The Effect of Feedback Medium on Accuracy with English Articles

Developing and demonstrating English proficiency is a critical skill for non-native English speakers (NNESs) who wish to study in American universities. Unlike their native English speaker (NES) counterparts, NNES students who apply for university admission are required to demonstrate their proficiency in English via tests, such as the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), that measure an NNES\u27s ability to understand, speak, read, and write English. Although the number of students who have attained those minimum scores is large, there is a large population of adult NNESs enrolled in intensive English programs (IEPs) that are designed to help them improve their proficiency in English and again admission into mainstream university courses. Given that many university instructors require the submission of written work that demonstrates students\u27 understanding of course content, perhaps the most important academic skill developed in IEPs is writing. Furthermore, the lack of attention given to addressing grammatical errors at the tertiary level highlights IEP instructors\u27 need for effective and efficient methods of addressing grammatical errors in NNES writing. The present quantitative study used two experimental designs, a pretest-posttest design and a posttest-only design with proxy pretest (Campbell & Stanley, 1963), to investigate the efficacy of two types of indirect corrective feedback (CF) for improving adult, IEP-enrolled, intermediate level NNES writers\u27 (participants) grammatical accuracy in academic papers. Grammatical accuracy for this study was measured by counting the number of errors participants committed when using English definite and indefinite articles in academic papers. The independent variable for this study was the type of CF participants were randomly selected to receive – either screencast corrective feedback (SCF) or written corrective feedback (WCF). The dependent variable, which measured the effect of the CF given, was the number of errors participants made with English definite and indefinite articles on three compositions completed to satisfy the requirements of their IEP writing class. The results of the current research demonstrated that participants made similar gains in grammatical accuracy when using CF to revise descriptive compositions. These results are in keeping with the results of previous studies that showed the usefulness of CF for improving grammatical accuracy on revised compositions (Bitchener, 2008, Bitchener & Knoch, 2008, 2009a, 2009b, 2010a). However, the improvement observed on the revised descriptive compositions did not transfer to new classification essays, regardless of the type of CF participants received. Participants\u27 lack of grammatical accuracy on new compositions of a different genre effectively illustrated the difficulty English articles pose for NNESs when writing and the need for multiple exposures to CF and writing practice to develop NNESs\u27 ability to consistently use English articles accurately. The main implication of the present study lies in the recommendation of the provision of CF to NNES students and systematic instruction about how to use CF received in order to allow NNESs to become more self-sufficient learners and writers of English

The Relation of Veterinary Research to the Practice of Veterinary Medicine

We like to say there is only one medicine. That puts us in the same boat with practitioners and students of human medicine. I hope we don\u27t seek to use this device to inflate the ego. To prove that there is only one medicine we should first agree on-not define-what we mean by medicine

Hunting and Fishing in the New South

This innovative study re-examines the dynamics of race relations in the post–Civil War South from an altogether fresh perspective: field sports.In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, wealthy white men from Southern cities and the industrial North traveled to the hunting and fishing lodges of the old Confederacy—escaping from the office to socialize among like-minded peers. These sportsmen depended on local black guides who knew the land and fishing holes and could ensure a successful outing. For whites, the ability to hunt and fish freely and employ black laborers became a conspicuous display of their wealth and social standing. But hunting and fishing had been a way of life for all Southerners—blacks included—since colonial times. After the war, African Americans used their mastery of these sports to enter into market activities normally denied people of color, thereby becoming more economically independent from their white employers. Whites came to view black participation in hunting and fishing as a serious threat to the South’s labor system. Scott E. Giltner shows how African-American freedom developed in this racially tense environment—how blacks' sense of competence and authority flourished in a Jim Crow setting. Giltner’s thorough research using slave narratives, sportsmen’s recollections, records of fish and game clubs, and sporting periodicals offers a unique perspective on the African-American struggle for independence from the end of the Civil War to the 1920s

Episode 9: Spring 2021 Meet the Hosts

Check out this conversation between Christina Torres and Dr. Elizabeth Giltner as they talk about how they became interested in teaching and share some fun facts so you can get to know this season\u27s hosts better

Bipolar Ag-Zn battery

The silver-zinc (AgZn) battery system has been unique in its ability to safely satisfy high power demand applications with low mass and volume. However, a new generation of defense, aerospace, and commercial applications will impose even higher power demands. These new power demands can be satisfied by the development of a bipolar battery design. In this configuration the power consuming, interelectrode current conductors are eliminated while the current is then conducted via the large cross-section electrode substrate. Negative and positive active materials are applied to opposite sides of a solid silver foil substrate. In addition to reducing the weight and volume required for a specified power level, the output voltage performance is also improved as follows. Reduced weight through: elimination of the plastic cell container; elimination of plate leads and intercell connector; and elimination of internal plate current collector. Increased voltage through: elimination of resistance of current collector; elimination of resistance of plate lead; and elimination of resistance of intercell connector. EPI worked previously on development of a secondary bipolar silver zinc battery. This development demonstrated the electrical capability of the system and manufacturing techniques. One difficulty with this development was mechanical problems with the seals. However, recent improvements in plastics and adhesives should eliminate the major problem of maintaining a seal around the periphery of the bipolar module. The seal problem is not as significant for a primary battery application or for a requirement for only a few discharge cycles. A second difficulty encountered was with activation (introducing electrolyte into the cell) and with venting gas from the cell without loss of electrolyte. During previous work, the following projections for energy density were made from test data for a high power system which demonstrated in excess of 50 discharge/charge cycles. Projected system power = 100 kilowatts; discharge time = 30 seconds; discharge current density = 1.75 amps/sq in.; system weight = 86 lbs (9.7 WH/lb); and system volume = 1071 cu. in. (.78 WH/cu. in.). EPI is currently working on a development program to produce a bipolar silver-zinc battery design for NASA. The potential application would be to power electromechanical actuators for space launch vehicles

Der Handel von Reptilien unter tierschutzrechtlichen Aspekten

Der deutsche Handel von Reptilien unter tierschutzrechtlichen Aspekten ist bisher kaum erforscht worden. Es stellt sich die Frage, wo die großen Mengen an importierten und in Deutschland nachgezüchteten Reptilien final verbleiben, da eine Verlangsamung des Trends zur Haltung der Tiere nach oben nicht abzusehen ist. Die Zunahme an Zoofachhandlungen, die Reptilien verkaufen, die steigende Popularität von Börsen und die vermehrte Aufnahme von Reptilien in Tierheimen bestärken die Frage nach dem Verbleib der Tiere eher, als dass sie sie beantworten. Zur Gewinnung von Daten wurden Großhändler besucht, Einzelhändler befragt, viele Gespräche mit Sachverständigen und Experten geführt, Börsen kontrolliert, Fachtagungen besucht und schließlich auch die Daten aus Tierheimen und Auffangstationen ausgewertet und interpretiert. Das Ergebnis zeigt einen Mangel an tierschutzgerechtem Umgang mit den Reptilien auf, und zwar in allen untersuchten Bereichen. Beim Import kommt es trotz der IATA-Vorschriften immer wieder zu Verlusten. Beim Großhandel kann nur bedingt ein tiergerechter Umgang mit den Tieren nachgewiesen werden – der Großteil der Branche ist nicht einsehbar. Der Einzelhandel mit Reptilien ist vollkommen unübersichtlich. Der Verkauf von Reptilien in Baumärkten und Einkaufszentren führt zu einer falschen Wahrnehmung der Bevölkerung, was die Bedürfnisse der Tiere angeht. Ebenso verhält es sich mit Börsen, wo Tiere als Massenware zu Tausenden zum Teil regelrecht „verschleudert“ werden. Der Verkauf von Tieren via Internet ist abzulehnen, da hier Arten- oder Tierschutz überhaupt nicht mehr nachvollzogen werden kann. Der Vollzug ist überlastet und oftmals fachlich nicht qualifiziert. Die Unterbringung in Tierheime stellt alle Beteiligten auf weitere Proben, auch hier kann es keine zufriedenstellende Lösung im Tierschutzsinne geben, solange nicht die Struktur geändert wird. Eine nachhaltige und umfassende Änderung bei Gesetzen, Regelungen und in der Politik ist gefordert.The German trade with reptiles under the aspects of animal welfare laws has barely been analyzed under scientific guidelines. In the beginning of this thesis the question existed, where all the reptiles, being traded, imported into and bred in Germany in great numbers, remain? The rising number of pet shops selling reptiles, the increasing popularity of trade fairs and the growing admission into animal shelters are emphasizing that question, not answering it. To collect data, the author visited professional distributors, consulted with merchants in the pet store business, interviewed industry experts, controlled trade fairs, attended experts symposia and finally extracted and interpreted data from animal shelters regarding the admission of reptiles. The result showed a shocking lack of animal-welfare-friendly handling, in all the examined areas. During the import of reptiles, due to IATA guidelines, mortalities arise. Only for a fraction of professional distributors an animal-welfare-guided treatment can be affirmed – the biggest part of the industry is non - transparent The distribution of reptiles in retail is absolutely unclear. The sale of these animals in home-improvement stores or malls is not acceptable, and adds to the misinformation of future owners and their awareness of reptile husbandry. The same argument arises against the sale and trade of live reptiles on trade fairs. The needs of the animals are not met properly in such an environment. The distribution of any live animals via internet is also unacceptable, since a reconstruction of animal welfare, protection or species conservation is impossible. The executing organs are mostly overworked and sometimes under qualified. Accommodation in animal shelters presents more problems to employees, even here a satisfying solution within the meaning of animal protection and welfare cannot be found. A sustainable, lasting and all-embracing solution hast to be found in laws, politics and society

Unlimited Branch Banking in Texas: The Next Step in Deregulation Comment.

Abstract Forthcoming