2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Developing A Model to Explain Argument Structures and Its Application to English Language Education

Research Project

Project/Area Number	20520484
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Foreign language education
Research Institution	Hokkaido University
Principal Investigator	SUZUKI Shinobu Hokkaido University, 大学院・メディア・コミュニケーション研究院, 准教授 (30275507)
Project Period (FY)	2008 – 2010
Keywords	異文化コミュニケーション
Research Abstract	The present research project has accomplished four main goals. First, it compared structures of written arguments between the Japanese and the U.S. people, identifying differences that are consistent with intercultural theories of communication. Second, it successfully identified two individual-level factors, one situational and the other trait, that explain differences in structures of written arguments. Third, it examined perceptions of the qualities of written arguments among Japanese people. Fourth, based on the findings of the present research project, it successfully developed materials for teaching how to structure arguments in English to college students.