title: Texts written in English and Chinese by expert writers: A genre-based comparative study from the Pacific Rim

authors: Wu, Huang

subjects: Pacific Area

abstract: On the basis of the analysis of the structure of text segments occurring in a range of journals, Bruce (2003) proposes four prototypes for the overall rhetorical structure and internal discourse structure of academic texts in English that focus on explanation, argument, recount and classification. This paper reports on a study involving 20 texts written in Chinese by native speakers of Chinese resident in Taiwan who were judged to be highly competent writers of Chinese. Five of these texts focused on explanation; five on argument, five on recount and five on classification. Analysis of these texts in terms of overall rhetorical structuring and internal discourse structuring suggests that texts written in Chinese by competent writers of Chinese may be closer to texts written in English by competent writers of English than is sometimes supposed, something that may have significant implications for the teaching of writing in English to native speakers of Chinese. However, the participants in this study were residents of Taiwan, a country that has had long-term academic and trading links with the USA and one in which most residents have some competence in English. It may be that a similar study involving native speakers of Chinese from other areas would yield different results.

text: Texts written in English and Chinese by expert writers: A genre-based comparative study from the Pacific Rim On the basis of the analysis of the structure of text segments occurring in a range of journals, Bruce (2003) proposes four prototypes for the overall rhetorical structure and internal discourse structure of academic texts in English that focus on explanation, argument, recount and classification. This paper reports on a study involving 20 texts written in Chinese by native speakers of Chinese resident in Taiwan who were judged to be highly competent writers of Chinese. Five of these texts focused on explanation; five on argument, five on recount and five on classification. Analysis of these texts in terms of overall rhetorical structuring and internal discourse structuring suggests that texts written in Chinese by competent writers of Chinese may be closer to texts written in English by competent writers of English than is sometimes supposed, something that may have significant implications for the teaching of writing in English to native speakers of Chinese. However, the participants in this study were residents of Taiwan, a country that has had long-term academic and trading links with the USA and one in which most residents have some competence in English. It may be that a similar study involving native speakers of Chinese from other areas would yield different results.

year: 2009-09

title: Remnants of the Waikato: native forest survival in a production landscape

authors: Jay, Grace Mairi M.

subjects: biodiversity conservation

abstract: This paper addresses the issue of conservation of native biodiversity on privately owned farmland in New Zealand.  Based on surveys of Waikato dairy farmers as exemplars of intensive agricultural practice, it examines factors that influence the survival of native forest on land with potential for commercial production.  Results suggest that a significant proportion of Waikato dairy farmers regard native forest favourably although the proportion of farmers who actively conserve their native forest is small.  Factors that assist the persistence of native forest on dairy farms include personal characteristics of the farmer, past accidents of history which have left forest remnants in place, and physical characteristics of the farm such as topography.  While the conservation of native biodiversity within this intensively farmed landscape is strongly influenced by political economy pressures that encourage production, non-utilitarian motives such as aesthetic enjoyment and family heritage can serve to counter the production ethic.

text: Remnants of the Waikato: native forest survival in a production landscape This paper addresses the issue of conservation of native biodiversity on privately owned farmland in New Zealand.  Based on surveys of Waikato dairy farmers as exemplars of intensive agricultural practice, it examines factors that influence the survival of native forest on land with potential for commercial production.  Results suggest that a significant proportion of Waikato dairy farmers regard native forest favourably although the proportion of farmers who actively conserve their native forest is small.  Factors that assist the persistence of native forest on dairy farms include personal characteristics of the farmer, past accidents of history which have left forest remnants in place, and physical characteristics of the farm such as topography.  While the conservation of native biodiversity within this intensively farmed landscape is strongly influenced by political economy pressures that encourage production, non-utilitarian motives such as aesthetic enjoyment and family heritage can serve to counter the production ethic.

year: 2005

title: Looking at relationships between propositions in Maori language

authors: Houia, Waldo

subjects: Te reo Māori

abstract: This paper reports on an investigation into the various ways in which relationships of meaning, such as reason-result and temporal overlap, are encoded as clauses, sentences and groups of sentences in Māori. It also provides an indication of the relevance of this type of research to teachers and learners of Māori.

text: Looking at relationships between propositions in Maori language This paper reports on an investigation into the various ways in which relationships of meaning, such as reason-result and temporal overlap, are encoded as clauses, sentences and groups of sentences in Māori. It also provides an indication of the relevance of this type of research to teachers and learners of Māori.

year: 2001