Dr. Martha Clark Cummings, Associate Professor, The University of Aizu.
1 credit - No prerequisites. Open to all groups /TESOL IIIA/Elective (V)
Pass/Fail Only

Advisement note: This course is best for those who are starting their MA project - all other requests to register must be done with Director approval. Courses with this course number may be taken more than once.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course, which will act as a foundation for the MA Project (B) course, will lead students through the steps of designing and implementing original research in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. We will cover such issues as developing good research questions, exploring research methods and traditions in our field, designing a qualitative or quantitative research study, carrying out literature searches and writing literature reviews, and collecting data.

In this course, students will develop skills in planning and implementing original research, including the development of data collection instruments and procedures; experience data collection using a variety of research procedures; develop a bibliography on the topic of their choice, and write a literature review; and write a professional quality research proposal.

PRE-COURSE ASSIGNMENT

Read:

• Nunan, Chapter 1: An Introduction to Research Methods and Traditions
• Brindley et al. TESOL Research Agenda, June 2000 from the TESOL website
  http://www.tesol.org/assoc/bd/0006researchagenda01.html
  Pay particular attention to parts 2 and 3

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

• Complete all readings and participate in discussions
• Plan a research project
• Write a professional quality research proposal
• Develop data collection instruments and procedures
• Develop an annotated bibliography
• Present a final research proposal

ASSESSMENT

Based on participation in class, completion of all readings, coherence and relevance of bibliography and literature review, quality of oral presentation of written research proposal.

BOOKS TO BUY

Nunan, D. (1992). Research Methods in Language Learning.

RESERVE READINGS (others will be added depending on the needs of the group):

• Allison. (2001). Approaching English Language Research. Singapore University Press.
• Allwright & Bailey.(1994). Focus on the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press.
• Bailey & Nunan. (1996). Voices from the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press.
• Booth, Colomb, & Williams. (1995). The Craft of Research. The University of Chicago Press.
• Brown & Rodgers. (2002). Doing Second Language Research.
• Dornyei. (2003). Questionnaires in Second Language Research.
• Holliday. (2002). Doing and Writing Qualitative Research.
• Swales & Feak. (1994) Academic Writing for Graduate Students. University of Michigan Press.

BIO-DATA

Dr. Martha Clark Cummings has a BA in French literature from New York University, MA and Ed.D in TESOL from Teachers College, Columbia University. Before moving to Japan in June 2002, she taught for many years at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, for the New School Online University, as well as at Teachers College in New York. She writes about publishing, language classrooms, sociolinguistics, and language and gender. Her research interests include Computer-Mediated Language Instruction, Distance Education, and the changing definition of Academic Writing. She is the author of a collection of short stories, Mono Lake, and co-author of the popular ESL text, Changes: Readings for Writers, soon to be released in its third edition.