Chantarath Hongboontri. A rationale for scientific writing course in English for Graduate Science students at Faculty of Science, Mahidol University. Master's Degree(Applied Linguistics). Mahidol University. Mahidol University Library and Knowledge Center. : Mahidol University, 1996.
A rationale for scientific writing course in English for Graduate Science students at Faculty of Science, Mahidol University
Abstract:
This study was conducted at Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, aiming at analyzing the structures of SERP writing in English, and investigating the students needs and problems in using certain micro language skills in academic science studies. Ultimately, the information obtained would be used as a basis for proposing an English Scientific (EST) Writing course for graduate students at Faculty of Science, Mahidol University. Altogether, 188 subjects (117 graduate science students who were either in their first or second academic year from eight science majors, and 71 science lecturers from six different science fields) were surveyed. The instruments used for this study were two different sets of self - administered questionnaires, which were constructed by examining some previous research, interviewing some graduate science students and science lecturers, and discussing with the researchers advisors. After being revised by following the advisors suggestion, the questionnaires were tested on 30 graduate science students, and 10 science lecturers. The questionnaires were afterwards verified for their content validity and reliability by using CRONBACHS ALPHA COEFFICIENT, for which the one designed for the graduate science students had the alpha reliability coefficient of .906, whereas the alpha reliability coefficient of the questionnaire prepared for the science lecturers was equal .807. Then the final draft of the questionnaires were distributed to the subjects. The information obtained from the questionnaires was later analyzed and interpreted by using the most commonly available package programme SPSS - THE STATISTICAL PACKAGE FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. The results of the study showed that there were some correlations between responses regarding subjects needs and problems in using English writing, and their attitudes towards the study of EST writing. English writing was not only identified as the most important but also as the most difficult skill in academic studies. Moreover, several English writing micro skills (e.g., writing English scientific experimental research papers (SERPs), lab reports, or dissertations) were as well considered greatly important and particularly problematic. Subjects needs and problems in writing were reflected in theireattitudes concerning the EST course to be implemented. Although, the proposed EST writing course concentrates mainly on writing techniques (e.g., structure of SERP, English grammar, and types of language to be used), a small proportion of its content, or 25% of the course content, would be divided among the other three language skills which were identified as important but less important than the writing itself. Therefore, the course content would include some outside listening classes, and both in-class reading and speaking tasks. As a esult, the curriculum drawn up based on the subjects attitudes has the following details: 1. The EST writing course should be offered as an elective course for the graduate science students. The content of the course should focus on the teaching and learning of English writing, especially the structural organization of English SERP, English grammar needed for the production of SERP, and types of language used specifically in this kind of writing. Moreover, the course should concentrate on the teaching and learning of the other three language skills: listening, speaking and reading. For the listening, which would be conducted as an outside class listening, the students would be required to attend the language laboratory. However, for speaking and reading, the teaching would be conducted in the writing class. 2. The EST writing course should be provided to the students who are interested. The ideal number of students in one writing class should be less than 20, but preferably between 8 to 14. 3. The lecturers who would be responsible for teaching this course should be both a Thai teacher whose language proficiency was as good as native speaker, and a native speaker of English. More importantly, the lecturers should have some scientific background knowledge. 4. The learners performance would be assessed through both in-class and take-home assignments.