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Academic Supplement 2: Dealing with a

Thesis or Dissertation
CLECV PLUS 3

Academic Supplement 2
Dealing with a Thesis or
Dissertation

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Academic Supplement 2
Dealing with a Thesis or Dissertation

(Source: http://classroom.synonym.com/write-thesis-arts-administration-3465.html - Retrieved 8/6/2013)

A thesis can be loosely defined as a means to communicate the findings of certain


experimentation and analysis of data with a large audience. For many, it is a written record or
evidence of a piece of work that has been undertaken by a candidate, usually someone
wishing to obtain a degree (postgraduate, masters or doctorate). It evidences the author’s
knowledge and capabilities in the field of interest and is therefore a reasonable form of
assessment.

thesis /’θi:sis/ n 1 a proposition to be maintained or proved. 2 a dissertation


esp. by a candidate for a degree. [Middle English via Late Latin from Greek
1
= putting, placing, a proposition, etc]

Academic institutions might make a distinction between thesis and dissertation. They may
use the first one only for initial degrees and the second one exclusively for doctorates, but
this is not a hard-and-fast rule of language. In fact, the terms may be used interchangeably.

1
Quoted in Chandrasekhar, R (2002) How to Write a Thesis: A Working Guide. Australian Research Centre for Medical
Engineering (ARCME) – The University of Western Australia

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Likewise, every degree-awarding body may demand scholars to produce a thesis under a
fixed set of parameters or regulations. Most universities produce documents such as guides,
tutorials, instructions and alike to guide students through the process of writing their theses.
A sample non-official structure of a thesis might be:

1. Title page
2. Summary or Abstract
3. Table of Contents
4. Acknowledgements
5. Main Text
a. Introduction
b. Review of the Literature
c. Materials and Methods
d. Experimental Chapters, each of which would require:
i. A brief introduction
ii. Experimental procedure (methods and materials)
iii. Results
iv. Discussion
e. General Discussion or Conclusions
6. Bibliography or References
7. Appendices

Whatever the structure, a thesis essentially aims at answering the following questions:

• What was the aim of the experience?


• What methods and materials were used?
• What was observed?
• What results can be obtained? What was found?
• What can be discussed? What do the results mean?
• What can be concluded? What new knowledge did the findings yield?

The backbone of any thesis or dissertation is provided by the hypothesis. The hypothesis
defines the aim or objective of an experiment, which is based on something we expect to
happen. If this we expected became indeed true, we would envisage certain observations or
measurements about it.

In this academic supplement, we will focus on the experimental chapter of a thesis, as well
as those dealing with discussion or conclusions.

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1. Background to the thesis used in this supplement

Before we work with the thesis that has been chosen for this academic supplement, we need
to grasp as much background information as possible. One of these pieces of information is
the abstract of the thesis:

“The study presented in this thesis focuses on teacher-student talk-in-interaction in


three Italian classes for beginners taught by two teachers, one British and one Italian,
in two British universities. The aims of the study are to: (1) investigate the views of
language and of language teaching/learning that informed the teachers” practice; (2)
identify the cultural worlds and images of Italian-ness constructed through the
classroom talk; (3) examine the different identities the teachers assumed as they
discussed language and culture. The research combines ethnographically-informed
classroom observation, video-recording of classroom interaction with discourse
analysis. It is guided by poststructuralist thinking and by Kramsch’s (1993:9) vision of
language teaching/learning as “social practice that is at the boundary of two or more
cultures”. It reveals similarities in the composition of the classes. Both included
international students and both teachers drew on the diverse funds of linguistic and
cultural knowledge represented in their classes, creating “third places” for language
teaching/learning. The research also reveals differences between the teachers – in
their views of language, their representation of Italian “culture” and in the classroom
identities they assumed. These differences are explained with reference to the
teachers’ linguistic and cultural backgrounds and their professional biographies”.
Source: http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/1561/.

The thesis whose abstract you have read above was titled “Doing Italian as a Foreign
Language: investigating talk about language and culture in three British university
classrooms” and it was written by Giovanni Fanton at the University of Birmingham in the
United Kingdom.

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2.The Abstract

The abstract is a description of the work presented to an external examiner. It is normally


written to raise the reader’s expectations about the study. If it is properly written, it should
actually represent a summary of the whole thesis, with its major elements in condensed form.
It is not simply an introduction, a preface or preamble. The most important questions it
should address are “what was discovered?” and “how was it discovered?”

The size of an abstract varies according to institutional regulations. In some countries, like
Canada for example, the abstract for an MA thesis is in the range of 150 words, while the
thesis abstract for a doctoral degree is expected to be 350 words. Other countries may not
have government regulations about this, but education bodies may have them.

“The structure of the abstract should mirror the structure of the whole thesis, and
should represent all its major elements. For example, if the thesis has five chapters
(introduction, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion), there should be one
or more sentences assigned to summarize each chapter”. Source:
http://www.sfu.ca/~jcnesbit/HowToWriteAbstract.htm

Activity 1: Identifying Contents of the Abstract

Based on the abstract presented in section 1 and the explanation in section 2 above,
complete the following chart:

Question Answer

What was discovered?

How was it discovered?

Based on the number of words, what kind of


thesis would this be appropriate for?

What chapters of the thesis do you think it


makes reference to?

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

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The APA (American Psychological Association) offers examples for the general format of APA
research papers, in-text citations, endnotes/footnotes, and the reference page. The University of
Purdue in the United States, maintains a comprehensive online writing lab (OWL) with reference to
the APA style. You can access the OWL here: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/

You will find interesting explanations and specifications like the following:

Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/18/ (Screen-capture )

3. Background to the Experience

When scholars write their theses, they tend to feel the need to provide some background for
their study. The background sets the general tone and rationalizes the reasons for and
approach to the chosen theme.

The nature and scope of the background will depend on the field of study. This section of the
thesis might include historical information, references to previous research or even practical
considerations. Here are some techniques that are usually used:

• Using a short narrative to “set the scene” of the thesis.


• Describe some historical approach to the phenomenon being discussed.
• Grasping an element from the media (article, piece of news, report, etc) to give the
topic relevance at time the thesis is written.

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Depending on the approach that the author has used to write the background, readers might
experience various effects: their emotions might be touched, their impartiality and neutrality
will be boosted, and their understanding of the historical background will be understood.

Activity 2: Purpose of the Background

Below you will find four extracts taken from three different theses. Read them and focus on
the result that the author wants to create in the reader. Then, in the table that follows tick ()
the boxes that apply.

Paragraph 1:
When Betty Friedan published “The Feminine Mystique” in 1963 it was received with instant
acclaim. Famed feminist and sociologist Jessie Bernard declared that the book provided a
“much needed shock to those who have, unwittingly perhaps, encouraged women to
surrender their claims to identity as human beings” and claimed that it “should be on the
reading list of every course on marriage and/or the family. Every senior college woman
should be required to read it”. (FRANCES, R (2010) The Feminine Mystake. University of
Birmingham)

Paragraph 2:
The terrorist attacks of September eleventh two thousand and one, occupied a prominent place
in the public media all over the world, and constituted a historical turning point in relations
between the Western world and the Arab world. The consequence of this turning point was a
change in Saudi-American relations; the mutual trust which had been forged in the past had
been jeopardized. (ABDULRAHMAN, A (2013) How Saudi Arabian Newspapers Depicted the
September 11 Attacks – University of Birmingham)

Paragraph 3:
In an address commemorating the day of German re-unification in 2006, Angela Merkel
recognized Germany’s regional identities in the above quote. She advocates that regional
identities were so strong that they were able to endure the GDR, which, according to her, did
not really support them politically. She therefore actually suggests that the country’s federal
identity has, even during periods of political repression, always manifested itself culturally. It
is Germany’s specific ability to embrace different identities; how this has been manifested in

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landscape painting around 1900 that is the focus of this thesis. (GORE, C. (2011) Identities
in Transition: German landscape painting 1871-1914. University of Birmingham)

Paragraph 4:
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a life-shortening, genetic disease affecting all racial and ethnic
populations, with a higher prevalence among Caucasians. An estimated 30,000 individuals in
the United States have CF, with slightly more than half (52%) under the age of 18 years
(Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2011). CF is a progressive disease caused by a recessive gene,
and affects multiple organs including the lungs, pancreas and digestive systems. Although
life span has increased dramatically in the last 20 years, modal age of death is still in the
mid-20’s, patients with CF inevitably experience more frequent pulmonary exacerbations,
requiring intravenous antibiotics and hospitalizations, and a decline in lung function leading
to earlier mortality (Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 2011). (TAYLOR, C. (2012) Depression and
Anxiety as Predictors of Obesity in Children. University of Miami).

Uses narrative to “set Historical approach to Grasps an element


the scene”. the phenomenon. from the media
Paragraph 1

Paragraph 2

Paragraph 3

Paragraph 4

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

Activity 3: Starting Points – Purpose

For this activity, you need to read Extract 1 in full at the end of this document. Choose the
purpose(s) of this introductory paragraph written for a thesis.

__ A. Using a short narrative to “set the scene” of the thesis.


__ B. Describe some historical approach to the phenomenon being discussed.
__ C. Grasping an element from the media (article, piece of news, report, etc) to give
the topic relevance at time the thesis is written.

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

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Activity 4: Starting Points – Reading Comprehension

Read Extract 1 at the end of this document again. Match the following causes with their
effects or consequences:

Causes Effects
___ 1. The author has had three A. The author worked in an industrial setting.
professional identities. B. The author chose English as her first foreign
___ 2. The author’s family background. language.
___ 3. The author could not rely on a C. The author became aware of the de-
reassuring affective background. stabilizing nature of cultural elements when
___ 4. The author wanted to assert her different cultural traditions meet.
identity as different from her D. The author felt the necessity to mediate
father's mother's worlds. between two worlds.
___ 5. The author graduated with a thesis E. The author has experienced different ways
on the translation of organisational in which people represent and 'translate'
sociology. linguistic and cultural worlds for each other.

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

Activity 5: Starting Points – Vocabulary Comprehension

Several in the text are used in a non-traditional form (e.g. not in the way they are regularly
used). Choose the dictionary definition that applies to the particular way that the author has
used each word in their thesis introduction.

1. Exposed me… to cultural differences


__ A. (v) to remove what is covering something so that it can be seen.
__ B. (v) to make it likely that someone will experience (e.g. something harmful or
unpleasant).

2. An inner affective split


__ A. (n) a long, thin hole in something where it has broken apart.
__ B. (n) a situation in which a group of people is divided into smaller groups
because they disagree about something.

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3. A reassuring affective background


__ A. (adj) making you feel less worried.
__ B. (v) to comfort someone and stop them from worrying.

4. A way to assert my identity


__ A. (v) to behave in a way that expresses your confidence or importance and
earns you respect from others.
__ B. (v) to do something to show that you have power.

5. An industrial setting
__ A. (n) the position of a house or other building.
__ B. (n) the time and the place in which the action of a book, film, play, etc.
happens.

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

4. Review of Literature

After theses authors introduce the context within which their study has taken place, a review
of pertinent literature is required.

The literature review is integral to the whole thesis and, for the researcher, it represents the
springboard for the whole work. The literature review:

• Demonstrates the writer’s comprehension of the field.


• Establishes the theoretical framework to the research and the methodological focus, as
the author establishes the new research in relation to something pre-existent.
• Justifies the reasons for the research, as the author has managed to identify a gap in
the literature that can be “filled-in”. In other words, it shows that it is worth investing
time and effort in doing the research.
• Demonstrates that the writer has looked at the relevant literature critically. In other
words, the writer manages controversies and is able to track and position the research
within an appropriate context. The literature review is not merely a report on previous
research; it is an organized, critical view of pre-existent information.

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Look at the following two paragraphs:

Paragraph 1:
“Green (1975) discovered the early principles of quantum mechanics, while in 1978, Black
conducted experiments and discovered that the measuring processes cannot be
satisfactorily described in QM formalism. Later, Brown (1980) illustrated this in his volume
‘Early Descriptions’”.

Paragraph 2:
“Despite the undisputed success of mechanics, many important fundamental problems and
questions remain unanswered (see for example X, 1973): the measuring process cannot be
satisfactorily described in QM formalism; there are great mathematical stumbling blocks to
attempt to make QM consistent with the assumptions of special relativity; ……….., just to
name a few”. (Quoted in http://www.uq.edu.au).

Paragraph 1 is clearly a mere summary of findings and publications on the thesis topic.
Paragraph 2 has a quite dissimilar approach: the author looks at previous studies critically
and uses phrases such as “undisputed success”, “important fundamental”, “remain
unanswered”, “cannot be satisfactorily described” and “stumbling blocks” to reveal the breach
that they are trying to mend.

Activity 6: Critical Approach to Literature

Read the following four extracts from literature reviews taken from various theses. Identify
whether the authors demonstrate in these paragraphs that they looked at the publications
critically or. Identify what language helps you decide on this.

Paragraph 1:
Several researchers have created practice models or models for motivation based on a
review of the literature. Robert W. Lundin wrote the book chapter, “Learning and
Remembering Music” in his book “An Objective Psychology of Music”. In his chapter’s
introduction, Lundin noted several studies on topics like practicing and musical constructs,
like tonal memory. (University of Miami, 2013, Drayton, James M.: A Theoretical Model for
Practicing).

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Paragraph 2:
In his book, Winners and Losers in Globalization, Guillermo de la Dehesa takes a middle of
the road approach to understanding the success of globalization. He feels that this process
has “a long way to go”. In the book, he discusses both the positive and negative issues of
relevance to globalization and the different economic indicators available for its evaluation.
Technological progress is one of the many indicators perceived as a positive tool for
globalization. (University of Miami, 2012, Bolanos, Sylvia M.: Shrimp Aquaculture and
Aguadulce: A Broken Partnership).

Paragraph 3:
Schuller’s most involved commentary on the horn in jazz in linked to Claude Thornhill’s
second band. In 1941, Dick Hall and Vinny Jacobs joined Thornhill’s ensemble and were
often featured in slow pieces. In 1940, ASCAP prevented its copyrighted material from being
performed on the radio; as a result, popular works of classical composers and traditional
tunes were used as source material for composition. Thornhill and his arrangers, Bill Borden,
Andy Phillips, and Gil Evans, sought to create a unique style and sound for their big band
that would differ from the likes of Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman’s respective ensembles.
(University of Miami, 2013, Spinola, Stanley J.: An Oral History of the Horn in Jazz).

Paragraph 4:
In several papers the gravity model is used to explain FDI flows, but why is this model used?
We saw that the model has high explanatory power when used to predict international trade.
Helpman, Melitz and Yeaple (2003) recognize three ways how a company can sell their
products abroad: the company can export their products, they can serve their customers
through FDI or the company can license a foreign company to sell the product. If you look at
these three channels you can see that trade and FDI are closely related. (Erasmus
University, 2013, Ruiter, de D. and Bosker, M.: What is the role of cultural factors in the
gravity model of FDI?)

Paragraph 1: ______________________________________________________________

Paragraph 2: ______________________________________________________________

Paragraph 3: ______________________________________________________________

Paragraph 4: ______________________________________________________________

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

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Activity 7: Review of Literature – Reading Comprehension

Question 1:
Read Extract 2 at the end of this document. It’s titled “Stereotypes and Cultural Models”.
Identify any instances of critical views of the existent literature and the language that
supports your answer.

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Question 2:
Read Extract 2 again and complete the seven areas in the following visual organizer:

A sample answer can be seen in the Answer key at the end of this document.

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(Elaboración propia)

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Activity 8: Review of Literature -Vocabulary Comprehension

Several terms in the text are used in a non-traditional form (e.g. not in the way they are
regularly used). Choose the dictionary definition that applies to the particular way that the
author has used each word in their literature review.

1. Calls for new ways


__ A. telephone communications or conversations
__ B. demands or needs for

2. Falling prey to cultural stereotypes


__ A. be vulnerable to or overcome by
__ B. an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food

3. A similar conceptual construct


__ A. an idea or theory containing various conceptual elements, typically one
considered to be subjective and not based on empirical evidence
__ B. build or make

4. Stereotypes are often evoked


__ A. bring or recall
__ B. invoke

5. The labelling of people


__ A. a small piece of paper, fabric, plastic, or similar material attached to an object
and giving information about it
__ B. a classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is
inaccurate or restrictive

6. These plural affiliations


__ A. adoption of a son
__ B. officially attachment or connection

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

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5. Dealing with the Conclusions of a Thesis

The conclusions section of a thesis summarizes the research itself, the nature of the
arguments, the method of research, the findings and the challenges that have been made to
any pre-existing views on the subject. This section also provides an overview of any new
knowledge that has been discovered, how significant the research has been, a quick view of
the limitations of the thesis and any areas for further development.

As you will see from the extract provided for this part of the supplement, the conclusions
section does not include any new data or literature review. It is essentially the closing
section of the thesis and, therefore, it is expected that the author resolve the findings and
give an analytical, critical look at their own work.

Typically, the construction of the conclusions section follows these two possible patterns 2:

Option 1:
• Opening: What was researched and how the work contributes to the field.
• Section 1: Nature of the research and the methods used.
• Section 2: Summary of findings where it is evident that there is a link across the
chapters in the thesis.
• Section 3: Areas for further development.
• Section 4: Closing with reference to the original contribution and the importance of the
research that was carried out.

Option 2:
• Opening: What was researched and how the work contributes to the field.
• Section 1: First finding of the research, followed by a summary of how this was
discovered and how this finding challenges any previous research.
• Section 2: Second finding of the research, followed by a summary of how this was
discovered and how this finding challenges any previous research.
• Subsequent sections for other relevant findings.
• Section 3: Areas for further development.

2
Demands may vary according to institutional regulations

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• Section 4: Closing with reference to the original contribution and the importance of the
research that was carried out.

Activity 9: Recognizing Structure of Conclusions

Extract 3 at the end of this document is titled “Teachers’ views of language, their biographies
and their forms of expertise”. It is part of the concluding section of a thesis.

In this part of the thesis, the author shares with the reader two of his findings and an area for
further development. Find this information in Extract 3 and write it down.

Finding 1:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Finding 2:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Area for further development:

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Once you obtained this information, organize it in the following chart and complete the
evidence and sub-findings as required:

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(Elaboración propia)

A sample answer can be seen in the Answer key at the end of this document.

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Activity 10: Conclusions – Vocabulary Comprehension

The topic of the thesis obviously influences the jargon that is used throughout the text. In the
case of the extracts you have read, the leading subject is education. Therefore, many of the
terms used in the extracts are regularly used by educators.

Choose the dictionary definition that applies to the particular way that the author has used
each word in their literature review.

1. Utterances by students
__ A. (n) something that someone says.
__ B. (v) to express your ideas or feelings in spoken words.

2. Aligned with their views


__ A. to agree or have ideas in common.
__ B. to put two or more things into a straight line.

3. Nurturing modern linguists


__ A. to take care of, feed, and protect someone or something, especially young children
or plants, and help them to develop.
__ B. to help a plan or a person to develop and be successful.

4. Set out to select university teachers


__ A. to start an activity with a particular aim.
__ B. to start a journey.

5. Engage creatively
__ A. to employ someone.
__ B. to teach someone, especially a class of children, or to keep someone busy.

6. The upshot of this observation


__ A. something that happens as a result of other actions, events, or decisions.
__ B. relevant argument.

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7. Assume the identity of expert


__ A. pretend to be.
__ B. to accept something to be true without question or proof.

8. She asserted her authority


__ A. to say that something is certainly true.
__ B. to behave in a way that expresses your confidence, importance, or power and
earns you respect from others.

9. Authoritative teacher
__ A. containing complete and accurate information, and therefore respected.
__ B. showing that you are confident, in control, and expect to be respected and obeyed.

Answers can be checked in the Answer key at the end of this document.

Round-up

In this academic supplement we have dealt with a thesis or dissertation. We have looked at
its general structure, as well as the sub-structures that dominate each of its sections. We
have worked both at concept-comprehension as well as language-comprehension level.

In order to accomplish our goals, we have:

1. Provided a conceptual framework.


2. Related the work of a thesis to the APA bibliography.
3. Studied the ideas that govern the thesis abstract and the ideas that that support or
reinforce it.
4. Matched cause and effect in a thesis.
5. Use graphic organizers.
6. Deconstructed a paragraph to find main ideas and details in the form of findings, sub-
findings and supporting evidence.

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Congratulations!

Now that you have completed this academic


supplement, you can proceed with Self-
Assessment Task 2 and Quiz 2!

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Self-Assessment Task 2
Optional

Any time after this academic supplement has been


completed

Upon completion of this self-assessment task, participants will be able to verify their progress
and measure the amount of learning of the contents in unit 10 and academic supplement 2.
They will also be able to determine which areas need to be reinforced.

Instructions

To access this self-assessment task, follow these steps:

1. Access your course (Curso CLECV Plus 3) available in the PUCP Paideia LMS:
http://paideia.pucp.edu.pe.

2. Go to Academic Supplement 2: Dealing with a Thesis or Dissertation and click on Self-


Assessment Task 2.

3. The self-assessment task will be available throughout the duration of the module, but it
is recommendable that you access it as soon as you complete this academic
supplement. This activity is not mandatory but we do suggest that you do it in order to
measure your progress.
4. Do the task as instructed in the indications included in it. Follow the instructions
carefully. Your answers will be corrected immediately once you complete the task.
5. Should you experience any difficulties that do not allow you to complete your self-
assessment task, send an e-mail (in Spanish) to your tutor and to
soportevirtual@pucp.edu.pe so you can get the assistance you need.

Materials
Unit 10 study materials and Academic Supplement 2

Scoring
The result of this activity will not affect your final score in this module.

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Quiz 2
Mandatory

Day: See Activities Calendar

Instructions

To answer this quiz, follow these steps:

1. Access your course (Curso CLECV Plus 3) available in the PUCP Paideia LMS:
http://paideia.pucp.edu.pe

2. Go to Academic Supplement 2: Dealing with a Thesis or Dissertation and click on Quiz


2. Carefully read the instructions and suggestions given on the first screen.

3. Quiz 2 will be accessible only on the indicated dates. Once you open the quiz, you will
have 60 minutes to answer all the questions. Therefore, we advise that you distribute
your time carefully so that you can complete the evaluation.

4. Answer all the questions in Quiz 2. Observe the instructions and the time allotted,
which are clearly visible.

5. Upon completion of Quiz 2, save all your answers by clicking on the button labeled
“Submit all and finish” which is at the bottom of the screen.

6. You will have only one entry to complete the quiz. Should you experience any
difficulties that do not allow you to complete it, send an e-mail (in Spanish) to your tutor
and to soportevirtual@pucp.edu.pe so you can get the assistance you need..

Materials
Unit 10 study materials and Academic Supplement 2.

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Results
To access your results, enter the quiz three business days after having completed the
evaluation. You will be able to view your answers, the correct answers and your score.

Scoring
This quiz will be assessed over 100 points. The average you obtain from the two quizzes you
submit in this module accounts for 20% of your final grade.

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ANSWER KEY
Activity 1: Identifying Contents of the Abstract

Question Answer
1. Similarities in the composition of the
classes.
2. Differences between teachers
a. in their views of language
What was discovered?
b. in their representation of Italian
“culture”
c. in the classroom identities they
assumed.
By ethnographically-informed classroom
How was it discovered? observation, video-recording of classroom
interaction with discourse analysis.
197 words. This would be appropriate for an
MA, but the original thesis was used for a
doctoral degree. This may be due to
Based on the number of words, what kind of institutional regulations. Also, in the original
thesis would this be appropriate for?
thesis, there is a separate summary, which
probably accounts for the scarce number of
words at this level of abstract.
1. The introduction to the experience
(“…teacher-student talk-in-interaction in
three Italian classes… by two teachers…
in two British universities” and “The aims
of the study…”).
2. The methods (“informed classroom
observation, video-recording of
What chapters of the thesis do you think it classroom interaction with discourse
makes reference to?
analysis”).
3. The review of literature (“guided by
poststructuralist thinking and by
Kramsch”).
4. The results (“Similarities in the
composition of the classes...” and
“…differences between teachers…”).
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Activity 2: Purpose of the Background


Uses narrative to “set Historical approach to Grasps an element
the scene”. the phenomenon. from the media
Paragraph 1  

Paragraph 2 

Paragraph 3   

Paragraph 4 
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Activity 3: Starting Points – Purpose


A and probably B: “Since 1988, I have had three professional identities…”, “the roots of my
interest in exploring and bridging different cultural worlds are even older…” and other
sentences. Although these sentences provide a personal context, they also represent
somehow a “historical” approach”.
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Activity 4: Starting Points – Reading Comprehension


1-E | 2-D | 3-B | 4-C | 5-A
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Activity 5: Starting Points – Vocabulary Comprehension


1-B | 2-B | 3-A | 4-A | 5-A
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Activity 6: Critical Approach to Literature


Paragraph 1: No (the author mentions the publication and summarizes it).
Paragraph 2: Yes (the author qualifies the book as a “middle of the road approach”, he also
identifies positive and negative).
Paragraph 3: Yes (the author identified links between an author’s commentary and a band).
Paragraph 4: Yes (the author questions the use of the model and finds connections between
the channels and FDI).
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Activity 7: Review of Literature – Reading Comprehension


Question 1: “in recent years, been calls for new ways of thinking about culture in the MFL
classroom “, “And yet, it is only by including a comprehensive, complex view of culture in
classroom practice “, “an oversimplified conceptualisation of culture “ and “In the MFL class
such simplified form of categorization [referred to in Luk and Lin] can orient students to an
uncritical view of the target culture”, to quote a few.

Question 2: The following is a suggested way to complete the visual organizer:

(Elaboración propia)

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Activity 8: Review of Literature – Vocabulary Comprehension


1-B | 2-A | 3-A | 4-A | 5-B | 6-B

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Activity 9: Recognizing Structure of Conclusions

(Elaboración propia)
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Activity 10: Conclusions – Vocabulary Comprehension


1-A | 2-A | 3-B | 4-A | 5-B | 6-A | 7-A | 8-B | 9-B

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Extract 1: “Starting Points”


Since 1988, I have had three professional identities: as a translator (specializing in English and
German); as a secondary school teacher of English in several state schools in Italy and as an Italian
lector, employed by the Italian Government, working in universities in Latvia and in the UK. I have
therefore experienced, first hand, in very different institutional contexts, the ways in which people
represent and 'translate' linguistic and cultural worlds for each other.

Probably the roots of my interest in exploring and bridging different cultural worlds are even older, and
are to be found in my own family background. Being the first son of an italian father, who does not
speak any language except Italian, and a ferman mother, whose proficiency in Italian was somewhat
limited at the time of my childhood, certainly exposed me at a very early age to cultural differences.
On the one hand, this made me progressively more aware of the de-stabilizing nature of cultural
elements when different cultural traditions meet. Kramsch speaks of this in the introduction of her book
“Context and Culture” in “Language Teaching” (1993). On the other hand, this caused in me an inner
affective split. While the other children I knew had only one affective context of reference, to a cultural
world where only italian was spoken, I could not rely on such a reassuring affective background, and
soon felt the necessity to mediate between two worlds, associated with german and with italian, which
sometimes needed adjusting in order to fit together. I am sure that this personal situation was at the
basis of my interest in learning foreign languages, and even of my choice of taking english, rather than
german, as my first foreign language - a way to assert my identity as different from both my father's
and my mother's worlds, a way of carving out my own personal space within my family and the wider
world.

I therefore became a student in translation, specialising in English and German, and graduated with a
thesis on the translation of organisational sociology back in 1987. My first university degree in
translation first directed me towards professional openings such as commerce, finance and industry.
For two years I worked in an industrial setting, in the sales department and, later, in the purchasing
department of a firm, which was part of a German multinational group. Although this job implied using
all the foreign languages I knew on a daily basis, doing this did not fulfill my cultural interests. In that
job the use of foreign languages was obviously a tool, an accessory to the production and sale of
goods and there was no time to consider the cultural implications of my day-to-day work, nor was
anybody in the workplace remotely interested in considering this aspect.

Fanton, Giovanni (2010) Doing Italian as a Foreign Language: investigating talk about language and culture in three British
university classrooms [PHD Thesis] School of Education - The University of Birmingham
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Extract 2: “Stereotypes and Cultural Models”


As we saw in the previous section, there have, in recent years, been calls for new ways of thinking
3
about culture in the MFL classroom: one that includes a full range of dimensions of cultural
phenomena, i.e. not only “high culture”; or the political and institutional worlds in a given society, but
also popular culture – such as pop music, the media, sports, etc. – social life and social issues – such
as gender, class, religion, ethnicity, etc. – and everyday cultural practices in local life worlds –
shopping, cooking, eating, leisure activities, behaviors, etc. Language teaching/learning itself is also
now viewed as a socio-cultural practice, in which teachers and students co-construct representations
of culture, e.g. Italian “culture”, French “culture” and so on.

What is more difficult to teach and learn in the language class is what Luk and Lin (2007: 34) call the
“ideological and mental view of culture that refers to how culture can be understood cognitively
through investigating people’s beliefs, values and reasoning systems”. And yet, it is only by including a
comprehensive, complex view of culture in classroom practice that we may hope to “capture how
people understand and interpret the world or universe around them with a shared but tacit set of
assumptions” (reference to Garfinkel, 1967, in Luk and Lin, 2007: 34).

The risk involved in the adoption of an oversimplified conceptualisation of culture is that of falling prey
to cultural stereotypes. O’Sullivan et al (1994: 299-300) define stereotyping as a process whereby
“diverse and complex ranges of phenomena” are simplified and organized “into general labeled
categories”. Luk and Lin refer to this as the “essentialization of culture” (2007: 34). In the MFL class
such simplified form of categorization can orient students to an uncritical view of the target culture, one
based on preconceived assumptions and ideas, prejudice and rigid, generalized judgments, and to
simplistic approaches to interpreting the way other people live, act and interact. Such an approach to
“the other” would only make communication difficult. However, in many textbooks, stereotypes are
used as a starting point for a critical discussion.

Gee (1996) proposes a similar conceptual construct to that of cultural stereotype, namely that of
“cultural models”. Gee (1996) defines cultural models as simplified representations of the world which
leave out complexities. For example, complex world events or local events are sometimes made
easier to grasp through relatively simple narratives. Sometimes, groups of people are represented as
if they were homogeneous entities, ideas and activities are described as typical cases, including only
what is central to them in the picture, while leaving out the aspects that are thought to be marginal
(Ibid.). Although cultural models, like stereotypes, are often evoked in student/teacher interactions, it
is now generally agreed that the labelling of people and events through generalised categories should
be avoided. For example, group membership is all too often assigned to individuals, in singular terms,
although they may well participate in different social groups and social networks. As Luk and Lin
(2007) note, these plural affiliations were already identified in sociolinguistic research such as that
carried out in the 1980s, in Belfast, by Milroy (1980). Milroy noted that her respondents claimed
membership of several social networks based on family, profession and religion. In more recent
sociolinguistic research, and in other related social sciences, such multiple affiliations are captured in
the plural notion of “communities of practice” (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger 1998; Eckert, 2000;
Barton and Tusting, 2005).

Fanton, Giovanni (2010) Doing Italian as a Foreign Language: investigating talk about language and culture in three British
university classrooms [PHD Thesis] School of Education - The University of Birmingham

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3
Modern Foreign Language

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Extract 3: “Teachers’ views of language, their biographies and their


forms of expertise”
Language teachers in higher education, such as those in this study, bring different views of language
and of language teaching/learning to their work with the language learners in their classes. These
views are revealed in the materials they prepare for use in the classroom, in the topics they choose to
focus on (e.g. Jean’s focus on the subjunctive mood) and in their reactions to utterances by students
which they see as ungrammatical. Their views on language are closely aligned with their views on the
nature and purpose of foreign language teaching. Thus, while Jean saw her role as nurturing modern
linguists who had a good mastery of the grammar of Italian, Francesca was more concerned with
teaching the language with a view to facilitating communication.

As I indicated in Chapter 8, I did not set out to select university teachers of Italian who contrasted in
their approaches to language and to language teaching/ learning. However, as I have shown, quite
sharp contrasts emerged in the ways in which these two teachers “did Italian” in their classes for
beginners. Drawing on the data analysis presented in this thesis and on my own experience of the
teaching of Italian in higher education in two national contexts (the UK and Latvia), I am inclined to
argue that the pedagogic and communicative practices of these two teachers reflect two distinct trends
in modern language teaching at higher education institutions in Europe: on the one hand, there are
those university teachers who, like Jean, focus on the formal features of language, particularly
grammatical features, rehearsing these with their students and using various textual resources to
illustrate language forms (including different literary genres and media texts, as shown in Chapter 9).
On the other hand, there are teachers, like Francesca, who privilege communication and who seek to
provide opportunities for their students to engage creatively with the new language that they are
learning. Teacher’s views and their understandings of their role as language educators are shaped by
their own educational experience (including, where relevant, any formal training in the
teaching/learning of languages). They are also shaped by their own professional experience and by
their engagement with wider professional networks and associations. Age and point of entry into the
profession are also significant factors. So, the key differences that emerged in this study, between
Jean and Francesca, related to age differences, to differences in status and to differences in length of
employment in the teaching profession. The upshot of this observation is that any classroom-based
study of teacher-student interaction in a modern foreign language class, at university level or in other
educational settings, needs to take account of the biographies of those involved in the interaction and
how the teacher’s views have been shaped over time.

A further dimension of teachers’ biographies that needs to be taken into account is that of their own
language learning experience. As I have shown in this study, Jean’s successful language learning
experience enabled her to assume the identity of expert with regard to both Italian and English;
whereas, in the case of Francesca, while she asserted her authority with regard to the teaching of
Italian, she was less confident about her expertise in English. Her open-ness about this and her
willingness to reveal her identity as an advanced language learner did, nevertheless, contribute to the
building of a relaxed relationship with her students and enabled her to slip in and out of different
identities: authoritative teacher, cultural broker and advanced language learner.

Fanton, Giovanni (2010) Doing Italian as a Foreign Language: investigating talk about language and culture in three British
university classrooms [PHD Thesis] School of Education - The University of Birmingham
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Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú 34

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