title: The textual expression of critical thinking in PhD discussions in applied linguistics

authors: Bruce, Ian

abstract: The purpose of this study was to identify the textual resources used to express critical thinking in the Discussion chapters or chapter sections of PhD theses from the discipline of Applied Linguistics. Five Discussions were manually analysed using the social genre/cognitive genre model of the author (Bruce, 2008a) as the analytical framework. Three generic elements, used integratively, were found to express critical evaluations as part of constructing an overall argument in the Discussion chapters examined. The first element was the recursive use of an organizing content schema (move pattern), described as: Point, Support, Evaluation. The second was the use of key coherence relations to make critical statements in the ‘Evaluation’ part of this content schema. The third element was the embedding within the critical statements of the metadiscourse devices of hedging and attitude markers (Hyland, 2005). While not providing a prescriptive approach to expressing critical evaluation in this genre, the findings offer an analytical lens through which novice writers may examine and develop awareness of the types of textual resource used to develop this important element of Discussions

text: The textual expression of critical thinking in PhD discussions in applied linguistics The purpose of this study was to identify the textual resources used to express critical thinking in the Discussion chapters or chapter sections of PhD theses from the discipline of Applied Linguistics. Five Discussions were manually analysed using the social genre/cognitive genre model of the author (Bruce, 2008a) as the analytical framework. Three generic elements, used integratively, were found to express critical evaluations as part of constructing an overall argument in the Discussion chapters examined. The first element was the recursive use of an organizing content schema (move pattern), described as: Point, Support, Evaluation. The second was the use of key coherence relations to make critical statements in the ‘Evaluation’ part of this content schema. The third element was the embedding within the critical statements of the metadiscourse devices of hedging and attitude markers (Hyland, 2005). While not providing a prescriptive approach to expressing critical evaluation in this genre, the findings offer an analytical lens through which novice writers may examine and develop awareness of the types of textual resource used to develop this important element of Discussions

year: 2018

title: The Accountability of New Zealand's Charities: Meeting the Needs of Charity Stakeholders through Information Disclosure

authors: Dimitrov, Dara

subjects: New Zealand charity

abstract: For decades, New Zealand’s charity sector has been able to operate, unfettered by regulation and with low levels of accountability.  For this reason, gaining any information from charities about the work they do has been historically difficult, because charities have not been required to provide any reports.  The New Zealand government sought to increase the accountability from the charity sector with the introduction of the Charities Act (2005) and basic reporting requirements, but ultimately, the accountability from the sector continues to be an issue.  With limited charity disclosure literature in the New Zealand context, and no information disclosure practice model to guide New Zealand’s charities, the current provision and the quality of the information disclosures from charities are low, leaving the information needs of charity stakeholders unmet.
The overall aim of this investigation is to improve the accountability from New Zealand’s charities by developing a charity information disclosure practice model from a charity stakeholder perspective.  This was achieved by three main objectives:
1.	To develop a qualitative disclosure index from the perspective of charity stakeholders 
2.	To assess the extent and quality of the information disclosure made by thirty registered charities 
3.	To make recommendations to improve the accountability  by New Zealand’s charity sector
To achieve this purpose, a disclosure index, which contained  136 information items was created with the assistance of 86 charity stakeholders. The index was then applied to three publications from thirty charities that were randomly selected from the Charity register. The three publications used in this investigation are the Charity register, the charity’s website and the charity’s annual report/annual review. The collected data was then quantified and analysed to determine the extent and the quality of the information disclosures from the charities.  
The investigation findings indicated that the current level of charity disclosures was poor both in extent and quality and that there was an information gap between the expectations of charity stakeholders and the actual disclosure practices of the charities.  It was found that the top-performing information items were the mandated and the best-practice information items were either missing or inadequately disclosed.  No charity within the sample managed to achieve an index score of 50%.
The annual return summary found on the Charity register was the best disclosure document for both financial and non-financial information items from a charity stakeholder perspective.  However, this document, along with the other publications still lacked sufficient detail to be useful for a charity stakeholder.  To improve the accountability of the New Zealand’s sector, it is recommended that the New Zealand Parliament look at expanding the current annual return summary to include information items more relevant to charity stakeholders.  Finally, it is recommended that the charities should be compelled to produce an annual report and use the disclosure index created by the charity stakeholders in this investigation to improve their current information disclosures.

text: The Accountability of New Zealand's Charities: Meeting the Needs of Charity Stakeholders through Information Disclosure For decades, New Zealand’s charity sector has been able to operate, unfettered by regulation and with low levels of accountability.  For this reason, gaining any information from charities about the work they do has been historically difficult, because charities have not been required to provide any reports.  The New Zealand government sought to increase the accountability from the charity sector with the introduction of the Charities Act (2005) and basic reporting requirements, but ultimately, the accountability from the sector continues to be an issue.  With limited charity disclosure literature in the New Zealand context, and no information disclosure practice model to guide New Zealand’s charities, the current provision and the quality of the information disclosures from charities are low, leaving the information needs of charity stakeholders unmet.
The overall aim of this investigation is to improve the accountability from New Zealand’s charities by developing a charity information disclosure practice model from a charity stakeholder perspective.  This was achieved by three main objectives:
1.	To develop a qualitative disclosure index from the perspective of charity stakeholders 
2.	To assess the extent and quality of the information disclosure made by thirty registered charities 
3.	To make recommendations to improve the accountability  by New Zealand’s charity sector
To achieve this purpose, a disclosure index, which contained  136 information items was created with the assistance of 86 charity stakeholders. The index was then applied to three publications from thirty charities that were randomly selected from the Charity register. The three publications used in this investigation are the Charity register, the charity’s website and the charity’s annual report/annual review. The collected data was then quantified and analysed to determine the extent and the quality of the information disclosures from the charities.  
The investigation findings indicated that the current level of charity disclosures was poor both in extent and quality and that there was an information gap between the expectations of charity stakeholders and the actual disclosure practices of the charities.  It was found that the top-performing information items were the mandated and the best-practice information items were either missing or inadequately disclosed.  No charity within the sample managed to achieve an index score of 50%.
The annual return summary found on the Charity register was the best disclosure document for both financial and non-financial information items from a charity stakeholder perspective.  However, this document, along with the other publications still lacked sufficient detail to be useful for a charity stakeholder.  To improve the accountability of the New Zealand’s sector, it is recommended that the New Zealand Parliament look at expanding the current annual return summary to include information items more relevant to charity stakeholders.  Finally, it is recommended that the charities should be compelled to produce an annual report and use the disclosure index created by the charity stakeholders in this investigation to improve their current information disclosures.

year: 2017

title: A walking stick in one hand and a chainsaw in the other: Patients’ perspectives of living with multimorbidity

authors: Signal, Louise

abstract: AIMS: Multimorbidity is common, yet there are major gaps in research, particularly among younger and indigenous populations. This research aimed to understand patients’ perspectives of living with multimorbidity. 

METHODS: A qualitative study of 61 people living with multimorbidity, 27 of whom were Māori and a third aged under 65, from urban and rural regions in New Zealand. Six focus groups and 14 interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed and analysed. 
RESULTS: For many participants, living with multimorbidity disrupted their ‘normal’ lives, posing challenges in everyday activities such as eating and toileting, working and managing medications. Dealing with the health system posed challenges such as accessing appointments and having enough time in consultations. Cultural competency, good communication and continuity of care from healthcare providers were all valued. Participants had many recommendations to improve management, including a professional single point of contact to coordinate all specialist care. 
CONCLUSIONS: Living with multimorbidity is often challenging requiring people to manage their conditions while continuing to live their lives. This research suggests changes are needed in the health system in New Zealand and elsewhere to better manage multimorbidity thus improving patient’s lives and reducing costs to the health sector and wider society.

text: A walking stick in one hand and a chainsaw in the other: Patients’ perspectives of living with multimorbidity AIMS: Multimorbidity is common, yet there are major gaps in research, particularly among younger and indigenous populations. This research aimed to understand patients’ perspectives of living with multimorbidity. 

METHODS: A qualitative study of 61 people living with multimorbidity, 27 of whom were Māori and a third aged under 65, from urban and rural regions in New Zealand. Six focus groups and 14 interviews were conducted, recorded, transcribed and analysed. 
RESULTS: For many participants, living with multimorbidity disrupted their ‘normal’ lives, posing challenges in everyday activities such as eating and toileting, working and managing medications. Dealing with the health system posed challenges such as accessing appointments and having enough time in consultations. Cultural competency, good communication and continuity of care from healthcare providers were all valued. Participants had many recommendations to improve management, including a professional single point of contact to coordinate all specialist care. 
CONCLUSIONS: Living with multimorbidity is often challenging requiring people to manage their conditions while continuing to live their lives. This research suggests changes are needed in the health system in New Zealand and elsewhere to better manage multimorbidity thus improving patient’s lives and reducing costs to the health sector and wider society.

year: 2017