Direct Requests Research Articles

The Effect of Activities-Based Teaching in The English Context on EFL University Students

This study presents a pragmatic approach focusing on the meaning of speech and knowledge regarding the undergraduate students' understanding and utilization of speech act ‘request’ within the Department of English Language at the College of Arts. Quantitative approach has been employed to analyze request strategies by using an open-ended questionnaire comprising sixteen diverse scenarios to gather data on various request speech acts. The study investigates the effectiveness of instructional interventions in developing students' proficiency in this speech act. The findings from the pre-tests revealed that students exhibited comparable performance across all three strategies: direct requests, conventionally indirect requests, and non-conventionally indirect requests have been assessed in terms of both awareness and production levels. Despite the initial similarity in performance among learners, substantial improvements have been observed after the instructional phase. Specifically, individuals within the experimental group demonstrated notable enhancements in their awareness and production of requests, coupled with a decreased reliance on direct request strategies. These findings underscore the potential for pragmatics instruction rich in input to enhance learners' identification and utilization of suitable pragmatic elements within diverse social contexts. Overall, the study highlights the importance of pragmatic education in foreign language learning, suggesting its efficacy in fostering learners' pragmatic competence.

Legal Implications of Psychiatric Assessment for Medical Aid in Dying.

In recent years, several jurisdictions have passed legislation to permit medical aid in dying (MAID) worldwide, with considerable expansion in the availability of this practice. MAID has been defined as the practice of a clinician prescribing lethal drugs in response to a direct request from the patient, with a shared understanding that the patient intends to use the medication to bring about the patient's death. Wider legalization of MAID has prompted debates and legal controversies regarding the extent to which MAID should be available and its application for people experiencing mental illness as the primary indication. This article examines shifting attitudes of professional medical organizations toward MAID. We discuss the existing statutory provisions for psychiatric assessment for MAID in the United States and the implications on such assessments should MAID be expanded to include mental illness as the primary indication. This article also assesses legal disputes concerning MAID regulations and explores the role of psychiatric experts in the practice of MAID.

Request Strategies of EFL University Learners at Jambi University

Making appropriate requests is a crucial aspect of pragmatic competence in language learning. This research aimed to investigate common request strategies used by EFL University Learners at Jambi University when making requests at the ages of 19, 20, and 21. This research design was an intrinsic case study to gain an in-depth knowledge of the phenomenon within its specific context. Data were collected through a written discourse completion test (DCT) from six participants, two from each age group. They were analyzed using discourse analysis, specifically focusing on the request strategies proposed by Blum-Kulka and Olshtain (1984), Blum-Kulka (1987), and Trosborg (1995). The findings reveal that most participants employed conventionally indirect (hearer-based) strategies in the form of ability, willingness, and permission (25 times, 83.3% frequency of semantic formulas) and conventionally indirect request (speaker-based) strategies in the form of desires/needs (3 times, 10% frequency of semantic formulas), followed by direct request strategies in the form of performatives (2 times, 6.6% frequency of semantic formulas). The research concluded that conventionally indirect request strategies (hearer-based) in the form of ability, willingness, and permission are mostly used in making requests among the studied age groups. It also found that age influenced how social power as a social variable maintained smooth social interactions in making requests. Those different age groups exhibited diversities in the use of directness level in making requests based on the age gap between the speaker and the hearer. Additionally, the research indicates how the focus shifts to the hearer's wants as the speaker casts requests in various direct forms. This suggests that people tend to make requests subtly, especially within academic settings. These findings have important implications for language teaching and pragmatics instruction, potentially influencing approaches to improving learner awareness of appropriate request strategies in academic and social contexts.

Pragmatic Competence in an Email Writing Task: Influences of Situation, L1 Background, and L2 Proficiency

The study examines a corpus of 306 request emails written by 32 English-speaking (ES) teachers and 121 L2 learners from distinctive L1 backgrounds (i.e., Chinese, French, Spanish) and with different levels of L2 proficiency. Pragmatic competence is analyzed through the coding of direct and indirect request strategies used in formal and informal email writing. Findings reveal the influences of communicative situation, L1 background, and L2 proficiency on pragmatic competence in email writing. First, L2 learners show a significantly lower degree of situational variability compared with ES teachers. Second, L1 backgrounds have a significant impact on L2 writing performance. Third, L2 learners with higher English proficiency tend to use more indirect request strategies, but they have not developed pragmatic competence to adjust their usage across written contexts. Findings are discussed in relation to pedagogical implications for developing writing competence of L2 learners, which should be attuned to diverse rhetorical expectations and individual needs.

Gender-Related Differences in the Performance of Request in the Algerian Classroom Discourse

Despite extensive research on requests, there remains a notable gap in understanding gender differences in Algerian classrooms. This study investigates how male and female students and teachers formulate requests during classroom interactions, using responses from a discourse completion task (DCT). The aim is to explore how gender influences choice of request strategies and variations in directness, considering social variables such as power dynamics, social distance, and the imposition level among participants. The study focuses on identifying similarities and differences in request behaviors between male and female interactions among Algerian students and teachers, as well as among students themselves. Data were collected through a Discourse Completion Task featuring three scenarios of classroom interactions, involving 115 male and female participants. The findings indicate that gender significantly influences the selection of request strategies and levels among Algerian students and teachers. Female students and teachers tended to employ more indirect request strategies compared to males, who typically favored direct approaches across all scenarios. Furthermore, the study reveals that the degree of directness varied for both genders based on socio-cultural factors such as power dynamics, social distance, imposition levels, and religious norms prevalent in Algerian society. The research highlights that students generally opt for conventional indirect strategies when making requests to teachers. In contrast, direct requests are more commonly used when individuals of equal social status interact or when the requester holds a higher status than the respondent. This study contributes new insights into the impact of gender and socio-cultural factors on request strategies and politeness in Algerian classroom discourse, enriching the field of cross-cultural pragmatics and classroom discourse studies.

The challenges of Chile to achieve control the HIV/AIDS pandemic the year 2030: A review.

Chile is contending with the highest rates of new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases in both Latin America and globally, despite substantial ongoing investments in treatment. This comprehensive study, derived from PUBMED and Google searches, ANID data, and various organizational reports, highlights key areas for improvement. Over the past decade, Chile's annual infection rate has risen, signaling an urgent need for detailed analysis and effective solutions. The study includes 44 references, comprising 32 scientific articles and 12 reports from entities like the WHO and the Pan American Health Organization. Data was meticulously collected through diverse means, such as scientific congresses, meetings with authorities, and direct data requests. Fourteen critical points are identified for addressing the HIV epidemic in Chile, spanning from legislative reforms to enhanced prevention campaigns. Key recommendations include universal diagnosis, decentralized healthcare, the availability of self-tests, and a focus on mental health and the impact of migration. Despite Chile's strong economic indicators, factors such as inadequate sexual education, outdated legislation, and centralized diagnostic processes contribute to the persistent increase in new cases. The study underscores the pressing need for enhanced investment in prevention policies. Chile faces significant challenges in meeting the 90/90/90 targets, yet there is optimism in aiming for the 95/95/95 strategy by 2030. Achieving success requires a global commitment, an emphasis on prevention, and collaborative efforts among authorities, healthcare providers, and patients. Overcoming these identified barriers is essential for Chile to reach its ambitious goal and ultimately end the HIV epidemic.

Managing Veterinary Feed Directive requests

Navigating the intricacies of veterinary feed directives can be an intimidating part of practicing veterinary medicine. It is important to guide clients in this important regulatory compli­ance process and antimicrobial stewardship tool. By using ef­fective communication when doing so, you will find success.

Analisis Keselamatan dan Kesehatan Kerja (K3) Menggunakan Metode Hazop Studi Kasus: Departemen Teknik PT Sinde Multikemasindo

PT Sinde Multi Kemasindo is a plastic packaging industry company located in Tambun, West Java. PT Sinde Multi Kemasindo produces products in the form of preforms, 200 Ml bottles, 350 Ml bottles, 500 Ml bottles and screw caps with 2 colors, namely green and blue. PT Sinde Multikemasindo carries out the production process based on orders or direct requests from consumers. Based on the data obtained, from January to November 2023, there were 31 cases of work-related accidents in the engineering department of PT Sinde Multikemasindo, with a description of extreme risk of 0%, high risk of 23%, moderate risk of 61%, and low risk of 16%. with the classification of moderate and mild accidents. In an effort to minimize work accidents, work accident analysis can be carried out using the Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) method and fisbon approach The results found 31 hazards in the engineering department and can be categorized into 31 hazard sources. From the risk level assessment results, there are 0 sources of hazard classified as extreme, 73 sources of hazard classified as high risk, 19 sources of hazard classified as medium risk, and 5 sources of hazard classified as low risk. This study provides recommendations for improvement in the form of conducting inspections to workers, providing signs or posters regarding the use and need for PPE, conducting supervision (punishment and reward system), prohibiting entry into the production work area without using PPE and conducting medical examinations on workers exposed to dust.

The need for an evidence-led approach to rewilding

This paper characterises current rewilding activities in the UK, through the analysis of 66 rewilding projects. Project information was obtained from online data (65 %), and direct mail data requests (35 %). The analyses showed an exponential growth in the number of new rewilding projects since 2010, with 8 % of projects started prior to 2000, and 60 % initiated after 2010. Seventy-three percent of projects involved rewilding areas of less than 1000 ha, 17 % being between 1000 and 10,000 ha, and 9 % greater than 10,000 ha. In Scotland, 80 % of the area being rewilded involved mountain, heath and bog habitats. For England the largest rewilded areas (58 %) were semi-natural or improved grasslands. Fifty-six percent of sites were formerly used for livestock farming, and 24 % for arable cultivation. A total of 72 % of sites employed tree planting, 64 % introduced herbivores, and 33 % introduced non-herbivores. The removal of sheep and cattle took place in 51 % of projects, with deer control in 33 %, wetland creation in 39 %, and the removal of artificial drainage in 36 % of projects. There was a close geographical proximity between rewilding sites and Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), with 69 % of areas being within 4 km, and only two sites greater than 8 km. Twelve project funding sources were recorded, and most projects utilised multiple funding sources. The benefits of an evidence-led and nationally co-ordinated rewilding approach were identified in relation to using well-established decision tools and frameworks to enhance future rewilding spatial planning. This would allow the development of a map of ‘appropriate’ rewilding areas, based on landscape scale characteristics, national species and habitat priorities, and predicted future landscape changes. Importantly, these ‘target’ areas would also be sensitive to local social, economic and agricultural contexts.

Progressivity of initial service encounters

Traditional izakayas (“pubs”) are spaces where people socially consume food and alcohol. Although ubiquitous in Japan, izakayas are slowly disappearing due to changing economic factors. Researchers have begun to document the sociolinguistic activities in these spaces; however, further examination of interactants’ behaviours is needed. Thus, in this study, we sociopragmatically investigated the progressivity of initial service encounters that routinely occur within the drama series Shin’ya Shokud? (“Midnight Diner”) from macro, meso, and micro perspectives. Specifically, we examined how interactants enter the establishment and perform direct requests and how interpersonal talk progresses. Results show that interactants perform service encounters in routine-like ways, using a variety of polite and casual expressions. Overall, the study highlights the formulaic nature of these izakaya performances, which are not typically observable in other contexts. Furthermore, the study supports previous research that shows how transactional and interpersonal talk are imbued in some service encounter contexts.

SOCIO-PRAGMATIC VARIATION IN CAMEROON FRENCH REQUESTS

This study investigated aspects of the requesting behaviour of Cameroonian French speakers. Based on examples produced by 81 French-speaking Cameroonian students, the analysis was devoted to request strategies across three situations, focusing on request strategy types, their linguistic realizations, pragmatic modifiers, as well as variation in the use of request patterns according to degree of familiarity, type of power relationship and type of imposition. The results reveal social variation regarding the frequency and use of direct or indirect request strategies and pragmatic modifiers (internal and external). It was also found that requests were predominantly introduced with attention-getters and/or greetings and that nominal address terms were used to soften or aggravate requests across the three situations.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0759/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

Analysis of Coordination Mechanisms during Collaborative Problem-Solving on an Interactive Tabletop Display

AbstractCoordination is an important aspect of group work. Previous studies have shown how collocated multi-user interfaces, such as interactive tabletops, support coordination by providing a shared space that enhances workspace awareness. However, only little is known about the coordination processes that occur during problem-solving on such shared devices and how the design of features and interaction techniques can impact coordination behaviour. In this paper we analyse users’ coordination mechanisms during joint manipulation tasks in Orbitia, an interactive tabletop-based problem-solving activity. The proposed design integrates a series of “breaches” seeking to challenge participants’ collaboration by confronting them to different limitations. We report on a case study with five groups of three users (N = 15), jointly solving tasks while facing different challenges related to the activity interface and the environment. By analysing 135 min of video material along with their transcripts, we identified nine different coordination mechanisms that relate to either coordination of information or coordination of actions. By exploring the occurrences of these mechanisms, we found that sharing unsolicited task-relevant information is a common coordination behaviour that can be observed at interactive tabletops, and that with breaches, more explicit coordination in the form of direct requests, orders, or shadowing is used.

Development of a Tool for Navigating the Evidence concerning Land Managers and Woodland Creation in the United Kingdom

Woodland creation has become an important objective for a variety of stakeholders to help tackle the climate and biodiversity crises. One of the key evidence needs is a better understanding of the multiple factors influencing the willingness and ability of landowners and managers to establish new woodlands. To address this gap, a systematic map of evidence was prepared comprising publications from academic journals and grey literature accessed through bibliographic databases (Web of Science, Scopus, and CAB Abstracts), libraries, direct requests to relevant organisations and individuals, and citation tracking from past reviews. A screening process refined the evidence base to 226 studies within the UK. The systematic evidence map codes the content of each study against a comprehensive list comprising actors, drivers of or barriers to woodland creation, and outcomes. These are presented as a freely accessible, interactive online dashboard detailing sources of evidence. The systematic evidence map helps users navigate the evidence, demonstrating where the bulk of the evidence lies and, conversely, several evidence gaps where there is comparatively little evidence. The findings serve as a basis for dialogue with stakeholders to determine priorities for future primary research.

Communication rules regarding support seeking in patients with a physical illness, according to people with a Surinamese or a Dutch cultural background

ObjectivePeople with different cultural backgrounds can evaluate the appropriateness of direct and indirect support seeking differently. In this study we explored how direct and indirect communication rules for verbal support seeking by patients with diabetes were perceived among Dutch and Surinamese female participants, and whether the appropriateness differed for the ingroup, outgroup and intercultural support seeker-support provider interactions. MethodsThe study applied a 2 (direct versus indirect support seeking) X 2 (Surinamese patient versus Dutch patient) X 2 (Surinamese support provider versus Dutch support provider)-design. Dutch and Surinamese participants (N = 686) were randomly assigned to one of the eight conditions in which they were provided with a depiction of the patient, the direct or indirect request for help, and the help provider. The main outcome was the rated appropriateness of the help-seeking request in the specific context. ResultsThe results revealed a significant main effect of communication style: both, Surinamese and Dutch participants evaluated the direct help-seeking as more appropriate compared to indirect help-seeking, independent of patient or provider culture. This effect was particularly strong in participants who scored high on the individual difference in independent self, as shown by a significant interaction. DiscussionLiterature usually identifies that Surinamese and Dutch populations have different cultural backgrounds and values that express themselves in different attitudes, in general more collectivistic and more individualistic, respectively. However, with regard to help seeking preferences the study results did not verify this expectation. These findings underscore the importance of the support providers’ role in assessing and understanding the individuals’ communication style with regard to help-seeking, rather than assuming communication preferences on the basis of cultural background.

Donor Evaluation Tool: A New Technology Improves Donor Enrolment on ICU.

Uncertainties on the intensive care unit (ICU) regarding the eligibility of a patient to be a potential deceased organ donor may prevent their referral and enrolment in the pathway for organ donation. Healthcare staff may exclude potential donors for medical reasons, which are no longer applicable. Hence, Swisstransplant implemented a digital donor evaluation tool (DET) in 2021, which allows the local hospital's organ donation coordinator to send a direct request to medical advisors (MA) of the organ procurement organization before excluding potential donors. All 156 requests entered in 2022 were analyzed. 117 patients (75.0%) were primarily accepted by the MA as potential donors. Of those 60 patients (51.3%) became actual organ donors. Main reasons for using the DET were questions regarding malignancies (n = 33, 21.2%), infectious diseases (n = 35, 22.4%) and age/co-morbidities (n = 34, 21.8%). The average age of the actual "DET donor" compared to the regularly enrolled, actual "Non-DET donor" was 65.3 ± 15.8 vs. 56.8 ± 17.5years, respectively (p = 0.008). On average 1.9 ± 1.1 organs compared to 3.2 ± 1.3 organs were retrieved from DET vs. Non-DET donors. In summary, this new digital donor evaluation tool supports reporting and facilitates eligibility decisions in uncertain, complex donor cases, potentially increasing the number of organ donations.

Evaluating the impact of COVID-19 on the monetary crisis by machine learning

In this study, machine learning is examined in relation to commercial machine learning's resilience to the COVID-19 pandemic-related crisis. Two approaches are used to assess the pandemic's impact on machine learning risk, as well as a method to prioritize sectors according to the crisis's potential negative consequences. I conducted the study to determine Santander machine learning's resilience. The data mining area offers prospects for COVID-19's future. A total of 13 machine learning demos were selected for its organization. The Hellweg strategy and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) technique were utilized as direct request strategies. Parametric assessment of machine learning versatility in business was based on capital sufficiency, liquidity proportion, market benefits, and share in an arrangement of openings with a perceived disability, and affectability of machine learning's credit portfolio to monetary hazard. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these enterprises were ranked according to their threat. Based on the findings of the research, machine learning worked the best for the pandemic. Meanwhile, machine learning suffered the most during the downturn. It can be seen, for example, in conversations about the impact of the pandemic on developing business sector soundness and managing financial framework solidity risk.

Structural repetition in responses to indirect requests

ABSTRACT We report three experiments that assess whether structural priming in a question–answer dialogue context is affected by the use of direct requests, conventional indirect requests, and nonconventional indirect requests. In Experiments 1 and 2, experimenters made phone calls to businesses and asked either Can you tell me (at) what time you close? (conventional indirect request) or May I ask you (at) what time you close? (nonconventional indirect request). Structural priming was demonstrated by participants’ greater tendency to produce a preposition in their response (At 9 vs. 9 o’clock) when the question had a preposition than when it did not. The results of Experiments 1 and 2 suggest that priming is not statistically different across request types. In Experiment 3, we compared priming for the conventional indirect requests to priming for direct requests ([At] what time do you close?). Again, priming did not differ across question types. We conducted a final analysis that included data from all three experiments plus a large dataset collected using the same procedure. The larger analysis (n > 43,000) confirmed that priming did not differ across sentence types.

The manifestation of interlanguage pragmatics in direct and indirect request strategies used by international students

This study focused on how interlanguage pragmatics (ILP) is manifested in a multicultural environment. Learners’ ability to make requests has received considerable attention in ILP research because requests are intrinsic face-threatening acts. The question this study aimed to address was to what extent a culture has an impact on the direct and indirect level of request strategies. The data were collected from thirty participants (fifteen males and fifteen females) representing five nationalities (Russian, Indonesian, Pakistani, Jordanian, and Hungarian) and studying at the University of Pannonia. The Discourse Completion Test (DCT) developed by Hendriks (2002) was used as an instrument, containing different situations to which the participants had to respond. The linguistic and cultural background of the participants was identified using an online tool, namely the Language History Questionnaire. The participants’ responses were then recorded and transcribed. The direct and indirect levels of the requests were analyzed by categorizing the head act and the internal (syntactic and lexical) and external modifiers. The data showed that the participants generally used more indirect strategies in making requests (86.2% indirect, 13.8% direct), especially those from Indonesia. Participants from Pakistan were the most direct in making requests. Moreover, they used more external modifiers than other participants to compensate for their directness.

KAJIAN PENERJEMAHAN REQUEST EXPRESSION PADA FILM THE LAST SONG DALAM PERSPEKTIF PENDIDIKAN

This research aims at describing how request expression found in film entitled The Last Song translated from English to Bahasa Indonesia. There are 27 data gained in this research. In the research first the researcher identified the request expression in the conversation from the film. The request expression then classified based on the types of request expression. In this research some conclusions are drawn from the analysis. There are two types of request expressions; direct request expression with the subtypes namely mood derivable, obligation statement and performative and indirect request expression with the subtypes namely suggestory formulae, query-preparatory and mild hint. It is also concluded that most of the translations of request expressions are accurate only small part of the translations are not accurate.

Contextual Variables as Predictors of Verb Form: An Analysis of Gender and Stance in Peninsular Spanish Requests

The current experiment employs a variational pragmatics perspective to explore how the contextual variables of power, distance, and imposition jointly affect social groups’ and individuals’ choice of verb forms in requests in Madrid, Spain. Using a mixed-method approach to explore the requests of 111 Spanish speakers from Madrid, quantitative analyses determined the level of significance and hierarchical order of the predictor variables of power, distance, and imposition on verb form and also the distribution of verb forms by gender, with male and female participants exhibiting significant differences. Additionally, certain participants demonstrated decreased sensitivity to contextual factors, adopting more categorically indirect or direct request strategies. The examination of both gendered request patterns and the stances that single participants adopt through their verb-form selections contributes to our understanding of the social moves that are made by all speakers, not just those who fall within the gendered norms. The results highlight the different frames and social meanings attached to these forms at the micro- and macro-social levels, providing new insight into the complex relationship among linguistic variables, contextual factors, and social groups and individuals.