Abacahin, Sol Krishna N.
Antallan, Ijielo L.
Mariscal, Jemeah Ann M.
AB ELS - 3A
ELS - 69
Critical Analysis of a Research Journal
Form groups of THREES. For your group, choose ONE sample study illustrating any of the
current approaches to language and gender and do a critical analysis of the article by
examining its parts. Give your critique of each of the parts by answering the guide questions
given. Make your answers brief and direct to the point.
Title of the Article: The role of gender in conversational dominance: A study of EFL Learners
Author/s and Date of Publication: Maryam Pakzadian and Arezoo Ashoori Tootkaboni (2018)
Parts
Guide Questions
Your Answer
Title (5 pts)
Does the title precisely state the
subject of the paper? Explain
briefly.
Yes, because the premise of the whole study is to
examine the role of gender in assessing dominance
in a conversation when it come of EFL learners and
it is clearly stated in the title of the study which
gives us a glimpse of the whole paper as well.
Introduction
(10 pts)
What is/are the
objective/objectives of the
study? Or why do/es the
author/s conduct this study?
There are two objectives from this study, firstly and
mainly, is to examine the role of gender in the
quality of gender dominance in informal
conversation by focusing on Persian/Iranian EFL
learners. Secondly, how men and women maintain
their control over a conversation.
Is the need to conduct the
study well-established?
Yes, a study should be well-established and is
credible. In this study, it is a well-established
journal and have cited enough credible references
and other related studies. It is written by scholar
authors Maryam Pakzadian and Arezoo Ashoori
Tootkaboni in year 2018. Target audiences are
same field researchers, communication experts,
subjects in this study who are the Persian EFL
learners, and also men and women. Another
reason that makes it well-established is it is
academically written. Lastly, its publication type
limits to teacher education and development,
social sciences, and communication studies.
Method (15
pts)
What method/approach/theory
is used by the researcher/s?
The approach used by the researchers is the
Dominance Approach.
How are language and gender
In this approach, language and gender is studied
studied in this approach?
How does the approach help
the researcher/s to obtain
desired data or information?
How are the data interpreted?
by examining which gender would assert
dominance in a conversation and what speech
skills will the participant use. The researchers used
five parameters; 1. interrupting 2. topic shifting 3.
asking questions or raising topics 4. criticizing and
engaging in conflict 5. silence
This approach helped the researcher obtain the
desired data through establishing boundaries of
the study and as a result the researchers were
avoid unnecessary generalizations.
The data were obtained by recording the
conversation of the participants via audio and
video and were transcribed after. The transcript of
the conversation went through content analysis
and was analyzed by the researchers base on the
parameters of the approach. Negative analysis and
member checking were used to assure the
reliability of the analyses and interpretations.
Results and
Discussion
(25 pts)
What are the results of the
study? Do/es the author/s
answer the problem/s raised?
How is the approach used to
obtain the result?
How are the results
interpreted?
Do the findings of the study
support or contradict findings
of previous studies in the field?
The results of this study echoed the findings of the
previous studies (e.g., Fishman, 1983; Spender,
1980, Tannen, 1984) which reported that in most
cases men interrupt women more often than the
other way round. In dominance theory developed
by Fishman (1983), it is mentioned that in mixedsex conversations men are more likely to interrupt
than women. Spender (1980) endorsed a radical
view of language as incorporating structures that
support male power.
The impression of topic dominance may be caused
by style differences of the speakers even when the
dominance is not intended.
They choose one of the two instruments based on
the context, their intentions and style differences.
The findings of this research are in line with
previous findings of other studies (e.g., Ong, 1981;
Tannen, 1990, 1993) which indicated that men
used criticism to start conflicts which finally
promoted their dominance over conversation.
Previous research on gender and conversational
dominance found male speakers to be more likely
to initiate and engage in conflict. Male speakers are
reported to be more competitive (e.g., arguing,
disagreeing, and issuing commands) and female
speakers more cooperative (e.g., supporting,
making suggestions, agreeing)
Conclusion
(5 pts)
How is the significance of the
findings described?
Does the research make a
significant contribution to
human knowledge particularly
on language and gender?
The findings of this study revealed that women
show greater acceptance in conversation and due
to this feature they try to have more facilitative
role in conversation, and men try to maintain
dominance over topic by showing more assertive
mode during stages of topic development and
maintenance.
Yes, by making this research the readers can
differentiate the difference between men and
women when it comes to conversation.