Subject: Research Methodology

Question 1: Research definition and objectives

Doing research plays a significant role in the academic world. According to Oxford
Dictionaries, research is “a careful study of a subject, especially in order to discover new facts
or information about it”. It is a “scientific and systematic search for the pertinent information
on a specific topic” (Kothari, 2004). When doing research, researchers need to use different
methods and tools to collect, analyze and interpret data. However, this does not mean research
is only a set of skills. Kumar (2011) refers to research as “a way of thinking”. Through research,
people can get an insight into their daily work, discover and build the governing principles of
a certain procedure or figure out and test a theory. In general, research is a search for the truth
which is conducted in a scientific and systematic process.
Research serves different purposes. From my perspective, research is carried out for two main
objectives: firstly, research aims to discover new aspects of a particular familiar phenomenon;
and secondly, it is to test a hypothesis.
For example, the 2011 research project, “Evidence on the Effectiveness of Comprehensive
Error Correction in Second Language Writing”, by Beuningen, Jong and Kuiken specifies two
objectives. The first one is to examine the influence of direct and indirect comprehensive feed-
back on the written accuracy of second language learners. The second one is to test Truscott’s
claims related to the effect of error correction on students’ behaviors.
In order to fulfill these objectives, the researchers selected a sample of 268 students with
different language backgrounds from four Dutch secondary school and conducted an
experiment. The students were divided into two groups: one receiving direct comprehensive
feedback and the other receiving indirect comprehensive feedback. The experiment consisted
of four sessions: a pretest session, a treatment/ control session, a post-test session and a
delayed-posttest session. The researchers then compared the results obtained from the two
groups to reach conclusions.
Question 3: Research process in Applied Linguistics
One of the most common models of research process in Applied Linguistics consists of seven
stages:
- Problem/ experience/ observation
- Hypothesis
- Investigation and experimentation to test the hypothesis
- Data gathering
- Data analysis and interpretation
 - Confirmation or disapproval of hypothesis
The research “The Impact of Pair Work on EFL Learners’ Motivation” by Baleghizadeh and
Farhesh (2014) is one research project following this process. First of all, from the researchers’
own experience and observation, they noticed that there were various studies on the use of pair
work in EFL classes and factors affecting EFL students’ motivation; however, there was few
studies which explored the link between the two issues. Therefore, they chose this particular
matter as the focus for their research. They started with a hypothesis that EFL students in a
pair-work-oriented class were more motivated than those studying in a class with few or no
pair-work activities. To check the hypothesis, the researchers investigated two EFL classes:
one class with different pair-work activities and the other with hardly any pair-work tasks.
They used several instruments to collect data: class observations, questionnaires and
interviews. They then used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze and interpret
the data. After data analysis and interpretation, the researchers confirmed that their hypothesis
in the first place is accurate.
Question 4: Explain briefly some terms with illustrations from applied linguistics
research
1. Reliability
Research reliability refers to the extent to which the results obtained from the research are
stable and consistent. There are two types of research reliability: internal and external
reliability. In terms of internal reliability, research is highly reliable when the collection,
analysis and interpretation of data are of high consistency. For external reliability, a research
paper is considered to have high external reliability when it generates the same results when
being carried out by an independent researcher with the same research methods under the same
conditions.
2. Validity
Research validity refers to the extent to which the research measures what it is supposed to
measure. Research validity consists of two main types: internal validity, related to the
interpretability of the research, and external validity, referring to the degree to which the results
of the research can be generalized from the samples to the population.
For example, when studying second language acquisition, the researcher can hardly gather data
from the whole population (which includes all people studying a second language). Thus, the
researcher conduct a case study to investigate the second language acquisition process of a
small group of second language learners, and then the results of the research can be generalized
for the whole population and used as a reference for further research.
3. Variable
Variable is something that vary or differ over time such as students’ motivation to learn a
language or language proficiency.
4. Longitudinal
In longitudinal research, the researcher gathers data through repeated observations of the same
variables over a particular period of time.
A study on second language acquisition is an example of longitudinal research. When studying
how second language is acquired, the researcher collects data by observing the second language
learning process of the samples from the beginning until when they master the language. This
requires constant observation in a long period of time.
5. Primary data
Primary data is the data the researcher gets directly from the subjects of the research by
questionnaires, interviews or observations. For example, when studying students’ motivation
in a language class, the researcher can collect data through interviews with some students.
6. Secondary data
Secondary data is the data that has been collected either by someone else for previous studies
or by an agency for their reports. For instant, when studying the effectiveness of a language
proficiency test, the researcher can gather the test takers’ scores from the institution organizing
the test.
REFERENCE:
Baleghizadeh, S., & Farhesh, S. (2014). The Impact of Pair Work on EFL Learners’
Motivation. Mextesol Journal,38(3).
Beuningen, C. G., Jong, N. H., & Kuiken, F. (2011). Evidence on the Effectiveness of
Comprehensive Error Correction in Second Language Writing. Language
Learning,62(1), 1-41. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9922.2011.00674.x
Kothari, C. R. (2004). Research Methodology Methods and Techniques (2nd ed.). New Delhi:
New Age International.
Kumar, R. (2011). Research Methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners (3rd ed.). New
Delhi: SAGE.