2016; Vural, 2015), some of the main positive aspects are its benefits

for interaction and collaboration and the possibilities it offers to share interests and to make

2.6 Page 16

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connections; students develops content and language knowledge through Facebook; it fevers positive

relationships between students and between students and teachers; it can also contribute to

incidental learning of language skills (Adi Kasuma, 2017).

extra work for teachers because they have to monitor the suitability of the language so that students

do not learn inaccurate language production in online environments, for example (Marfn-Dfaz &

Cabero-Almenara, 2019; Miller, 2020).

The following sentences have wrong subject-verb agreement. Correct them so that they can

be grammatically correct. Underline the corrected part. (3)

(a) ...some of the main positive aspects are its benefits for interaction and collaboration and the

possibilities it offers to share interests and to make connections; students develops content and

language knowledge through Facebook...

(b) There is also issues of security and privacy that can be problematic moreover, it involves extra

work for teachers because they have to monitor the suitability of the language so that students does

not learn inaccurate language production in online environments, for example (Marfn-Dfaz & Cabero-

Almenara, 2019; Miller, 2020).

Study the citations of the following incorporated information and mention the way of

incorporation that was used in each example. (2)

(a) In December 2020, Martin (2020, p.20) affirmed that "Facebook might be considered one of

the most famous social networks in the word.

(b) ...moreover, it involves extra work for teachers because they have to monitor the suitability

of the language so that students does not learn inaccurate language production in online

environments, for example (Marfn-Dfaz & Cabero-Almenara, 2019; Miller, 2020).

Part 3: Text structure

Use the information in the Venn diagram to construct a paragraph.

[10 marks]

2.7 Page 17

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Crocodile

Skin Color: Tan or

greenish gray

In closed mouth, both

top & teeth are visible

---- vs. Alligator

Skin Color: Dark gray

or black

Sharp Teeth

In closed mouth, only

top teeth are visible.

Narrow head and a long

"V" shaped snout

Sensor pits all over

body

Lays about SOeggs

Long,:ails;

,,\\t /

. -.~h'ort Legs

Scaly Skin

Wide head and wide "U"

shaped snout

Sensor pits only on

head

Laysabout 45 eggs

Builds nest under

the ground

Builds nest above,

---the ground

, '·

Your paragraph should consist of:

(a) Topic sentence

(1)

(b) Supporting details

(4)

(1)

(d) Three text structure cohesive devices (3)

(e) Name the pattern of organisation used to present information in the paragraph you

constructed.

(1)

Part 4: Citation and reference (APA 7THedition)

[15 marks]

Use the reference list below and answer questions 1 and 2. Use page 6 if you need to use a page

number.

References

1. World Health Organization . WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media

Briefing on COV/0-19-11 March 2020. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland:

2020.

2. Chavez S., Long B., Koyfman A., Liang S.Y.Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A primer

for emergency physicians. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2021;44:220-229.

doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.03.036.

3. Counted V., Pargament K.I., Bechara A.O., Joynt S., Cowden R.G. Hope and well-

being in vulnerable contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does religious coping

matter? J. Posit. Psycho/. 2022;17:70-81. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1832247.

2.8 Page 18

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4. Qiu J., Shen B., Zhao M., Wang Z., Xie B., Xu Y. A nationwide survey of psychological

distress among Chinese people in the COVID-19 epidemic: Implications and policy

recommendations. Gen. Psychiatry. 2020;33:100213. doi: 10.1136/gpsych-2020-

100213.

5. Snyder, C.R.; Harris, C.; Anderson, J.R.; Holleran, S.A.; Irving, L.M.; Sigmon, S.T.;

Yoshinobu, L.; Gibb, J.; Langelle, C.; Harney, P. The will and the ways: Development and

validation of an individual-differences measure of hope. J. Pers. Soc. Psycho/. 1991, 60,

570.

Question 1

(5)

1.1 Fill in the missing information by inserting source details as appropriate in the spaces below. Write

only the number and the correct answer next to it.

The numbering in the text corresponds with the numbering of the sources in the reference list.

(4)

The COVID-19 pandemic was an extraordinary event, arising unexpectedly and creating a

worldwide outstanding public health concern. Strict public health measures were taken to

contain the global spread of the SARS-CoV-2virus, which was declared a pandemic by the

WHO on 11 March 2020 [1] ______

. The constantly increasing number of cases and

deaths has led authorities to impose social distancing and home confinement [2]

______

. According to [3] ------~

alongside concerns about financial

security, people had their daily routines disrupted indefinitely and were abruptly isolated from

people and places that were part of their daily lives. [4] _______

all of these changes

seriously affected people's mental health, especially with regard to anxiety-related symptoms.

Given this, investigating the resilience and protective factors of people's mental health during

the COVID-19 outbreak represents a relevant and impactful issue.

1.2 Choose the correct intext-citation for the quote below. Write only the number of the question and

the letter of your answer next to it.

(1)

According to Snyder's cognitive model of hope, hope refers to "a motivational positive state that is

based on an inter-actively derived sense of successful (i) agency (goal-oriented energy) and (ii)

pathways (preparation to achieve goals)" [5].

a) Snyder, Harris, Anderson, Holleran, Irving, Sigmon, Yoshinobu, Gibb, Langelle, Harney (1991,

b) Snyder, C.R.; Harris, C.; Anderson, J.R.; Holleran, S.A.; Irving, L.M.; Sigmon, S.T.; Yoshinobu, L.;

Gibb, J.; Langelle, C.; Harney, P (1991, p. 6)

c) Snyder et al., (1991, p. 6)

d) Snyder et al. (1991, p. 6)

2.9 Page 19

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Question 2

2.1 The reference entries above are not aligned to the APA style of referencing. Select one option in

each case that best represents the APA 7th edition style for the first three sources.

(6)

2.1.1 World Health Organization. WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing on

COV/0-19-11 March 2020. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2020.

a) World Health Organization. WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media Briefing

on COV/0-19-11 (March 2020). World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland:

2020.

b) World Health Organization. (March 2020). WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the

Media Briefing on COVID-19-11. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland:

2020.

c) World Health Organization. (2020). WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media

Briefing on COV/0-19-11. World Health Organization.

d) World Health Organization. (2020). WHO Director-General's Opening Remarks at the Media

Briefing on COV/0-19-11 March 2020. World Health Organization; Geneva,

Switzerland: 2020.

2.1.2 ChavezS., Long B., Koyfman A., Liang S.Y.Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A primer for

emergency physicians. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2021;44:220-229. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2020.03.036.

a) Chavez S., Long B., Koyfman A., and Liang S.Y.Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A primer for

emergency physicians. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2021;44:220-229. doi: 10.1016/j. ajem.

2020.03.036. https//doi.org /10.1016 /j.ajem . 2020.03.036.

b) Chavez, S., Long, B., Koyfman, A., and Liang, S.Y.(2020). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A

primer for emergency physicians. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2021;44:220-229. doi: 10.

1016 /j.ajem. 2020.03.036. doi: 10. 1016 /j.ajem. 2020 .03. 036.

c) Chavez, S., Long, B., Koyfman, A., & Liang, S.Y.(2020). Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19): A

primer for emergency physicians. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 2021;44:220-229. doi: 10.

1016 /j.ajem. 2020 .03. 036.

d) Chavez, S., Long, B., Koyfman, A., & Liang, S.Y.(2021). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): A

primer for emergency physicians. Am. J. Emerg. Med. 244, 220-229. https//doi.org

/10.1016 /j.ajem . 2020.03.036.

2.10 Page 20

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2.1.3 Counted V., Pargament K.I., Bechara A.O., Joynt S., Cowden R.G. Hope and well-being in

vulnerable contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does religious coping matter? J. Posit.

Psycho/. 2022;17:70-81. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1832247.

a) Counted, V., Pargament, K. I., Bechara, A. 0., Joynt, S., & Cowden, R.G. (2022). Hope and

well-being in vulnerable contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does religious

coping matter? J. Posit. Psycho/, 17, 70-81. https//doi.org/10.1080/17439760. 2020.

1832247.

b) Counted, V., Pargament, K. I., Bechara, A. 0., ... (2022). Hope and well-being in vulnerable

contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does religious coping matter? J. Posit.

Psycho/. 2022;17:70-81. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1832247.

c) Counted, V., Pargament, K. I., Bechara, A. 0., and Joynt, S., Cowden R.G. Hope and well-

being in vulnerable contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does religious coping

matter? J. Posit. Psycho/. 2022;17:70-81. doi: 10.1080/17439760.2020.1832247.

d) V., Counted, K. I., Pargament, A. 0., Bechara,, & S., Joynt. (2022). Cowden R.G. Hope and

well-being in vulnerable contexts during the COVID-19 pandemic: Does religious

coping matter? J. Posit. Psycho/. 2022;17:70-81.

doi: 10.1080/17 439760.2020.183224 7.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about how to compile a reference list is correct? In each case, write

the number of the statement only and True or False next to it.

(4)

1. All reference entries must be in alphabetical order and numbered.

2. The label References should be in bold, underlined, and centred.

3. Each reference entry should be indented after the first line.

4. If there is amble space, the reference list does not need to start on a separate page.

-END OF EXAM-