Generating Experimental TEFL
Research Ideas
Prof. Salah El-Din Badr
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Don’t copy the presentation, it’s
available for download at
http://eflesl.com
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How Can I find Researchable Topics?
One of the major problems that
novel EFL researchers often
encounter is finding an original,
ambitious,
persuasive,
and
researchable idea.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
There are some suggested procedures to be followed
so as to generate research topics.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
First of all, a researcher should keep in mind that an
important first quality of any good thesis is that it
should stem from real problems in the field; there
should be a strong rationale for conducting the
research that justifies the effort, time, and money to be
exerted to accomplish the study.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Find a problem and provide a solution
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The researcher, therefore, should precisely specify the
problem(s) which his /her target EFL learners suffer
from (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, or writing
problems), the reasons contributing to it/them and its/
their results; depending on observations, previous
studies, expert views, a pilot study…etc.
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Research Topics!
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The second step is to look for feasible solutions. S/he
should review the literature to identify approaches,
strategies, or techniques that may help solve the
specific problem (s) and the most appropriate teaching/
learning medium through which the approach, the
strategy, or the technique (s) may be applied.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
This needs prolonged readings in the area from
different sources (books, periodicals, dissertations, the
W.W.W…etc) about theory, applications, advantages,
limitations and other important issues that can support
description of the study.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Then s/he should think of criteria of choosing from the
variety
of
methods
and
media
specified
and
accordingly, s/he has to choose one or more of them.
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Integration with the Syllabus
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Integration with the Syllabus
Perfect
Integration
!
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Next, s/he must identify the way of integrating the
approach and the medium into the learner's syllabus:
Would they be part of the syllabus? (i. e., the learners
are to study the school book content according to the
syllabus distribution in their regular class and changing
only the method of teaching/ learning and the medium).
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Or would it be a separate program or unit designed by
the researcher to be applied separately with the same
content of the syllabus or a different one and the
suggested approach, strategy or technique, as well as
suggested medium?
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
In case s/he goes with the first option, s/he has to
emphasize the approach, strategy or technique (s) and
the medium.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
If he chooses the second one; s/he has to emphasize
either the whole program as one thing or emphasize
one or more of the main components of the program:
the approach utilized in teaching the content , or the
medium through which the content will be presented.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Content
Program
Medium of
Presenting
Method of
Teaching
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The researcher might want to compare effects of two
different approaches to teaching the same content and
using the same medium or different media and accordingly,
s/he may decide to design two different programs which use
two different approaches or two different media.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
It is worth mentioning
that the design of any program
should be based on the guidelines of any effective
instructional design models such as:
Kemp's model
 Dick and Carey's model
 Smith model
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
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Never frown because you
don’t know who may fall in
love with your smile!
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Accordingly, the researcher is to specify the research
independent variables; e.g.
a program in grammar
(emphasizing the program as a whole), a program in indirect
teaching of grammar (emphasizing the method of teaching
in a program), or a computer program in indirect teaching of
grammar (emphasizing the method of teaching and the
medium of teaching in a program).
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The next step is specifying the dependant variable (s) of the
research:
 Cognitive variables (
 Affective variables
 Psychomotor variables
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Cognitive Variables
Achievement
Reading comprehension
Pragmatic awareness
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Affective Variables
Attitude
Motivation
Apprehension
Rapport
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Psychomotor Variables
Producing manuscript “print script” and /or cursive “Loop”
hand writing
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
In the light of the specified variables, the researcher is to
start writing the research title emphasizing the independent
and dependent variables and the target learners, then start
preparing for writing the research proposal.
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Application of the Suggested Procedures of
Generating Topics
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The following is an example of applying the previous
procedures in generating a research topic in the area of
writing English: suppose that students were reported to
have problems in writing English with respect to linguistic
aspects
(e.g.,
grammar,
vocabulary,...etc)
and/or
organization and exposing ideas appropriately.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The researcher is required to think of the appropriate
content that can help eliminate the reported problems
according to the characteristics of the learners: age, needs,
language level, overall abilities...etc.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Next s/he has to look for feasible approach, strategy or
techniques for instructing and training the learners in the
target content. S/he has to consult the related literature and
the previous studies that tackled similar writing problems
and then choose the most suitable according to some
agreed upon criteria.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Several approaches might be relevant in this respect; some
are specifically for writing, others are general learning
approaches.
The
following
are
examples
of
these
approaches:
Reading-to-Write Approach
Controlled-to-Free Approach
The paragraph- Pattern Approach
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The Grammar-Syntax Organization Approach
The Communicative Approach
Collaborative Writing Approach
Process Writing Approach
Word Processing Approach
Scaffold Learning Approach
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
The researcher is to study carefully such approaches to
recognize the theory behind each one, the strategy and
techniques of applying them , the advantages and
limitations of each...etc. Then s/he is to choose one or more
of them to handle the content.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
After that, the researcher should make a decision with
regard to the most effective medium that can help teach
and learn the content. It can be electronic like using
computers or data shows, or non-electronic
like printed
material or using different types of boards, or it can be
combining electronic and non-electronic media in a certain
way.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Once , the researcher has specified the target content, the
approach (or the strategy or the techniques) to be used in
instructing and training the students, and the medium to be
used in teaching and learning; s/he is to state clearly the
independent variable (s) of the research. The dependent
variable (s) whether cognitive, affective, or psychomotor are
to be then specified.
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Based on the variables, the researcher is to start writing the
research title. The following might be some possible titles of
research papers based on the variety of content depth,
various approaches to teaching the content, and the variety
of media that can be used to teach the content:
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Effects of Scaffold Learning of Text Types on Prospective
EFL Teachers' Writing Ability
Effects of Scaffold Learning of Text Types on Prospective
EFL Teachers' Writing Ability and Attitude Towards English
Effects of Scaffold Learning of Text Types on Prospective
EFL Teachers' Writing Ability and Motivation to Write
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Effects
of
Scaffold
Learning
of
Text
Register
on
Register
on
Prospective EFL Teachers' Writing Ability
Effects
of
Scaffold
Learning
of
Text
Prospective EFL Teachers' Writing Ability and Attitude
Towards Writing
Effects
of
Scaffold
Learning
of
Text
Register
on
Prospective EFL Teachers' Writing Ability and Motivation to
Write
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How can I Generate Ideas?:
Effects of Scaffold Learning of Text Functions on
Prospective EFL Teachers' Writing Ability
Effects of Scaffold Learning of Text Functions on
Prospective EFL Teachers' Writing Ability and Attitude
Towards Writing
Effects of Scaffold Learning of Text Functions on
Prospective EFL Teachers' Writing Ability and Motivation to
Write
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The presentation is available for
download at eflesl.com
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Thank you
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