DES503 Asssignment #1

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DES503

Asssignment #1 (15%)

Select two important journal articles you have read and write a 1,500-word comparative critical analysis.  

You should include the following:

1. Summarise and paraphrase what the articles have reported

2. Identify examples of authors’ stances in terms of linguistic strategies: 

· Hedge (to withhold full commitment to a statement, e.g., seems to, possibility)

· Booster (to reveal certainty about a statement, e.g., clearly, definitely)

· Attitude marker (to reveal attitude towards a statement, e.g., surprisingly, interestingly)

· Engagement marker (to build relationship with readers, e.g., As you can see, consider whether)

· Self-mention (to make reference to the research, e.g., I, my)

3. Identify reporting verbs the author used and assess their appropriateness

4. Identify examples of presenting the literature

· Central reporting– author as subject of sentence, e.g., Seto (2025) concluded that …

· Non-central reporting – author placed in brackets, e.g., … appeared to offer … (Seto, 2025) ... 

· Non-reporting – author placed in brackets with no reporting verb, e.g., ... refers to … (Seto, 2025) …

5. Evaluate the two articles in terms of the questions below:

· Is the research problem clearly stated?

· Is the background sufficiently explained?

· Is there sufficient justification for the research?

· Is the methodological approach relevant and comprehensive for the research questions/hypotheses?

· Are the methods of data collection appropriate and sufficient to produce satisfactory results?

· Are the variables and constructs clearly defined and scoped?

· Are the data collection procedures sufficiently complete?

· Are the data analysis procedures appropriate?

· Have the data been appropriately analysed?

· Are the findings relevant and sufficient to respond to the research questions/hypotheses?

· Are the conclusions reasonable based on the findings?

· Are the implications/applications drawn from the findings?