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Two approaches to writing laboratory reports in senior science: the knowledge framework and the genre-based approach to literacy Liew, Edwin Chee Yiun
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to address the question, “is there a difference in the quality of scientific report writing at the senior secondary school level related to differences in instructional approach: The Knowledge Framework (KF) approach or the the Genre-based approach to literacy instruction. This research also examined the effectiveness of the two approaches on improving ESL and native-speaking students’ writing of scientific laboratory reports in senior science. The Genre approach to writing science was based on the model of Systemic Functional Linguistics that views language as a social semiotic that is a resource for meaning. The Genrebased approach to literary in science was concerned with exploring the structure, function and usage of scientific language in the written mode. The Knowledge Framework-based approach to pedagogy was one that emphasized the cooperative development of cognitive skills, academic language and content knowledge by focusing on thinking objectives, key linguistic and content features inherent in a topic or activity. The methodological design for this study tested the effectiveness of the Knowledge Framework and the Genre approaches by using two pretests (Reading and Writing), one posttest of the written lab reports, and two surveys that drew upon the participants’ experiences with each of the two approaches. Except for the Gates-MacGinitie Reading test, the tests and an evaluation grid for the posttest were specially developed for this study. The two pretests assessed the student participants’ reading and writing abilities prior to the introduction of the two approaches while the posttest lab reports represent the lab work written by the students using the two approaches. The surveys contained itemized statements that represent the participants’ opinion about the characterizing features of the two approaches: the generic structure or format and the special language features. The respondents of the surveys were to use a four-point score: Strongly Agree (1) - Agree (2) - Disagree (3) - Strongly Disagree (4). The results from the reading and writing pretests, posttest laboratory reports, and the two surveys indicated that there is a difference in the quality of scientific report writing at the senior secondary school level related to differences in instructional approach. The results revealed that: a) the Knowledge Framework helped to improve the quality of both native-speaking and ESL studentS writing of scientific lab reports in senior Biology. The Knowledge Framework served as an organizational tool for students to focus on the linguistic features necessary for expressing key content information in their write-up. b) the Genre-based approach helped the students to improve their awareness of ‘Procedure”, ‘Procedural recount”, and “Explanation” genres and focus on the language features for expressing scientific content. c) the Knowledge Framework approach appeared to help students to improve the quality of both mainstream and ESL students’ writing of scientific lab reports in senior Biology. d) however, neither the KF nor the Genre-based approach substantially improved the quality of both mainstream and ESL students’ writing of lab reports when compared to the quality of the students who were not taught either approach. e) the mainstream and ESL students showed no significant improvement above those in the Control group after using the KF and Genre approach. f) overall, the KF approach appeared to be more effective than the Genre-based approach to instruction in improving the quality of both mainstream and ESL students’ writing of scientific lab reports in senior Biology. g) while the study has contrasted the Knowledge Framework approach and the Genrebased approach, they were infact complementary.
Item Metadata
Title |
Two approaches to writing laboratory reports in senior science: the knowledge framework and the genre-based approach to literacy
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
1994
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Description |
The purpose of this study was to address the question, “is there a difference in the quality
of scientific report writing at the senior secondary school level related to differences in instructional
approach: The Knowledge Framework (KF) approach or the the Genre-based approach to literacy
instruction. This research also examined the effectiveness of the two approaches on improving
ESL and native-speaking students’ writing of scientific laboratory reports in senior science.
The Genre approach to writing science was based on the model of Systemic Functional
Linguistics that views language as a social semiotic that is a resource for meaning. The Genrebased
approach to literary in science was concerned with exploring the structure, function and
usage of scientific language in the written mode. The Knowledge Framework-based approach to
pedagogy was one that emphasized the cooperative development of cognitive skills, academic
language and content knowledge by focusing on thinking objectives, key linguistic and content
features inherent in a topic or activity.
The methodological design for this study tested the effectiveness of the Knowledge
Framework and the Genre approaches by using two pretests (Reading and Writing), one posttest
of the written lab reports, and two surveys that drew upon the participants’ experiences with each
of the two approaches. Except for the Gates-MacGinitie Reading test, the tests and an evaluation
grid for the posttest were specially developed for this study. The two pretests assessed the student
participants’ reading and writing abilities prior to the introduction of the two approaches while the
posttest lab reports represent the lab work written by the students using the two approaches. The
surveys contained itemized statements that represent the participants’ opinion about the
characterizing features of the two approaches: the generic structure or format and the special
language features. The respondents of the surveys were to use a four-point score: Strongly Agree
(1) - Agree (2) - Disagree (3) - Strongly Disagree (4). The results from the reading and writing pretests, posttest laboratory reports, and the two
surveys indicated that there is a difference in the quality of scientific report writing at the senior
secondary school level related to differences in instructional approach. The results revealed that:
a) the Knowledge Framework helped to improve the quality of both native-speaking and
ESL studentS writing of scientific lab reports in senior Biology. The Knowledge Framework
served as an organizational tool for students to focus on the linguistic features necessary for
expressing key content information in their write-up.
b) the Genre-based approach helped the students to improve their awareness of
‘Procedure”, ‘Procedural recount”, and “Explanation” genres and focus on the language features
for expressing scientific content.
c) the Knowledge Framework approach appeared to help students to improve the quality of
both mainstream and ESL students’ writing of scientific lab reports in senior Biology.
d) however, neither the KF nor the Genre-based approach substantially improved the
quality of both mainstream and ESL students’ writing of lab reports when compared to the quality
of the students who were not taught either approach.
e) the mainstream and ESL students showed no significant improvement above those in the
Control group after using the KF and Genre approach.
f) overall, the KF approach appeared to be more effective than the Genre-based approach to
instruction in improving the quality of both mainstream and ESL students’ writing of scientific lab
reports in senior Biology.
g) while the study has contrasted the Knowledge Framework approach and the Genrebased
approach, they were infact complementary.
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Extent |
4161378 bytes
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Genre | |
Type | |
File Format |
application/pdf
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Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-03-05
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0078124
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
1994-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
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Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.