The Effect of intended audience on language functions in written argument at two grade levels
department or school: Education, Faculty of
department or school: Language and Literacy Education (LLED), Department of
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCV
creator: Craig, Sydney G.
issued: 2010-08-09T21:37:50Z
issued: 1986
related degree: Doctor of Education - EdD
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Despite the emphasis in current composition theory on the importance of the intended audience for written composition, there is little evidence of audience effects on written composition before students reach high-school. In contrast, there is considerable evidence of audience effects on children's oral language. The present study explores the possibility that the lack of evidence of audience effects on written composition is an artifact of the measures that have been used. Measures for this study were derived from studies of children's oral language in the hope that they might provide insight into the effects of audience on written composition. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of audience on the use of five language functions (Controlling, Relational, Informing and Interpreting, Theorizing and Projecting) in written arguments by students in grades 6 and 11. Students wrote four compositions, one on each of two topics for each of two audiences, with presentation of audiences and topics counterbalanced. Audiences were teacher and best friend which are differentiated in terms of relative status. One hundred nine complete sets of four compositions were subjected to functional analysis. Statistical analysis revealed audience effects for three functions. Students at both grades used more of the Controlling function and the Relational function for the audience of best friend, and more of the Theorizing function for the audience of teacher. Compositions intended for the high-status audience were more objective, more impersonal, and contained less diversity of function. In contrast, compositions intended for the same-status audience were more conversational, more personal, and contained more diversity of function. Analysis also revealed grade and topic effects. Results of this study suggest that audience effects can be discerned in compositions by students in elementary school if appropriate measures are used. This study thus provides empirical support for…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/27231
note: THE EFFECT OF INTENDED AUDIENCE ON LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS IN WRITTEN ARGUMENT AT TWO GRADE LEVELS by SYDNEY G. CRAIG A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF EDUCATION (EDUCATION CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL STUDIES) in THE FACULTY OF GRADUATE STUDIES Department of Language Education We accept t h i s t h e s i s as conforming to the r e q u i r e d standard THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA A p r i l 2, 1986 © Sydney G. C r a i g , 1986 In presenting this thesis in partial fulfilment of the requirements for an advanced degree at the University of British Columbia, I agree that the Library shall make i t freely available for reference and study. I further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for scholarly purposes may be granted by the head of my department or by his or her representatives. It is understood that copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be allowed without my written permission. Department of cX^OsVL^j U Q L - ^ - CCK^^x^ The University of British Columbia 2075 Wesbrook Place Vancouver, Canada V6T 1W5 7Q \ ABSTRACT Desp i t e the emphasis i n c u r r e n t composition theory on the importance of the intended audience f o r w r i t t e n composition, there i s l i t t l e evidence of audience e f f e c t s on w r i t t e n composition before students reach h i g h - s c h o o l . In c o n t r a s t , there i s c o n s i d e r a b l e evidence of audience e f f e c t s on c h i l d r e n ' s o r a l language. The present study e x p l o r e s the p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t the lac k of evidence of audience e f f e c t s on w r i t t e n composition i s an a r t i f a c t of the measures that have been used. Measures f o r t h i s study were d e r i v e d from s t u d i e s of c h i l d r e n ' s o r a l language i n the hope that they might p r o v i d e i n s i g h t i n t o the e f f e c t s of audience on w r i t t e n composition. The purpose of t h i s s…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0302134
language: eng
degree discipline: Language and Literacy Education
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
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.
scholar level: Graduate
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/27231