1、Chapter 7Discussion of Results1IntroductionIntroductionThe Functions of a Thesis Discussion of ResultsThe Functions of a Thesis Discussion of ResultsSample Analysis of a Masters Thesis Discussion of ResultsSample Analysis of a Masters Thesis Discussion of ResultsFrequently Asked QuestionsFrequently
2、Asked Questions2IntroductionIntroductionIn this chapter,we will be considering the discussion of results as a separate chapter from the presentation of results and conclusion chapters.Some theses combine their presentation and discussion of results or findings in a single chapter.In contrast,some th
3、eses combine the discussion of results and conclusion in one chapter.The advantages of haing a combined chapter：?it can avoid restating the results when you discuss them.?it is much easier for the reader to follow the development of the thesis.3The approach that is taken is often determined by disci
4、pinary preference and the type of thesis that is being written.A discussion with your supervisor will assist you in arriving at the option best suited to the research you are reporting.The approach taken in this chapter can be easily adapted to the choice you make.4If you decide to combine your pres
5、entation of results with your discussion of those results,you will most likely devide your results into meaningful sections(e.g.according to research questions/hypotheses,thematic or methodological foci)and present your discussion of each section of results immediately after each section or part sec
6、tion of results that has been presented.The same approach would apply if you decided to combine your discussion of results and your conclusion.5Considering now the discussion of results as a single chapter,we begin with a consideraton of the purpose and functions of the chapter before looking at a r
7、ange of move and sub-move options that might be considered.The chapter will again conclude with a discussion of some key lingustic features of discussion chapters,some answers to frequently asked questons,further activities and suggestions for further reading.6What is meant by discussing a result?Wh
8、at is meant by discussing a result?When you discuss a result,you should go beyond the result and express your own opinions about the result,i.e.your personal speculation on the reasons for a result,your judgement on its significance,implications,and the possible direction for future research,etc.The
9、 essential difference between reporting a result and discussing the result is that the former is fact-driven while the latter is opinion-driven.However,your opinions are not whatever you have thought about but they should be based on either existing theories or previous studies or common sense.There
10、fore,in discussion,references are indispensable.7?Usually the discussion going together with the report of a result cannot be too long since a lengthy discussion will separate the answers to the research questions and it will distract the readers attention.The elaboration of a discussion,if it is ne
11、cessary,can be made in the last chapter of Conclusion.8The Functions of a Thesis Discussion of ResultsThe Functions of a Thesis Discussion of ResultsThe key purpose of this chapter is to discuss the meaning and significance of the results or findings of the research you are reporting.1.An overview o
12、f the aims of the research that refers to the research questions or hypotheses2.A summary of the theoretical and research contexts of the study3.A summary of the methodological approach for investigating the research questions or hypotheses4.A discussion of the contribution you believe your results
13、or findings have made to the research questions or hypotheses and therefore to existing theory,research and practice(i.e.their importance and significance)5.This discussion will often include an interpretation of your results,a comparison with other research,an explanation of why the results occurre
14、d as they did and an evaluation of their contribution to the field of knowledge9The Content and Structure of a Thesis Discussion of ResultsThe Content and Structure of a Thesis Discussion of ResultsMoves1.Provide background information2.Present a statement of result(SOR)3.Evaluate/comment on results
15、 or findingsSub-movesa.restatement of aims,research questions and hypothesesb.restatement of key published researchc.restatement of research/methodological approacha.restatement of a key resultb.expanded statement about a key resulta.explanation of resultsuggest reasons for resultb.(un)expected resu
16、ltc.reference to previous researchd.exemplificationprovide examples of resulte.deduction or claimf.support from previous researchg.recommendationh.justification for further research10Sample Analysis of a Masters Thesis Discussion of ResultsSample Analysis of a Masters Thesis Discussion of ResultsInt
17、roduction to Disussion of ResultsThis chapter provides a detailed analysis of key research findings presented in chapter 4,with reference to each of the research questions.The results of the study are also discussed in relation to previous research studies.The first section(Section 5.2)discusses the
18、 relationship between self-report WTC and WTC behavior in the three classroom contexts observed.Differences observed in WTC behavior in each of the contexts,and variations in WTC over time,are discussed in Sections 5.3 and 5.4.The fourth section presents the factors that learners perceived as being
19、of most importance in affecting their WTC in class.The last section is a brief summary of the chapter.11This one also provides an advance organizer of what is to be presented in the chapter.The author begins by expaining that her discussion will be organized around the four research questions and th
20、at it will focus on the relationship between her results and those of earlier research studies.While this is an important feature of a discussion chapter,it should also refer to the other featurs of the discussion that are included in the discussion chpter.The paragraph then outlines the focus of ea
21、ch section of the discussion chapter.12Research Queston 1Research Queston 11.The first research question investigated the relationship between self-report WTC and WTC behavior in class.2.This queston relates to the concept of WTC as a trait variable or a state variable.3.correlaton analysis,indicate
22、d that self-report WTC strongly predicted WTC behavior in group works,while self-report WTC negatively predicated WTC in the whole class and pair work.4.The strong positive relatonship between self-report WTC and WTC group work demonstrated that participants self-report WTC was consistent with their
23、 WTC behavior in group work.5.However,participants WTC behavior in the whole class and in pair work contradicated their WTC reported in the questonnaire.Move 1a(background)Move 2a(SOR)Move 2b(expansion)136.Results form an examination of the relationship between self-report WTC and WTC behavior in th
24、ree classroom contexts on an individual basis,were found to be mixed(see Table 4.1).7.For half of the class(Sherry,Jerry,Ray and Cathy),self-report WTC was consistent with actual WTC behavior in class,whereas for the other half(Erica,Sophie,Allan and John),self-report WTC contradicted classroom WTC
25、behavior.Move 2a(SOR)Move 2b(expansion)148.It is interesting to note that Erica,who reported high WTC in the questionnaire,appeared to demonstrate low WTC across the three class situations,as well as appearing to lack interest in class.9.She was observed to be rather quiet and worked on the tasks by
26、 herself most of the time.10.Sometimes the teacher had to call her to answer questions.11.In the interview,she attrivuted her extremely low participation across all contexts to the classmates whom she seemed to be unfamiliar with,and some of whom,to her,seemed to have snatched opportunities for comm
27、unication.12.For this learner,WTC did indeed appear to be influenced by lack of familiarity with interlocutors and lack of appropriate opportunities to participate in class.13.Likewise,Allan and John,who reported high WTC,seemed to be relatively quiet in the classroom.14.Both denonstrated low willin
28、gness to communicate,particularly in the whole class situations.Move 3d(illustration)Move 3a(explanation)Move 3d(illustration)1515.This may have been due to an over-optimistic self-reporting of their WTC,suggesting,perhaps,that their self-report WTC was in effect payinglip service to the survey,with
29、out actually having made any commitment to participate actively(Dornyei and Kormos 2000:290).16.In other words,they may have been concerned about presenting themselves favorably,thus causeing them to respond inaccurately.17.Another possible interpretation could be that they had high trait WTC,but th
30、ey may have needed extra encouragement from the teacher,and more cooperation from their peer classmates,for them to particitpate more.18.Allan actually expressed his concern in the interview that there were not any chances to talk when the teacher talked most of the time in the whole class situation
31、.Move 3a(explanation)Move 3c(previous research)Move 3a(explanation)1619.Sophie,who belonged to the group of low WTCin self-report,on the other hand,showed very high WTC in the whole class and was an equally active participant in pair and group work.20.Her self-report WTC seemed to contradict her cla
32、im of herself being generally an extroverted and talkative person,a personality trait which was manifested in her actual behavior in class.21.The findings above seemed to reveal the dual characteristics of WTC proposed in previous studies:the trait-like WTC and the situation-based WTC.22.MacIntyre e
33、t al.s(1998:546)claim that WTC in L2 should not be limited to a trait-like variable but a situational variable with both transient and enduring influences appeared to be supported by the findings of this study.Move 3d(illustration)Move 3e(claim)Move 3c(previous research)1723.It is possible,however,t
34、hat learners WTC behavior in the class context was influenced by both trait-level WTC and state-level WTC.24.As MacIntyre et al.s(1999)has pointed out,trait WTC may bring an individual into situations in which communication was likely,but once in a particular situation,state WTC could influence whet
35、her communication would take place.25.MacIntyre and his colleagues argued that state WTC predicted and affected the decision to initiate communication within a particular situation,shich may explain the discrepancy between self-report WTC and WTC class behavior among half of the participants in the
36、present study.26.Although their trait-level WTC determined their general tendency in communication,state-level WTC appeared to have a particularly strong impact on the participants communication behavior in particular class context.27.Their state-level WTC seedmed to be influenced by a variety of fa
37、ctors,which will be discussed in Section 5.5.Move 3e(claim)Move 3f(previous research)Move 3e(claim)1828.The findings of the relationship between self-report WTC and WTC behavior in class in this study do not appear to fully support those of Chan and McCroskey(1987),in which observational data indica
38、ted that fewer of the students who had low scores on the WTC scale participated in class,than those who scored high on the scale.29.In Chan and McCroskeys study,more of the total participation in class came from students with high scores than from students with low scores.30.They therefore concluded
39、 that class participation may be in large measure a function of an individuals orentation toward communication(trait WTC).31.The results of the current study do not support this conclusion.32.A possible explanation is that Chan and McCroskey considered students participation in class where L1 instea
40、d of L2 was used.33.This would make the findings of the present study not comparable with those of Chan and McCroskeys,since WTC in L2 was unlikey to bea simple manifestation of WTC in the Move 3b(unexpected)Move 3c(previous research)Move 3a(explanation)19L1 MacIntyre et al.s(1998:546).34.It was als
41、o possible that not all learners with high WTC in the present study exhibited high participation.35.Similar results to those of Chan and McCroskey may have been found had the sample size been larger.36.The findings of the present study do,however,support Weavers(2004)conclusion that students WTC wit
42、hin the EFL classroom varied significantly across different speaking situations and tasks.Move 3b(unexpected)Move 3c(previous research)2037.The findings also lend support to MacIntyre et al.s(2001a:377)acknowledgement of the weakenss of the self-report questionnnaire as a reliable method for exanimi
43、ng state WTC,because thinking about communication in the L2 is different from actually doing it.38.While their study failed to find any evidence for the existence of stated WTC by using the single method of a self-report survey,in the present study,state WTC was identified by observation of WTC in t
44、hree classroom contexts.39.On this basis,structured observation is proposed as a more suitable method for the examination of state WTC,a variable difficult to identify by using a single self-report technique.Move 3b(expected)Move 3c(previous research)Moves 3g&h(further research&justification)211.Sen
45、tences 1-2:a restatement of the question being addressed.2.Sentences 3-7:a statement of result is presented with a short expansion.3.Illustrations of the statement of result are then presented,first those revealing the same patternErica(sentences 8-12)and Allen and John(sentences 13-18)and then an i
46、llustration of the opposite pattern Sophie(sentences 19-20).4.In prestenting the first group of illustrations,explanations are also offered.Previous research was referred to once in order to support the explanation being given.5.As a result of these illustrations of the statement of result,further c
47、laims are made(sentences21-27)and these are supported with reference to previous research.226.the extent to which the results were expected or unexpected in light of previous research is then considered(sentences 28-38).First the author considers the research that her results do not support(sentence
48、s 28-35)and,in doing so,offers some explanations(sentences 32-35).Then she refers to studies that do support her results(sentences 26-38).7.The discussion closes with a recommendation and justification for further research(sentences 39).8.The author then moves on to discuss her results for the secon
49、d reserarch question.However,we will focus our attention now on part of her discussion of the results for research question 4.23Research Question 4Research question 4 investigated the factors that could have an influence on willingness to communicate behaviour in class.In a separate sub-section for
50、each factor,the author considers a range of variables.These are identified in her introduction to the discussion of question 4 results.Once we have looked at this introducition,we will focus our attention on her discussion of two of these factors(mediun of communication and cultural influences).241.
