Screen reading habits among university students

AbstractAmong the numerous areas of education which have been impacted by technology, the growth of reading texts from computer screens is one of the most widespread. This trend is perhaps most evident at universities with academic journal articles increasing being stored and accessed in this format. As with any technological changes, the spread of screen reading presents educators and students with a range of challenges and opportunities. This paper seeks to examine the general preferences and habits of university students when reading academic articles, specifically their use of annotations and other means of interacting with a text. An on-line survey was conducted and the views of 630 students analyzed. The data reveals several tensions in the preferences and habits of these students and suggests that a knowledge gap may exist which could hamper their ability to interact with digital texts. The article ends with a syllabus outline for an academic reading course for non-native speakers (NNS) and suggestions for further research in the area

Epistemic Markers in NS and NNS Academic Writing

The use of epistemic markers – words and phrases employed to show differing degrees of certainty and hesitation – is an important element of academic writing. Previous research has suggested that this is an area in which non-native speakers (NNS) struggle. Studies have indicated that NNS are prone to making overly strong statements and exhibit less range and sophistication in the devices that they do employ than native speakers (NS). However, there have as yet been few studies examining the use of such language by advanced NNS students in university academic writing. This corpus-based study examines the ways in which NS and advanced NNS students use epistemic markers in university academic writing. Two corpora totalling 31 659 words were formed from the discussion and conclusion sections of a written university assignment and analyzed for use of epistemic markers. The results indicate that though both groups employ the language at comparable rates and display similar levels of commitment in their writing, these NNS writers display some features of epistemic marker use found to be generally characteristic of other NNS writers

The Past Perfect in Corpora and EFL/ESL Materials

Corpora provide teachers and materials developers with the ability to ensure that the instructions they use in class and in teaching materials correctly reflect natural use. This paper examines the ways in which grammar reference books and two types of EFL/ESL materials present the past perfect aspect and whether they do so accurately. It will be argued that there are several issues concerning how these books present the grammar point. Many of the books surveyed provide incomplete explanations of when and how the form is used and several contain usage guidelines that are not supported by available corpus data. The paper ends with several recommendations to improve how the form is presented to teachers and learners

Compression Tester Shop Press

A piece of machinery designed to carry out compression and bending tests on building materials constructed by the Center for Vocational Building Technologies (CVBT) in Isarn, Thailand

Lexical and Syntactic Changes in First-Year EAP Student Writing

The question of how English for Academic Purposes (EAP) student writing changes over time is one of notable importance to researchers and educators. While it has been established that academic vocabulary and complex structures play an important role in how students perform and are assessed in written assignments, the degree to which those areas develop as students progress through higher education is less well understood. This study compares the writing of university students near the start and end of their first year of university and EAP study and finds that while use of both academic vocabulary and more complex structures increases during that time, much of the development, particularly in terms of vocabulary, can be explained based on the different task types and topics that formed the basis of each written submission

Addressing Today’s Talent Gap: An Inductive Investigation into Balancing the Demand and Supply of 21st Century Workforce Talent

Institutions of higher education are under immense pressure to become more aware of market demands and the role they play in offering the supply-side for the demand. This article highlights the disconnect between skills organizations need/demand and the supply of those skills, talent, and knowledge from university graduates. Specifically, a deficiency in work ethic, passion, and drive (possibly termed “the right attitude”) was noted as a vitalgap. Additionally, and importantly, these personal attributes along with continuous learning, the ability to innovate, and communication skills emerged as key characteristics needed among the workforce today