Research Proposal (FINAL)

This is the day. Yayyyy!

Before anything, I would like to say thank you to Dr. Aziah for making me love research methodology so much more than how I used to back in my degree years. Looking back at my Research Proposal three years before, I think I knew practically nothing about research back then. T_____T

I hope my efforts are worthwhile -- and if you see some flaws in my proposal, please do not hesitate to tell me. I really hope I can conduct my research as our Malaysian ESL classrooms need a new methodology of teaching writing that is more fun and provides more autonomy to the students.

For a full view of my Research Proposal, please click here.

Thank you so much, everyone!

Chapter 2 (FINAL)

Dr. was right. Chapter 2 was the most difficult part to write. I had to ensure every literature is related with my research and I had to determine each of their function.

To be honest, right to this minute, I still don't know if I'm on the right track of writing a good literature review.

However, for a full reading of my Chapter 2, please click here. :)

Chapter 3 (FINAL)

I found a questionnaire that is suitable for my research. However, I still don't know whether to adopt it wholly or adapt it.

The questionnaire also combines emotions, personal essay, and writing motivation -- what I aim for in my research. :)

For a glimpse of the questionnaire, click here.

After revisiting my research questions with Dr., I realized that I cannot do a quantitative research because the essays need document analysis to identify its emotional expressiveness. Thus, I've changed my research method to a mixed method approach. :D

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Chapter 3 is the shortest chapter in the research proposal. However, I have to ensure it is suitable, reliable, and valid to conduct my research.

For a full reading of my Chapter 3, you can click here.

We're coming to an end of my research proposal! I'm so happy :'D

Chapter 2 Development (ii)

Research Objectives: 

1) To investigate the difference of level of emotional expressiveness in narrative composition between learners who are exposed to emotion based language instruction (EBLI) and learners who are not. 

2) To investigate the difference of level of emotional expressiveness in narrative composition between male learners and female learners who are exposed to EBLI. 

3) To investigate the difference of motivation level in composing narrative between learners who are exposed to EBLI and learners who are not. 

4) To investigate the difference of motivation level in composing narrative between male learners and female learners who are exposed to EBLI. 

Hey ho it's Day 2 of organizing my Chapter 2! I've found a theoretical framework for my research :'D Then I've reorganized my subtopics into something like this:

Chapter 2: Literature Review

2.2       Emotion and Language

2.2.1    The role of language in emotion

2.2.2    The role of emotion in language

2.2.3    Emotion in second language learning

2.3       Emotion in Narrative

2.3.1    Practices in ESL writing instruction

2.3.2    Emotional narrative as a means to express

2.3.3    Emotional narrative as a means to teach writing skills

2.4       Emotion and Gender

2.4.1    Gender difference in types of emotions

2.4.2    Gender difference in emotional intensity

2.4.3    Gender difference in emotional expression

2.4.4    The role of culture in determining gender difference in emotions

2.5       Emotion and Motivation

2.5.1    The role of emotion in motivating learning 

From here on, I'll put some past research, which is of course, according to the subtopics too. Please let me know if these subtopics are okay @ necessary @ sufficient to justify my research.

Finally, I've found that my research is parallel to Ivan Pavlov's theory of classical conditioning. Although the theory was first introduced to support behaviorism, some researchers believe that emotions are artificial responses that can be triggered by certain stimuli. The simplest example will be: a horror movie (stimulus) will surely trigger fear in you, right? :)

So, what if emotion-based language instruction (stimulus) triggered emotional expressiveness (response 1) and learning motivation (response 2)? 

Epiphany!

Chapter 2 Development

Sorry for not stopping by for quite a while. To be honest, this is the toughest chapter among the three because there are so many subtopics to choose from and organize.

However, I've decided to divide my literature review into three subtopics, then have two other subtopics for each. I'll put the link here so you can see if I'm on the right track. :)

I've encountered (and still encountering) some problems regarding this chapter. Firstly, I don't really know the difference between the review and past researchers - they keep overlapping each other. T.T Secondly, I still haven't found any theory or hypothesis good enough to be my theoretical framework. Finally, it's tough work trying to redirect the articles I've read to my research questions. For my second subtopic, Emotion in Narratives, I don't know if I should put the benefits of emotional narrative on health as its subtopic. I guess not, but many of the articles I've found support this. I'll put it under KIV then. :p

Will keep trying, though. Chapter 2 coming your way :)

Dear Dr. Aziah

Thank you for making me love Research a little bit more than I did during my degree years. :D

HAPPY TEACHER'S DAY!

Chapter 2: Literature Map

I drew this today. To be honest, I suck at framing and organizing things, so my literature map is  just a bunch of connected ideas with no beginning or end. (u.u)

Please click to enlarge.

By the way, my literature review will basically follow this frame: I will first relate emotions to language learning, then refine it to the teaching of narratives. In terms of teaching narratives, emotion-based instruction will lead to emotional expressiveness and motivation to learn.

Nonetheless, I will also put the relationship of gender with emotion expressiveness and if this plays an important role in emotion-based language instruction.

In terms of literature, I've searched for various articles under three subheadings:
1) Emotion and Gender
2) Emotion in Narratives
3) Emotion/Expressive Writing and Motivation

I've also searched for the practices and approaches of ESL in Malaysia. This is to address what is lacking in our curriculum and how emotion-based language instruction can cater to this.

Now, the most difficult part of my Chapter 2 is (actually, it's everything, but let's not get too negative haha) establishing a theoretical framework. I need to read more theories on emotion and see which one fits my study.

I will upload the journals I've found according to each subheading in the next entry.

Godspeed. :D