Journal Article

A Study on Myside Bias and the Iranian EFL Students

Gol, Atiyeh Kamyabi

2013

Overview

As Leki and Carson (1994) emphasize: \"ability to write well is necessary both to achieve academic success and to demonstrate that achievement\" (p. 83). However, how the information is presented in a piece of writing is also important. Myside bias is mainly concerned with objectivity in argumentative writing. It is generally believed that by including counterarguments, the overall coherence of the writing will improve. With the growing number of Iranian students studying overseas, it is necessary to see whether these students' argumentative essays pay attention to both sides of an argument. 80 Iranian higher intermediate EFL Students were asked to write two argumentative essays. To further probe into participants' perception, an interview was held with 30 participants. Whether the participants' gender and age played a role in the presence of myside bias was also considered. The results revealed that 55% of the participants used myside bias in their English essays, but on 37.5% could be accused of myside bias in their Persian essays. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

• Publisher: Academy Publication Co., LTD,Academy Publication Co., Ltd
• Subject: Ability / Abortion / Academic achievement / Analysis / Bias / Cognitive Ability / Coherence / College Students / Control Groups / English / English (Second Language) / English as a second language / English as a second language learning / Essays / Evidence / Foreign language instruction / Foreign language learning / International relations / Interrater Reliability / Junior High Schools / Language / Native Language / Objectivity / Persian language / Persuasive Discourse / Rhetoric / Second language writing / Second Languages / Students / Study abroad / Study and teaching / Teaching / Undergraduate Students / Writing