LINGUIST List 13.1418

Tue May 21 2002

Diss: Applied Ling: Pekoz "Effects of..."

Editor for this issue: Karolina Owczarzak <karolinalinguistlist.org>

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1. bpekoz, Applied Ling: Pekoz "Effects of Task Interest..."

New Dissertation Abstract

Institution: University of New South Wales
Program: School od Education
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2001

Author: Bayram Pekoz 

Dissertation Title:
The Effects of Task Interest on Second Language Production

Linguistic Field: Applied Linguistics

Dissertation Director 1: Putai Jin
Dissertation Director 2: Martin Cooper


Dissertation Abstract: 

The study investigated the effects of perceived interest on second
language production. The study involved sixty dyads studying
pre-academic English at university. Each dyad was given a more
interesting and a less interesting variation of each task type. As a
result, the dyads carried out eight tasks - two problem-solving, two
jig-saw and four opinion-exchange tasks. 

The results of repeated-measure analyses showed significant
differences for all tasks with the exception of the jig-saw task type,
which indicated that the more interesting variations produced a
greater amount of language. The lack of significance for the jig-saw
task was justified and this justification rendered the study more
reliable.

The results further showed that a task type which produced more
language did not necessarily produce more quality of language. These
results were also supported with the findings of the qualitative data
which examined the transcriptions from learners' speech and evaluated
the tasks in terms of quality of language production and task
effectiveness.

Finally, the theoretical and practical implications of the study were
discussed, and suggestions for further research were provided.