Abstract
This study draws on the data set of 73 research reports written by senior students specializing in English language to identify the common research areas pursued by these students. It also aims to explore the issues emerging from the process of writing research reports through in-depth analysis of ten of the projects. The findings show that most of the students opted for research topics in English language teaching, diverting rather significantly from their minors in Business English and Translation and Interpreting. Prominent issues arising from writing the research reports include the rigor of the problem statement, the diversity and relevance of references, limited critical analysis and students’ linguistic resources. The study offers preliminary insights into students’ research engagement, choices of research areas and limitations in writing research reports, which enables lecturers to develop strategies for research supervision. It also provides implications in terms of teacher-student research partnership as well as curriculum and syllabus design that integrate research-related components.
Highlights
Doing research has become one of the highly encouraged academic activities among English-majored students in universities across Vietnam
It aims to enrich their understanding of a particular linguistic area concerning their field of study. Such engagement contributes to developing their academic writing and research skills as well as personal and interpersonal strategies in doing research. This facilitates their access to higher levels of education and sharpens the skills required for conducting independent research projects that they are likely to carry on in their future careers
This study provides insights into the areas that English-majored students opted for their research projects and the issues confronting them in writing research reports
Summary
Research engagement involves students’ effort to fulfill their projects and respond to the professional aspects of their chosen majors/minors and the research-related requirements stipulated by their institutions Such commitment to research empowers them with “new ways of knowing and producing knowledge that challenge the common sense views of reality with which most individuals have grown so comfortable” As the primary aim of students’ research engagement is to provide them with the skills and knowledge for conducting independent projects as well as further exploration of their area of study, many issues may arise along the process (Zimbardi & Myatt, 2014) This may be the first experience for most undergraduate students in undertaking research on an area of their academic interest but at the same time a challenging endeavor. Students work with their own supervisor who is an experienced researcher and practitioner in the field of English language and linguistics to mediate their research process and inform the decisions they make in relation to their research
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