AN INVESTIGATION INTO TURKISH EFL LEARNERS’ STEREOTYPED THOUGHTS AND EXPOSURE TO ENGLISH: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY

This study aims to investigate tertiary EFL learners’ stereotyped thoughts about foreign languages, the extent of their exposure to English, and the potential relationships between these variables, also in relation to their proficiency level. 124 EFL students in the preparatory school of a state university in Turkey participated in the study. Two quantitative data collection instruments were distributed to the participants: Stereotyped Thoughts About Foreign Languages Scale (Ünal, 2015) and Exposure to English Scale (Gökcan & Çobanoğlu-Aktan, 2016). Descriptive statistics and correlations were used to analyze the data. The results showed that the participants held a moderate level of stereotyped thoughts and exposure to English. Moreover, significant and positive relationships were revealed between L2 exposure and (1) proficiency level and (2) the two dimensions of stereotyped thoughts: collectivity at a weak level and trying to change people at a moderate level. However, L2 exposure correlated significantly and negatively with taking it personally and exaggerated generalization at a weak level. Concerning the relationships between proficiency level and the dimensions of stereotyping, the “Must” rule, taking it personally and excessively self-sacrificing showed significant and negative relationships with proficiency level weakly, while exaggerated generalization correlated with proficiency at a moderate level. Keywords: L2 exposure, stereotypes, foreign languages, attitude

Motion groups and circular helices in Lorentz 3-space

In this paper, we find the curves which are orbits of of points under the homothetic and helicoidal motion groups in Lorentz 3-space. Also, we show that if these curves are Frenet curves then their curvature and torsion are constant. So we can say that these curves are circular helix in Lorentz 3-space

Ultrafine conducting fibers: metallization of poly(acrylonitrile-co-glycidyl methacrylate) nanofibers

Electrospun poly(glycidylmethacrylate) (PGMA) and poly(acrylonitrile-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (P(AN-GMA)) nanofibers were coated with monodisperse silver nanoparticles by using an electroless plating technique at ambient conditions. Oxirane groups on the surface of nanofibers were replaced with reducing agent, hydrazine. Surface modified nanofibers were allowed to react with ammonia solution of AgNO3. A redox reaction takes place and metallic silver nucleate on fibers surface. Parameters affecting the particle size were determined

PECKING ORDER AND TRADE-OFF THEORIES IN FORMING CAPITAL STRUCTURE: AN IMPLEMENTATION IN TEXTILE INDUSTRY IN THE WEST MEDITERRANEAN REGION OF TURKEY

Increasing competitive environment’s pressure on business organizations during globalization process and after it prompts finance managers to be more cautious about business financing and establishing capital structure. Capital structure decisions change capital components of business organizations and thus become more important in terms of decreasing capital cost and increasing firm value. Modigliani’s and Miller’s approach towards capital structure are the most outstanding ones among the studies related to this issue. It seems that this approach was adopted intensely first and developed by other studies which were done later; even from its drawbacks new capital structure approaches have been suggested. Since bankruptcy and agency cost, arising from excessive borrowing, and asymmetric information problem affect capital cost and firm value, they should be taken into account at least as much as tax advantage provided by the loan for establishing capital structure. In this paper, we tried to form a frame for capital structure at first and then mentioned about trade-off and pecking order theories on establishing capital structure. In the next stage, we referred to previous studies in literature concerning approaches adopted for establishing business organisations’ capital structures. In the last part, a field research, relating to the importance of factors which are taken into account while establishing capital structure in textile businesses, was applied, and analyses regarding the determination of current situation of active business organizations were done. We also applied face-to-face survey method in this study, and the analysis was carried out by subjecting hypotheses to t-test and chi square test with the help of SPSS packaged software

Performance of ChatGPT on the US Fundamentals of Engineering Exam: Comprehensive Assessment of Proficiency and Potential Implications for Professional Environmental Engineering Practice

In recent years, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have led to the development of large language models like GPT-4, demonstrating potential applications in various fields, including education. This study investigates the feasibility and effectiveness of using ChatGPT, a GPT-4 based model, in achieving satisfactory performance on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Environmental Exam. This study further shows a significant improvement in the model's accuracy when answering FE exam questions through noninvasive prompt modifications, substantiating the utility of prompt modification as a viable approach to enhance AI performance in educational contexts. Furthermore, the findings reflect remarkable improvements in mathematical capabilities across successive iterations of ChatGPT models, showcasing their potential in solving complex engineering problems. Our paper also explores future research directions, emphasizing the importance of addressing AI challenges in education, enhancing accessibility and inclusion for diverse student populations, and developing AI-resistant exam questions to maintain examination integrity. By evaluating the performance of ChatGPT in the context of the FE Environmental Exam, this study contributes valuable insights into the potential applications and limitations of large language models in educational settings. As AI continues to evolve, these findings offer a foundation for further research into the responsible and effective integration of AI models across various disciplines, ultimately optimizing the learning experience and improving student outcomes.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

YAPISAL KIRILMALAR ALTINDA REEL EKONOMİK BÜYÜME, REEL DÖVİZ KURU İLE TURİZM GELİRLERİ İLİŞKİSİNİN AMPİRİK ANALİZİ

Büyüme, döviz girişi, ödemeler dengesi, yatırım fırsatları ve yeni istihdam alanları üzerindeki olumlu etkisi açısından turizm, günümüzde ekonomideki en önemli sektörlerden biridir. Turizm gelirlerinin reel ekonomik büyümeye ve reel döviz kuru ile etkileşimini araştırmak da bu çalışmanın temel motivasyonudur. Bu motivasyon ile, bu çalışmada 2003Q1-2020Q1 dönemine ait çeyreklik veriler kullanılarak turizm gelirleri, reel hale getirilen ekonomik büyüme ve döviz kuru arasındaki ilişki araştırılmıştır. Bu araştırma Zivot ve Andrews yapısal kırılmalı birim kök sınaması, Johansen eş bütünleşme analizi, FMOLS ve DOLS yöntemleri ile katsayı tahminleri ve son olarak Toda-Yamamoto testi ile nedensellik analizi aracılığıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonucu olarak, değişkenler arasında uzun dönemli ilişkinin olduğu, bağımlı değişken reel milli geliri açıklayan bağımsız değişkenler turizm gelirleri ve reel döviz kurunun olasılık değerlerinin anlamlı oldukları ve kat sayı işaretlerinin pozitif oldukları görülmüştür. Reel döviz kurunun reel milli geliri etkile gücü turizm gelirlerine nispeten daha fazladır. Yapısal kırılma tarihlerinden 2016Q2 ve 2017Q1 anlamlı çıkması, bu dönemdeki terör olaylarına, Rusya ile yaşanan gerilime ve darbe girişiminin tüm dünyada yankı uyandırması ile açıklanabilir. Toda-Yamamoto nedensellik analizine göre reel milli gelirden ve reel döviz kurundan turizm gelirlerine doğru pozitif ve tek yönlü bir Granger nedensellik vardır