Researcher Lina defends a proposal on peer feedback with supervisor Samir and methods reviewer Huda, narrowing its claims while protecting a feasible and useful research question.
01Read the Arabic conversation
الدِّفَاعُ عَنْ مُقْتَرَحٍ بَحْثِيٍّ
لِينَا: أَقْتَرِحُ دِرَاسَةَ أَثَرِ مُلَاحَظَاتِ الزُّمَلَاءِ فِي كِتَابَةِ طُلَّابِ السَّنَةِ الْأُولَى. أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ هَلْ يَدْفَعُ نَمُوذَجٌ مُنَظَّمٌ لِلتَّعْلِيقِ الطَّالِبَ إِلَى مُرَاجَعَةِ حُجَّتِهِ، لَا مُجَرَّدِ تَصْحِيحِ اللُّغَةِ.
سَمِيرٌ: الْفِكْرَةُ مُهِمَّةٌ، لَكِنَّ عِبَارَةَ تَحْسِينِ الْكِتَابَةِ وَاسِعَةٌ جِدًّا. هَلْ تَدْرُسِينَ دِقَّةَ الْمَعْلُومَاتِ، أَمْ تَنْظِيمَ الْفِقْرَاتِ، أَمْ قُدْرَةَ الطَّالِبِ عَلَى رَبْطِ ادِّعَاءٍ بِدَلِيلٍ مُنَاسِبٍ؟
هُدَى: وَاخْتِيَارُ كَلِمَةِ أَثَرٍ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى تَبْرِيرٍ مَنْهَجِيٍّ. قَبْلَ أَنْ نُنَاقِشَ الْأَدَوَاتِ، أَوَدُّ مَعْرِفَةَ كَيْفِيَّةِ تَشْكِيلِ الْمَجْمُوعَتَيْنِ وَمَا إِذَا كَانَ تَوْزِيعُ الطُّلَّابِ عَشْوَائِيًّا.
لِينَا: سَأَعْمَلُ مَعَ شُعْبَتَيْنِ قَائِمَتَيْنِ فِي مُقَرَّرِ التَّارِيخِ، وَلَنْ أُغَيِّرَ تَوْزِيعَهُمَا. تَسْتَخْدِمُ الْأُولَى النَّمُوذَجَ، وَتُوَاصِلُ الثَّانِيَةُ التَّعْلِيقَ الْمُعْتَادَ؛ لِذَلِكَ لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ اسْتِبْعَادَ الْفُرُوقِ السَّابِقَةِ بَيْنَهُمَا.
سَمِيرٌ: يُدَرِّسُ كُلَّ شُعْبَةٍ مُحَاضِرٌ مُخْتَلِفٌ أَيْضًا. قَدْ يَرْجِعُ التَّحَسُّنُ إِلَى طَرِيقَةِ شَرْحِهِ، وَلَوْ تَسَاوَتْ دَرَجَاتُ الطُّلَّابِ فِي الْبِدَايَةِ. هَذَا قَيْدٌ يَنْبَغِي أَنْ يَظْهَرَ فِي السُّؤَالِ.
لِينَا: سَأُعِيدُ صِيَاغَتَهُ: كَيْفَ تَخْتَلِفُ مُرَاجَعَةُ الرَّبْطِ بَيْنَ الِادِّعَاءِ وَالدَّلِيلِ عِنْدَ اسْتِخْدَامِ النَّمُوذَجِ؟ سَأَصِفُ الْفُرُوقَ الْمُلَاحَظَةَ، وَلَنْ أَنْسُبَهَا كُلَّهَا إِلَى النَّمُوذَجِ وَحْدَهُ.
هُدَى: هَذَا أَدَقُّ، وَلَكِنْ كَيْفَ سَتَتَعَرَّفِينَ عَلَى مُرَاجَعَةٍ جَوْهَرِيَّةٍ؟ زِيَادَةُ عَدَدِ الْكَلِمَاتِ لَا تَعْنِي أَنَّ الْحُجَّةَ أَصْبَحَتْ أَقْوَى، وَقَدْ يَحْذِفُ الطَّالِبُ جُمْلَةً فَيُحَسِّنُ النَّصَّ.
لِينَا: سَأُقَارِنُ الْمُسَوَّدَةَ الْأُولَى بِالنُّسْخَةِ الْمُنَقَّحَةِ، وَأُصَنِّفُ التَّغْيِيرَ بِحَسَبِ وَظِيفَتِهِ: إِضَافَةِ دَلِيلٍ، أَوْ تَفْسِيرِ صِلَتِهِ، أَوْ تَعْدِيلِ ادِّعَاءٍ لَا يَسْنُدُهُ النَّصُّ. عَدَدُ الْكَلِمَاتِ لَيْسَ مِعْيَارِي.
سَمِيرٌ: تَحْتَاجِينَ إِلَى أَمْثِلَةٍ تَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ هَذِهِ الْفِئَاتِ. قَدْ تُؤَدِّي الْجُمْلَةُ الْوَاحِدَةُ وَظِيفَتَيْنِ، فَإِذَا اخْتَلَفَ الْمُقَيِّمَانِ، فَلَا يَكْفِي أَنْ تَخْتَارِي التَّصْنِيفَ الَّذِي يُنَاسِبُ تَوَقُّعَكِ.
هُدَى: نَسْتَطِيعُ تَجْرِبَةَ دَلِيلِ التَّصْنِيفِ عَلَى نُصُوصٍ تَدْرِيبِيَّةٍ قَبْلَ جَمْعِ الْبَيَانَاتِ. نُوَثِّقُ مَوَاضِعَ الِاخْتِلَافِ، ثُمَّ نُعَدِّلُ التَّعْرِيفَاتِ، بَدَلًا مِنْ تَغْيِيرِهَا كُلَّمَا ظَهَرَتْ نَتِيجَةٌ غَيْرُ مُتَوَقَّعَةٍ.
لِينَا: سَأَحْذِفُ مِنَ النُّصُوصِ أَسْمَاءَ الطُّلَّابِ وَإِشَارَاتِ الشُّعْبَةِ قَبْلَ التَّقْيِيمِ. وَسَيُقَيِّمُ بَاحِثٌ آخَرُ جُزْءًا مِنَ الْعَيِّنَةِ مُسْتَقِلًّا، ثُمَّ نُسَجِّلُ الِاتِّفَاقَ وَنَفْحَصُ أَسْبَابَ الِاخْتِلَافِ.
سَمِيرٌ: وَمَا دَوْرُ الْمُقَابَلَاتِ الثَّمَانِي فِي الْمُقْتَرَحِ؟ لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ تُضِيفِي أَدَاةً ثَانِيَةً لِمُجَرَّدِ تَنْوِيعِ الْأَدَوَاتِ. بَيِّنِي السُّؤَالَ الَّذِي تَعْجِزُ النُّصُوصُ وَحْدَهَا عَنِ الْإِجَابَةِ عَنْهُ.
لِينَا: سَأَسْأَلُ أَرْبَعَةَ طُلَّابٍ مِنْ كُلِّ شُعْبَةٍ عَنْ سَبَبِ قَبُولِ تَعْلِيقٍ أَوْ رَفْضِهِ. قَدْ يَفْهَمُ الطَّالِبُ الْمُلَاحَظَةَ، لَكِنَّهُ لَا يَجِدُ دَلِيلًا يُسَاعِدُهُ عَلَى تَنْفِيذِهَا.
هُدَى: اخْتَارِي حَالَاتٍ تَخْتَلِفُ فِي نَوْعِ الْمُرَاجَعَةِ، لَا أَصْحَابَ أَعْلَى الدَّرَجَاتِ فَقَطْ. وَتَذَكَّرِي أَنَّ تَفْسِيرَ الطَّالِبِ لِقَرَارِهِ يُضِيءُ تَجْرِبَتَهُ، وَلَا يَكْشِفُ بِالضَّرُورَةِ كُلَّ أَسْبَابِ التَّغْيِيرِ.
سَمِيرٌ: الْخُطَّةُ تَفْتَرِضُ حُصُولَكِ عَلَى مُوَافَقَةِ الطُّلَّابِ كُلِّهِمْ. مَاذَا لَوْ رَفَضَ نِصْفُهُمْ؟ وَهَلْ سَيَشْعُرُ الطَّالِبُ بِأَنَّ رَفْضَ الْمُشَارَكَةِ قَدْ يُؤَثِّرُ فِي دَرَجَتِهِ عِنْدَ الْمُحَاضِرِ؟
لِينَا: سَيَشْرَحُ الدَّعْوَةَ مُنَسِّقٌ لَا يُصَحِّحُ وَاجِبَاتِهِمْ، وَسَتُفْصَلُ الْمُوَافَقَاتُ عَنِ التَّقْيِيمِ الدِّرَاسِيِّ. سَيَتَلَقَّى الْجَمِيعُ التَّدْرِيسَ الْمُقَرَّرَ، وَلَنْ نَسْتَخْدِمَ بَحْثِيًّا إِلَّا نُصُوصَ مَنْ يُوَافِقُ.
هُدَى: صَحِّحِي أَيْضًا وَعْدَ الِانْسِحَابِ فِي أَيِّ وَقْتٍ. بَعْدَ حَذْفِ الرَّابِطِ بَيْنَ الِاسْمِ وَالرَّمْزِ، لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعِي تَمْيِيزَ نَصِّ شَخْصٍ بِعَيْنِهِ لِإِزَالَتِهِ مِنَ الْبَيَانَاتِ.
لِينَا: سَأُحَدِّدُ مَوْعِدًا لِلِانْسِحَابِ قَبْلَ إِزَالَةِ ذَلِكَ الرَّابِطِ، وَأَشْرَحُ السَّبَبَ بِوُضُوحٍ. وَإِذَا قَلَّتِ الْمُشَارَكَةُ، فَسَأُضَيِّقُ نِطَاقَ الِاسْتِنْتَاجِ بَدَلًا مِنْ تَوْسِيعِ الْعَيِّنَةِ عَلَى حِسَابِ الْمَوْعِدِ.
سَمِيرٌ: هَلْ يَكْفِي الْوَقْتُ لِتَفْرِيغِ الْمُقَابَلَاتِ وَتَصْنِيفِ النُّصُوصِ؟ يَبْدُو أَنَّ الْجَدْوَلَ يَتْرُكُ أُسْبُوعًا وَاحِدًا لِكِلَا الْعَمَلَيْنِ، مَعَ أَنَّكِ تَدْرُسِينَ مُقَرَّرَيْنِ آخَرَيْنِ فِي الْفَصْلِ نَفْسِهِ.
لِينَا: سَأُجَرِّبُ مُقَابَلَةً تَدْرِيبِيَّةً وَنَصَّيْنِ هَذَا الْأُسْبُوعَ لِتَقْدِيرِ الْوَقْتِ الْفِعْلِيِّ. وَأُخَصِّصُ ثَلَاثَةَ أَسَابِيعَ لِلتَّحْلِيلِ، بِحَذْفِ الْمُقَارَنَةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُ أَقْتَرِحُهَا مَعَ مُقَرَّرٍ ثَانٍ.
هُدَى: هَذَا تَقْلِيصٌ مُبَرَّرٌ، لِأَنَّ الْمُقَارَنَةَ الْإِضَافِيَّةَ تُدْخِلُ اخْتِلَافًا فِي نَوْعِ الْكِتَابَةِ. الِاقْتِصَارُ عَلَى مُقَرَّرٍ وَاحِدٍ يَجْعَلُ التَّفْسِيرَ أَوْضَحَ، مَعَ بَقَاءِ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَى ذِكْرِ حُدُودِ التَّعْمِيمِ.
سَمِيرٌ: تَبْقَى مُشْكِلَةُ تَبَادُلِ النَّمُوذَجِ بَيْنَ الشُّعْبَتَيْنِ. الطُّلَّابُ يَتَعَارَفُونَ، وَلَا نَسْتَطِيعُ مَنْعَهُمْ مِنْ مُسَاعَدَةِ بَعْضِهِمْ. كَيْفَ سَتَعْرِفِينَ مَا اسْتَخْدَمُوهُ فِعْلًا قَبْلَ تَسْلِيمِ النُّسْخَةِ الْأَخِيرَةِ؟
لِينَا: سَأُضِيفُ سُؤَالًا قَصِيرًا عَنْ مَصَادِرِ الْمُسَاعَدَةِ، دُونَ لَهْجَةِ اتِّهَامٍ. إِذَا تَبَيَّنَ انْتِشَارُ النَّمُوذَجِ فِي الشُّعْبَتَيْنِ، فَلَنْ أُقَدِّمَ الْمُقَارَنَةَ كَأَنَّهَا تَفْصِلُ بَيْنَ اسْتِخْدَامِهِ وَعَدَمِهِ.
هُدَى: وَلَا تَحْذِفِي تِلْكَ الْحَالَاتِ تِلْقَائِيًّا لِتَحْصُلِي عَلَى فَرْقٍ أَوْضَحَ. اعْرِضِي مَا حَدَثَ، وَبَيِّنِي كَيْفَ يَحُدُّ مِنْ قُوَّةِ الْمُقَارَنَةِ؛ فَالْمُشْكِلَةُ فِي التَّصْمِيمِ لَا تُحَلُّ بِإِخْفَائِهَا.
سَمِيرٌ: وَإِنْ لَمْ تَظْهَرْ فُرُوقٌ وَاضِحَةٌ، فَمَا قِيمَةُ الْبَحْثِ؟ أَطْرَحُ السُّؤَالَ لِأَتَأَكَّدَ أَنَّ فَائِدَةَ الْمَشْرُوعِ لَا تَعْتَمِدُ عَلَى الْوُصُولِ إِلَى النَّتِيجَةِ الَّتِي تَتَوَقَّعِينَ أَنْ تَجِدِيهَا.
لِينَا: سَيُبَيِّنُ تَحْلِيلُ النُّصُوصِ أَيَّ تَعْلِيقَاتٍ تَحَوَّلَتْ إِلَى مُرَاجَعَاتٍ، وَسَتُفَسِّرُ الْمُقَابَلَاتُ بَعْضَ الْعَوَائِقِ. لَا أَعِدُ بِإِثْبَاتِ فَاعِلِيَّةِ النَّمُوذَجِ، بَلْ بِوَصْفٍ مُنَظَّمٍ لِمَا يَحْدُثُ عِنْدَ اسْتِخْدَامِهِ.
هُدَى: أُؤَيِّدُ الْمُقْتَرَحَ بَعْدَ تَعْدِيلِ السُّؤَالِ وَخُطَّةِ الْمُوَافَقَةِ وَالْجَدْوَلِ. أَرْسِلِي دَلِيلَ التَّصْنِيفِ مَعَ نَتَائِجِ التَّجْرِبَةِ التَّدْرِيبِيَّةِ، لِنَتَأَكَّدَ مِنْ أَنَّ الْمَهَمَّةَ مُمْكِنَةٌ بِالْمَوَارِدِ الْمُتَاحَةِ.
لِينَا: سَأُقَدِّمُ النُّسْخَةَ الْمُعَدَّلَةَ الْخَمِيسَ. أَفْهَمُ الْآنَ أَنَّ الدِّفَاعَ عَنِ الْمُقْتَرَحِ لَا يَعْنِي التَّمَسُّكَ بِكُلِّ تَفْصِيلٍ، بَلْ الْحِفَاظَ عَلَى سُؤَالٍ مُهِمٍّ مَعَ قَبُولِ حُدُودٍ يُمْكِنُ تَبْرِيرُهَا.
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Lina — researcher: I propose studying the effect of peer feedback on first-year students’ writing. I want to find out whether a structured feedback form encourages students to revise their argument, rather than merely correct their language.
Samir — supervisor: The idea matters, but “improving writing” is very broad. Are you studying factual accuracy, paragraph organisation, or students’ ability to connect a claim with suitable evidence?
Huda — methods reviewer: The word “effect” also needs methodological justification. Before discussing instruments, I would like to know how the two groups are formed and whether students are assigned randomly.
Lina — researcher: I will work with two existing tutorial groups in a history course without changing their allocation. The first will use the form and the second its usual feedback; I therefore cannot rule out pre-existing differences.
Samir — supervisor: Each group also has a different lecturer. Improvement could reflect that lecturer’s teaching, even if students’ initial scores were equal. That limitation should appear in the question.
Lina — researcher: I will rephrase it: how does revision of the connection between claim and evidence differ when the form is used? I will describe observed differences without attributing them all to the form alone.
Huda — methods reviewer: That is more precise, but how will you identify a substantive revision? More words do not mean a stronger argument, and a student might improve a text by deleting a sentence.
Lina — researcher: I will compare the first draft with the revised version and classify changes by function: adding evidence, explaining its relevance, or modifying a claim the text does not support. Word count is not my criterion.
Samir — supervisor: You need examples that distinguish those categories. One sentence could perform two functions, so if two assessors disagree, you cannot simply choose the classification that fits your expectation.
Huda — methods reviewer: We can try the coding guide on practice texts before collecting data. We document disagreements and revise definitions then, rather than changing them whenever an unexpected result appears.
Lina — researcher: I will remove students’ names and group identifiers before assessment. Another researcher will assess part of the sample independently; we will then record agreement and examine the reasons for disagreement.
Samir — supervisor: What role do the eight interviews play? I do not want you adding a second instrument just for variety. Identify the question that the texts alone cannot answer.
Lina — researcher: I will ask four students from each group why they accepted or rejected a comment. A student may understand the feedback but be unable to find evidence that helps them act on it.
Huda — methods reviewer: Choose cases with different kinds of revision, not just the highest-scoring students. Remember that a student’s explanation illuminates their experience without necessarily revealing every cause of the change.
Samir — supervisor: The plan assumes every student consents. What if half decline? And might a student feel that refusing participation could affect the lecturer’s grade for them?
Lina — researcher: A coordinator who does not mark their work will explain the invitation, and consent will be kept separate from course assessment. Everyone will receive the planned teaching, and only consenting students’ texts will be used for research.
Huda — methods reviewer: Also revise the promise of withdrawal at any time. Once the link between a name and a code has been deleted, you will no longer be able to identify a particular person’s text to remove it.
Lina — researcher: I will set a withdrawal deadline before removing that link and explain why. If participation is low, I will narrow the conclusions rather than expand the sample at the expense of the deadline.
Samir — supervisor: Is there enough time to transcribe interviews and code the texts? The schedule seems to leave only one week for both tasks, although you are taking two other courses that term.
Lina — researcher: I will try a practice interview and two texts this week to estimate the actual time required. I will allocate three weeks to analysis by dropping the proposed comparison with a second course.
Huda — methods reviewer: That reduction is justified because the extra comparison introduces a difference in writing genre. Restricting the study to one course makes interpretation clearer, while still requiring limits on generalisation to be stated.
Samir — supervisor: Students sharing the form between groups remains a problem. They know one another, and we cannot stop them helping each other. How will you establish what they actually used before submitting the final version?
Lina — researcher: I will add a brief, non-accusatory question about sources of help. If the form turns out to be widespread in both groups, I will not present the comparison as separating its use from non-use.
Huda — methods reviewer: Do not automatically remove those cases to obtain a clearer difference. Report what happened and explain how it limits the comparison; a design problem is not solved by hiding it.
Samir — supervisor: If no clear differences emerge, what will the research contribute? I ask to make sure the project’s value does not depend on obtaining the result you expect.
Lina — researcher: Text analysis will show which comments became revisions, and interviews will explain some obstacles. I do not promise to prove the form effective, but to provide a systematic account of what happens when it is used.
Huda — methods reviewer: I support the proposal once the question, consent plan, and schedule are revised. Send the coding guide with the practice results so we can check that the task is feasible with the available resources.
Lina — researcher: I will submit the revised version on Thursday. I now understand that defending a proposal means preserving an important question while accepting defensible limits, rather than holding on to every detail.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| تَبْرِيرٍ مَنْهَجِيٍّ | methodological justification |
| الْفُرُوقِ السَّابِقَةِ | pre-existing differences |
| الرَّبْطِ بَيْنَ الِادِّعَاءِ وَالدَّلِيلِ | the connection between claim and evidence |
| مُرَاجَعَةٍ جَوْهَرِيَّةٍ | a substantive revision |
| الْمُسَوَّدَةَ الْأُولَى | the first draft |
| دَلِيلِ التَّصْنِيفِ | the coding guide |
| مَوَاضِعَ الِاخْتِلَافِ | points of disagreement |
| تَفْرِيغِ الْمُقَابَلَاتِ | transcribing interviews |
| حُدُودِ التَّعْمِيمِ | limits on generalisation |
| مَصَادِرِ الْمُسَاعَدَةِ | sources of help |
| قُوَّةِ الْمُقَارَنَةِ | the strength of the comparison |
| الْمَوَارِدِ الْمُتَاحَةِ | the available resources |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Defend the value of a research question while revising claims that the design cannot support.
- Specify how evidence will be classified, how practical constraints will be checked, and what remains useful without the expected result.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Lakinna and Lakin in Arabic: Two Patterns for But
لَكِنَّهُ لَا يَجِدُ دَلِيلًا يُسَاعِدُهُ عَلَى تَنْفِيذِهَا
Use lakinna with a pronoun to qualify what understanding a comment enables a student to do.
Fa in Arabic Conditional Sentences: When the Result Needs Fa
إِذَا قَلَّتِ الْمُشَارَكَةُ، فَسَأُضَيِّقُ نِطَاقَ الِاسْتِنْتَاجِ
Notice fa before a future response marked by sa- after an idha condition.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّ الْمُقَارَنَةَ الْإِضَافِيَّةَ تُدْخِلُ اخْتِلَافًا فِي نَوْعِ الْكِتَابَةِ
Explain why a reduction is justified with lianna followed by its accusative noun.
