Using Grice's Cooperative Principle and its maxims for analyzing coherence : a study on academic writing

Download

index.pdf

Date

2004

Author

Özhan, Didem

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

273
views

163
downloads

Coherence in written discourse is considered to be a complex and a fuzzy concept but it is, at the same time, a crucial feature of any well-written text. The present study aims to contribute to the field of the teaching of the concept of coherence by proposing an approach to analyzing coherence in students̕ essays in the context of the Department of Modern Languages (DML) at Middle East Technical University (METU) and to the teaching of the concept. The study suggests an approach involving Gricean maxims for analyzing coherence in freshman student argumentative essays at DML at METU. In order to achieve this aim, 50 essays were rated for coherence by two raters and the same essays were analyzed by the researcher for maxim violations. Next, the correlation between the raters̕ judgments and the number of maxim violations in each essay and the correlation between raters̕ judgments and the number of violations for each maxim in each essay was calculated. The findings revealed a significant negative correlation between the variables and a negative correlation between the violation of Quantity maxim most frequently and the raters̕ judgments. The findings suggest that Gricean maxims can be used as a tool for analyzing coherence in student argumentative essays. The implications of this finding for the analysis of the essays, for the teaching, learning and assessment processes are discussed.

Subject Keywords

Theory and Practice of Education.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12605358/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/14473

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

Using mobile communication tools in web based instruction Avenoğlu, Bilgin; Özden, M. Yaşar; Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (2005) This thesis investigates the perceptions of students about using mobile communication tools in web-based instruction. A mobile learning portal that can be used by different mobile devices was designed for this purpose. This portal included a mobile discussion forum and a course information system. Sixty undergraduate and five graduate students from METU/CEIT department used this portal as a supportive learning activity in three different courses throughout two-three, and four-week periods. The discussion su...
Learner-friendly textbooks: Chemistry texts based on a constructivist view of learning Tasdelen, Ugur; KÖSEOĞLU, FİTNAT (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2008-04-01) In this study, the use of inquiry methods, learning cycles, a conceptual change model and analogy in creating alternative science texts was discussed. An alternative text on the topic of acids and bases was created by integrating the methods and models discussed in this paper. The alternative text and a sample of a traditional text taken from a textbook, which is still used in Turkish high schools, were given to two groups, totaling 42 pre-service teachers-the alternative text was given to an experimental g...
TEACHERS THEORETICAL ORIENTATIONS TOWARD TEACHING THINKING Yıldırım, Ali (Informa UK Limited, 1994-09-01) The literature on teaching thinking reflects a major controversy that results from two distinctive theoretical views about the nature of thinking. One focuses on content of thinking, and the other emphasizes skills involved in thinking. However, an attempt to understand practitioners' perceptions of these theories is generally absent in the literature. The purpose of this study was to investigate teachers' theoretical orientations toward teaching thinking, using a survey questionnaire. Ths sample includ...
Effectiveness of conceptual change instruction accompaniedwith demonstrations and computer assisted concept mapping on students' understanding of matter concepts Yavuz, Ayşe; Geban, Ömer; Department of Secondary Science and Mathematics Education (2005) The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of conceptual change instruction accompanied with demonstration and computer assisted concept mapping on seventh grade students understanding matter concepts. In addition, the effect of instruction on students̕ attitudes toward science as a school subject and the effect of gender difference on understanding matter concepts were investigated. Seventy five, seventh grade students from four classes of a General Science Course taught by the sam...
Series: The research agenda for general practice/family medicine and primary health care in Europe. Part 6: Reaction on commentaries - how to continue with the Research Agenda? Van Royen, Paul; Beyer, Martin; Chevallier, Patrick; Eilat-Tsanani, Sophia; Lionis, Christos; Peremans, Lieve; Petek, Davorina; Rurik, Imre; Soler, Jean Karl; Stoffers, Henri Ejh; Topsever, Pinar; Ungan, Mehmet; Hummers-Pradier, Eva (Informa UK Limited, 2011-03-01) The Research Agenda should be used as a key reference point to which new research should relate its usefulness and added value. Primary care evolves towards more interdisciplinary care, and research should focus more on the core competency of person-centred team care. There is an urgent need to develop clear definitions and appropriate research instruments for this domain. It will be a particular challenge to study comprehensive approaches in primary-care patients with multi-morbidity. The Research Agenda a...

Citation Formats

D. Özhan, “Using Grice’s Cooperative Principle and its maxims for analyzing coherence : a study on academic writing ,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2004.