Mid-Term Test. 2011

On Writing a Research Report: The Understanding Behind it.[YaC1] 

            When analysing the importance of writing in the educational field, there are a number of genres which are worth focusing on.  When research activity is undertaken in the field of education, the writing of Research Reports (RR) gains particular relevance.  Not only does writing an RR reveal academic knowledge but also understanding [YaC2] of the acceptable and unacceptable procedures and parameters in the academic world.  It is considered that “writing RR in the educational field implies understanding the dos and don’ts of the academia[YaC3] .”

            Academic research would be adequately achieved as far as there is appropriate knowledge of the object being investigated, new knowledge to be built, a necessary theoretical framework, an a method to develop the investigation[YaC4] .  Once all these elements are integrated, it would be necessary for the researcher to be able to establish clear objective for the research, to revise literature on the topic, collect data, analyse it and draw final conclusions.  Although this enumeration of steps in the process of doing research would seem to be complete, it is not.

            Of no use would be a full research in the educational field, if it is not written to be published. When it comes to educational research, one of the prototypical genres to write about processes and results is RR.  Oliver (1996) argues that RR reveals ¨ interests, knowledge and value judgments of the writer ¨ (as cited in Pintos & Crimi, 2011, p. 21). [YaC5] Besides, Swales (1990) states that a genre as a formulaic text has a scope beyond structure, style and audience’s expectations. He further explains that each genre has a communicative purpose and that ¨communicative purpose has been nominated as the privileged property of a genre¨. (p. 52). 

            The communicative purpose of RR in the educational field could be considered to be the description of the stages in the development of the research and the analysis of its results. Even though these evident purposes could not be denied, going beyond the evident would be of outmost importance. Especially noteworthy is the information underlying a RR, for example, knowledge, values, ideology and interests of the writer, but above all, the understanding that the writer reveals of the dos and don’ts of the academia[YaC6] .

           

  

References

Pintos, V. , & Crimi, Y. (2011). Unit 1: Defining concepts in research. Retrieved May 2011, from http://caece.campusuniversidad.com.ar/mod/resource/view.php?id=9459

Swales, J. (1990). Genre Analysis: English in academic and research settings: The concept of genre. London,UK: Cambridge Applied Linguistics.

Task 2. Rubric.

Statement Support
Name and Surname:				Topic:
Draft #                               Date:				Title:
Dimension	Criteria					Points
LAYOUT	1	2	3		4	(5 to 20)
Format	No headers, no page numbers, no clear margins. Spacing problems. Inappropriate font.	Header included. Page numbers absence. Spacing problems.	Header and page numbers included. Spacing problems. Inappropriate font.		Clear paper’s presentation. There are page numbers. Respected margins. Correct spacing and type & size of font. 1.5 or double interlining.	4 _______
Header	Not included.	Included. Too much information.	Included. Not well balanced.		Included. Precise info is given. Well balanced.	____1___
Main Title	Not included.	Included. Not appealing. Underlined, highlighted or italicized.	Included. Appealing. Underlined, highlighted or italicized.		Included. Appealing. Centered.	3 _______
References	Not mentioned. Plagiarism.	Mentioned vaguely. Not on a new sheet of paper. Not clear use of references or erroneous sources acknowledgement	Not clear use of references or erroneous sources acknowledgement.		Sources cited clearly in a reference list at the end of the paper. APA style.	2 _______
In-text citations	Not included. Plagiarism.	Little use of in-text citations. Incorrect use of required style.	Included. Not well balanced. Repeated pattern. (e.g. too many quotes, only paraphrasing, etc).		Included. Well balanced. Different techniques applied. It is read smoothly.	2 _______
CONTENT						(7 to 40)
Data analysis	Not clear analysis. Relationships & comparisons cannot be followed.	Brief. Not substantial. Some connections can be followed.	Clear. Good analysis. No evidence presented. Inversion. Hedging. Conditionals.		Very good. Clear analysis. Comparisons can be established.  Evidence is provided. Inversion. Hedging & conditionals.	2 _______
Terminology/ Word choice	Difficult to follow. Not understandable. Imprecise language. No acronyms clarification.	Inappropriate terminology. Little clarification. Some terms are not academic.	Legible terminology. Clarification. More academic style. Effective.		Legible terminology. New terms clarification. Effective vocabulary. Good use of connectors. Academic style.	____3___
Spelling	Full of errors. Unreadable.	Many errors. Some parts unreadable.	Few errors. Readable.		All words are spelled correctly.	_____4__
Sentence variety	Many sentence fragments. Same pattern and length.	Some sentence fragments. Same pattern & length.	Most sentences are complete and varied in pattern & length.		Complete sentences in a variety of patterns and lengths.	______3_
Organization   Punctuation   Paragraph length   Grammar   Details   Tone & audience   Supporting statement	Vague ideas. Long & confusing intro. Unrelated development. Blurred conclusion. Frequent and major errors that obscure meaning. Few or no paragraphs relate to the topic. Not balanced: too long & too short paragraphs are presented. Grammar choices are confusing. Mixture of tenses. No or little details (such as explanations, examples, etc) to support & explain the topic. Unclear & inappropriate tone. Audience not considered. Unclear paragraphs. Ideas: disordered. Unconvincing conclusion. Topic: not presented. Academic style not respected. Sources are ineffective. Scarce use of modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are employed. Closing of paper: ineffective.	Some ideas connected to each other. Purpose established. No transitions. Main point presented. Two of the three parts are not clear or too long. Some frequent or major errors: Readers’ confusion. Some paragraphs relate to the topic. Not balanced: too long or too short paragraphs are presented. Grammar choices sometimes confuse the readers.  Some accurate details. Do not always support topic. Inconsistent tone. Incomplete idea of audience. Not so clear paragraphs. Order of ideas:  not ordered. Unconvincing conclusion. Topic: not presented. Academic style mixed. Sources are little effective. Little use of modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are employed. Closing of paper: ineffective.	Connected ideas.  Clear purpose. Marked transitions. One of the three parts is not clear or too long. A few errors. Most paragraphs are related to the topic. Well balanced. Appropriate grammar choice. No meaning interference.  Accurate info that supports the topic. Appropriate tone. Audience is considered.  Clear paragraphs. Order of ideas:  stated, not ordered. Convincing conclusion. Topic: presented. Academic style respected. Sources are quite effective to validate point of view. Modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are employed. Closing of paper: quite effective.		Connected ideas: supporting the main topic. Clear and concise introduction. Clear development: good clarification of major points. Clear conclusion. No punctuation errors. Paragraph length has been respected & achieved. Smooth. Clear and precise. Completely appropriate grammar choice: Help readers understand meaning. Accurate and relevant info that fully support the topic. Appropriate & consistent tone. Audience correctly identified. Clear paragraphs. Order of ideas: clearly stated. Convincing conclusion. Topic well presented. Academic style fully respected. Sources are effective to validate point of view. Modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are effectively employed. Closing of paper: neat, simple & brief. Smoothly. Total	3 ______ ___3___ 3 ______ 3 ______ 2 ______ 3 2 42/64 ______

Your mark is 4 (four)

Task 2.Rubric.

Statement Support
Name and Surname:	Topic:
Draft # Date:	Title:
Dimension	Criteria	Points
LAYOUT	1	2	3	4	(5 to 20)
Format	No headers, no page numbers, no clear margins. Spacing problems. Inappropriate font.	Header included. Page numbers absence. Spacing problems.	Header and page numbers included. Spacing problems. Inappropriate font.	Clear paper’s presentation. There are page numbers. Respected margins. Correct spacing and type & size of font. 1.5 or double interlining.	_______
Header	Not included.	Included. Too much information.	Included. Not well balanced.	Included. Precise info is given. Well balanced.	_______
Main Title	Not included.	Included. Not appealing. Underlined, highlighted or italicized.	Included. Appealing. Underlined, highlighted or italicized.	Included. Appealing. Centered.	_______
References	Not mentioned. Plagiarism.	Mentioned vaguely. Not on a new sheet of paper. Not clear use of references or erroneous sources acknowledgement	Not clear use of references or erroneous sources acknowledgement.	Sources cited clearly in a reference list at the end of the paper. APA style.	_______
In-text citations	Not included. Plagiarism.	Little use of in-text citations. Incorrect use of required style.	Included. Not well balanced. Repeated pattern. (e.g. too many quotes, only paraphrasing, etc).	Included. Well balanced. Different techniques applied. It is read smoothly.	_______
CONTENT	(7 to 40)
Data analysis	Not clear analysis. Relationships & comparisons cannot be followed.	Brief. Not substantial. Some connections can be followed.	Clear. Good analysis. No evidence presented. Inversion. Hedging. Conditionals.	Very good. Clear analysis. Comparisons can be established. Evidence is provided. Inversion. Hedging & conditionals.	_______
Terminology/ Word choice	Difficult to follow. Not understandable. Imprecise language. No acronyms clarification.	Inappropriate terminology. Little clarification. Some terms are not academic.	Legible terminology. Clarification. More academic style. Effective.	Legible terminology. New terms clarification. Effective vocabulary. Good use of connectors. Academic style.	_______
Spelling	Full of errors. Unreadable.	Many errors. Some parts unreadable.	Few errors. Readable.	All words are spelled correctly.	_______
Sentence variety	Many sentence fragments. Same pattern and length.	Some sentence fragments. Same pattern & length.	Most sentences are complete and varied in pattern & length.	Complete sentences in a variety of patterns and lengths.	_______
Organization Punctuation Paragraph length Grammar Details Tone & audience Supporting statement	Vague ideas. Long & confusing intro. Unrelated development. Blurred conclusion. Frequent and major errors that obscure meaning. Few or no paragraphs relate to the topic. Not balanced: too long & too short paragraphs are presented. Grammar choices are confusing. Mixture of tenses. No or little details (such as explanations, examples, etc) to support & explain the topic. Unclear & inappropriate tone. Audience not considered. Unclear paragraphs. Ideas: disordered. Unconvincing conclusion. Topic: not presented. Academic style not respected. Sources are ineffective. Scarce use of modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are employed. Closing of paper: ineffective.	Some ideas connected to each other. Purpose established. No transitions. Main point presented. Two of the three parts are not clear or too long. Some frequent or major errors: Readers’ confusion. Some paragraphs relate to the topic. Not balanced: too long or too short paragraphs are presented. Grammar choices sometimes confuse the readers. Some accurate details. Do not always support topic. Inconsistent tone. Incomplete idea of audience. Not so clear paragraphs. Order of ideas: not ordered. Unconvincing conclusion. Topic: not presented. Academic style mixed. Sources are little effective. Little use of modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are employed. Closing of paper: ineffective.	Connected ideas. Clear purpose. Marked transitions. One of the three parts is not clear or too long. A few errors. Most paragraphs are related to the topic. Well balanced. Appropriate grammar choice. No meaning interference. Accurate info that supports the topic. Appropriate tone. Audience is considered. Clear paragraphs. Order of ideas: stated, not ordered. Convincing conclusion. Topic: presented. Academic style respected. Sources are quite effective to validate point of view. Modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are employed. Closing of paper: quite effective.	Connected ideas: supporting the main topic. Clear and concise introduction. Clear development: good clarification of major points. Clear conclusion. No punctuation errors. Paragraph length has been respected & achieved. Smooth. Clear and precise. Completely appropriate grammar choice: Help readers understand meaning. Accurate and relevant info that fully support the topic. Appropriate & consistent tone. Audience correctly identified. Clear paragraphs. Order of ideas: clearly stated. Convincing conclusion. Topic well presented. Academic style fully respected. Sources are effective to validate point of view. Modal verbs, relative clauses, conditional sentences, and passive voices are effectively employed. Closing of paper: neat, simple & brief. Smoothly. Total	______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ____