English Website Research Articles

Cross-cultural promotional competence: a comparison of student and DMO marketing text

ABSTRACTThis paper considers whether an inductive, collaborative information and communication technology-based approach to learning promotional language may help non-native English speakers produce destination material that can be effective in a real-world context. At a Japanese university, tourism communication students collected examples of professional language from the web in a shared database which they subsequently consulted in producing domestic destination websites in English. Text written by students for a destination was compared in a survey to text from an official English website for the destination. The survey measured the reaction of potential tourists in terms of trust in accuracy, expectations of service, and destination interest. Results indicate that the student material engendered stronger overall destination image, based on source credibility, interest in travel to the destination, and higher service expectations. The study considers implications of the results in terms of the effect of writing quality on destination image, and argues for the importance of cross-cultural marketing competence in tourism education.

In search of the myth in multicultural website design: the case of English university website versions in the British, the American and the Greek locale

In search of the myth in multicultural website design: the case of English university website versions in the British, the American and the Greek locale

An Investigation into Saudi Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes towards E-resources on BBC Learning English

The BBC Learning English website has become an important method of learning and studying English as a second language, a resource that enhances the importance of e-learning. The aim of the current research is to find Saudi students’ knowledge of and attitude towards e-resources on BBC Learning English. The sample size was 28 participants (17 male and 11 female participants). The knowledge and attitude were assessed based on scales (from a questionnaire) and their outcomes were correlated with each other; the effect of gender, age and reason for learning were also assessed in relation to the knowledge and attitude variables. Using appropriate statistical tests it was found that there is a significant positive relationship between the knowledge of e-resources and the attitude towards them on BBC Learning English. Gender was not found to have an effect on the attitude scale; however age appeared to have a significant effect on the knowledge variable. The reason for learning English was not found to have an effect on the knowledge of e-resources.

Coverage of Triple Talaq

The Supreme Court is hearing seven petitions, including five separate writ petitions filed by Muslim women challenging the constitutionality of the practice of triple talaq. This article analyses the coverage of the debates on triple talaq in TwoCircles (TwoCircles) and Radiance Viewsweekly (Radiance) between January 1 and May 31. TwoCircles, an English news website launched in the US in 2007, presents itself as alternative media for issues affecting Adivasis, Dalits, Indian Muslims, Women, and Youth. However, TwoCircles is widely seen as a website focusing on Indian Muslims. Radiance, a weekly launched from Delhi in 1963, is published by the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) and presents itself as a periodical for Muslims. During the period of interest, Radiance published a special issue on triple talaq (“Triple Talaq or Crime against Women what should be the Topic for Discussion?” May 14). Both TwoCircles and Radiance published a wide variety of views that can be classified into three broad categories examined in this article: triple talaq is un-Islamic, triple talaq is rare and, therefore, a non-issue, and the present focus on the issue is politically-motivated.

旅游景区英文网站建设状况调查与策略研究—以烟台市为例

通过分析、对比国内外关于烟台著名旅游景区的英文网站，研究者发现不同网站的关注点(栏目设置)及介绍的视角(或概括，或具体)不同。尽管地方性网站的英文翻译存在极大问题，但因其对具体景点的历史渊源介绍更加深入，其在外宣中的作用不应被忽视。最后，研究者对地方性英文网站建设提出以下五项策略：更改Wonderland Yantai的英文网名；使Wonderland Yantai与国内其它旅游网站建立友情链接；完善烟台市旅游景点所属单位自建英文网站中的语言问题；使自建英文网站纳入Wonderland Yantai的内部链接；在Wonderland Yantai英文网站开设问答区。 By analyzing and comparing English website of famous tourist attractions in Yantai, it was found that different English websites have different foci (such as column set) and perspectives (with a general view, or a specific one) of tourist attractions. Although there were a number of language misuses in the English versions of the local websites, their functions for oversea publicities should not be ignored because of their in-depth descriptions of the historical origin of specific attractions. Finally, five suggestions were proposed: Change the net name of Wonderland Yantai; Make Wonderland Yantai establish links with other travelling websites; Improve language use in self-built English websites constructed by travel-related departments of Yantai City; Then make them into parts of internal links of Wonderland Yantai; Set up Q&A columns for the Wonderland Yantai website.

Towards a Framework for Usability of Arabic-English Websites

Abstract: The multilingual websites are highly used to serve the website users using different languages. These websites need to receive the user's satisfaction both at the local and the global level. However, following certain standards and guidelines while developing multilingual websites, may help the developers to design such websites with high usability rates. To the best of our knowledge, there is no such framework or a standard available to develop an Arabic/ English bilingual website. In this paper, we highlight certain issues, which may be well used to develop a framework for designing multilingual websites in Arabic-English. The key usability issues from the educational websites have been considered in the proposed framework. The framework is based on the analysis of a survey sample of 200 responses and observation test conduction with 36 participants.

A STUDY OF VERB USED IN AN ENGLISH NEWS ONLINE WEBSITE

The purpose of this independent study was to analyze the verbs used in an English learning website, BreakingNewsEnglish.com. The sample for the study consisted 40 news selected by simple random sampling. This case study analyzed two aspects of verb usage: transitive verb and intransitive verb. The conclusion based on the results as follows: 1) The transitive verb in the base form was used most frequently (40.41%) while present participle form was used the least frequently (6.79%). 2) The intransitive verb in the base form occurred most frequently (7.13%) whereas the verb in present participle form were used only (2.21%). In conclusion, in Breaking news used transitive verb more than intransitive verb all types, the most of percentages was transitive verb with 40.41% and the lowest percentages was intransitive verb in present participle with 2.21%. BreakingNewsEnglish.com refers to events that are currently developing and are unexpected, the base form of transitive verbs helpful instructions for users on the site are extremely basic, clear and simple instruction usually seem to be a good indication of thoughtful.

Monitoring Web Site Usage of e-Bug: A Hygiene and Antibiotic Awareness Resource for Children.

Backgrounde-Bug is an educational resource which teaches children and young people about microbes, hygiene, infection, and prudent antibiotic use. The e-Bug resources are available in over 22 different languages and they are used widely across the globe. The resources can be accessed from the e-Bug website.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to analyze the usage of the e-Bug website in order to understand how users access the website, where and when they access the site, and to review variation in use across the different areas of the site.MethodsThe usage statistics for the e-Bug website were monitored by Google Analytics between September 2010 and August 2013.ResultsThe statistics show the website had over 324,000 visits during the three years, from just under 250,000 visitors, with the number of visitors increasing year after year. Visitors accessed the website from 211 different countries, with more than 267,000 documents downloaded. The majority of visitors were from the United Kingdom and visited the English website, although countries such as France and Portugal were also frequent visitors.ConclusionsThese website statistics confirm that e-Bug is frequently used across Europe and highlight that e-Bug use has expanded across the world. The findings from this report will be used to inform future modifications or updates to the materials, as well as the development of new educational resources.

English syllabic consonants vs. schwa at discourse level

This is a perceptual study on the production of English syllabic consonants vs. schwa in word final position at discourse level. It is intended to find out whether the speaker’s gender, accent, speech rate and emphasis placed upon words have any bearing on the production of this alternation. The effect the aforementioned factors may have on the production of this apparently anarchic phonetic alternation demands further exploration (see, however, O’Shaughnessy, 1981; Byrd, 1994; Wells, 1995; Töft, 2002). The informants for this study were 80 non-rhotic native newsreaders (40 males and 40 females) taken from theBBC learning English website(2009). Three female listeners not knowledgeable about the purposes of the study had to decide whether they perceived a syllabic consonant in certain words (800 overall) or not. Results show that there is a statistically significant relationship between each of these factors and the production of English syllabic consonants vs. schwa.

A survey on the subject-verb agreement in Google Machine Translation

To investigate subject-verb agreement of Persian translated sentences in Google machine translation, 100 sentences were taken from the BBC’s English web site that 50 sentences were randomly selected to be translated by both Google Machine Translator and four Human translators, to reach a reference translation. Descriptive-statistics method was used to find out; firstly, whether Google translator compared to human translator can apply subject-verb agreement properly. Secondly, whether there is a relationship between human judgment and Machine Translation automated evaluation method. To this end, after reaching a reference translation, the researcher invited four other human translators to judge and score the Google output based on three criteria. A five-point Likert Scale was used for rating the Google translated sentences. The scale (1) was assigned for a completely unacceptable translation and (5) for an excellent one with almost no errors. Then, the researcher evaluated the same 50 Google translated sentences based on three automated metrics of Precision, Recall, and F-measure. Then, the researcher described the findings through his observation of the scores given by four human translators and found out that Google translator in comparison to the human reference translation could not apply the subject-verb agreement properly in all sentences. Then, after analyzing the “human and F-measure” assessment scores by SPSS version 22 and taking the correlation coefficient of the two scores, the researcher figured out that there was a significant relationship between human and F-measure scores.

The State of the Art on Thermoelectric Devices in Japan

Japan has promoted thermoelectric research and development since 1960's. The 1st application of thermoelectric power generation in Japan was a candle radio using β-FeSi2 modules that was commercialized in 1990. The 2nd one was a thermoelectric wrist watch using Bi-Te modules in 1999. Development of thermoelectric devices or modules has been activated since 2002, when the Japanese NEDO project titled by “Development of thermoelectric energy conversion system with high efficiency” started. The activities of devices or modules have not been reported in the scientific journals or on the English website, since Japanese private companies contribute mainly to the activities, mostly independently of the academic activities by Japanese universities or institutes. In this article, the state-of-the-art of thermoelectric devices or modules in Japan is introduced in comparison with south-eastern Asian countries and Western countries, and the typical Japanese modules are exhibited.

Task-Induced Involvement Load: The Accumulation Effects on Vocabulary Acquisition

AbstractCollege EFL learners in Taiwan are often required to do online reading after school to get more exposure to English. Websites designed for EFL learners often provide some post-reading exercises to help them acquire words. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine a series of vocabulary tasks from one English learning website by revealing their induced involvement loads and the effects of the loads on learners’ vocabulary acquisition. Sixty-four sophomore non-English majors were at intermediate English proficient level. They were randomly assigned to four groups representing four learning conditions doing from none to three post-reading activities, respectively. The results showed that similar increase on the retention of word meanings was observed between any two exercises. Furthermore, the significant difference was found between the first and the fourth learning conditions. This suggests that after doing three post-reading exercises, reaching five involvement loads, the EFL learners could make a difference on word gains.

Website analysis in an EFL context: content comprehension, perceptions on web usability and awareness of reading strategies

AbstractWebsite analysis is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry that focuses on both digital literacy and language competence (Brugger, 2009). Website analysis in an EFL learning context has the potential to facilitate logical thinking and in the process develop functional language proficiency. This study reported on an English language website (http://www.travelbelize.org/) analysis experiment carried out for three weeks as an in-class and homework activity in a third year (junior) level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) course at a Japanese technical university. The purpose was to explore EFL learners’ ability to analyze an English language website and produce concrete design responses in English. During the first week of the analysis (involving sixteen students selected due to performing the best during earlier in-class website analysis activities on the course), participants produced their own responses to eight open-ended design questions about the website. The second week of the analysis (involving all 59 students on the course) tested the students’ ability to search for information from the website, and recorded their impressions about the website design based on standard usability questionnaires (CSUQ, QUIS, and MPRC). The third week of the analysis had the 59 students self-report on their use of meta-cognitive reading strategies (MARSI 1.0 Questionnaire) during the website analysis. The results of the questionnaires showed that, overall, the EFL students had a basic understanding of major design questions related to information organization, screen interface design, audience, technology used, etc. However, there was statistically significant variability between responses in different groups (comprehensive evaluation, webpage design, terminology and website information and website capabilities) and the respondents were not unanimous in their impressions about the website. The result of the student self-reports on metacognitive reading strategies showed wide acceptability and use of problem-solving strategies.

The Research on the Cloud Computing Assisted Instruction under the Low Carbon Circumstance

With the further development of Internet technology and the popularity of Low Carbon Economy , cloud computing applications and services have influenced people's daily life greatly including study. Cloud computing brings new ideas to English teachers on constructing English teaching auxiliary site. From the definition of cloud computing, this paper discusses the ways and give some suggestion on constructing English teaching auxiliary website.

Column Design and Key Technology on Learning English Paradise Website

Interest is the best teacher. There are many issues on the current learning English website such as a huge amount of information in it, the complexly of content, the lack of features and unattractive and others. So this paper integrated enrich online English resources and advanced network technology to build learning English paradise for learners that you can learn, improve, leisure and entertainment. First, conducting column design which includes five one-level columns and twenty-seven two-level columns; then, architecture design is carried on. Three-layer architecture and the workflow of PHP three-layer architecture are represented simply by graphs; finally, studying the video on demand service, and the streaming process was designed based on selecting the software Real System in Realnetworks company. Content of this paper has an important role in raising interest in learning English and cultivating self-learning ability.

Database Design on English Learning Resources Website Based on Oracle

Traditional English classroom teaching can't meet the needs of the modern information society, the development of English learning resources website is extension and expansion of traditional English teaching. Database design is the basis and prerequisite for the website construction, this paper studies the Oracle database management system under the support of database design. First of all, based on the need analysis to design concept structure, and through the E-R model to express the design results; Finally, the characters, Numbers, time, large object and other five kinds of data type selection Then, on the basis of the clear logical structure design principles to design logical structure; In this paper, the research content, for the development of English learning resources website provides a feasible solution, has the vital significance to the English teaching reform, improve the quality of English teaching.

Key Technology on Construction of College English Multimedia Teaching Website

With the rapid development of information technology, many universities set up English teaching website, using the new teaching mode to improve original single-teacher classroom lecture-based model to improve the teaching effect. This article launches the research, the key technology in the website construction. First of all, design web site columns, including public information, online classroom, self-study tutorship, online examination, teaching reference, academic research, leisure entertainment, links, etc.; Secondly, elaborate Web site features, mainly reflected in the "listening", "say", "read", "write" four aspects; then, research media technology, and using streaming media realize synchronous and asynchronous teaching on the basis of the research on streaming transmission basic principle. Finally, the research ASP.NET application structure. English teaching website build two-way communication platform between teachers and students, which laid a foundation for higher level of language teaching.

Establishing Content Validity for a Literacy Coach Performance Appraisal Instrument

This study's purpose was to determine whether or not the Literacy Coach Appraisal Instrument developed for use in evaluating literacy coaches had content validity. The study, a fully mixed concurrent equal status design conducted from a pragmatist philosophy, collected qualitative and quantitative data from literacy experts about the elements of the appraisal instrument. Data were collected through a survey posted on the National Council for Teachers of English website and through face-to-face interviews. A factor analysis was conducted to analyze quantitative data, while qualitative data were analyzed using constant comparative analysis. Two appraisal instruments were developed as a result of the factor analysis. Findings indicate that the instrument does have content validity and accurately reflects the job responsibilities of literacy coaches.

Infection and Chemotherapy: We Are Ready to Fly

On behalf of the editorial board, I am pleased to announce that Infection and Chemotherapy is being published as an open-access English journal beginning in March, 2013 with volume 45, issue 1 to facilitate its international competitiveness. We believe that this change represents a significant step toward the globalization of the Korean Society of Infectious Disease and the Korean Society for Chemotherapy, providing you with the opportunity to communicate with a wide range of scientists around the world. Infection and Chemotherapy is a journal born in 2003 that extensively integrates two journals: Kamyeom, published by the Korean Society of Infectious Diseases since 1969 [1], and Hwahakyobeophwakhaeji, published by the Korean Society for Chemotherapy since 1983 [2]. Over the past 44 years, more than 1,870 valuable original articles and case reports have been published in these historical journals. Infection and Chemotherapy is a member of the Korean Association of Medical Journal Editors [3] and KoreaMed [4], and we have endeavored to maintain the high quality of the journal. We are obliged to accelerate the speed of taking, discussing, and distributing new and evidence-based international academic medical information in order to keep up with rapid updates of clinical and laboratory research in the field of infectious diseases. This is why Infection and Chemotherapy just converted to English, closing its character as a Korean journal even though it was published in a Korean and English mixed format, with the last edition, volume 44, issue 6, published in December 2012. Articles published in Infection and Chemotherapy can be obtained for free from an English website (www.icjourmal.org), where their abstracts and full-text PDF files can be located. Furthermore, all articles can also be viewed on the website of KoreaMed (www.koreamed.org) and found on the KoreaMed Synapse (http://synapse.koreamed.org) search system. Infection and Chemotherapy will continue striving to accomplish its goal of serving as one of the major international journals focusing on infectious diseases. It will include valuable editorials, several review articles by renowned scholars, novel original articles, practice guidelines, and informative case reports. Infection and Chemotherapy welcomes articles on a wide range of clinical descriptions of clinical infectious diseases as well as public health issues, microbiology, parasitology and infection immunity, evaluations of current and novel treatments, and the promotion of optimal practices for diagnoses and treatments. Finally, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the ongoing effort of the many editors in chief who have worked to keep Infection and Chemotherapy worthy of its name as a professional journal.

The Sociolinguistics of English Syllabic Consonants and the Fulfilment of Rules of Production

The constant presence of English syllabic consonants in speech and the lack of agreement amongst phoneticians regarding their usage (Cohen 1957; Wells 1965; Gimson 1970; Alvarez 1980; Monroy 1980; Jones 1992; Roach 2000; Toft 2002) make them an eligible topic for further exploration. Unlike some phoneticians who have focused on the production of potential syllabic consonants at the word level, we will be concerned with the behaviour of such elements at discourse level. We will study samples of real language, so as to find out whether the production of syllabic vs. non-syllabic consonants complies consistently with Monroy's rules (2008 - 2009). This phonetician assigns one pronunciation (either schwa or syllabic consonant) to each rule. We will be interested in knowing the listeners' reactions to the presence of syllabic consonants or schwa, which has not been sufficiently addressed either (van Bergem 1995; Deterding 2006). The informants were 80 (40 males/40 females) non-rhotic English newsreaders from the BBC Learning English website (2009). Three naive female referees had to decide whether they perceived a syllabic consonant or a schwa plus liquid/nasal in specific words. After collecting their data and transcribing all the information, we analysed the results with the help of SPSS. The statistical procedure used was the contingency table analysis. The study reveals that the judges’ reactions to the presence/non-presence of syllabic consonants in the samples studied give support to most of Monroy's rules. The only exception is rule 2, whose scope and characteristics are discussed in this study. Despite the solidity of the findings, it would be advisable to deal with a wider sample of informants and referees, as well as to explore whether other factors such as accent and speaking rate affect the production of syllabic consonants vs. schwa.