Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1960

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department / School

English

Abstract

This study grew out of the work done by Walter C. Daniel, a graduate student at South Dakota State College, on a thesis completed by him in June of 1959. His study sought to discover the attitudes which the staff teaching technical subjects at this institution held concerning the adequacy if the English preparation of the students in their classes. It was at his suggestion that I became interested in the other side of the coin: What do the student themselves think of their preparation in English and the basic language skills if reading, writing, and grammar? Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to discover the opinion of the student concerning his high school training in English as a preparation for college work and his college training in English as a preparation for further college work. Other related subjects which challenged my curiosity and to which I hoped to find answers were the reliability of student opinion about progress made in language skills as compared to grades earned; changes in attitudes effected during the course; what effect if any, the size of the school might have upon the attitude toward the skills and progress made in them; what significant differences might appear between the attitudes and performance of the two levels or groups into which the Freshman English students are divided, and what basic issues and problems might be noted in criticisms and suggestions made by the students. The primary purpose, however, is to discover the students’ thinking about the freshman English course and how that course might be improved. The area of this study was limited to the students enrolled in English 3 and English 6 at South Dakota State College during the Spring Quarter of 1959. The majority of these had been enrolled in the entire sequence of English 1, 2, and 3, or in English 4, 5, and 6 during the consecutive Fall, Winter, and Spring Quarters of 1958-1959. The questionnaires filled out by the students who had not been in the entire sequence were not included in the study.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

South Dakota State College. Dept. of English.
Student evaluation of curriculum -- South Dakota
Student evaluation of teachers -- South Dakota
English language -- Study and teaching

Description

Includes bibliographical references

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

181

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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