Research Methods of Applied
Linguistics and Statistics (4)
Research Proposal and Report
Writing
Functions of a research
proposal




Planning tool for the researcher
Rough draft of the final research
report
Convincing others that your research
is worth undertaking
Demonstrating expertise and
competency in your particular area of
study
When should the proposal
be written?



A research proposal is an iterative process
A substantial amount of work has to be done
before a proposal can be written
Seek advice on your draft from supervisors
and peers
Criteria for a good
proposal








Clearly defined research question
Appropriate literature provides a
background to the problem
Objectives clearly specified
Conceptual framework and theoretical
assumptions clearly stated
Appropriate design and methodology
Promotes further research
Preliminary data/pilot study
Necessary resources available
Unsuccessful proposal








Poor structure, language use
Inappropriate use of technical terms
Research too ambitious
No integration of theory in literature
review
Literature review copied
No theoretical foundation
Methods not clear or inappropriate
No references or appendix
Questions to be answered
(1)





What are the research questions?
What has already been done to answer the
questions?
What evidence do you expect to gather to
answer the questions?
What are the variables and how are they
defined?
Where or what Ss do you expect to gather
the evidence
Questions to be answered
(2)





How do you expect to collect the data?
How will you analyze the data?
What do you expect the results to be?
Where can the related literature be
found?
What is the timetable for the research?
Format of a proposal








Introduction
Literature Review
Methodology
Result predicted
Structure of the thesis
Working schedule
References
Appendix
Abstract




a statement of the topic and aim of the paper,
which may be accompanied by a statement more
broadly situating the research.
a concise description of the sample2 and
materials used.
some information about the procedures used and
the way data were later analyzed.
a brief summary of results, or the general trend
of these, and what conclusions are to be drawn
from these.
Introduction
1.
2.
3.
General research question
Reasons for your study (choosing the
topic)
Overall structure of the thesis (degree
thesis)
Examples of Research
Papers
1.
2.
3.
Error feedback in L2 writing classes:
How explicit does it need to be?
Effects of Pre-Task Planning and OnLine Planning on Fluency, Complexity
and Accuracy in L2 Monologic Oral
Production
The Influence of Task Structure and
Processing Conditions on Narrative
Retellings
Purpose of literature review





Provide a conceptual framework for the
research
Provide an integrated overview of the field of
study
Help establish a need for the research
Help clarify the research problem
Help to demonstrate researcher’s familiarity
with the area under consideration (theory and /
or methods)
Skills involved in producing
a literature review





Surveying a comprehensive range of existing
literature in the general areas of your study
Selecting those that will be most relevant
and significant for your particular project
Analyzing the central findings and
arguments
Synthesizing the findings and integrating
them into the research proposal
A good literature review generally contains
an argument or critical idea
Questions to help you in compiling
a literature review







What theoretical model/s relate to your research
topic?
What theories, methods & results have previous
researchers in your field produced? What is the
history of your area of study?
What are the most recent findings in your area of
study?
What gaps or contradictions exist among these
findings?
What new research questions do these findings
suggest?
What structure suits my literature review best?
What should I leave out?
Sources of literature




Journals
Monographs or collections
Internet
Databanks
Databanks








EBSCO
Elsvier
Blackwell
HighWire
Sage
Academic Research Library
Ingenta
Cambridge Journals Online
Journals of abstracts and
literature review
 Language
Teaching
(Cambridge Journals Online )
 Annual
Review of Applied Linguistics
(Cambridge Journals Online )
17
Journals of applied linguistics
Applied
Linguistics
HighWire Press 电子期刊
Academic Research Library
Language
Learning
Blackwell
Modern
Language Journal
Blackwell
18
Journals of SLA
 Studies
in Second Language
Acquisition
Cambridge Journals Online
TESOL
quarterly
Ingentaconnect
 Canadian Modern Language Review
EBSCO
19
Journals of language teaching
 System
Elsevier (ScienceDirect OnSite,SDOL)
 ELT Journal
HighWire Press 电子期刊
 Foreign Language Annals
Academic Research Library
 Bilingual Research Journal
Academic Research Library
20
Journals of SLW
 Journal
of Second Language Writing
Elsevier (ScienceDirect OnSite,SDOL)
 Assessing Writing
Elsevier (ScienceDirect OnSite,SDOL)
 Written Communication
Sage
21
Journals on other issues
 English
for Specific Purposes
Elsevier (ScienceDirect OnSite,SDOL)
 Journal of English for Academic Purposes
Elsevier (ScienceDirect OnSite,SDOL)
 Journal of Pragmatics
Elsevier (ScienceDirect OnSite,SDOL)
 World Englishes
22
Steps for writing
literature review




Construct a working bibliography (manual
/computer search: ERIC; Endnote 8.0)
Determine the relevance of the literature:
(theories outside applied linguistics; theories
inside applied linguistics; empirical findings of
applied linguistics)
Decide on intensive and extensive readings
Compile and summarize the information
(similarity and dissimilarity; your own critical
idea; the relationship of other research to
your study)
Components for literature
review





Conceptual definition of key terms
Examination of the topic from the
theoretical perspective
Examination of the topic from the
empirical perspective
Critical review of research designs
Conceptual framework if any
Scope of literature review





About the research topic
About the research method
About the data analysis
About the findings
Criticism of the research
About the research topic:
What



Main research area
Research problem
Major research questions or
hypothesis
About the research
method: How




Main variables
Research design
Description of the population, sample
and selection procedures
Data collection procedures (reliability,
validity, etc)
About data analysis: How


Procedures
Quantitative or qualitative
About the findings





Main findings
Conclusion from findings
Relation of the findings to the research
context and underlying theories
Implications of the findings
Recommendations based on findings
Criticism of the research








Statement of the problem
Identification of the hypotheses
Description and definition of the variables
Appropriateness of the design of the study
Appropriateness of the instruments
Appropriateness of the data analysis procedures
Consistency of the results with analysis
Whether the conclusion, implications, and
recommendations are warranted by the results.
Methodology



The methodology section shows the reader
how you are going to set about looking for
answers to the research question
It must include enough detail to demonstrate
that you are competent and the research is
feasible
The proposed methods must be appropriate to
the type of research
Components of
methodology







Introduction (degree thesis)
Research questions / hypotheses
Subjects
Instruments
Data collection procedure
Data treatment
Limitations (optional for degree thesis)
Results presenting




Organize the results according to research
questions
Report the results in tables or graphs and
verbally
The first topic of the results is usually a
summary or description of the data
Another topic is the actual results of any
statistical procedures applied in the study
Discussion




Reflecting on the results in nontechnical
terms
Looking for some exploration of why the
results turned out as they did
Evaluating the significance of the results
Such an exploration and evaluation may
relate the results of previous research (refer
back to the literature reviewed) or may be
pure speculation or both.
Conclusion




Major findings
Implications (theoretical, pedagogical,
methodological)
Limitations
Recommendations for future research