Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study determines whether media reporting has any influence on members’ image formation processes of the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). The aim of this study was (a) to determine respondents’ attitudes towards the Church, (b) to determine respondents’ image of the Church, (c) to establish whether media reporting has any influence on members’ image formation of the DRC, and (d) to define such influence, if any. This study is based on the Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation and Projection (the IFP model) as theoretical foundation. The IFP model suggests that certain document design aspects, such as content, style, structure and graphics, may influence a company or organisation’s image. Following on the IFP model this study determined the effect that rhetorical content devices in media reports have on DRC members’ image of the Church. The rhetorical devices that were analysed are direct criticism, contrast, laden words, implication phenomena, sarcasm and insinuation. The study investigated how these rhetorical devices are employed to have a harmful effect on the image of the DRC. A total of 127 respondents, all of them DRC members, were selected from four congregations in the Boland region. The congregations are situated in Worcester (rural), Malmesbury (semi-rural), Paarl (semi-urban) and Durbanville (urban). Gender and age were incorporated as independent variables of this study. Members’ attitude and image with regard to the DRC and media reporting were determined by means of a questionnaire survey as primary methodology, while the possible influence of media reporting was established through a text analysis (rhetorical discourse analysis, or RDA) – another primary methodology. Professor Martin Kidd from Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Statistical Consultation prepared the statistical processing of the survey responses. The results are depicted by means of histograms and other statistical methods. The results show that members’ attitudes towards, and image of, the Church are less positive than what the Church may have hoped for: Members generally have a cautiously positive image of the Church. In addition, results indicate that media reporting does indeed influence the image formation processes of the DRC; that this influence is negative, and that it contributes to a less positive image of the Church. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie bepaal of mediaberiggewing enige invloed op die beeldvormingsprosesse van individue van die Nederduitse Gereformeerde (NG) Kerk het. Die doel van die ondersoek was (a) om respondente se houding teenoor die Kerk te bepaal, (b) om respondente se beeld van die NG Kerk te bepaal, (c) om vas te stel of mediaberiggewing enige invloed op lidmate se beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk het, en (d) om sodanige invloed, indien enige, te omskryf. Die Geïntegreerde Kommunikasiemodel vir Beeldvorming en -projeksie, oftewel die IFPmodel (“Integrated Communication Model for Image Formation and Projection”), is die teoretiese model waarbinne die studie uitgevoer sal word. Die IFP-model beweer dat sekere dokumentontwerpaspekte, soos inhoud, styl, struktuur en grafika, ʼn instansie se beeld kan beïnvloed. Na aanleiding hiervan het dié studie dus die uitwerking van inhoudelike retoriese meganismes in mediaberigte op NG Kerk-lidmate se beeld van die Kerk bepaal. Die retoriese meganismes wat ontleed is, is direkte kritiek, kontras, gelade woorde, implikasieverskynsels, sarkasme en insinuasie. Daar is ondersoek ingestel na hoe hierdie retoriese meganismes aangewend word om die beeld van die NG Kerk negatief te beïnvloed. Altesaam 127 respondente, almal NG Kerk-lidmate, is uit vier gemeentes in die Bolandomgewing gekies. Die gemeentes is geleë in Worcester (platteland), Malmesbury (semiplatteland), in die Paarl (semistad) en Durbanville (stad). Geslag en ouderdom is as onafhanklike veranderlikes in aanmerking geneem. Lidmate se houding en beeld ten opsigte van die NG Kerk en mediaberiggewing is deur middel van ʼn vraelysondersoek as primêre metodologie bepaal, terwyl die moontlike invloed van die mediaberigte met behulp van ʼn teksanalise (retoriese diskoersanalise, of RDA) – nóg ʼn primêre metodologie – ontleed is. Prof Martin Kidd van die Universiteit Stellenbosch se Sentrum vir Statistiese Konsultasie het die vraelysantwoorde statisties verwerk. Die uitslag word met histogramme en ander statistiese metodes uitgebeeld. Die resultate toon dat lidmate se houding jeens, en beeld van, die Kerk minder positief is as wat die Kerk dalk hoop: Lidmate het in die algemeen ʼn versigtig positiewe beeld van die Kerk. Resultate suggereer voorts dat mediaberiggewing wél die beeldvormingsprosesse van die NG Kerk beïnvloed; dat sodanige invloed negatief is, en dat dit gevolglik tot ʼn minder positiewe beeld van die Kerk onder lidmate bydra.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch. Document Analysis))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In this study, research has been done on the institutional image of the Stellenbosch University (SU). The impact of the true and desired image on the written communication of the SU has been researched to determine how much influence the US can have on the forming of the institutional image and how it can be improved to correlate more with the desired image of the SU. The focus was, more specifically, on the written communication of the Registrar’s division of the SU and their institutional documents. The institutional image was tested by means of questionnaires filled in by the students of the SU. The groups have been selected in accordance with the population profile of the SU to be statistically representitave of the true population studying at the SU.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this study the balance between relational and expressive messages on the image formation and projection of a document is studied. To study the effect of these messages, a case study was done on one of the donation letters of Stellenbosch University (SU). The purpose of the research was firstly to established what the image formation and projection of the SU was. The quality of the SU’s image and communication had to be determined. Secondly, the degree of attachment between die SU and respondents was measured to see if it had any influence on the way that they perceived the SU. The IFP-model (Image Formation and Projection model) served as a theoretical basis for the study – the model postulates that various document design aspects and concepts such as image, identitity and culture influence each other. The model was then used to a) identify problematic areas in the documentation b) form the basis of the questionnaire and c) explain the connection between the image formation and projection, and the style aspects in die document. The third goal of the research was to operationalize the relational and expressive messages by manipulating specific style aspects. The researcher had determined that the two messages were imbalanced in the original donation letter, to the extent that the reader did not have any real ‘presence’ in the document. The researcher then proceeded to design a second version of the donation letter, but with the relational and expressive messages brought into balance. Alumni of the SU were chosen as respondents for the study. The Stellenbosch Foundation distributed the questionnaires, along with the two versions of the letter. The researcher had decided upon e-mail as a distribution channel to discount any geographical bias. Two variables were used: Race (coloured and white persons) and age. Younger than 35 years of age, and 35 years of age or older than 35 were chosen as arbitrary cutoff points for respondents. The results were processed statistically so that trends and data could be displayed clearly. Results showed that alumni do have a positive image of the SU, as well as its communication. Alumni also feel reasonably connected to the SU. A strong preference was however shown for the redesigned donation letter, wherein the two messages are balanced out. This means that the SU’s image is projected in a more positive way in a document where the reader has a bigger presence. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie studie is daar ondersoek watter invloed ‘n wanbalans tussen die relasionele en ekspressiewe boodskappe in ‘n dokument op die beeldvorming en projeksie van daardie dokument het. Vir hierdie ondersoek is een van die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) se donasiebriewe as gevallestudie gebruik. Die doel van die navorsing was eerstens om te bepaal hoe die beeldvorming enprojeksie van die US daar uitsien. Daar moes dus vasgestel word hoe gunstig die beeld van die US is en wat die opvatting oor die US se kommunikasie is. Tweedens is gepoog om die graad verbondenheid en verhouding tussen die US en die respondente te meet, om te sien of dit ‘n invloed het op hoe hulle die US sien. Die IFP-model (Image Formation and Projection) dien as ‘n teoretiese basis vir die studie – die model postuleer dat verskeie dokumentontwerp-aspekte en konsepte soos beeld, identiteit en kultuur, ‘n wedersydse invloed op mekaar het. Die model is dus gebruik om a) probleemareas in die dokument te identifiseer, b) die basis van die vraelys te vorm, en c) die verband tussen die beeldvorming en projeksie van die US, en die stilistiese aspekte te verduidelik. Die derde doel van die navorsing was om die relasionele en ekspressiewe boodskappe te operasionaliseer in verskeie stylaspekte, sodat dit gemanipuleer kan word. Die navorser het bepaal dat daar ‘n wanbalans bestaan tussen die twee boodskappe in die oorspronklike donasiebrief, en dat hierdie wanbalans veroorsaak dat die leser nie werklik ‘n ‘teenwoordigheid’ in die dokument het nie. Om die effek van hierdie wanbalans te toets, is ‘n tweede weergawe van die brief ontwerp, waarin die twee boodskappe in balans gebring word. Alumni van die US is as teikengroep gekies vir die studie. Die Stellenbosch Stigting het vraelyste, tesame met die twee weergawes van die donasiebrief aan hulle gestuur. Die navorser het besluit op e-pos as ‘n distribusiemetode om enige geografiese bevooroordeeldheid te voorkom. Die twee veranderlikes was ras (bruin en wit persone) en ouderdom. Jonger as 35, en 35 of ouer as 35 is gekies as arbitrêre afsnypunt vir respondente. Die resultate is statisties verwerk om duidelike tendense en data te bekom. Resultate het getoon dat die alumni wel ‘n positiewe beeld van die US het, asook sy kommunikasie. Alumni voel ook nog redelik verbonde aan die US. ‘n Voorkeur is egter getoon vir die herontwerpte brief, d.w.s. waar die balans tussen die boodskappe eweredig is. Dit dui aan dat die US se beeld beter uitgedra sal word (of op ‘n positiewer wyse) as die leser ingetrek word deur die teks.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The aim of the dissertation is to examine the approach to politeness in Swedish and in Czech and to compare its features in both languages. In the theoretical part there are presented the most influential approaches to politeness. The next two chapters focus on practical examples. In the first of these there are summarized linguistic means which are used to express politeness in Czech, and they are compared with Swedish. The second one deals with several specific speech acts, in which courtesy applies. The different ways of expressing politeness in Czech and Swedish are described on the base of the literature and also on my own questionnaire. Not only the spoken but also the written form of the communication is ranged in the dissertation. Key words: communication, courtesy, politeness, Czech, Swedish, language, form of address, formal terms, written communication, greeting

Made available in DSpace on 2015-12-03T18:35:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelo_Francisco_Nogueira.pdf: 1081308 bytes, checksum: bd40cd30b8296d10974165e6c52672e7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-08-25 / The general objective of that work is to identify if there are noises to commit the process of the communication accounting judicial pericial. For so much, he/she came, for first, the allusive theoretical referencial to the characteristics of the communication process and their implications in the judicial expertise, with emphasis for the verifiable noises in each stage, and, at the end of that stage, the own expertise concept was discussed, to the light of the communication process. Soon afterwards, field research was accomplished in the city of Florian??polis / SC with magistrates, experts and lawyers with the purpose of verifying, indeed, there are noises in the process of communication accounting forensic accounting, regarding those issuing ones and addressees of the messages and where those noises ponder. The results revealed, among other aspects, that there are differences in relation to the expertise concept, their procedures and rites, on the part of the magistrates, lawyers and experts and that, probably, in function of the common repertoire, there is adult alignment among the lawyers' opinions and of the magistrates. Like this, the accounting judicial expertise can give his/her contribution, for the society, with the offer of more didactic and clear decisions, with larger quality of the information pericial generating better understanding conditions on the part of the users and users of decision, but so that that happens is necessary to know the communication process, to formulate appropriate messages to the addressees' repertoire, avoiding the noxious effects of the noises. / O objetivo geral desse trabalho ?? identificar se h?? ru??dos que possam comprometer o processo da comunica????o pericial judicial cont??bil. Para tanto, apresentou-se, por primeiro, o referencial te??rico alusivo ??s caracter??sticas do processo de comunica????o e suas implica????es na per??cia judicial, com ??nfase para os ru??dos verific??veis em cada etapa, sendo que, ao final dessa etapa, discutiu-se o pr??prio conceito de per??cia, ?? luz do processo de comunica????o. Em seguida, foi realizada pesquisa de campo na cidade de Florian??polis/SC com magistrados, peritos e advogados com a finalidade de verificar se, efetivamente, h?? ru??dos no processo de comunica????o pericial judicial cont??bil, referentes a esses emitentes e destinat??rios das mensagens e onde esses ru??dos se concentram. Os resultados revelaram, entre outros aspectos, que h?? diferen??as em rela????o ao conceito de per??cia, seus procedimentos e ritos, por parte dos magistrados, advogados e peritos e que, provavelmente, em fun????o do repert??rio comum, h?? maior alinhamento entre as opini??es dos advogados e dos magistrados. Assim, a per??cia judicial cont??bil pode dar sua contribui????o, para a sociedade, com a oferta de laudos mais did??ticos e claros, com maior qualidade da informa????o pericial gerando melhores condi????es de compreensibilidade por parte dos usu??rios e tomadores de decis??o, mas para que isso ocorra ?? necess??rio conhecer o processo de comunica????o, para formular mensagens adequadas ao repert??rio dos destinat??rios, evitando os efeitos nocivos dos ru??dos.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-10-20T14:04:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Samuel da Silva.pdf: 1626033 bytes, checksum: ab9b4fe1617e908dd33dab1aa95dfc58 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-20T14:04:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Samuel da Silva.pdf: 1626033 bytes, checksum: ab9b4fe1617e908dd33dab1aa95dfc58 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-25 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / The difficulty that writing production represents for most students is present in the discourse of teachers and researchers from the most diverse areas, especially with reference to the writing of the argumentative-essay text, since this is the type of text which is most requested both in high school/university environments and in university entrance exams in Brazil. There are several questions waiting for answers. Why does the linguistic proficiency of the students, who can communicate orally without any problems in their daily lives, decline when they express themselves in the written modality? As writing occurs after the acquisition of the oral modality, the hypothesis that arises naturally is that this decline would result from the transposition of the oral features to the writing ones without the due adjustments that this requires because of the contextual and functional differences that distinguish one of the other. But, after all, what elements exist in face-to-face interaction that differ from those required, for example, by a formal academic text? The purpose of this research is to examine the characteristics of a text of the oral modality - a dialogue between a psychologist and an engineer - as well as texts of the written modality - a model argumentative essay requested from third year high school students in order to verify the interference of the oral modality in the students’ writing. Among the several factors that distinguish the two modalities, this research focuses on the structural unit, involving structures of genre with their stages and purposes and texture structure, covering the lexicogrammatical choices with implications for coherence and cohesion. The research responds to the following questions: (a) in the comparison of the oral modality with the formal written modality, what differences are there regarding genre structure and texture structure? (b) What can this comparison provide for the understanding of the failures committed in a argumentative-essay text of candidates for university entrance exams? The results of the research show that the difficulty of the students in writing the written text may arise from the differences between the modalities, be it in structuring, or in the lexicogrammatical choices. The oral modality syntax presents itself with characteristics specific to it, which must be replace or complemented by wrinting / A dificuldade que a produção escrita representa para a maioria dos estudantes está presente no discurso dos professores e pesquisadores das mais diversas áreas, especialmente com referência à redação do texto dissertativo-argumentativo, visto que é esse o tipo de texto mais solicitado tanto no Ensino Médio e Superior quanto nos exames de vestibulares no Brasil. Há várias perguntas que esperam por respostas. Por que a proficiência linguística do aluno, que se comunica oralmente sem problemas no seu dia a dia, decai quando ele se expressa na modalidade escrita? Como a escrita ocorre após a aquisição da modalidade oral, a hipótese que surge naturalmente e a de que esse declínio decorreria da transposição das características do oral para a escrita sem os ajustes devidos que esta requer, em razão das diferenças contextuais e funcionais que distanciam uma da outra. Mas, afinal, que elementos existem na interação face a face que se diferenciam daqueles exigidos, por exemplo, por um texto acadêmico formal? O objetivo desta pesquisa é o exame das características de um texto da modalidade oral – um diálogo entre uma psicóloga e um engenheiro – e também de textos da modalidade escrita – uma dissertação argumentativa modelo na comparação com três textos dissertativoargumentativos solicitados a alunos de terceiro ano do Ensino Médio, a fim de verificar a interferência da modalidade oral na escrita do aluno. Dentre os vários fatores que distinguem as duas modalidades, esta pesquisa enfoca a unidade de estrutura, envolvendo estrutura de gênero com seus estágios e finalidades e a estrutura de textura, abrangendo as escolhas lexicogramaticais com implicações na coerência e na coesão. A pesquisa responde às seguintes perguntas: (a) na comparação da modalidade oral com a modalidade escrita formal que diferenças há no tocante à estrutura de gênero e à estrutura de textura? (b) o que essa comparação pode proporcionar para a compreensão das falhas cometidas em um texto dissertativo-argumentativo de candidatos a exames vestibulares ? Os resultados da pesquisa mostram que a dificuldade do discente ao redigir o texto escrito pode decorrer das diferenças entre as modalidades, seja na estruturação, seja nas escolhas lexicogramaticais. A sintaxe da modalidade oral apresenta-se com características que lhe são peculiares, as quais devem ser substituídas ou complementadas pela escrita

published_or_final_version / Linguistics / Master / Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics

Written communication is an integral part of any organisation regardless of size or the nature of its business. The writer chooses words that should be understood by the readers. However, these words have been chosen based on a variety of factors, one of which is personality type, and the writer's personality type may differ from that of the readers. The research question underpinning this study is - In what ways, if at all, do personality types (as determined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and most frequently found in management positions), select and use different words and phrases when writing business communication? To investigate this question, the psychological type theory of Jung, the personality type theory of Briggs and Myers, and organisational communication theory are applied. The methodology used is descriptive research with the documents analysed using content analysis, employing NUD.IST Vivo in conjunction with manual assessment. The research findings confirm that each personality type does use different words, validating personality type theory and therefore, making a contribution to the expanding body of research in this field. The knowledge gained from this study has significance in areas related to organisations as well as education and communication theory.

Mathematical modelling problems are embedded in written, representational, and graphic text. For students to actively engage in the mathematical-modelling process, they require literacy. Of critical importance is the comprehension of the problems' text information, data, and goals. This design-research study investigated the application of top-level structuring; a literary, organisational, structuring strategy, to mathematical-modelling problems. The research documents how students' mathematical modelling was changed when two classes of Year 4 students were shown, through a series of lessons, how to apply top-level structure to two scientifically-based, mathematical-modelling problems. The methodology used a design-based research approach, which included five phases. During Phase One, consultations took place with the principal and participant teachers. As well, information on student numeracy and literacy skills was gathered from the Queensland Year 3 'Aspects of Numeracy' and 'Aspects of Literacy' tests. Phase Two was the initial implementation of top-level structure with one class of students. In Phase Three, the first mathematical-modelling problem was implemented with the two Year 4 classes. Data was collected through video and audio taping, student work samples, teacher and researcher observations, and student presentations. During Phase Four, the top-level structure strategy was implemented with the second Year 4 class. In Phase Five, the second mathematical-modelling problem was investigated by both classes, and data was again collected through video and audio taping, student work samples, teacher and researcher observations, and student presentations. The key finding was that top-level structure had a positive impact on students' mathematical modelling. Students were more focussed on mathematising, acquired key mathematical knowledge, and used high-level, mathematically-based peer questioning and responses after top-level structure instruction. This research is timely and pertinent to the needs of mathematics education today because of its recognition of the need for mathematical literacy. It reflects international concerns on the need for more research in problem solving. It is applicable to real-world problem solving because mathematical-modelling problems are focussed in real-world situations. Finally, it investigates the role literacy plays in the problem-solving process.