Dr. Sandra Gillespie, International Christian University.
Email: gillespi@icu.ac.jp
1 credit - No prerequisites - TESOL. Open to all groups
Pass/Fail (Letter grade option)

ADVISEMENT NOTES:

  1. NOTE: You should NOT register for this course for credit if you intend to submit your MA Project for February 2008 graduation.
  2. This course is essential for those who want to learn the process of how to start, organize and then submit the MA project.
  3. This course may be taken more than once, but only one point may be counted towards the MA in TESOL Degree credit (that means that if you took this course before, this course in this semester cannot be counted as part of your 36 credits - please indicate on your registration card if you have taken this course before. If you have you should register only for non-credit).
Dates Time
September: Sun. 30th
October: Sun. 21st
December: Sun. 9th
January: Sun. 20th		 Sundays: 10-5pm

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course replaces the previously-offered MA Project A and B courses. The content of these two courses will now be covered in this single course, which is aimed at preparing those students who are developing their MA project, or need to check that they are on the right track to finish it.

This course will lead students through the steps of designing and implementing original research in TESOL and Applied Linguistics. It 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 collecting data.

Fundamental issues related to a successful project will be addressed, and the class will address the traditional 5-part organization of an academic research paper:

Attention will also be placed on the nature and format of academic writing, with special attention given to citation and reference procedures following APA style.

PRE-COURSE ASSIGNMENT

Read: Nunan, Chapter 1: An Introduction to Research Methods and Traditions

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

ASSESSMENT

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

BOOKS TO BUY

Nunan, D. 1992. Research Methods in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

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. Sandra Gillespie has a BA in English Literature and Drama from the University of Toronto, a Master of Education in Administration and Policy Studies from McGill University, and a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Toronto. The book based on her dissertation was published in 2001 and is titled: South-South transfer: A study of Sino-African exchanges. New York: Routledge. In 2000 she received the Comparative and International Education Society Gail Kelly Award for an Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation (from Stanford University) Dr. Gillespie currently teaches in the Division of Languages in International Christian University (ICU) as a lecturer in the English Language Program. She formerly taught as an Associate Professor from 2001-2003 at the University of Aizu, Center for Language Research, Aizu Wakamatsu, and for the past 3 years has acted as an MA Project Editor for Teachers College Columbia University.