Analyzing items used in developing descriptive essay marking rubrics: Focussing on vocabulary use

Descriptive writing is an excellent language learning strategy to improve students’ vocabulary and ultimately their language competence. Teachers have found that longer time is required to develop students’ descriptive writing skills, and it gets more complex because there is not many appropriate, or rather standardized, guideline to help teachers teaching descriptive writing. Most commonly, teachers employ the five-paragraph-writing format to teach writing. It was found in this study that students focus on vocabulary in describing scenes, characters, plots, or settings. Consequently, it is the aim of this study to explore the criteria or items of the existing rubrics used in descriptive writing, and develop an exclusive one that emphasizes on vocabulary. 20 prominent rubrics for descriptive writing were gathered and analyzed. Summative content analysis method was employed for the analysis. The most frequent components used were listed down and integrated into a new rubric. The findings revealed that there are several components used to assess descriptive writing namely description, word choice, and vocabulary competence. This study also found that with a specific descriptive writing rubric, teachers are able to better prepare their lessons in teaching descriptive writing. The exclusive descriptive writing rubric also helps students to better learn and develop their vocabulary

A critical review on steps applied to conduct activities in reading classes to improve students’ vocabulary development and expand vocabulary use

A majority of people consider intense reading as a great strategy to improve competence in vocabulary and language skills. However, educators believe that the time commitment required to use the intensive reading technique is a major barrier to its adoption. In order to teach students about short stories, novels, poems, and other types of creative writing, literature professors frequently use the intense reading method. The value of the intensive reading technique is a topic of much investigation. This study compared reading to intensive reading and considered how the two could be integrated. The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the Intensive Reading Method works well for teaching new vocabulary words utilizing its suggested procedures. In order to explore the intensive reading approach to improve language proficiency in writing, reading comprehension, and vocabulary, a systematic literature review was used. The results showed that the procedures taken in 70% of the studies were acknowledged as essential for carrying out the intensive reading approach. The Intensive Reading Method was employed in 14 out of 20 research studies, and it was proven to be successful in assisting learners in acquiring new vocabulary

Effect of vitamin E (Tri E®) on antioxidant enzymes and DNA damage in rats following eight weeks exercise

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exercise is beneficial to health, but during exercise the body generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are known to result in oxidative stress. The present study analysed the effects of vitamin E (Tri E^®) on antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (Cat) activity and DNA damage in rats undergoing eight weeks exercise.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty four <it>Sprague-Dawley </it>rats (weighing 320-370 gm) were divided into four groups; a control group of sedentary rats which were given a normal diet, second group of sedentary rats with oral supplementation of 30 mg/kg/d of Tri E^®, third group comprised of exercised rats on a normal diet, and the fourth group of exercised rats with oral supplementation of 30 mg/kg/d of Tri E^®. The exercising rats were trained on a treadmill for 30 minutes per day for 8 weeks. Blood samples were taken before and after 8 weeks of the study to determine SOD, GPx, Cat activities and DNA damage.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SOD activity decreased significantly in all the groups compared to baseline, however both exercised groups showed significant reduction in SOD activity as compared to the sedentary groups. Sedentary control groups showed significantly higher GPx and Cat activity compared to baseline and exercised groups. The supplemented groups, both exercised and non exercised groups, showed significant decrease in Cat activity as compared to their control groups with normal diet. DNA damage was significantly higher in exercising rats as compared to sedentary control. However in exercising groups, the DNA damage in supplemented group is significantly lower as compared to the non-supplemented group.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In conclusion, antioxidant enzymes activity were generally reduced in rats supplemented with Tri E^®probably due to its synergistic anti-oxidative defence, as evidenced by the decrease in DNA damage in Tri E^®supplemented exercise group.</p

3D Image Plane from Stereo Camera Calibration on Extrinsic Parameters in Stereo Vision Application

This paper presents a 3D image plane in a group of target or image during the process of stereo pair calibration. The extrinsic parameters of camera calibration can be viewed in 3D image or scene which contains the rotation and translation of vector. The error re-projection of a single image could determine the less error of distortion during the extraction of chessboard corner each image taken. The distortion model also generates an error coordinate system in pixel value. The 3D image will viewed the result and output of extrinsic parameters during the calibration process

Fundamental elements of Malaysia green highway

Sustainable development is often spoken of by the public over the past few years. In the third world countries such as Malaysia, the development of sustainable highways is something new to be explored. Within this context, this paper aims to highlight the basic elements needed towards the development of an assessment framework for green highways in Malaysia. An extensive literature review was undertaken which shows about twenty five elements were identified as having roles in green highways. Questionnaire survey was distributed to highway construction experts in order to gain their response in validating the identified elements. The results show that elements will serve as a basis for the development of an assessment model for Malaysia green highwa

Sejarah jurnal jabatan sejarah Universiti Malaya

185 hlm.: ilus.; 25 c

Sejarah jurnal jabatan sejarah Universiti Malaya

185 hlm.: ilus.; 25 c