**7.4.1 Category #1 – Overview**

One category was viewed as providing overviews about what the original document was conveying about the topic or object of interest. A unit of meaning was classified as an 'Overview', if it appeared to be painting a broad picture of some item or object within it. In the context of this study, that item or object was, in most cases, one of the key terms identified earlier, or a combination of more than one of these terms. While this was the typical situation, in a few cases, other terms occupied this position. Whether as a single item or as a combination, this entity was deemed to be the focal point in the Overview. A second feature of the unit of meaning classified as an Overview was that, in relation to the focal point, it only provided broad information without going into specific details. However, in the third feature, some element of the text in the unit, served as an indicator of specifics about the focal point that would come later in the annotation.

Exhibit 4 demonstrates the analysis outlined above. Note too that, as stated earlier, it is the verb extension that is the basis for this analysis.

An Analysis of the Search Skills of Online Graduate Students as

decade. **Main Terms:** mobile phone, transformed, lifestyle **Focal point:** combination of 3 main terms.

people's lives

people's lives. **Main terms:** impact, mobile phones, people's lives

people's lifestyles. **Main terms:** mobile phones, impacted, people's lifestyles

**Focal point:** combination of 3 key terms.

**Focal Point**: combination of 3 key terms.

**Focal point**: combination of 3 main terms

for further expansion.

**Indicator of likely** 

**Indicator of likely** 

**Indicator of likely** 

**Indicator of likely** 

**Exhibit 5: Analysis of Category #2 text** 

**follow-up specifics:** none identifiable

**follow-up specifics:** none identifiable.

**follow-up specifics**: none identifiable

**follow-up specifics:** none identifiable.

**Data ID: MP4** 

**Data ID: MP17** 

**Data ID: MP24** 

**Data ID: MP118** 

the Basis for the Development of Appropriate Instructional Strategies 225

In terms of its core attributes, a superimposition shared some similarities with the overview. First both were constructed around a focal point, which, in turn, was constituted out of one or a combination of the main terms. Both provided general information about the focal point. However, the critical distinction between the two was that, because the superimposition was so completely defined by the essay topic, it did not allow room for meaningful elements capable of forecasting well-defined additional information. In this regard, it is important to note that it is not that there were no additional elements; rather that if there were, they were largely non-descript and lacked the level of meaning and the force required to set the stage

**Verb extension**: … mobile phone has dramatically transformed lifestyle in the last

**Verb extension: …** ways in which mobile communications have transformed

**Verb extension:** … many detailed paragraphs on the impact mobile phones have on

**Verb extension:** … the notion that mobile phones have so profoundly impacted

One additional point about this category warrants further attention. Given the closeness between the overview and the superimposition categories, there was the possibility of a blurring of the boundaries between them. Earlier, it was noted that the defining feature separating the two was the absence or almost complete absence of an indicator in the superimposition type of unit that pointed towards subsequent details. Thus, except in

**Main Terms** mobile communications, transformed, people's lives


#### **Exhibit 4: Analysis of category # 1 text**

#### **7.4.2 Category # 2 – Superimposition**

Segments that fell within the second category were essentially linguistic constructions that closely mirrored the content and structure of the essay topic. Such constructions seemed to represent a strong effort to ensure that one did not drift far away from the perceived requirements of the task, and that one stayed on target and 'answered the question'. The term 'superimposition' was used to define these segments since their close resemblance to the essay topic suggested that rather than delving into the content of the selected article, the student generated segments of the text for the annotation based largely on a rearrangement of substantial portions of the essay topic. This presumed strategy thus meant that the act of writing the annotation was largely a superficial activity that entailed little or no engagement with the content of the selected source material.

In terms of its core attributes, a superimposition shared some similarities with the overview. First both were constructed around a focal point, which, in turn, was constituted out of one or a combination of the main terms. Both provided general information about the focal point. However, the critical distinction between the two was that, because the superimposition was so completely defined by the essay topic, it did not allow room for meaningful elements capable of forecasting well-defined additional information. In this regard, it is important to note that it is not that there were no additional elements; rather that if there were, they were largely non-descript and lacked the level of meaning and the force required to set the stage for further expansion.


#### **Exhibit 5: Analysis of Category #2 text**

224 International Perspectives of Distance Learning in Higher Education

**Verb extension** … the change that the mobile phone has made on citizens by creating new forms of expression

**Verb extension** … also two major ways in which mobile phones has brought

**Verb extension:** … the results of a survey questionnaire … designed to assess the

**Focal point**: combination of 'college students', 'mobile phone', 'connect with

**Verb extension** About managing communications repertoire in relation to mobile

Segments that fell within the second category were essentially linguistic constructions that closely mirrored the content and structure of the essay topic. Such constructions seemed to represent a strong effort to ensure that one did not drift far away from the perceived requirements of the task, and that one stayed on target and 'answered the question'. The term 'superimposition' was used to define these segments since their close resemblance to the essay topic suggested that rather than delving into the content of the selected article, the student generated segments of the text for the annotation based largely on a rearrangement of substantial portions of the essay topic. This presumed strategy thus meant that the act of writing the annotation was largely a superficial activity that entailed little or no engagement

connect with family and friends.

family and friends'

versus landline

**Focal point:** combination of 'mobile' and 'landline'

**follow-up specifics:** managing communications repertoire

motivation of college students who use the mobile phone to

about changes in lifestyle.

**Focal point:** combination of 'change' and 'mobile phone'

**Exhibit 4: Analysis of category # 1 text** 

**Key terms:** change, mobile phone

**follow-up specifics:** new forms of expression

**Focal point:** all three terms combined

**follow-up specifics:** two major ways.

**Key terms**: mobile phone

**follow-up specifics:** assess motivation

**Key terms:** mobile, landline

**7.4.2 Category # 2 – Superimposition** 

with the content of the selected source material.

**Key terms:** mobile phones, changes, lifestyle.

**Data ID: MP15** 

**DataID: MP39** 

**Data ID: MP89** 

**Data ID MP103** 

**Indicator of likely** 

**Indicator of likely** 

**Indicator of likely** 

**Indicator of likely** 

One additional point about this category warrants further attention. Given the closeness between the overview and the superimposition categories, there was the possibility of a blurring of the boundaries between them. Earlier, it was noted that the defining feature separating the two was the absence or almost complete absence of an indicator in the superimposition type of unit that pointed towards subsequent details. Thus, except in

An Analysis of the Search Skills of Online Graduate Students as

in the context of this study, it is being treated as a specific detail.

there was no link to any source to substantiate the claims made.

**MP48** Mobile technology is evolving on a daily basis

improve learning in the classroom.

through the use of the mobile phone.

the mobile phone.

**7.4.4 Category #4 – Assertions** 

**Exhibit 7: Analysis of Category #4 text** 

**Data ID Assertion** 

life.

who articulated them.

language use.

the Basis for the Development of Appropriate Instructional Strategies 227

high proportion of key terms or their close synonyms. Of particular interest here is that while no direct mention is made of 'people's lifestyles' or 'changes' or other terms that closely resemble them, a large proportion of the examples were clearly representative of changes in lifestyle brought about by the social impact of the movement from the landline to

The second point pertains to the classification itself. Some may argue that MP88 would fit more into the Overview category than this one. Given the interpretation of 'Overview' given earlier, one can argue that this phrase could lead to more specific details outlining the ways in which teens use their mobile phones for the purpose specified. While acknowledging this possibility, the decision was taken to include it as a detail of the broader more general and inclusive issues contained in the essay topic. Thus, even though it can yield its own details,

Items included in this final category are essentially assertions or generalizations that convey a clear position and were presented as if the writer was convinced that they could not be challenged. In this regard, even though the identity of the author was not usually revealed in the assertion, one can conclude that assertions represented the personal position of those

Preliminary analysis of the data set suggested three attributes inherent in this form of

First, the agent of the verb was the entity about which the assertion was being made. It therefore stood out since, in the typical structure of the sentence in an annotation, it is the author of the source material, or the material itself that was the agent carrying out the act embodied in the verb. Secondly, the verb itself was in the present tense, or present perfect, conveying a sense that the claims made were timeless and universally relevant. Thirdly,

While in the preceding categories, the verb extension was sufficient to represent the core attributes of the language type, in the case of assertions, the entire meaning unit was required,

**MP20** Mobile phones have provided lots of fun and convenience to people's daily

**MP148** Educators can take advantage of many special features of the mobile phone to

**MP149** School administrators can create measures to improve discipline in the school

since the agent of the verb was needed to complete the meaning, as discussed above.

**MP70** Mobile phones seem to have taken over the communication market. **MP108** The article categorically suggests that the use of cell phones are (sic) now empowering students to become self-directed learners.

instances where there were actually no additional meaning-words in the text, the decision to locate the segment of text in one or other category was a judgment call.

One example of this was the decision to include MP39 in the Overview category and MP17 in this category. Both verb extensions are almost identical and the term 'ways' appears to perform the same function in both. The reason for the different classification was that in MP39, the phrase 'two major ways' was regarded as a credible indicator of follow-up specifics, while 'ways' in MP17, was not.

Ultimately, even though acknowledging the need to justify classification of these borderline cases, one can also argue that even within the Overview category, some terms may have been more efficient follow-up indicators than others.
