廖柏森

Ø 為概念下定義(defining concepts)

研究論文中常有許多重要或抽象的概念需要先下定義，才能展開後續的探討。而下定義除了描述某一概念之外，還可提供其相對的概念作為參照，也可進一步提供該概念的例子作為說明。請看以下的範例段落: 

1. Before I proceed with my discussion on second language acquisition, I need to define an important concept, the affective domain. 2. This term has been useful in discussing the personality variables that we observe in second language learners. 3. The affective domain refers to the feelings that everyone experiences. 4. It is often contrasted with the cognitive domain, which deals with our analytical abilities. 5. An example of a personality factor that falls within the affective domain is the idea of self-esteem. 6. Your self-esteem has to do with your view of yourself. 7. In terms of second language acquisition, we often assume that high self-esteem leads to success in language acquisition.

在我繼續往下探討第二語言習得之前，我需要先界定一個重要概念: 情意領域。這個詞彙在討論我們所觀察第二語言學習者的個性變項中是很有用的。情意領域是指每個人都會體驗到的感受。它通常是個與認知領域相對的概念，而認知領域是處理我們的分析能力。在情意領域中個性因素的例子中有所謂的自尊，你的自尊就是你如何看待自己的觀點。在第二語言習得中，我們通常預設高度自尊會導致語言習得上的成功。 

l 講解:

1. Before I proceed with my discussion on second language acquisition, I need to define an important concept, affective domain.

首句指出在本文的研究題目第二語言習得(second language acquisition)中首先要定義的概念是什麼，作者指出此一重要概念就是情意領域(affective domain)。另可注意該概念之前要加逗點的寫法。 

2. This term has been useful in discussing the personality variables that we observe in second language learners.

第二句再描述為何需要定義這個概念，主要是因為據研究者觀察，它在本文所要討論的個性變項( personality variable)中是很有用的(useful)。 

3. Affective domain refers to the feelings that everyone experiences.

第三句就直指情意領域的定義，動詞用refer to是論文寫作中界定詞彙的常用片語。 

4. It is often contrasted with the cognitive domain, which deals with our analytical abilities.

第四句是定義認知領域(cognitive domain)，來與所定義的情意領域作對照，用以突顯兩者的差異。句中的which是關係代名詞，用以代替其前的名詞cognitive domain，而which之後的動詞deal with是第三句的動詞refer to一樣，都是常用來撰寫定義的片語。 

5. An example of a personality factor that falls within the affective domain is the idea of self-esteem

第五句是就界定的概念提供相關的例證，本句就是在所界的定情意領域中提出個性因素(personality factor)，亦即自尊(self-esteem)的例子。此句的personality factor與第二句中的personality variable是相同的意思，論文寫作中有時variable與factor會交替使用，以增加字彙使用的多樣性。 

6.    Your self-esteem has to do with your view of yourself.

下一句又針對何謂自尊作一簡短說明，句中動詞has to do with也是跟refer to和deal with一樣，常用來說明概念。 

7. In terms of second language acquisition, we often assume that high self-esteem leads to success in language acquisition.

最後一句又回到第一句曾提過的研究題目第二語言習得，有前後呼應的效果，並且把自尊的概念與語言習得成功聯結起來。 

整段文字中的幾個概念其實有層次關係，從最上一層的second language acquisition依序為affective domain, personality variable/ factor到最下層的 self-esteem。文字的進展上也是從第一句開始依序將這些概念介紹出來。 

l 句型:

由以上段落分析，為概念下定義的段落寫法的架構可由以下七個句子組成，但寫作時若不用為所定義的概念作對比，則可省略第四句；若為精簡，亦可省略第七句: 

1.      Before I proceed with my discussion on ____研究題目_______, I need to define an important concept, _____所要定義的概念_____.

2.      This term has been useful in discussing ___________________ that we observe in ___________________.

3.      _____所要定義的概念_____ refers to _____所要定義概念的內容_____.

4.      It is often contrasted with _____與所定義概念作對比的另一概念___________, which deals with ____另一概念的定義內容_________. (若不作概念的對比，則可省略)

5.      An example of ___________________ that falls within _____所要定義的概念_____ is the idea of _____所要定義概念的例子______.

6.      _____所要定義概念的例子______ has to do with ______例子的內容________.

7.      In terms of ____研究題目_______, we often assume that ___________________. (可省略) 

l 練習:

請按以上講解說明以及你自己的研究內容，填入以下段落的空格來表達所要定義的概念:

Before I proceed with my discussion on __________________, I need to define an important concept, __________________. This term has been useful in discussing __________________ that we observe in __________________. __________________ refers to __________________. It is often contrasted with __________________, which deals with __________________. An example of __________________ that falls within __________________ is the idea of __________________.  __________________has to do with __________________. In terms of __________________, we often assume that __________________.