Portfolio - Lecture 4

SURVEY RESEARCH

Questions for Tutorial 4

1. Find a report of a survey research in applied linguistics and give your

comments on the following points:
The context the survey was conducted
How the population was defined
What sampling procedures were used
The procedures used to collect data
What respondent rates were achieved?
Was there non-response bias?
What analyses were performed?
The results and the conclusions drawn
What are the stated implications?

2. Find a survey questionnaire from a research (MA thesis/PhD dissertation) or

design a survey questionnaire for your own research and comment on it (mainly
justify for the question designing), basing on criteria discussed in the lecture.
3. Conduct an interview with your MA classmates to investigate their teaching
methodological preference and report the result with: types of the interview, kinds
of data gathered and problems associated with using the technique.
 Question 1: Find a report of a survey in applied linguistics and give your
comments.

The sample survey reports name: The question of Global English-

Language Teaching: A Turkish Perspective.
Authors: Rana Yildirm and Zuhal Okan Cukurova University, Turkey
Source: Asian EFL Journal, Vol. 9, 4: Conference Proceedings
1. The research question

This paper looks at the effects of globalisation in the area of English Purpose
Language Teaching (ELT) with specific reference to Turkey. It begins
with a conceptualization of the globalisation phenomenon in general. Research
We then move to how it relates to linguistic concerns and its impact on questions

how the English language is conceived. Here we deal with issues such
as English as an international language (EIL), the question of ownership
of such a language, the status of the native speaker as opposed to that of 5 issues

the non-native speaker of English, cultural content of ELT,

appropriateness of methods and materials developed by Inner Circle for
Turkish students.

2. The context the survey was conducted

Three types of context are relevant for this study. They are:
- Globalization phenomena of English in the world in general. (P54-56)
 - The environment of ELT in Turkey (the linguistic, cultural and teaching
environment). (P56-57)
- Institutional Context: ELT Department of 12 different universities in Turkey.
(p54)

3. How the population was defined? (p.54)

The population was defined clearly.
+ Teacher trainers perspectives working at ELT Departments of 12
different universities in Turkey. (questionnaire)
+ 10 teacher trainers at ukurova University (interview)
4. What sampling procedures were used?
The type of sample used was not stated in the report but the author defined the
participants very specifically and clearly. They are 118 teacher trainers working at
ELT Departments of 12 different universities in Turkey. The author also provided
additional information about age, gender, experience, and degree.

5. What procedures were used to collect data?

The data for the study were gathered through questionnaires and interviews.
(p54). Questionnaire items are a twenty-two item Likert-scaled questionnaire with
ten open-ended questions (p57)
- The survey was conducted in the following steps:
1. Preparing questions
2. Piloting the questions
3. Modifying the questions
4. Administering questions
5. Conducting semi- structured interviews
6. Taping and transcribing the interviews
 7. Classifying and analyzing (p57-58)
6 & 7. What respondent rates were achieved? Was there non-response
bias?
It was confirmed that if the respondent rate is more than 90% of all, the
validity and reliability of the survey will be assured. In this survey, it was reported
that 116/118 respondents completed or answered the questionnaires (98.3%). This
ensured the validity and reliability of the survey report. And thus, no response bias
was known to the readers.
8. What analyses were performed?
The descriptive analyses were performed under five headings (p58).
English as a global language
Ownership of language
Native speaker vs. non-native speaker
Culture and Language
Methods and materials
9. The results and the conclusions drawn
From findings acquired from the questionnaires and interviews, the results of
the questionnaire were classified and analyzed under five headings. The results are
shown in five tables:
- Table 2. English as a Global Language (p.59)
- Table 3. Ownership of language (p.60)
- Table 4. Native speaker vs. non-native speaker (p.61)
- Table 5. Culture and Language (p.62)
- Table 6. Materials and Methods (p.63)

10. What are the stated implications?

 Implications:
Teachers should adopt a critical stance and be aware of the cultural and
linguistic threats of English with regard to the mother tongue of the country they
work in. Such reflective awareness would enable them to deal critically with the
globalisation challenges of EIL.

Question 2: Find a survey questionnaire from a research (MA thesis/PhD

dissertation) or design a survey questionnaire for your own research and
comment on it (mainly justify for the question designing), basing on criteria
discussed in the lecture.

A survey questionnaire from an M.A. thesis:

Title: Mother Tongue Maintenance and Second Language Sustenance: A Two-
Way Language Teaching Method

Conducted by Ahlam Al-Harbi, Taif University, Saudi Arabia in 2010.

* Definition of questionnaire:
In survey research, questionnaire is a research instrument consisting of a series
of questions/ other prompts used to gather information.

* Types of questionnaire:
According to McDonough, J. & S (2001), there are 7 types of questionnaire:
Factual questions
Yes/ No
Multiple-choice
Ranked questions
 Open-ended questions
Scaled questions
Guttman scaling

* 5 main parts of a questionnaire:

Title
Instruction
Questionnaire items
Additional information
Final thank you

* Some comments on the survey questionnaire sample above:

The present study is conducted with a purpose to suggest a method to teach
explicit grammar through mother tongue grammar transformation (MTGT). This
study has outlined the basic method and assumptions underlying MTGT from the
point of view of a practitioner and from that of a language learner. By means of
comparison, a second language learner might be able to learn the grammar of the
second language and continue to develop that of the mother tongue simultaneously.
To achieve the purposes of the study, a questionnaire was prepared for Students.
Below are some main points Id like to comment basing on 5 main parts of a
questionnaire:
1. Title:
As what can be seen from the questionnaire, the questionnaire does have the
title. Information about class, grade, date, age, and gender are not required.
2. Instruction:
 The instruction or Direction of this questionnaire is short but informative, clear
and easy to read.
Direction:
Dear Participants,
I am a researcher working on a paper entitled Mother Tongue Maintenance
and Second Language Sustenance: A Two Way Language Teaching Method. I am
outlining a method of teaching English grammar by means of comparing the
grammar of the first language to that of the second language in order to avoid first
language negative interference, invest similar aspects, enhance the understanding
of the grammar of the first language and accelerate acquiring the second
language. If you do not mind would you please help me evaluate the proposed
method in my paper to teach grammar? Your opinion and time are highly valued,
and your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

3. Questionnaire items:
There are 20 questionnaire items.
Factual questions: 3
Yes/ No: 7, 8, 9
Multiple-choice: 4, 6, 13, 16, 18, 19, 20
Ranked questions: 5
Scaled questions: 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17

4. Additional information:
It can be seen from the beginning of the questionnaire that there is no additional
information such as: Class, Grade, Date, Age, and Gender.
 5. Final thank you:
In this questionnaire the thank you is given in the beginning, included in
Direction.

In conclusion, this questionnaire was conducted quite well despite no title in it.
The questionnaire was designed quite clearly and scientifically. The line spacing is
wide enough for the students to read and write. The questionnaire items all relate to
the direction.

Question 3: Conduct an interview with your MA classmates to investigate their

teaching methodological preference and report the result with: types of the
interview, kinds of data gathered and problems associated with using the
technique.

The interview was conducted with our M.A. classmates to investigate their
teaching methodological preference. The interview took place lecture hall 401.
Three M.A. students were asked to answer some questions relating to their English
teaching methodologies. All of the participants have had at least 1-year experience
of teaching English as a foreign language. All of the participants are working in
Hanoi now. They all work at schools or universities in Hanoi. Their students
English proficiency ranged from Elementary, Pre-Intermediate, to Intermediate.
When being interviewed, all the M.A. students were willing to answer the
interviewers questions. Sometimes and some of them hesitated and wondered but
all were honest and frank when giving the responses. Although the answers from
the M.A. students were not the same, they preferred using CLT method in teaching
English language. Besides, the GMT and CTM were also added, but not preferred
as much as CLT. The data were collected and analysed by note-taking)
And below are some comments I would like to make on this interview:
 Kinds of interview
Data gathered
Problems associated with using the technique

1. Kinds of interview: Semi-structured

Reasons:
the outline for the interview
specific guides for each question
open answer for T

2. Data gathered:
The data were gathered by:
Note-taking
Video recording

3. Problems associated with using the technique:

Note-taking:
The interviewee talked rather fast => difficult to take note in shorthand
Difficult to organize the idea and decide what to write
Video recording:
Disturbance of the surrounding elements (interference of noise, people
around, etc.)
Shyness of both interviewer and interviewee
Unexpected technical problems of camera and tools
 Title: Teaching methodological preference in classrooms taught by MA
students

Research Question: What teaching methodologies are preferred to use by

MA students in their current classrooms?

Teaching methodological preference in classrooms taught by MA students

Introduction: My name is Pham Thi Hong Hieu. This survey is carried out in
order to collect data for our scientific research. Therefore, I would be grateful if
you could spend some time for me. All of the information you provide will be kept
confidential and only used for academic purposes.

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1. Teachers name: ....
2. School: .
3. Years of teaching experience: ..
4. How many classes are you teaching at your school/ university in the

previous semester?

5. What are your students English proficiencies?

A. Elementary
B. Pre-Intermediate
C. Intermediate
D. Advanced
6. How many students are there in each class? ( an average number)

II. METHODOLOGY

7. Did your students involve in class activities?

 If yes, how? (when doing tasks or exercises or when taught grammar, etc)
..

..

..

..

..
The teachers attitude:
.....
..

..

If no, why? (boring or difficult topics, limited English proficiencies, etc)

..

..

..

...
The teachers attitude:
..

..

..

8. What do you think about your students attitudes? (can choose more than
one)
a. Boring
b. Neglectful
c. Active
d. Enthusiastic
e. Others:
..

The teachers attitude:

..

..

..

9. Rank from 1 the most important to 5 the least important on the five given
skills
Reading
Writing
Listening
Speaking
Language focus

Reasons for choice:

..

..

..

..

10. How do you teach the most important skill?

..
..

..

..

..

..

..

11. Which teaching methodologies are preferred to use in your classes?

..

..

....

..

....

..

....
..

..

....

..

..

Thank you for your cooperation!

REFERENCES

Johnson, D.M. Approaches to Research in Second Language Learning. London:

Longman (Chapter 5)
McDonough, J. & S. McDonough, 2001, Research Methods for English Language
Teachers, London: Arnold (P. 171-188)
Cohen, L., L. Manion and K. Morrison. 2007. Research Methods in Education.
London and New York: Routledge (P. 100-117, 205-224)
Biemer, P.P. & Lyberg, L.E. 2003. Introduction to Survey Quality. New Jersey:
John Wiley & Sons.
Drnyei, Z. 2003. Questionnaires in Second Language Research: Construction,
Administration, and Processing. Mahwad, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Frazer, L. and M. Lawley, 2000, Questionnaire Design & Administration, John

Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd.