| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥1,100,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Three research questions were investigated on language usage regarding abstraction : how exemplifies are used in argumentative essays, how exemplifies are written when a proposition is given, and how a proposition is written when plural exemplifies are given. 263, 653, and 555 students of Shibuya Kyoiku Gakuen Shibuya Junior and High School participated for each of the investigations. 49 undergraduates from Waseda University Daiichi Bungakubu participated in the first investigation as well. Seventh, ninth, and eleventh grade were compared. Data were collected in April and May 2005, January 2006, and May 2006 respectively.
In argumentative essays, differences in the frequency of exemplifies were not shown among different grades; however, half of the seventh graders used inadequate exemplifies. Students in upper grades tended to give social topics whereas seventh graders wrote about their everyday experiences. When a proposition was given, similar rate of students among different grades wrote adequate exemplifies; however, the number of students who could not write any exemplifies were larger in seventh grade. When plural exemplifies were given, the number of students who wrote adequate propositions were larger in upper grades. However, students in upper grades tended to add their opinion to the proposition.
Preceding studies in educational psychology claim that language usage regarding abstraction is established at the age of nine and a half, and only individual differences are shown after the stage. However, this study revealed some elements that developed between the ages of thirteen to twenty one. For example, the ability to argue by using exemplifies showed a strong connection with the ability to stock and apply direct or indirect experiences which developed during these stages. Adjusting the degree of abstraction by comprehending the context was another significant factor.
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