Professional Documents
Culture Documents
HANDOUT 1
Research in English Language Teaching
Activity 1
What is research?
Nunan (1992) Research is process of formulating questions, problems, or hypothesis;
collecting data or evidence relevance to these questions, problems, or hypothesis; and
analyzing or interpreting these data.
Based on the definition above, it is clearly known that research is used to formulate,
collect and analyze data which has relevance to the questions, problems and hypothesis.
What Makes Research Different from Other Types of Inquiry?
Nunan (1992) Research is a systematic process of inquiry consisting of three elements.
Any activity which lacks one of these elements (for example, data) will classify as
something other than research.
According the explanation above, there are three elements that make research different
from other types of inquiry. The three elements of research are below.
The Three major Components of Research:
Nunan (1992) Research is a systematic process of inquiry consisting of three elements or
components: (1) a question, problem, or hypotheses, (2) data, (3) analysis and
interpretation of data.
The Terms which are Associated with Research
After reading Nunan (1992: 1-2) in handout book, I found some terms which are related
with research, those are: equipment, knowledge, skill, method, inquiry, component,
process, product, problem, formulate, hypothesis, classification, analysis, interpretation,
investigation, result, critically, evaluate, collect, data, theory, question, confirm, overview,
scientific, objectively, verify, application, new insight, prove/disprove, idea, phenomena,
aim, plan, solution, information, demystify, evidence, systematic.
Activity 2
The Relation Between Research and Theory
Kaplan in Runcie (1980) suggested that a good set of concepts is needed to arrive at a
good theory at the same time that a good theory is needed to arrive at a good set of
concepts. Feedback systems between the method and theories of any science are
important and must not be overlooked.
Runcie (1980) stated that once the research project is completed and the researcher know
the result, they may return to the theories and feed the result back into them, modifying
them in the process. Between the theory and research project there are extremely
complex and important feedback mechanism at work.
Based on the two explanations above, the feedback between research and theory is
important for the research result. A good theory is needed to get a good research result,
as well as when the result has completed it should back to the theory for modifying in the
process.
What happened if the research Result Contradict the Theory?
Based on the flow diagram for social research (Runcie, 1980) researcher should continue
to suggest future research then write the result including reasons for rejecting
hypotheses.
The General Purpose of Research
Runcie (1980) There are many reason for cunducting research, the primary one seems to
be to further the knowledge of the subject matter that is claimed by the discipline.
What may be the Purpose of Research in English Teaching?
Based on the general purpose of research stated by Runcie, it can be said that the
purpose of research in English teaching is to develop English education knowledge
including curriculum development, improvement material, resources, and methods for
English teachers and learners.
Activity 3
The Characteristic Research Process (Runcie, 1980):
A social survey asking the same questions of several hundred or several thousand
persons
An observational research project in which questions are not asked by the researcher
but which is conducted onlt through the watching of the behavior of the subject
An experiment with human subjects carefully controlling the effect of some
independent variable to see what its effect is on some supposed dependent variable.
(Runcie, 1980)
Research is systematic
Research is structured process by procedural specifications for identifying and defining
variables, for designing studies in which these variables will be examined and their
effect on other variables determined, and for relating the data thus collected to the
originally stated problem and hyphothesis.
Research is logical
Research follows a system that employs logic at many points.
Research is empirical
Research has a reality references.
Research is reductive
Research plays an explanatory role rather than simply a descriptive one.
Tuckman (1978)
Identifying a Problem
We must discover not only a problem area
but also a spesific problem within that area
that will choose to study.
ational Definitions
Constructing a Hyphotheses
Hyphothesizes
about
the
relationship
between the concepts identified in the
problem
ions
otheses
hyphotheses
ne.
are
what
we
want
to
od Of Research
we discovered the revisions of
theses, the method should lead in two
ons. First, we should go back to the
ning and make certain we are doing what
uments
t the data by interviews, questionnaires,
st
olud test the instrument before it is used
real research project.
nistration
cing pretest result.
t
n pretest result, we can move to the
is and write-up.
otheses
ust go back to the theory, hyphotheses
ke sure the relating data.
Constructing
questionaires
interview schedules
and
Runcie started with the theory while Tuckman began with problems that will choose to
study.
Runcie stated that operational definition as a leading to hypothesis while Tuckman
make it for manipulation, control, and examination.
Runcie examines the hypothesis, Tuckman examines the operational definitions.
Runcie conducts revision of hypothesis while Tuckman test it that will use in the study.
To find the relating data, Tuckman use statistical analysis while Runcie back to the
theory and hypothesis.