Genre Analysis of Undergraduate Dissertation Abstracts in Two Disciplines

The current study examines the rhetorical structure and lexico-grammatical features of twenty undergraduate dissertation abstracts (DA) from the Department of English (DAE) and twenty undergraduate dissertation abstracts from the Department of Communication Studies (DAC) using Swales’ (1990) genre theory. The study revealed that both departments have abstracts that follow Hyland’s five-move structure. The study also found that Move 3 (method) is the most important move in the data from both departments having an occurrence rate of 100%. Further, it was realised that while the present tense is used the most in Move 2 (purpose) in the DAE data, it is rather the past tense that is used the most in the same move in the DAC data. It is therefore recommended that students are taught how to structure their academic writings. The study has theoretical and pedagogical implications for future studies in genre analysis

Condensation on rotating axisymmetric bodies

An analysis is made for tho laminar film condensation on a rotating axisymmetrical general curved body of which the cylinder, the disc and the cones are special examples. The body rotates about a vertical axis and the film is assumed to drain under the influence of gravitational and centrifugal accelerations. The problem is formulated as a solution of the Navier-Stokes and energy equations. A differential equation which governs the growth of the condensate film is obtained and solved to yield one equation which is applicable to all rotating axisymmetrical bodies. The equation involves the geometry of the body and requires a single integration for the complete solution. Theoretical results of condensate layer thickness and heat transfer coefficients are given for a curved body whose generator forms a circular are of 90 for a speed range of 0.1 to 10(^6) rev/min. It is shown that when the curvature is neglected, the analysis over estimate the local film thickness by 71 per cent. Experimental results for the curved body confirm the theoretical findings. However, due to the formation of roll-waves on the condensate layer and hence a departure from the laminar model, the experimental results for the heat transfer coefficient were 1.055 to 1.440 times greater than the theoretical predictions. No detachment of drops from the film of condensate was observed at the experimental speed range of 0.0 to 1000 rev/min. and the condensate drained as a film along the generator. The criterion for the detachment of drops given by Howe is re-appraised and a new criterion which states that "the non-dimensional film thickness η, should be equal to or greater than 1.8 for the onset of the detachment of dropq" is proposed

Agogo Presbyterian College of Education Under the Missionaries and After Take-Over by the Government (1931-2013): A Comparative Study

The study analyzed the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education (1930-1971) and when it was taken over by the Government (1972-2013). This became relevant in the wake of the recent plea by the churches that the Government should hand over Mission Schools to the churches. The study therefore examines the state of management and leadership and infrastructural development both under the regime of the Missionaries and the Government. It also sought to assess academic standard of the students, and the discipline of the College, qualification of the teachers, supervision, and students’ patronage of library and entry grade of students to the College with the view of establishing the progression or retrogression over the period. In doing this, a comparative study was undertaken and data were derived from archival materials of the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education, and direct interviews with past Principals and Administrators of the College. The results revealed that despite an increase in student-intake (210 students in 1942 to 750 students in 2014) with a corresponding increase of teachers (from 5 missionary teachers with lower academic degrees in 1931 to 28 teachers with masters qualifications), inadequate infrastructural development; lack of discipline and competitions among students have characterized APCE since it was managed by the Government as compared to the Missionaries. The study recommends that the Government would complete the construction of the students‟ hall complex, and also put up large auditorium and classroom blocks to accommodate the high students’ intake in the College to enhance education delivery

Functions Of Reporting Verbs In The Literature Review Of Master’s Theses In The Discipline Of Economics

Citation practices are realised through the use of reporting verbs which act as persuasive devices to achieve rhetorical impacts. Several studies have investigated citation practices in several disciplines in different contexts, with little done in the discipline of Economics. The study aimed to explore the citation practices in the literature review sections in master’s theses published in the Economics discipline. Using Hyland’s (2002) classification of reporting verbs, fifteen (15) literature review chapters were extracted from fifteen Economics master’s theses and analysed with AntConc software. Following the results of the study, it was revealed that all three types of reporting verbs were employed varyingly in the theses. Denotatively, the Discourse Acts was the frequently used category of the reporting verbs as compared to the Research Acts and Cognition Acts. On the evaluative function, findings and assurance verbs were employed frequently. While the study contributes to existing literature, it guides the practice of appropriate use of reporting verbs in academic writing

Improved Technology and Land Productivity among Smallholder Cocoa Farmers in Ashanti Region, Ghana

The study assessed the effect of improved technology on land productivity of smallholder cocoa farmers in Ashanti Region, Ghana. With data from 366 smallholders cocoa farmers productivity was shown to be linearly related to and the use of improved cocoa technology in the study area. Both the decision to use improved technologies and the proportion of cocoa land allocated to cocoa production are all significant determinants of increased productivity. In addition, farm level factors characteristics as well as idiosyncrasies are shown to affect productivity. These including age, household size, participation in programs related to cocoa production, access to virgin lands, size of cocoa farm, labour resource use and nativity affect productivity at various levels of significance. Strategies to improve the productivity of the smallholder cocoa farmers must include the promotion of improved cocoa technologies as it evidently enhances productivity of the smallholders. These must not come alone but with appropriate training on their use.Crop Production/Industries,

Foregrounding the Verbal Process: A Corpus Stylistic Analysis of Adichie’s Zikora (2020)

Literature mirrors societies. While the plethora of studies on African literature, spanning from the early 21st century, have discussed literary texts in their political spectrums, recent studies using transitivity analysis have offered new and objective understandings of these novels. Nonetheless, most transitivity analyses have been fixated on characterization, style and themes. Against this background, the purpose of this study was to use corpus procedures to examine the transitivity of verbal process types in Adichie’s recent novel Zikora. Assisted by corpus linguistics, the study used transitivity as an analytical framework to analyse the verbal process in the text. From the analysis, three major findings are reported from the discussion. First, through the verbal processes, the Adichie deconstructed the myriad suffering and subjugation of women through dialogic means and taking responsibility for their livelihood. Second, the foregrounded verbal processes reflect the attribution of processes to other characters than accounting for the literary effects projected through the clauses. Finally, while the writer used the projected clauses to attribute the verbal processes to others, the dominant use of the first-person mode of narration identifies a sharing of roles to account for the writing of the literary work. Following these findings, the study extends the scholarship on literary stylistics and provides implications for further research in other genres of (African) literature

Trending Technologies: A Corpus-based Genre Analysis of Abstracts on ChatGPT

Genre studies have dominated academic contexts, with a particular focus on research article abstracts. Such studies have focused on single and cross-discipline discourse practices, rather than how different disciplines address a common subject based on its communicative purpose. Against this backdrop, this study conducted a corpus-based genre analysis of RA abstracts on ChatGPT. Synergising ESP textual analysis, and corpus-based analysis, the study analysed 72 abstracts. The analyses revealed the ‘Product’ and ‘Purpose’ moves were the most frequent in the abstracts. The ‘Product’ move was afforded much textual space. Concerning the lexicogrammatical features, chatgpt was typified in all the abstracts, occurring frequently at the ‘Introduction’ and ‘Purpose’ moves. Furthermore, the potential and use of ChatGPT, as well as its educational implications, were themes developed from the lexicogrammatical characteristics. Based on these findings, the study provides recommendations for practice and further research

Internet Via Mobile Devices Among Graduate Students of the University of Ghana

This study focused on the use of the Internet via mobile devices among graduate students of the University of Ghana. The survey methodology was used to analyze the perceived use, attitude of graduate students of the University of Ghana (UG) towards the use of the Internet via mobile devices. The respondents numbering 244 answered questions on attitude, perceived ease of use, actual use and challenges of the Internet via mobile devices among graduate students of UG. Responses were analyzed to ascertain the use of the Internet via mobile devices among graduate students in the University. The study revealed that graduate students of UG used mobile phones in accessing the Internet for their information needs due to its portability, easy use, faster and convenience. Additionally the students used MTN as their core telecom network service to access the Internet. Besides, mobile devices were used for academic purposes especially for research work. The benefits obtained by the students in accessing the Internet via mobile devices included broadening of knowledge, convenience of search and wider access to information. Major limitations however were small screen size, low memory capacity, slow transmission speed and lack of skill to operate the mobile device. In conclusion, the Technology Acceptance Model via Wireless Internet should be used for all graduate students’ programmes, because Internet via mobile devices has a unique role in UG. The study recommended a partnership between Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Technology Manufacturers to tailor made mobile devices that support Internet access and also meet the desired needs of students whilst ISPs and UG management respectively improve on Internet services and integrate mobile devices to teaching, learning and research activities. Keywords: Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Ease of Use (EOU) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-6-14 Publication date: February 29th 202

A POSTCOLONIAL FEMINIST READING OF J. M. COETZEE’S WAITING FOR THE BARBARIANS (2000)

Literary texts and kinds of research have reframed postcolonial experiences to capture several issues in society. On that note, Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians has chalked many successes in gaining the attention of literary scholars to subject the text to interpretation using varied literary approaches, except postcolonial feminism. The postcolonial aspect of the feminist issues in the text is fundamental. The thrust of this paper is to analyse Coetzee’s Waiting for the Barbarians using the postcolonial feminist theory. Guided by three objectives, the study uses the qualitative content analysis method to interpret the text. From the analysis, the study reported that, while objectification and ‘othering’ are characteristic of the representation of females in the text, violence against them is constructed through fear and torture and resisted mainly through silence. Also, the mode of narration influences the presentation of the narrative to readers. Finally, the study offers implications for further research using other literary theories or approaches

Potential impact of large scale abstraction on the quality of shallow groundwater for irrigation in the Keta Strip, Ghana

The potential impact of large-scale groundwater abstraction on the shallow groundwater and crop production within the Keta Strip was examined. The assessment was based on geophysical data, data on groundwater quality, soils, irrigation water requirement and hydrogeology of the Strip. The results indicate that the shallow groundwater can support only medium to high salt tolerant crops. This is consistent with the medium salt tolerant crops especially shallot and onion currently grown in the area. Large-scale irrigation of the Strip will require at least 2 x 107 m3 of water during the dry season. Abstraction of such large volume of water from the shallow aquifer will result in the lowering of water table by approximately 1.0 m per year. The consequence of this will be the up coning of the fresh/saline water interface probably by as much as 4.7 m, resulting in salinisation of the fresh water lenses particularly around the lagoon end where most of the shallot farms are situated. Apart from up conning, salinisation may result from ingress of brackish/saline water from the lagoon and sea into the fresh water lenses. Though post irrigation rainfall will be adequate to nullify the water table depression, once the fresh water is contaminated, it is extremely difficult to decontaminate. Consequently, the shallow groundwater will evolve from medium through high to very high salinity hazard to crops. Specific ions toxicity will also increase due to increment in the concentrations of individual ions. Thus, the previously freshwater will become unsuitable for the production of even high salt tolerance crops. This will effectively halt the lucrative shallot and other vegetable farming in the Keta Strip and thus signify socio-economic disaster for the Keta Strip in particular and Ghana in general