Difficulties Facing English Majors in Writing Research Papers at the Islamic University of Gaza

1
Difficulties Facing English Majors in Writing
Research Papers at the Islamic University of Gaza
2
Statement of the Problem

• What are the difficulties facing English majors
  in writing research papers at I.U.G.?

3
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.?

4
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.

5
Significance of the Study

• 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.

6
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.

7

• 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 Feaks
  definition.

8

• 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 (Al-Agha,
  2002, p. 3). The researcher adopts Al-Aghas
  definition, because it is more suitable to her
  study.

9

• 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.

10

• 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.

11

• 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.

12
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.

13
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

14
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.

15
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.

16
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).

17
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.