The authors present the results of a study of the relationship of the quality of the Internet con... more The authors present the results of a study of the relationship of the quality of the Internet connection and students’ attendance with the clarity and immediacy of the teacher’s communicative behavior in the process of online university education. The relevance of the problem is due to significant changes currently taking place in the Russian educational environment: the active use of the online training format affects both the content of education and its organization. The study involved 409 undergraduate students (females - 71%, mean age = 20, SD = 2.1). The students’ perceptions of the clarity and immediacy of the teacher’s communicative behaviors in the online training format were measured by tools based on their subjective assessments. In addition, the students evaluated the quality of Internet connection on a five-point scale and indicated how many classes they attended; since these factors are presumably associated with their perceptions of their teacher’s behavior. The resul...
The main goal of the current study is to examine differences across perfectionists? profiles rega... more The main goal of the current study is to examine differences across perfectionists? profiles regarding implicit theories of intelligence, morality and the world. The sample included 202 Russian students, age-range 18?24 (M = 19.62, SD = 1.15), 40% male. Short Almost Perfect Scale and Implicit Theories of Intelligence, Morality, and the World Questionnaire was used for data collection. Correlation and regression analysis, latent profile analysis, and the Student?s t-test were conducted. The study results show that adaptive perfectionists tend to hold the entity theory about the world and the incremental theory of intelligence. The world for them is a structured place with fixed rules in which they can improve their cognitive skills, correct mistakes and grow up in experiences. Maladaptive perfectionists tend to hold only the entity theory of morality, so they believe in rigid moral principles. Non-perfectionists tend to hold the entity theory of intelligence and incremental theory of...
This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in Englis... more This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in English-language print media. Full-text articles from " The Economist " , published between 2008 and 2014, were selected to analyze the semantics of words and word combinations that imply a Russian business reality. All units were classified according to topic-relation and language sources of stereotypes. The findings showed that the topic-related stereotypes focus on representation of people in three areas – government, business, and realia. As for the linguistic perspective, figurative means are the basic sources for stereotypes, with the emphasis on similes and metaphors of people. Reference sources for figurative means and morphologic means are business-related. Though negative linguistic stereotypes prevail, there are rare positive stereotypes, expressed through syntax. Thus, linguistic stereotypical means help to create the image of Russian business in simplified categories and underlined contrasts: stereotypical lexical units of well-being are combined with characteristics of a poorly-kept country. The intercultural implication of the study is the necessity of enhanced awareness of stereotyping potential of media language.
This is a qualitative study of candidates’ motivation to take BEC exams and their expectations to... more This is a qualitative study of candidates’ motivation to take BEC exams and their expectations towards the exam results, which was conducted at the Cambridge Exam Preparation Center in a Russian university. The research dataset comprised 33 participants who took part in face-to-face in-depth semi-structured interviews. Overall, candidates show a positive attitude to BEC at different exam levels. The main reasons for preparing for and taking the exams are extrinsic and defined by the institutional environment. The respondents opt for BEC exams as they intend to receive an international education (master’s level) and/or build a successful career in international organizations. The study also revealed a connection between candidates’ expectations toward exam results and their age and level of language proficiency.
Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 2016
Abstract This study addresses the representation of the linguistic and cultural type “immigrant” ... more Abstract This study addresses the representation of the linguistic and cultural type “immigrant” in French and Russian media discourse. Linguistic analysis of selected sources shows, on the one hand, signs of tolerance towards immigrants and, on the other hand, evidence of rejecting immigrants, which demonstrates the ambiguity of the matter and indirectly provokes conflicts. Visual composition analysis complements these results by revealing the following: the purpose of immigration – employment – is often socially rejected; immigrants’ sense of community is a specific cultural code in a host culture; and the cultural transfer of an “immigrant” into a different space creates uncertainty or ambiguity.
Abstract This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psycho... more Abstract This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Short Almost Perfect Scale (SAPS) were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the Russian SAPS factor structure. Results also indicated adequate reliability and validity of the SAPS in this Russian sample. Participants were further classified into different types of perfectionists—adaptive, maladaptive, and non-perfectionists—using latent profile analysis. As expected, maladaptive perfectionists reported higher levels of both anxiety and depressive mood compared to adaptive perfectionists; however the stress level between these two types of perfectionists was not significantly different. Cultural contexts, practical implications, and future directions were also discussed.
The aims of this study were: 1) to identify the cognitive strategies that Russian EFL learners ap... more The aims of this study were: 1) to identify the cognitive strategies that Russian EFL learners apply while taking a multi-level C-test; 2) to examine the correlation between the level of complexity of a C-test and the frequency of the usage of the cognitive strategies. The Think-Aloud Protocols method allowed to reveal seven cognitive strategies (predicting, summarizing, questioning, making connections, re-reading/using fix-ups, identifying a problem, and reflecting). The results of chi-square tests indicate that texts with different complexity levels can trigger different type of processing used by the test-takers.
Recent decades have seen a dramatic rise in student evaluation of teaching (SET). However, they h... more Recent decades have seen a dramatic rise in student evaluation of teaching (SET). However, they have overwhelmingly focused on quantitative ratings, neglecting students’ written feedback. This study addresses the lack of qualitative research on SET by applying a semantic theory and computational methods for analysing the language of positive feedback comments provided by students of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Russia. Analysing a corpus of student commentary about teaching also contributes to the theory of pragmatics as the approach to analysing qualitative evaluations of teaching is based on the premise that students’ positive feedback can be treated as a sort of the compliment/praise speech act reflecting cultural specificity. Our findings showed that quantitatively the most common semantic pattern used by HSE students is ACTOR + (AUGMENTOR) EVALUATOR + PHYSICAL/MENTAL ACTION PERFORMED BY THE ACTOR + (AUGMENTOR) EVALUATOR. Thus, HSE students tend to praise the teacher ...
The paper focuses on formalization of English as a foreign language teachers' instruction in Lear... more The paper focuses on formalization of English as a foreign language teachers' instruction in Learning Management System eFront (LMS). Instruction is considered as a minimal teaching method's unit with (in)variable parameters in relation to knowledge object, students' activity, and control. The two approaches – information-centered and students-centered – are studied in EFL instruction formalization. The paper provides the results of a two-stage analysis: 1) semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers at tertiary level, and 2) teachers' and students' survey evaluating EFL instructions. Important findings include advantages of instruction formalization in technological simplification and quality control in course development, and also serve to enhance further research agenda.
This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psychometric pr... more This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Short Almost Perfect Scale (SAPS) were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the Russian SAPS factor structure. Results also indicated adequate reliability and validity of the SAPS in this Russian sample. Participants were further classified into different types of perfectionists—adaptive, maladap-tive, and non-perfectionists—using latent profile analysis. As expected, maladaptive perfectionists reported higher levels of both anxiety and depressive mood compared to adaptive perfectionists; however the stress level between these two types of perfectionists was not significantly different. Cultural contexts, practical implications , and future directions were also discussed.
The paper deals with metaphoric representation of intercultural communication on the basis of Eng... more The paper deals with metaphoric representation of intercultural communication on the basis of English and Russian academic texts. Conceptual metaphor analysis results present “overlapping” target areas for intercultural communication metaphors, e.g. communication, language, and culture. Another interrelated sourcing area is spatial metaphor. The closest conversion is that of subject and premise metaphors, and divergence relates to metaphors of space and time. The data prove that intercultural communication theories in English and Russian attribute common meanings to subject- and object as well as man-made construction. Peripheral divergence in categorization of space and time is attributed to linguistic differences and archetype perception of immediate environment.
This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in Englis... more This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in English-language print media. Full-text articles from " The Economist " , published between 2008 and 2014, were selected to analyze the semantics of words and word combinations that imply a Russian business reality. All units were classified according to topic-relation and language sources of stereotypes. The findings showed that the topic-related stereotypes focus on representation of people in three areas – government, business, and realia. As for the linguistic perspective, figurative means are the basic sources for stereotypes, with the emphasis on similes and metaphors of people. Reference sources for figurative means and morphologic means are business-related. Though negative linguistic stereotypes prevail, there are rare positive stereotypes, expressed through syntax. Thus, linguistic stereotypical means help to create the image of Russian business in simplified categories and underlined contrasts: stereotypical lexical units of well-being are combined with characteristics of a poorly-kept country. The intercultural implication of the study is the necessity of enhanced awareness of stereotyping potential of media language.
The authors present the results of a study of the relationship of the quality of the Internet con... more The authors present the results of a study of the relationship of the quality of the Internet connection and students’ attendance with the clarity and immediacy of the teacher’s communicative behavior in the process of online university education. The relevance of the problem is due to significant changes currently taking place in the Russian educational environment: the active use of the online training format affects both the content of education and its organization. The study involved 409 undergraduate students (females - 71%, mean age = 20, SD = 2.1). The students’ perceptions of the clarity and immediacy of the teacher’s communicative behaviors in the online training format were measured by tools based on their subjective assessments. In addition, the students evaluated the quality of Internet connection on a five-point scale and indicated how many classes they attended; since these factors are presumably associated with their perceptions of their teacher’s behavior. The resul...
The main goal of the current study is to examine differences across perfectionists? profiles rega... more The main goal of the current study is to examine differences across perfectionists? profiles regarding implicit theories of intelligence, morality and the world. The sample included 202 Russian students, age-range 18?24 (M = 19.62, SD = 1.15), 40% male. Short Almost Perfect Scale and Implicit Theories of Intelligence, Morality, and the World Questionnaire was used for data collection. Correlation and regression analysis, latent profile analysis, and the Student?s t-test were conducted. The study results show that adaptive perfectionists tend to hold the entity theory about the world and the incremental theory of intelligence. The world for them is a structured place with fixed rules in which they can improve their cognitive skills, correct mistakes and grow up in experiences. Maladaptive perfectionists tend to hold only the entity theory of morality, so they believe in rigid moral principles. Non-perfectionists tend to hold the entity theory of intelligence and incremental theory of...
This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in Englis... more This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in English-language print media. Full-text articles from " The Economist " , published between 2008 and 2014, were selected to analyze the semantics of words and word combinations that imply a Russian business reality. All units were classified according to topic-relation and language sources of stereotypes. The findings showed that the topic-related stereotypes focus on representation of people in three areas – government, business, and realia. As for the linguistic perspective, figurative means are the basic sources for stereotypes, with the emphasis on similes and metaphors of people. Reference sources for figurative means and morphologic means are business-related. Though negative linguistic stereotypes prevail, there are rare positive stereotypes, expressed through syntax. Thus, linguistic stereotypical means help to create the image of Russian business in simplified categories and underlined contrasts: stereotypical lexical units of well-being are combined with characteristics of a poorly-kept country. The intercultural implication of the study is the necessity of enhanced awareness of stereotyping potential of media language.
This is a qualitative study of candidates’ motivation to take BEC exams and their expectations to... more This is a qualitative study of candidates’ motivation to take BEC exams and their expectations towards the exam results, which was conducted at the Cambridge Exam Preparation Center in a Russian university. The research dataset comprised 33 participants who took part in face-to-face in-depth semi-structured interviews. Overall, candidates show a positive attitude to BEC at different exam levels. The main reasons for preparing for and taking the exams are extrinsic and defined by the institutional environment. The respondents opt for BEC exams as they intend to receive an international education (master’s level) and/or build a successful career in international organizations. The study also revealed a connection between candidates’ expectations toward exam results and their age and level of language proficiency.
Journal of Intercultural Communication Research, 2016
Abstract This study addresses the representation of the linguistic and cultural type “immigrant” ... more Abstract This study addresses the representation of the linguistic and cultural type “immigrant” in French and Russian media discourse. Linguistic analysis of selected sources shows, on the one hand, signs of tolerance towards immigrants and, on the other hand, evidence of rejecting immigrants, which demonstrates the ambiguity of the matter and indirectly provokes conflicts. Visual composition analysis complements these results by revealing the following: the purpose of immigration – employment – is often socially rejected; immigrants’ sense of community is a specific cultural code in a host culture; and the cultural transfer of an “immigrant” into a different space creates uncertainty or ambiguity.
Abstract This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psycho... more Abstract This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Short Almost Perfect Scale (SAPS) were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the Russian SAPS factor structure. Results also indicated adequate reliability and validity of the SAPS in this Russian sample. Participants were further classified into different types of perfectionists—adaptive, maladaptive, and non-perfectionists—using latent profile analysis. As expected, maladaptive perfectionists reported higher levels of both anxiety and depressive mood compared to adaptive perfectionists; however the stress level between these two types of perfectionists was not significantly different. Cultural contexts, practical implications, and future directions were also discussed.
The aims of this study were: 1) to identify the cognitive strategies that Russian EFL learners ap... more The aims of this study were: 1) to identify the cognitive strategies that Russian EFL learners apply while taking a multi-level C-test; 2) to examine the correlation between the level of complexity of a C-test and the frequency of the usage of the cognitive strategies. The Think-Aloud Protocols method allowed to reveal seven cognitive strategies (predicting, summarizing, questioning, making connections, re-reading/using fix-ups, identifying a problem, and reflecting). The results of chi-square tests indicate that texts with different complexity levels can trigger different type of processing used by the test-takers.
Recent decades have seen a dramatic rise in student evaluation of teaching (SET). However, they h... more Recent decades have seen a dramatic rise in student evaluation of teaching (SET). However, they have overwhelmingly focused on quantitative ratings, neglecting students’ written feedback. This study addresses the lack of qualitative research on SET by applying a semantic theory and computational methods for analysing the language of positive feedback comments provided by students of the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in Russia. Analysing a corpus of student commentary about teaching also contributes to the theory of pragmatics as the approach to analysing qualitative evaluations of teaching is based on the premise that students’ positive feedback can be treated as a sort of the compliment/praise speech act reflecting cultural specificity. Our findings showed that quantitatively the most common semantic pattern used by HSE students is ACTOR + (AUGMENTOR) EVALUATOR + PHYSICAL/MENTAL ACTION PERFORMED BY THE ACTOR + (AUGMENTOR) EVALUATOR. Thus, HSE students tend to praise the teacher ...
The paper focuses on formalization of English as a foreign language teachers' instruction in Lear... more The paper focuses on formalization of English as a foreign language teachers' instruction in Learning Management System eFront (LMS). Instruction is considered as a minimal teaching method's unit with (in)variable parameters in relation to knowledge object, students' activity, and control. The two approaches – information-centered and students-centered – are studied in EFL instruction formalization. The paper provides the results of a two-stage analysis: 1) semi-structured interviews with EFL teachers at tertiary level, and 2) teachers' and students' survey evaluating EFL instructions. Important findings include advantages of instruction formalization in technological simplification and quality control in course development, and also serve to enhance further research agenda.
This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psychometric pr... more This study examines perfectionism among a sample of 183 Russian college students. Psychometric properties of the Russian version of the Short Almost Perfect Scale (SAPS) were examined. Confirmatory factor analysis results supported the Russian SAPS factor structure. Results also indicated adequate reliability and validity of the SAPS in this Russian sample. Participants were further classified into different types of perfectionists—adaptive, maladap-tive, and non-perfectionists—using latent profile analysis. As expected, maladaptive perfectionists reported higher levels of both anxiety and depressive mood compared to adaptive perfectionists; however the stress level between these two types of perfectionists was not significantly different. Cultural contexts, practical implications , and future directions were also discussed.
The paper deals with metaphoric representation of intercultural communication on the basis of Eng... more The paper deals with metaphoric representation of intercultural communication on the basis of English and Russian academic texts. Conceptual metaphor analysis results present “overlapping” target areas for intercultural communication metaphors, e.g. communication, language, and culture. Another interrelated sourcing area is spatial metaphor. The closest conversion is that of subject and premise metaphors, and divergence relates to metaphors of space and time. The data prove that intercultural communication theories in English and Russian attribute common meanings to subject- and object as well as man-made construction. Peripheral divergence in categorization of space and time is attributed to linguistic differences and archetype perception of immediate environment.
This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in Englis... more This article deals with the peculiarities of written representation of Russian business in English-language print media. Full-text articles from " The Economist " , published between 2008 and 2014, were selected to analyze the semantics of words and word combinations that imply a Russian business reality. All units were classified according to topic-relation and language sources of stereotypes. The findings showed that the topic-related stereotypes focus on representation of people in three areas – government, business, and realia. As for the linguistic perspective, figurative means are the basic sources for stereotypes, with the emphasis on similes and metaphors of people. Reference sources for figurative means and morphologic means are business-related. Though negative linguistic stereotypes prevail, there are rare positive stereotypes, expressed through syntax. Thus, linguistic stereotypical means help to create the image of Russian business in simplified categories and underlined contrasts: stereotypical lexical units of well-being are combined with characteristics of a poorly-kept country. The intercultural implication of the study is the necessity of enhanced awareness of stereotyping potential of media language.
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