Construction Of Arguments Research Articles

Unraveling University EFL Teachers’ Feedback Beliefs in Teaching English Argumentative Writing

ABSTRACTTeachers’ beliefs about feedback can affect both the way they provide feedback and its effectiveness in improving students’ writing proficiency. However, research remains scant on belief–practice relationships. This study attempted to fill the gap by investigating such relationships with a sample of 112 Chinese university EFL teachers in teaching argumentative writing. Data were collected through a writing feedback beliefs and practices questionnaire, an argumentative writing teaching beliefs questionnaire, and semi‐structured interviews. The participants were selected using convenience sampling from six universities in Northern China. Quantitative data were analyzed through confirmatory factor analysis, multiple regression, and repeated measures ANOVA to examine the characteristics of these teachers’ writing feedback beliefs and the relationships between the beliefs and relevant practices. Qualitative data from the interviews were analyzed thematically to gain deeper insights into the belief–practice relationships. Results indicated that most teachers believed their feedback was crucial for improving students' argumentative writing, particularly regarding communicative purposes, discourse organization, linguistic expressions, argument construction, and rhetorical techniques. However, a discrepancy was noted between teachers' feedback beliefs and their practices, especially concerning linguistic expressions. These findings highlight the need for targeted support to better align teachers' feedback beliefs with their practices for more effective teaching of EFL writing.

Value system as a basis for the construction of argumentation of the rhetorical genre

INTRODUCTION. The relevance of the research and its goal are formulated, which is to describe the hierarchy of values that are the basis of rhetorical argumentation and the main tool necessary to obtain the consent of the addressee. The final stage of this hierarchy is to establish the value basis of each rhetorical genre.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The subject of the study is scientific and political discourses, in which the most characteristic types of values are studied at all levels, using comparative, rhetorical and content analysis.RESULTS AND DISCUSSION. The concept of “value” in the meaning relevant to rhetoric is analyzed. It is established that the value system underlying rhetorical argumentation should be built separately for each type of discourse. It includes five main tiers reflecting the semantic dominants of the corresponding sphere of communication. The first level is occupied by universal values used in all spheres of communication. The second level consists of basic values reflecting the goals of the relevant sphere of public activity (institute). The third level is personal values, reflecting the required model of relations between the participants of communication, necessary for obtaining the planned result. Fourth level describes the values specific to each individual area of the relevant discourse. Finally, the fifth level is genre: here the main value, which is responsible for the unity and effectiveness of each rhetorical genre, is established.CONCLUSION. The interrelation of all levels of the model and the role of each level in obtaining the planned result is shown.

Designing Politics and IR Assessments in the Era of AI: An Empirical Investigation into ChatGPT’s Output Across Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

AI breakthroughs have sent shockwaves through the HE sector. Reactions have ranged from concern over academic integrity to excitement that large language models (LLM) might allow automating lower-stakes intellectual tasks. This paper tests some of these arguments using a mixed-methods research design to analyze an original dataset of 120 ChatGPT-generated essays on far-right politics based on prompts on different levels of Bloom’s revised taxonomy. Our findings echo results that LLM-generated essays generally achieve solid to good marks. However, we find no linear negative trend between the level on Bloom and the quality of essays produced. Essays’ quality was weaker on the lowest and highest levels of the taxonomy and strongest on intermediate levels, even when controlling for the version of ChatGPT and the round of data collection. The in-depth reading revealed distinctive limitations in argument construction and empirical detail—particularly regarding “hallucinations” and source misattributions—which could only be marginally improved through prompt engineering. In turn, ChatGPT was better at suggesting “places to look” for helpful information, meaning it might be more accurately compared to a signpost rather than a calculator. The implications for politics assessments and teaching are discussed.

Tendências e tensões no discurso acadêmico: uma análise de trabalhos comparativos de pós-graduação sobre literaturas francófonas

This article aims to understand the discursive construction of graduate theses and dissertations from universities from the State of Rio de Janeiro that establish a comparison between French-language literature and some cultural, political or social issue in Brazil. From a documental research, centered in the enunciative discourse analysis, the study discusses structures of domination in the sphere of academic discourse and highlight two points: the transgressions and maintenance of elements pertaining to academic genres, as well as the presence, suppression or mitigation of controversy in the argumentative construction of the texts (Negroni; Gelbes, 2005). In the second part, two theses are analyzed in detail, in an attempt to highlight different types of development of the comparative perspective in the context of the world domains of the literary field (Casanova, 2002), and to discuss whether such relations focus critically on the impact of French cultural hegemony on Brazil, or follow a neutralizing or mitigating tendency, characteristic of traditional literary criticism. We identified that the works mitigate or ignore important tensions that could subvert the assuaging pattern of the traditional academic discourse and maintain a comparativist approachcentered on the debate of mutual influences between countries, without evidencing the cultural dominations in course on the literary field.

Assessing Data Literacy Competencies in Mathematics Among Junior High School Students in Yogyakarta City

This research aims to assess students' data literacy skills, focusing on their ability to translate data from one format to another, comprehend data-related problems, analyze strategies for data-driven problem-solving, predict outcomes based on data, draw conclusions, and construct arguments grounded in data. The study employs a survey methodology with both quantitative and qualitative approaches. A total of 362 students from various educational levels in Yogyakarta's state junior high schools were surveyed and selected through stratified and proportionate random sampling techniques. Data were collected using a test instrument comprising six questions designed to measure different aspects of data literacy, alongside interview results. The students' data literacy was categorized into high, medium, and low levels. The findings indicate that a significant majority (95%) of students exhibited low data literacy, particularly struggling with drawing conclusions and constructing arguments based on data. Students with high data literacy skills successfully met all the indicators. Those with medium-level skills performed well on most indicators but faced difficulties in choosing strategies for data problem-solving and drawing conclusions, often due to insufficient time for deeper reflection. Conversely, students with low data literacy struggled to meet any of the indicators effectively.

Exploring Gender Constructs in Media Narratives

This paper seeks to examine the discourse of women who have experienced marital violence as depicted in Moroccan media. Specifically, we will investigate how these women justify their discourse through authorization, aiming to construct arguments that portray them as victims and vilify their abusive husbands. Our analysis focuses on content from Medi 1TV, particularly the talk show "Qesset Nnass" (the story of people), where women articulate their viewpoints through authorization, conveying messages that require contextual understanding for interpretation. Our research is guided by the premise that the interaction between media and audience is intricate and significant, serving as a platform for women to validate their experiences while challenging the actions of their abusers, and providing Moroccans with an avenue to express their perspectives on these issues. Consequently, we aim to assess the effectiveness of these women's persuasive efforts within the show. Given the nature of our topic, our research employs a combination of methodologies. While we utilize a qualitative approach to analyze the discourse of the women subjected to violence through direct observation, we also employ a quantitative method to examine audience comments. This methodological approach enables us to explore the relationship between media content and public opinion, shedding light on the extent of its mutual and direct influence.

Analyzing engagement strategies in argument chain: A comparison between high- and low-scoring EFL undergraduate argumentative essays

Drawing on Appraisal theory within Systemic Functional Linguistics, this study employs a corpus-based approach to examine how EFL writers of high- and low-scoring argumentative essays use Engagement resources both individually and in combination to construct arguments within the argument chain at the paragraph level. The quantitative analysis reveals that while both groups use Contract Heterogloss more frequently to assert claims and conclusions, low-scoring writers heavily depend on Pronounce, whereas high-scoring writers utilize a diverse range of Contract Heterogloss. The qualitative analysis indicates that high-scoring writers develop and strengthen their assertive claims by presenting solid reasons and credible evidence to engage with potentially dissenting readers. These elements are incorporated into their writing through combinations of Engagement resources, such as Counter + Entertain/Deny/Justify and Endorse/Entertain + Entertain. However, low-scoring writers failed to adequately support their claims by skillfully deploying Engagement resources across different stages of argument, ultimately weakening the persuasiveness of their arguments. Our findings highlight the importance of providing students with instruction on Engagement strategies and their persuasive impact from a dialogic perspective. The identified strategies can therefore serve as pedagogical tools to assist students in constructing effective arguments by adeptly utilizing Engagement resources, facilitating interaction with external viewpoints and readers.

How can bottom-up citizen science restore public trust in environmental governance and sciences? Recommendations from three case studies

Citizen science is currently at the forefront of environmental scientific research and public policy for its potential to improve environmental governance, restore epistemic trust and help address some of the most stressing environmental challenges. Although citizen science is gaining increasing popularity, there is little empirical evidence to support these claims and demonstrate how bottom-up citizen science shapes public trust in environmental governance and science. In this paper we reflect on three grassroot environmental citizen science initiatives in Cameroon, Japan, and the UK to identify and present an instrumental framework which includes trustee attributes and conditions that influence how epistemic trust is shaped, and which should inform citizen science and other participatory practices. We explain that citizen science is an approach which enables political processes through the construction of well-informed techno-scientific arguments, which expose deficit assumptions about the public’s ability to participate in knowledge co-production process. To avoid repeating the failures of the past and risk amplifying issues of public distrust further, we provide suggestions built around key trustee attributes which can be incorporated in citizen science practices and we urge that environmental policy needs to create clear policy frameworks to enable the generation of actionable data, especially when such approaches are initiated and implemented as instrumental public participation methods.

Improving argumentation quality on MOOC discussion forums: does learning to identify components of arguments help?

Constructive argumentation among learners is integral to effective learning. In the context of Massively Open Online Classes (MOOCs), such peer interactions can only occur in discussion forums, where they often prove to be sparse and of poor quality. To address these challenges, we developed and experimentally tested an intervention (nparticipants = 110, narguments = 270) aimed at improving the quality of learners’ written arguments in MOOC forums, taking into account MOOC platform constraints (e.g., self-paced participation and the impossibility of providing personalised feedback). In the first chapter of a management MOOC, participants randomly assigned to the experimental group (vs control) were introduced to the formal components of arguments: claims, justifications and qualifications. They were then asked to identify these components in a series of examples. We found no significant impact of this intervention on learners’ responses to individual open-ended questions directly following the intervention, or in their contributions to discussion forums. Instead, we observed variation in argument quality based on the specific questions prompting argumentation. Our findings prompt further discussion and exploration of strategies to enhance argumentation quality in MOOC discussion forums.

Verb argument constructions in argumentative essays by college-level Asian learners of English: Exploring the effects of English proficiency, acquisition context, and topic

This study examined the effects of second language (L2) proficiency, acquisition context, and topic on the use of verb argument constructions (VACs) in Asian college-level L2 writers’ argumentative essays. A total of 776 essays written on two topics by 388 English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and English as a Second Language (ESL) writers of two L2 proficiency levels were used as data. Six indices informed by large-scale corpora of L1 English speakers were used to gauge the frequency and association strength of the VACs. Results of a series of linear mixed-effects models showed the frequencies of verbs and verb-construction combinations were affected by the interaction between L2 proficiency and acquisition context. L2 proficiency also had a main effect on construction frequency, with more proficient writers using constructions of lower frequency than less proficient writers. No effect of L2 proficiency was found on the association strength of VACs. Additionally, acquisition context affected the directional association strength of VACs, with ESL writers using verbs that associated less strongly with constructions than EFL writers. Finally, topic effects were found on five of the six indices. These findings offered empirical evidence for the developmental trajectories of VACs, and carried practical implications for L2 writing pedagogy.

Memory in Philosophy of Religion

This article analyzes the notion of memory in the philosophy of religion. The area of this problematic is defined by Descartes, who, in a thought experiment, postulates an all-powerful, evil demon capable of falsifying human perception. The problem of solipsism raised here also implies doubt about claims based on memory. Descartes’ assumptions are taken up constructively by Alvin Plantinga in his attempt to solve problems in the epistemology of religion by raising the following new question: is belief in God rational, and, if so, is it justified? Peter van Inwagen, for his part, uses memory analysis to construct arguments in support of theodicy. In considering these issues, other key topics within the philosophy of religion, such as the afterlife and the existence of the soul, which are closely related to the analysis of personal identity, inevitably arise.

Pathways to Early Science Literacy: Investigating the Different Role of Language and Reading Skills in Science Literacy Among Early Primary School Children

The purpose of this study is to examine the distinct roles of language and reading skills in science literacy among primary school students through a qualitative approach. Science literacy, defined as an understanding of scientific concepts and processes, and the capacity to apply them in everyday life, is a crucial competency for students in the modern era. This research employed a case study method, with data collection techniques comprising in-depth interviews, classroom observations and document analysis. The findings indicate that language skills play a pivotal role in assisting students in comprehending and communicating scientific concepts in an effective manner. The aforementioned skills encompass an individual's capacity to comprehend and employ scientific terminology, construct sentences with correct grammatical structures, and convey ideas in a clear and logical manner. In contrast, reading abilities are pivotal for students to obtain, comprehend and integrate information from diverse sources, including scientific texts. Well-developed reading abilities facilitate students to understand intricate scientific texts, construct arguments supported by evidence and draw inferences from available data. This research offers insights into the development of language and reading skills holistically, with the aim of improving science literacy among primary school students. It also emphasises the importance of an integrated and comprehensive teaching approach in science education.

Analysis of verb argument constructions (VACs) in L2 learners across proficiency levels: A corpus-based study in L1 Indonesian

This study investigated the constructional knowledge development of L1 Indonesian by examining nineteen Verb-Argument Constructions (VACs). The VACs examined in the present study are a verb pattern, followed by a preposition and a noun phrase, for example, “V about N” as in “He talkedaboutthe progress”. This study used the Indonesian subset of the Education First Cambridge Open Language Database (EFCAMDAT) corpus from beginner to advanced levels (CEFR A1 to C1; Council of Europe, 2001). This dataset comprises 2943 writing texts (224,763 words) from 623 learners. Frequency analysis of types and tokens was conducted to examine the distribution of the 19 VACs in learner writings across levels. Growth analyses were conducted to investigate the verbs that learners most frequently associated with the most productive VACs. Correlational analyses were conducted to explore how closely related the verb-VAC associations between proficiency levels and the verb occupants in the associations. The results indicate that learners’ constructional knowledge development was implied by: (1) the frequency increase in types and tokens of VACs from lower to higher proficiency levels, (2) the variety of verbs associated with VACs, and (3) the construction schematicity increase indicated by the use of general to more specific verb productions distinct to proficiency levels. The results suggest that English language learners need more exposure to lexicogrammatical features to facilitate VACs acquisition and usage.

Kritik Argumen Kosmologis Al-Ghazali terhadap Konsep Penciptaan Alam menurut Stephen Hawking

In the existence of God, the cosmological argument rests on the novelty aspect of nature. Although the big bang theory supports the assumption that nature has a beginning, according to Stephen Hawking, nature can begin independently without God's intervention. The purpose of this research is to show the failure of the concept of the creation of the universe according to Stephen Hawking through Al-Ghazali's cosmological argument. The problem formulations that need to be answered are: (1) what is Stephen Hawking's view on the big bang theory, leading him to conclude that the universe could have been created independently?; and (2) how is the construction of Al-Ghazali's cosmological argument relevant to criticize this view? The approach in this research is a research model on scientific theory. With the material object in the form of the concept of the creation of the universe according to Stephen Hawking which is reviewed through the formal object of Al-Ghazali's cosmological argument. This research results in conclusions. First, Stephen Hawking's view of the big bang theory based on scientific determinism has consequences for deism and atheism. Second, the construction of Al-Ghazali's cosmological argument is relevant based on his criticism of the emanation theory which has identical consequences with Stephen Hawking's scientific determinism view. The critique shows that it is impossible for the universe to be created out of nothing independently, because the creation of the universe at a certain time requires the existence of a principle of determination and the determinant factor also requires a willing personal agent, namely God. Another implication of this argument is that God has absolute power and freedom, both to create the universe or not and to intervene in its course.

Irreconcilable Differences? NATO's Response to Russian Aggression Against Ukraine

With Russia's full-spectrum war in Ukraine, NATO is rethinking its force posture and responding in ways that are consistent with its norms and identity as an alliance. While the war has been framed by some as a vindication of structural realism, we instead revisit constructivist arguments about security communities. This literature, which foregrounds learning and socialization processes, advanced scholarly and policy debates from NATO enlargement to defence sector reform. By contrast, how security communities engage with adversaries has received less attention. Noting the obvious balancing dynamics on display, we emphasize how threats take on particular meanings, which shape the types of military options considered. We also provide an explanation for NATO's resilience in the face of this external shock. Alliance disunity notwithstanding, we argue that collective defence is being redefined in real time, through dynamics that are not exclusively bound by a narrow focus on the military threat posed by Russia.

The Impact of Team Synchrony on Argument Construction and Science Knowledge Acquisition: Insights from a Science Learning Game

The Impact of Team Synchrony on Argument Construction and Science Knowledge Acquisition: Insights from a Science Learning Game

A competência em informação no enfrentamento ao plágio no ambiente acadêmico

This article discusses information literacy in the face of plagiarism in academia. It reflects on the causes of plagiarism, such as the little incentive for students to produce authorial content and the absence of institutional policies that guide such productions. As a response to this context, the article suggests an education for authorship based on information literacy. Information literacy, among others, promotes a healthy relationship between people and the information universe. Thus, the objective is to discuss how promoting information literacy contributes to combating academic plagiarism and establishing authorship. The method involves bibliographical research in databases in the area of Information Science and argumentative construction in which the concepts of plagiarism and information literacy are related. The results include a demonstrative guide on how information literacy can be used in the production of academic work and guidelines for teachers to recognize and avoid plagiarism. The work concludes that the skills generated within the relationship between individuals and information can benefit the construction of authorship and be an effective element in combating plagiarism.

When given two choices, take both! Social impact assessment in social entrepreneurship

ABSTRACT This paper examines how social entrepreneurs construct impact arguments as they begin to assess social impact. We examined the experiences of 68 social entrepreneurs in Chile and discovered that the construction of arguments for the purpose of thinking about and experiencing impact is different than the arguments constructed to establish dialogues around it. We explain this dual argument construction as arguments for worth and arguments for legitimacy. We expand scholarship on argumentation by clarifying social entrepreneurs’ efforts to pursue adherence facing competing demands and reinforcing their willingness and ability to engage with social impact assessment. We advance the understanding of social impact assessment in social entrepreneurship across three areas: tensions, accountability and performance and extend Nicholls’ general theory by explaining what precedes the discursive space where the assessment of social impact reconciles facticity and validity to establish materiality.

Особености на парламентарната реторика в 47-ото Народно събрание

Abstract: The paper presents the results of a study of parliamentary rhetoric of the 47th National Assembly MPs, carried out through rhetorical analysis. Four significant topics related to foreign and domestic policy, as well as a debate on a vote of no confidence against a regularly elected government, are selected. The analysis is based on speeches and appearances of MPs from seven parliamentary political parties and coalitions over the period from 3 December 2021 to 31 August 2022. The rhetorical figures, arguments and communicative techniques used by parliamentary speakers are identified after an analysis implemented on the basis of a previously prepared registration card including basic rhetorical techniques. It confirmed the hypothesis that the main features of parliamentary rhetoric in the studied period are the polarization of positions, the reduced use of rhetorical figures, the construction of arguments through familiar techniques and their combination with manipulative techniques. Parliamentary debates take place in a tense atmosphere and political figures fail to build trust in their constituents and to mobilize them to vote in the subsequent elections. Keywords: parliamentary rhetoric, debates, speakers, MPs, rhetorical figures, arguments.

How to Make Rational Arguments Practical and Extractable

We investigate proof systems where security holds against rational parties instead of malicious ones. Our starting point is the notion of rational arguments, a variant of rational proofs (Azar and Micali, STOC 2012) where security holds against rational adversaries that are also computationally bounded. Rational arguments are an interesting primitive because they generally allow for very efficient protocols, and in particular sublinear verification (i.e. where the Verifier does not have to read the entire input). In this paper we aim at narrowing the gap between literature on rational schemes and real world applications. Our contribution is two-fold. We provide the first construction of rational arguments for the class of polynomial computations that is practical (i.e., it can be applied to real-world computations on reasonably common hardware) and with logarithmic communication. Techniques-wise, we obtain this result through a compiler from information-theoretic protocols and rational proofs for polynomial evaluation. The latter could be of independent interest. As a second contribution, we propose a new notion of extractability for rational arguments. Through this notion we can obtain arguments where knowledge of a witness is incentivized (rather than incentivizing mere soundness). We show how our aforementioned compiler can also be applied to obtain efficient extractable rational arguments for N P .