Presented at IFAW 2012 in Tel Aviv, August 1.

2. No need to take notes :^o
You can download this powerpoint
(and many more)
from
http://www.core.kochi-tech.ac.jp/hunter/
or
http://www.slideshare.net/rolenzo

3. Dimensions Island of Shikoku
of
Media Object Compehensibility
KUT
Lawrie Hunter
Kochi University of Technology
http://www.core.kochi-tech.ac.jp/hunter/
3

4. KUT TAW scenario
Since 2002:
- Japanese government scholarships
- for foreign students
- in technical doctoral programmes.
! Graduation requirements:
- 2+ refereed papers in top journals
- dissertation in English
Further L2 acquisition
to the point of near-independence
during the study period
is NOT a realistic strategy.
4

5. SCENARIO
ESP
EAP EX EY EZ
TAW EAP
HUMANITIES
English for specific purposes
English for academic purposes
Technical academic writing

7. TAW best practice
Niche language Writing work
acquisition to focusing on
near-independence argument and
in TAW info-structures
Training in
use of
Preparation
language models:
for work with
Style Dossier
an editor
Preparation
for work with
a mentor
7

8. Obstacles to technical EAP learning and skills development
Academic English writing typically presents serious difficulties for East
Asian students in PhD engineering programs.
1. Weak skills in writing everyday English make a fragile foundation
for the learning of formal academic English (FAE).
2. The development of foundation grammar and syntax knowledge
does not lead naturally or smoothly to FAE writing knowledge and
skill.
3. For students from most East Asian cultures, articulate argument is
new cultural territory.

9. Previous study: using Cmap constraint
to constrain text analysis
Using a text-based charting approach,
the subjects successfully separated
persuasive from information-bearing text.
Of course the mapping approach is not essential
to the acquisition of that skill.
9

10. Possible view of TAW:
1. Process
obey usage conventions
obey other conventions
10

11. Possible TAW teaching approaches:
1. Parallel process
research design/results
argument supporting claim
document format
usage/convention
grammar/surface features

12. Possible teaching approaches
2. layer view
grammar/surface features
usage/convention
document format
argument
supporting claim
research
design/results
12

13. Possible TAW teaching approaches
2. layer view
most TAW
grammar/surface features programs
work here
usage/convention
most TAW
writers start
document format writing here
(simulacrum
argument of argument)
supporting claim
RP language
research
generation
design/results should start
here
13

14. Task type: infer research design from casual register report
In an exercise aimed at developing awareness of argument and
research design issues, students were required to
infer the details of the research design of a study
from a popular-science report of that study.

15. Problem 1:
Writing task focus: isolation of argument
How to get the learner to isolate argument?

16. Trial pre-task: Text-based task
Using a text-based, genre conversion approach,
few of the control group students could produce
complete, logically structured abstact summaries.

17. Question:
Writing task focus: isolation of argument
How to constrain text analysis
-to get the learner to isolate argument?

18. Answer:
Limit verb choice in writing
to some distinguishing lexical units of
the meta-discourse of the scientific method
(or engineering research design)
Citation as subject Results as subject Claim as subject
claims (that) reveals (that) is supported by
proposes (that) demonstrates (that) is contradicted by
implies (that) indicates (that) is in agreement with
suggests (that) disproves is in opposition to
infers (that) proves (that) assumes (that)
observes (that) implies (that)

19. Task 1:
Subjects were asked to write summaries of the
imagined abstract of a casual register article,
using only the verbs below.
Citation as subject Results as subject Claim as subject
claims (that) reveals (that) is supported by
proposes (that) demonstrates (that) is contradicted by
implies (that) indicates (that) is in agreement with
suggests (that) disproves is in opposition to
infers (that) proves (that) assumes (that)
observes (that) implies (that)

20. Task 1 results:
Most students' summary abstracts
-were structurally flawed,
-had sequencing problems and
-had missing links in rhetorical chains.

21. Problem 2:
What other-medium intervention will bring
about improved structure and chain
completeness in learner writing?
Trial: use graphical media
-e.g. Novakian mapping

22. Background: depending on the link type,
there are 3 main kinds of maps:
1. Associational (mind maps)
2. Directed link (Inspiration maps)
3. Textured directed link
1. Text labels on links (Novakian)
2. Non-verbal links (e.g. ISmaps

23. Joseph Novak: Concept mapping
ANIMALS
M
can be O
R
E
INVERTEBRATE VERTEBRATE
S
P
mostly are can be E
C
I
COLD WARM F
ARTHROPODS
BLOODED BLOODED I
C
can be insulated with
TERRESTRIAL MARINE FUR FEATHERS
e.g. beetles, e.g. crabs, e.g. sheep, e.g. robins,
flies lobsters cats penguins
This slide courtesy of Ian Kinchin

24. When is a map Novakian?
“The basic Novakian concept map...
usually starts with a general concept
at the top of the map, and then
works its way down ... to more specific concepts.
Abrams, R. An Overview of Concept Mapping. In
Meaningful Learning: A Collaborative Literature Review of Concept Mapping.
Retrieved March 18, 2008 at http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/clr-conceptmapping.html

25. When is a map Novakian?
“The basic Novakian concept map...
usually starts with a general concept
at the top of the map, and then
works its way down ... to more specific concepts.
Concepts are placed in [boxes]...
Abrams, R. An Overview of Concept Mapping. In
Meaningful Learning: A Collaborative Literature Review of Concept Mapping.
Retrieved March 18, 2008 at http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/clr-conceptmapping.html

26. When is a map Novakian?
“The basic Novakian concept map...
usually starts with a general concept
at the top of the map, and then
works its way down ... to more specific concepts.
Concepts are placed in [boxes]...
Lines are drawn from a concept
to a linking word to a concept.
Abrams, R. An Overview of Concept Mapping. In
Meaningful Learning: A Collaborative Literature Review of Concept Mapping.
Retrieved March 18, 2008 at http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/clr-conceptmapping.html

27. When is a map Novakian?
“The basic Novakian concept map...
usually starts with a general concept
at the top of the map, and then
works its way down ... to more specific concepts.
Concepts are placed in [boxes]...
Lines are drawn from a concept
to a linking word to a concept.
Sequences of concepts and linking words
do not always form grammatically correct sentences.”
Abrams, R. An Overview of Concept Mapping. In
Meaningful Learning: A Collaborative Literature Review of Concept Mapping.
Retrieved March 18, 2008 at http://www2.ucsc.edu/mlrg/clr-conceptmapping.html

28. Making Novakian maps
http://cmap.ihmc.us/

30. Novakian maps (Novak & Cañas, 2006)
can be used at any level of abstraction.
Argument mapping
Information structure mapping
Syntactic mapping
Grammatical mapping (pseudo)
Association mapping

31. Novakian links:
-verbs (concept maps)
-logical connectors (ISmaps)
-communication moves (rhetoric maps)
-argument communication moves
(argument maps)

32. So then, problem 2:
What other-medium intervention will bring
about improved structure and chain
completeness in learner writing?
Trial: use graphical media
-e.g. Novakian mapping
-somehow constrain map structure.
-somehow constrain map content.

33. Task 2:
Experimental task: Pre-writing step
As a pre-writing step, constrained-link Novakian concept maps were
used to express the content of the source article.
Subjects were asked to create Novakian maps summarizing
the imagined abstract of a casual register article,
using only the listed lexical units as link relations.
Citation as subject Results as subject Claim as subject
claims (that) reveals (that) is supported by
proposes (that) demonstrates (that) is contradicted by
implies (that) indicates (that) is in agreement with
suggests (that) disproves is in opposition to
infers (that) proves (that) assumes (that)
observes (that) implies (that)

34. Task 2:
Mapping task (with constraints)
1. Map link relations were restricted to those in the provided verb list.
2. Number of nodes was constrained (max 10).
3. Top-down visual metaphor was imposed.

35. Task 2:
Mapping task with constraints
1. Map link relations were restricted to those in the provided verb list.
2. Number of nodes was constrained (max 10).
3. Top-down visual metaphor was imposed.
Task 2:
Experimental task: writing step
Subjects were asked to write summaries
of the content of the source article,
working from their constrained-link Novakian concept maps.

36. Task 2 observations:
Most experimental group students were
successful in generating;
(a) an accurate detailed graphical
characterization of the study; and
(b) a FAE written expression of that
characterization.

37. Mapping abstract vs text abstract
1 Mapping
Subjects 13
Dyads 6.9/subject
Dyads with non-list labels 0.8/subject
Misuses of linking phrases 2.85/subject
2 Text
Subjects 9
Sentences 3.55/subject
Sentences with non-list relations 0.44/subject
Misuses of linking phrases 0.77/subject
37

38. Task 2 observations
Most experimental group students were successful in generating
(a) an accurate detailed graphical characterization of the study; and
(b) a FAE written expression of that characterization.
Here concept maps appear to constitute an instance of what Tifi
(2010) calls a plane of greater generality.

39. Conclusions
The value of the mapping approach in argument analysis:
1. visual accessibility of the representation of text structure
2. forced articulation of relations between argument elements
3. faster performance (lower cognitive load?) than in text
approach
39

40. Conclusions
Informal observation of learner behavior
in constrained-link scenarios
suggests that
Constraining link content can lead TAW learners to
accurate, minimal summarization of the arguments in TAW
text WITHOUT INSTRUCTION.
40

41. P
Problem X
not solvable
in frame A

42. Parallel case: Tifi (2010)
A problem in a frame, and the need to move to a different frame
where the problem could be solved with the students' inner
resources –
it is necessary to transit through a 'plane of higher generality' to get
from the impeding frame to the enabling one.
Problem X Problem X
not solvable solvable
in frame A in frame B

43. Parallel case: Tifi (2010)
A problem in a frame, and the need to move to a different frame
where the problem could be solved with the students' inner
resources –
it is necessary to transit through a 'plane of higher generality' to get
from the impeding frame to the enabling one.
Problem X no Problem X
not solvable access solvable
in frame A <-----> in frame B
43

44. Parallel case: Tifi (2010)
A problem in a frame, and the need to move to a different frame
where the problem could be solved with the students' inner
resources –
it is necessary to transit through a 'plane of higher generality' to get
from the impeding frame to the enabling one.
Plane of
higher
generality
Problem X Problem X
not solvable solvable
in frame A in frame B
44

45. Speculation re Tifi (2010):
Then in Hunter's
'infer the argument of a poorly reported study' exercise:
1 the challenge: to pinpoint the specs of the study
2 the output: to write those specs in FAE
3 the catch: only when the specs are couched in FAE can the
students pinpoint them, since they lack grounding in research
design/scientific method
45

46. Speculation re Tifi (2010):
Then in Hunter's
'infer the argument of a poorly reported study' exercise:
4 the plane of greater generality: the concept map of the research
design and results. If lean enough, this map will embody the
specs - and the students can in fact arrive at a consensus as to
how the map must look.
Is it true then that the visual (more abstract/non-syntactic)
representation is somehow supporting thought that text work
does not readily support?
46

47. Speculation:
RE: the success of mapping as an inroad to analysis of argument.
Does constrained mapping constitute what Tifi (2010) calls
“a plane of higher generality”
-linking the structure of the argument to
the structure of the abstract?
Constrained
Cmap
ARGUMENT ARGUMENT
in study A, in study A,
implied in explicit in
narrative M summary S
47

48. Task 2 interpretation
Some sources that may provide
an interpretive scaffolding that can in turn to some extent
account for the success of this use of constrained Novakian maps.

49. Why?: does using Cmap constraint
enable argument analysis?
Argument mapping
Information structure mapping
Syntactic mapping
Grammatical mapping (pseudo)
Association mapping
Leading the learner to create an
abstract argument analysis. 49

50. Target behavior? Background
complaints about study of
grunting response
in pro tennis time in tennis
Vancouver study
play subjects measure
video quickly reaction time, ISmaps with rhetorical
clips decide correctness
frames:
argument in Sinnett
random tennis (2010)
tennis strokes
noise strokes
to right or left
with to right
stroke or left
Findings of Vancouver study
random
noise
reaction to video
of tennis strokes
<
reaction time
decision errors
reaction to video
of tennis strokes
at time
hunter systems of stroke

51. Target behavior?
Grounds Modality Claim
since
Warrant
on account of
Backing Toulmin model
of argument

52. Target behavior?
Grounds Modality Claim
since
unless
Warrant
Rebuttal
on account of
Backing Enhanced
Toulmin model
of argument

53. Target behavior?
Receiver
Server grunts
It is highly makes more
during service
likely that errors and is
in tennis
slower
since
White noise in unless
video caused
reaction error
and slowness
Video reaction
is not
because
equivalent to
tennis
White noise reaction
has the same
effect as
Toulmin model
grunting of argument in
Sinnett (2010)

54. Novakian map links
constrained to confine map
content to argument discourse
Citation as subject Results as subject Claim as subject
claims (that) reveals (that) is supported by
proposes (that) demonstrates (that) is contradicted by
implies (that) indicates (that) is in agreement with
suggests (that) disproves is in opposition to
infers (that) proves (that) assumes (that)
observes (that) implies (that)

55. Target behavior
Sinnett
(2010) Constrained
Novakian
claims that rhetoric map of
argument in
Server grunts
Sinnett (2010)
during service
in tennis cause
receiver
slowness and
assumes that
error
is supported by
White noise is Video reaction
equivalent to is equivalent to
Subject error and grunts tennis
slowness in video reaction
response with white
noise bursts

56. Arguably important direction
"Tomorrow's literacies...
need to be process and systems literacies.”
-John Thackara,
In the Bubble: Designing in a complex world.
MIT Press 2005.
56

57. Zoom out:
future hegemonies in the
expression of argument?
1 The transient mashup
(database/new media, Manovich )
The end of the hegemony of narrative?
(enter the hegemony of neutrality of data?)
2 Ontology based research writing
(Robot Scientist)
57

58. Shifting sands:
return to narrative
Recent shifts in journal convention
For decades:
-document structure as a simulacrum of argument
-depersonalization as rigor in argument
-recently: the return of first person narrative
58

59. References/sources
Chandler, P. and J. Sweller (1992) The split-attention effect as a factor
in the design of instruction. British Journal of Educational Psychology
62: 233-246.
CmapTools. Institute for Human & Machine Cognition.
http://cmap.ihmc.us/
Novak, J. D. (1990). Concept maps and Vee diagrams: Two
metacognitive tools for science and mathematics education.
Instructional Science, 19, 29-52.
Tifi, A. (2010) The long way to deep understanding. In Concept maps:
Making learning meaningful. Proc. of 4th Int. Conference on Concept
Mapping.
Key words: technical academic writing, EAP, argument,
summarization, concept mapping, Novakian mapping

60. Constrained-link concept mapping as an inroad to abstract writing
Academic English writing typically presents serious difficulties for East Asian students in PhD
engineering programs. Weak skills in writing everyday English make a fragile foundation for
the learning of formal academic English (FAE). As well, for students from most East Asian
cultures, formal argument is new cultural territory. The development of foundation grammar
and syntax knowledge does not lead naturally or smoothly to FAE writing knowledge and
skill.
In an exercise aimed at developing awareness of argument and research design issues,
students were required to infer the details of a research design of a given study from a
popular-science report of that study. Using a text-based, genre conversion approach, few of
the control group students could produce complete, logically structured inferences.
When, in a pre-writing step, constrained-link Novakian concept maps were used to express
the content of the source article, most experimental group students were successful in
generating (a) an accurate detailed graphical characterization of the study; and (b) a FAE
expression of that characterization. Here concept maps appear to constitute an instance of
what Tifi (2010) calls a plane of greater generality.
The set of relations used to constrain the Novakian maps of the content of an imagined study
were the distinguishing lexical units of the discourse of the scientific method (or research
design). This paper examines some sources that may provide an interpretive scaffolding that
can in turn to some extent account for the success of this use of constrained Novakian maps.

61. Secondary references
Cañas, A. J., & Novak, J.D. (2006) Re-examining the foundations for effective use of concept
maps. In Cañas, A. J., & Novak, J.D. (Eds.), Concept Maps: Theory, Methodology, Technology.
Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Concept Mapping. 494-502.
Dansereau, D.F. (2005) Node-Link Mapping Principles for Visualizing Knowledge and
Information. In Tergan, S. and Keller, T. (Eds.) Node-Link Mapping Principles for Visualizing
Knowledge and Information. Springer. 61-81.
Horn, R. E. (2001) Knowledge mapping for complex social messes. A presentation to the
“Foundations in the Knowledge Economy” at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, July
16, 2001. Downloaded April 8, 2008 from
http://www.stanford.edu/~rhorn/a/recent/spchKnwldgPACKARD.pdf
Hunter, L. (2002) Information structure diagrams as link icons. Learning Technology 4(3) July
2002. ISSN 1438-0625. 2002. http://lttf.ieee.org/learn_tech/issues/july2002/index.html#1
Jonassen, D.H., Cernusca, D., Ionas, I.G. (2006). Constructivism and instructional design: The
emergence of the learning sciences and design research. In R. Reiser & J. Dempsey (Eds.),
Trends and issues in instructional design and technology. Columbus, OH: Merrill/Prentice-
Hall.
Moffett, J. (1992). Detecting growth in language. New Hampshire: Boynton/Cook.
Mohan, B.A. (1986) Language and content. Addison-Wesley.

62. Register Dossier FAE
Cohesion Coherence Usage
Nominalization Conjunctions Abstract
Hedging Logic links
Summary
Claim
Plagiarism Citation
Argument Communication
Paraphrasing
moves
Readability
Argument
Parallelism