Entry #5: Refining the RQ

Hi there....
 I think there's a need for refining my research question. I asked my friends to read my blog, as they also furthering their master right now and semesters ahead of me, so I could consider them as seniors for this matter. One of my friends suggested to me to refine the question as for Q2 and Q3 could be combined into one.
When I look at the question again, I do agree with her.
Well, before I go further with my RQ, lets look at the criteria of good RQ.

Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E. & Hyun, H. H. (2011). 

How to design and evaluate research in education. 8th ed. 

McGraw-Hill.

So, there are four criteria for a good research question. 

The four are: 1) feasible, 2) clear, 3)significant and 4) ethical.

Feasible:

The question is feasible meaning that it could be conducted or investigated within the allocated time, cost and energy efficient. In other words, it is easy to conduct. I think, we could determine whether the question is feasible or not if we could identify the mean of collecting the data i.e through surveys or interviews etc.

Clear:

Clear means, the moment people read your research question(s), they are able to comprehend what you are trying to achieve, provided with suitable and appropriate key words.

Significant:

This part is very crucial especially in quantitative research. The questions should display or provide how significant the research is in contributing to the society. 

Ethical:

The questions must not touch on sensitive issues. This involves with ethics and moral values.

So. lets look at my research questions and how could I refine them to make sure these four elements are there.

Question #1

What are the causes of the students' anxiety in participating in oral activity in ESL classroom?

Question #2
What are the students' anxiety level before using RRA?

Question #3
What are the students' anxiety level after using RRA?

I think my Q1 is feasible as I'm trying to find out the causes or factors of students' anxiety especially in ESL classroom during oral activity. I could conduct surveys or questionnaires to find the factors as well as do some interviews with the students and teachers. The question is clear as I've specifically mention students' anxiety in oral participation. I guess the question is not too broad and people would understand it. Is it significant? For me, of course, as most teachers who are teaching English as Second Language (ESL) or even as Foreign Language (EFL) would face the same difficulty especially when it comes to students' participation. Well, mostly those students who are lack in proficiency. I believe that this research would help the teachers, particularly, in understanding the reasons why the reticent students behaving like that. The question is definitely ethical.

As I've mentioned earlier, I think I need to reconsider my Q2 and Q3 and restructure the questions to make it become a good question. As I'm trying to use the RRA approach in my class, in enhancing the students' participation in oral activity and I want to see the result, how this approach could help my students in overcoming their anxiety, I guess one key word that suits this purpose is the significant difference before and after using the approach.

Question #2 (Edited)
Is there any significant difference in students' anxiety level before and after the introduction of RRA in oral activity in ESL?

So is the new edited question deserves to be considered as a good question?

• Is it feasible?
• I think it is feasible as it could be investigated without expanding money or energy. I think I would be able to gather sufficient results within allocated or given time frame. I could carry out pre-test and post-test to measure students' anxiety level. My hypothesis would be that it is going to be a significant difference in students' anxiety level which indirectly could be seen through their participation in oral activity in ESL classroom. I could also conduct interview with the students, on how they feel before and after the teacher uses the approach and I could also interview the teacher whether is there any changes in the students' participation.
• Is it clear?
• I think the question is clear as it helps me in deciding the means of data collection and it helps me to get a very clear direction of my research.
• Is it significant?
• Yes, as this question will lead to the results of using RRA in reducing students' anxiety level, thus enhancing students' participation level in oral activity. If it shows positive results, this approach could be used in helping teachers who are facing the same situation.
• Is it ethical?
• With no doubt, it is ethical. :)

Entry #4: Re-defining my research

Hello there,

So I guess since I'm going to change my research topic, I need to redefine the area, objective, statement and the question(s).

As I've mentioned earlier, I realised that the most important thing in conducting or deciding on the research topic is that it must be measurable. Measurable in the sense that how am I going to collect my data, what are the items that I'm going to use for my survey questions for example, that could help me in measuring the targeted response.

From that, I guess I would be able to decide which type of research my research would follow, whether it is going to be qualitative or quantitative, etc.

So, is it Quali or Quanti?

Quantitative research is an inquiry into an identified problem, based on testing a theory, measured with numbers, and analyzed using statistical techniques. The goal of quantitative methods is to determine whether the predictive generalizations of a theory hold true.

By contrast, a study based upon a qualitative process of inquiry has the goal of understanding a social or human problem from multiple perspectives. Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and involves a process of building a complex and holistic picture of the phenomenon of interest.

Lecture note for Chapter 4

So, I guess, based on my research proposal, my research would fall under quantitative research since my research is designed to determine the effectiveness of using Reader Response Approach (RRA) in reducing the students' anxiety level. The research would be measured in numbers as I would measure the students' anxiety level pre and post introduction of RRA in oral activities in ESL classroom.

I hope this one would present a clearer view and direction of my research.

Entry #3: Redesigning the research proposal

Well....
when I look back at my research proposal, I think the idea is too idealistic.
I realize that no matter what topic or problem that we want to discuss, the most important thing is it must be measurable.
I also find out that as I try to look for the reading materials, I somehow diverted my ideas and I'm starting to think for another topic.
Instead of focusing on motivation solely,  I think I might be focusing on the relationship between students' anxiety level and their participation in speaking activity.

I think that one would be clearer compared to the previous one.

I think, one of the reason that students' are so reluctant to speak or to get involve in any speaking activity is because of their anxiety level. I do believe that anxiety is one of the factors which demotivating students' in using English as L2 orally. So I guess it is not too far astray from my previous idea yet this one is more focused. 

In general, what causes on to be anxious could be their level of stress, worry, nervousness, over or less self-confidence and perhaps their bad memories with particular matter.

Based on my observations and understanding, students become anxious when speaking other language, which is not their mother tongue as they are afraid that others would judge them. They are afraid of making mistakes as they think their friends would make fun out of it and perhaps the teacher would scold them. I need to know whether these causes of anxiety are true or not.