Difficulties Facing English Majors in Writing
Research Papers at the Islamic University of
Gaza
Statement of the Problem
What are the difficulties facing English majors in
writing research papers at I.U.G.?
Questions of the Study
A- What are the main difficulties in technical skills
facing English majors in writing research papers
at I.U.G.?
B- What are the main difficulties in research skills
facing English majors in writing research papers
at I.U.G.?
C- What are the causes of the main difficulties in
technical skills from the point of view of writing
teachers at I.U.G.?
D- What are the causes of the main difficulties in
research skills from the point of view of writing
teachers at I.U.G.?
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study is:
- to identify, classify and analyze the main difficulties
in technical skills and research skills by
analyzing English majors’ research papers and
testing them by the diagnostic test,
- to reveal the causes of these difficulties by
interviewing the writing teachers at I.U.G.,
and to give recommendations to overcome these
difficulties.
Significance of the Study
A.
B.
C.
English majors: because it highlights the difficulties
in writing research papers, which they face, and the
related causes in order to help them to overcome
these difficulties.
Teachers of English because it reveals the writing
difficulties and their causes which represent
problems for English majors in order to conduct
remedial work.
Textbook writers and curricula designers to
concentrate on these difficulties, and to give more
recommendations to solve these problems.
Definition of Terms
Difficulty: difficulties (n) “A difficulty is a problem ...
if you have difficult doing something, you are not
able to do it easily … if you are in difficulty or
difficulties, you are having a lot of problems”. (BBC
Dictionary, 1992, p. 313).
Difficulty: difficulties (n) is a problematic issue that is
uneasy to understand or achieve correctly from the
first time for (50%) of English majors (operational
definition). The researcher adopts the operational
definition.
Writing is “a complex … process involving the
construction of recorded messages on paper or on
some other material, and, more recently, on a
computer screen” (Swales and Feak 1994: 34).
Writing means “to form (letters, words, or symbols) on
a surface such as paper with an instrument such as a
pen … to trace or form letters, words, or symbols on
paper or another surface, to produce written material,
such as articles or books, to compose a letter;
communicate by mail” (The American Heritage®
Dictionary of the English Language 2000). The
researcher adopts this definition, because it is simple
and wider than Swales and Feak’s definition.
Research paper “can be an engrossing, creative
activity. By gathering information, analyzing
its separate elements, and composing a
synthesis of them, you come to know your
subject deeply” (Troyka 1999: 505).
Research paper means preparing the necessary
information to answer a question or to solve a
problem. And it needs to analysis and interrupt
primary information to reach the fact (AlAgha, 2002, p. 3). The researcher adopts AlAgha’s definition, because it is more suitable
to her study.
Skill “refers to systematic and coordinated
patterm of mental and physical activity,
involving both receptor, processes, and
effector processes. Skills may be perceptual,
motor, manual, intellectual, social etc” (Taneja
1998: 246).
Skill is the ability to do something easily,
precisely, and successfully by using mental or
physical activity (Operational definition). The
researcher adopts the operational definition.
Difficulties in Writing Research Papers are the
problems in the skills of writing research
papers, whether these are technical skills or
research skills, which appear: in the analysis of
English majors’ research papers, the experts’
responses, the diagnostic test; and prevent
(50%) of students from writing an academic
research papers, (Operational definition). The
researcher adopts the operational definition.
Technical Skills are not just needed for writing
research paper, but also for all writing types.
Research Skills are especially needed for
writing research papers. The researcher must
use them in writing research papers.
I.U.G. means the Islamic University of Gaza.
Limitation of the Study
The study will be applied on and limited to the
English majors (males and females in two
colleges: Arts and Education) of the third level
who enrolled at the academic year 2001 - 2002
at I.U.G. The study is concerned with the main
difficulties in technical skills and research
skills. It is also concerned with the causes of
these difficulties according to the point of view
of writing teachers in the English Department
at I.U.G.
Population of the Study
The population of the study consisted of (156),
who were enrolled to Advanced Writing in the
first semester at (2001 – 2002). (138) English
majors were enrolled to the sample of the
study
Tools of the Study
The researcher used five different tools to fulfill
the aims of the study: list of skills, analysis
card, open questionnaire for the teachers of
writing, diagnostic test, and interview with
teachers of writing.
Statistical Analysis
- Percentages, means, relative means, and
frequencies were used to determine the level of
English majors achievement and the
importance of each skill.
- And Pearson correlation was used to count the
validity of the test by internal consistency.
Research Methodology
The researcher adopted the descriptive analytical approach.
Descriptive research “is designed to obtain pertinent and
precise information concerning the current status of
phenomena and, whenever possible, to draw valid
general conclusions from facts discovered” (Koul, 1999,
p. 432).
Analytical Research “draws general conclusions from
facts and basic evidence. [The researcher] must analyze
information-record the facts, comment on them, and
come to conclusions about meaning, causes,
consequences, and relationships” (Wright, 1995).
Procedure of the Study
To fulfill the study, the researcher:
1- collected and reviewed the previous studies to avail from their:
procedures, tools, results, and recommendations;
2- prepared the theoretical framework through searching in the
literature reviews;
3- prepared the list of skills through the literature reviews and
juries’ opinions;
4- analyzed English majors researcher papers descriptively and
quantitatively;
5- constructed the diagnostic test,
6- applied the test after I. U. G. gave her permission,
7- interviewed the teachers of writing in the English Department
at I.U.G. to ask them about the causes of difficulties,
8- analyzed the collected data statistically,
9- and gave recommendations and suggestions.