How I see it: An exploratory study on attributions and emotions in L2 learning

Learners’ attributions have received increasing attention in second/foreign language (L2) learning. Studies have shown that how learners attribute their performance influences not only their self-efficacy, motivation, and goal attainment but also their emotions (Hsieh, 2012; Hsieh & Kang, 2010; Hsieh & Shallert, 2008; Weiner, 2000, 2014). This exploratory study investigated how Japanese adult learners of L2 English attributed changes in their L2 learning attitudes and motivation through a 10-week TOEIC preparation program. It also examined emotions expressed in their attributional statements and the differences between learners with lower and higher L2 proficiency. A content analysis of open-ended questionnaire responses suggested eight attributional categories: perceived L2 improvement, enjoyment, positive feelings, increased L2 exposure, realization of L2 needs and importance, effective L2 instruction, and praise from the teacher for positive changes in attitudes and/or motivation and perceived inefficient L2 skills for negative changes in attitudes and/or motivation. Enjoyment was an emotion the most frequently mentioned by both groups while other emotions, such as joy, happiness, and disappointment, were expressed only by the beginner learners. These results offer important implications for L2 pedagogy and prospects for further research in the area

Redshift Dependent Lag-Luminosity Relation in 565 BASTE Gamma Ray Bursts

We compared redshifts $z_Y$ from Yonetoku relation and $z_{lag}$ from the lag-luminosity relation for 565 BASTE GRBs and were surprised to find that the correlation is very low. Assuming that the luminosity is a function of both $z_Y$ and the intrinsic spectral lag $\tau_{lag}$, we found a new redshift dependent lag-luminosity relation as $L=7.5\times 10^{50}{\rm erg/s}(1+z)^{2.53}\tau_{lag}^{-0.282}$ with the correlation coefficient of 0.77 and the chance probability of $7.9\times 10^{-75}$. To check the validity of this method, we examined the other luminosity indicator, Amati relation, using $z_Y$ and the observed fluence and found the correlation coefficient of 0.92 and the chance probability of $5.2\times 10^{-106}$. Although the spectral lag is computed from two channels of BATSE, our new lag-luminosity relation suggests that a possible lag-luminosity relation in the \swift era should also depend on redshift

Grazing Suitability of Various Napier Grass Varieties in Paddocks of Different Ages

Previous studies have demonstrated that late-heading type dwarf (DL) Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach) introduced to Japan from Thailand by the Dairy Promotion Organization of Thailand was able to overwinter in the lowland areas of southern Kyushu (Mukhtar et al., 2003). The species has a higher proportion of leaf blade than other normal and dwarf varieties. These studies were conducted to assess the suitability of the various Napier grass varieties for grazing (Mukhtar et al., 2004). The objective of this study was to examine the grazing suitability, herbage quality and wintering ability of three Napier grass varieties for dairy cows on newly-established and four-year-old pastures in 2003 in Kyushu, Japan

Rate of Family Violence Among Patients With Schizophrenia in Japan

Kageyama, M., Yokoyama, K., Nagata, S., Kita, S., Nakamura, Y., Kobayashi, S., & Solomon, P. (2015). Rate of Family Violence Among Patients With Schizophrenia in Japan. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health, 27(6), pp. 652–660. © 2015 APJPH. DOI: 10.1177/101053951559506