GUIDELINES FOR RESEARCH WRITING

Course Facilitator:

Geraldine L. Madjaco
cp # 09178969263, email ad: ginamadjaco0417@[Link]

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Introduction
This course provides a synthesis of the research methods and practice of research principles. It
focuses on the conduct and writing of thesis. Research 1 only cover the research proposal stage.
You are expected to defend your intended problem/s and research proposal in front of an
examination committee at the end of the term.

The topics covered in this module hope to guide you in writing a research. It also includes the
procedure for research proposal writing.

Gentle Reminders:
1. For online class
- We will be using messenger and zoom, so by now, it is required that you have your email
accounts. These platforms can be accessed through your smart phones and only with
internet/ data.
2. Zoom meetings will be used for synchronous discussion forum (if the need arises), and it
is where I will share additional reading resources. As for messenger, it will be strictly
used for announcements, reminders, and clarifications. We will meet during the
first two weeks, meet for consultation and checking, and other meetings will be
announced through our group chat. Because of this, it will be difficult for me to see
your progress in your research proposals or accommodate all of you during my
consultation hours. Zoom meetings will be scheduled and meeting ID and password
will be given through a group chat, if necessary. A group chat will be created for the
class and will be given during the first meeting.
3. You are then required to send your output/draft directly through my email for immediate
feedback. Email: ginamadjaco0417@[Link]
4. Keep time lines. It is best that you keep time lines for schedules of submission of outputs.
Timelines will be provided and please be guided and submit on time.
5. All written outputs/ drafts will be encoded and submitted on or before the due date of
submission. Submitted outputs through messenger will not be recorded/ accepted.

LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the term, you should have:
a. Determined the relationship of the MPSU VMGO to the Teacher Education objectives
as well as doing research;
b. Identified research problems which can be pursued for their course requirement;
c. Determined the appropriate research methodology for the approved problem;
d. Clearly enumerated the different steps in gathering data for research;
e. Taken notes from different sources on topics related to the research problems;
f. Crafted statement of the problem aligned to the approved research topic;
g. Cited correctly the references following the APA format;
h. Satisfactory defended the desired topic for thesis before a panel during the title defense;
i. Prepared a very comprehensive thesis proposal;
j. Successfully defended the thesis proposal before a panel of examiners;
k. Appreciated the importance of research as a requirement in a graduate program; and
l. Valued the need for the title and proposal defense before conducting a research study.

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 Part 1
RESEARCH WRITING I

Title Defense Stage

1. When the group is ready with the research problem, they present in duplicate a five-page
outline of their proposed study having the Research Outline Matrix as the first page to the
School Dean.
2. The Dean schedules a title defense with the student, thesis adviser, panel members and the
Course Professor for a discussion on the chosen topic for the purpose of helping the
student come up with a more focused research proposal.
3. After the title defense, a thesis adviser is assigned by the Dean of the School. Assignment is
made on the basis of “expertise in his/her own discipline and a working knowledge of
research methodology and research design.”
4. The adviser guides the student in the preparation of the research proposal.

Proposal Defense Stage

1. At this stage, the group should submit in duplicate the research proposal endorsed by the
thesis adviser together with the accomplished application form for proposal defense.
2. The group will submit their research proposal signed by the adviser to the School Dean.
3. The course facilitator will inform the thesis committee to get their copies at the School
Dean’s Office or ask the group to bring the copy of their panel especially for external
panels. The examination committee is given 1 to 2 weeks to go over their respective copies.
4. The course facilitator together with the group will schedule the proposal defense.
5. The course facilitator checks the availability of the dean and the examination committee
for the schedule of the proposal defense.
6. The course facilitator will inform the group the final schedule of the proposal defense.

MPSU adapts the American Psychological Association (APA) format and style.

Note:
1. Proposal may be disapproved. Suggestions for a new study may be given. This will
likewise necessitate a re-defense of proposal.
2. Layout
- Text spacing: double space
- Font type and size: Courier New/Arial, 12
- Indention: 1.5” for left margin, 1” on the remaining sides
- Pagination: top right, courier new, 10
- Paper: 8.5”x11” (short bond paper)

The Structure of a Research Paper

The way we present our paper is very important, so our readers/ audience and other
practitioners would be able to understand our research. This should be presented effectively.
Research does not only depend on the tools, methods, or results, but also on how we write and
organize our ideas. This gives your paper the chance to be read and accepted in the research
community or in a journal for publishing. Hence, how does a scientific paper be structured, so it
could communicate? Well, there are some common components of a research. Others might
depend on the institution as I have mentioned earlier.

Parts of the Research Paper:

A. Preliminary Pages:
1. Title Page
2. Abstract (for final paper only, this is not present for proposal)
3. Approval Sheet
4. Acknowledgment

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5. Table of Contents
6. List of Tables (if there are any)
7. List of Figures (if there are any)
B. Body:
Chapter 1 Introduction
• Background of the Study
• Review of Related Literature
• Theoretical Framework
• Conceptual Framework
• Statement of the Problem
• Hypotheses (if needed)
Chapter 2 Methodology
• Research Design
• Population and Locale of the Study
• Data Gathering Tools
• Data Gathering Procedures
• Treatment of Data (Quantitative Design) / Data Analysis (Qualitative Design)
• Materials Needed (if necessary)
Chapter 3 Results and Discussion
Chapter 4 Conclusions and Recommendations
C. Back Pages:
1. Literature Cited/References
2. Appendices
a) Letters
b) Data gathering tool
c) Validation of Tool
d) Certification of English Editor/Critique
e) Computations/Analyses
f) Interview Results
3. Curriculum Vitae/Biographical Sketch with picture

Take note also that some institutions may organize these components per chapter. In our case,
we have four chapters. Some of the part will have subsections like that of the introduction and
the methodology. For your research proposal, chapters 3 and 4 will no be included together with
the abstract and other parts not applicable. However, these will be included in your final paper
during your Research 2.

Institutional Research Paper Format (Lifted from the MPSPC Research Manual Revised 2018)
In writing your research manuscript, we will follow our institutional format.

Guide for MPSPC Researchers and Students

Research Title:
- The research title should be written in upper case. It should present a problem and should
capture the objective of the study.
- It should be concise and informative and should comprise a maximum of 3 lines when
centered on a bond paper in portrait orientation and on an inverted pyramid position.

Name of Researcher/s: Name

Parts of the Research manuscript

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Describes the problem situation in general terms and demonstrates logical continuity between
relevant works and the present study.

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 Cites pertinent data from existing documents or findings, methodological issues, conclusions,
and recommendations from previous studies that shape and portray the problem situation.
Gives a firm sense of the need and practical importance of the study.

Review of Related Literature (This is not included in the manual, however, this part is required in your
paper.)
Important Features of the Review of Related Literature
The Review of Related Literature (RRL), or literature review, is a key section in any research
paper. It not only summarizes what is already known on a topic, but also establishes a scholarly
context for your current study. Below are its most important features:
1. Comprehensive Coverage. Collects and summarizes existing research relevant to the research
problem, ensuring the review is both broad and focused on central studies and debates within the
field. Includes both supporting and opposing views and identifies key authors, trends, and
perspectives that define the current state of knowledge. The presentation follows the order of the
topic in the Statement of the Problem (SOP).
2. Analysis and Synthesis. Synthesizes findings from different sources instead of simply listing
them. The review should connect ideas and show relationships or disagreements between studies.
Critically evaluates sources by pointing out methodological strengths and weaknesses, research gaps,
unresolved issues, or controversies.
3. Theoretical Framework. Identifies key theories, concepts, and definitions that provide a
framework for the study. Clear explanation of terms and variables is crucial for clarity and
consistency. Discusses the relationship between existing theories and the current research problem,
laying the foundation for new hypotheses or research questions.
4. Historical and Current Context. Sets the historical background by outlining how the area of
research has evolved over time and what issues remain significant. Places the study within the
current context, demonstrating how it fits into or challenges established knowledge.
5. Identification of Research Gaps. Clearly points out gaps in existing research—areas that have
been overlooked, inconsistencies in findings, or questions that remain unanswered.
6. Methodological Insights. Highlights methodologies used in previous research, noting trends,
strengths, or recurring limitations. This can help justify the chosen method for the current study.
7. Organization and Structure. Follows a logical structure, often progressing from the general
context to the specifics of the current research problem. May be organized by theme, chronology,
or methodology, depending on what best serves the research objective.
8. Clear Objective and Relevance. States the objective of the literature review and clarifies its
relevance to the research question. Demonstrates how your research builds upon or diverges from
existing scholarship.
9. Citation of Sources. Provides thorough and accurate referencing of all sources discussed,
ensuring academic integrity and enabling readers to trace the research lineage.

A strong literature review not only summarizes but also critiques and connects previous
research, offering a clear rationale and foundation for the current study. It is analytical, organized,
well-supported, and thoroughly referenced, positioning the new research within the ongoing
scholarly conversation in the field.

Theoretical /Conceptual Framework and Research Paradigm

• Discusses the merits of the theories/concepts that legitimize the:
- validity of the research questions
- meanings of the variables in the study, the measurements employed, and the design
adopted
- analytic and interpretive approaches used

• Depicts and briefly explains the conceptual blueprint that serves as the roadmap of the study
either in the form of a:
- Causal Paradigm

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 - IPO (Input-Process-Output) Paradigm
- Operational Paradigm (Process Flowchart)

Statement of Problems and Hypotheses

• Articulates the general problem and its logical components in the form of specific research
questions.
• States the corresponding research hypothesis after each research question

Note:
In the APA format, the following parts no longer appear as independent sections of
Chapter 1:
• Scope and Delimitations: the coverage, respondents, methods, measurement and
analytic tools including their limitations are already evident in Chapter II (Methods)
• Significance of the Study: this is already integrated in the Background of the Study
• Definition of Terms is done: (1) within the text as they are used in the study for the
first time; or (2) as content footnotes (to supplement or amplify substantive
information)
Likewise, the narrative “product” of the Review of Related Literature no longer appears
as a separate chapter of the study. As a “process”, the result of literature review is
interwoven into the Background of the Study and Theoretical Framework in Chapter I
and in the Discussion of Findings in Chapter III.

CHAPTER II: METHODOLOGY

Research Design
This section describes in detail how the study was conducted to enable the reader to evaluate
the appropriateness of the methods and the reliability and the validity of the results of the
study. The introductory portion of the chapter identifies and describes the design used in
the study to be followed by:

Population and Locale of the Study:

• Includes answers to such questions as to who participated in the study? How many
participants were there? How were they selected? If any participant did not complete the
data gathering tool or procedure, give the number of these and the reasons they did not
continue
• Describes the major demographic characteristics of the population or sample in terms of the
variables of the study

Data Gathering Tools

• Describes briefly the apparatus or instrument used in data gathering
• In cases where the instrument is a questionnaire, describes also the instrumentation process in
terms of:
- How the instrument was generated?
- How the instrument was modified to adapt to the peculiar demographic characteristics
of respondents in the case of an adopted instrument
- What measures were used
- Parts of the instrument
- How the instrument was validated or tested for reliability?

Data Gathering Procedure

• Discusses what the researcher did to collect data and summarizes each step in the execution of
the data collection phase, including the instructions given to the participants, the randomization,
counterbalancing, and other control features in the design.
- Brief statements about essential parameters (i.e. scope and limitations or delimitations)
can be included in the respective subsections where they are deemed necessary to be
noted.

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Treatment of Data
• Identifies and briefly describes the descriptive and analytic tools used to treat the data gathered

CHAPTER III: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This section presents the results and discusses the findings per problem. The themes in the
headings and sub-headings of this section are stated in a one-to-one correspondence with the
logic of the research questions.

Results
o Describes the summarized or statistically treated data that is presented in a tabular or
graphical form
o Describes trends, patterns, differentials, characterizations, emerging themes, and
categorizations observed in the data (this is the for the analysis of descriptive data)
o Describe the behavior of variables from computed statistical indices (this is for the analysis
of statistical data)
o Articulate the main results or findings from the analysis of data providing sufficient detail to
legitimize arriving at a conclusion

Discussion
Interprets the findings in terms of meanings and implications relative to the postulated
hypotheses
- The interpretation can cite relevant related literature and/or studies to search for the
broader meaning of the answers to the research questions. This search has two major
aspects: First, the effort to establish continuity in social research through linking the results
of one study with those of another; and second, interpretation leads to establishing
explanatory concepts (Sellitz and Jahoda, 1971).
- This discussion can take place of the review of related literature (in the old format). Unlike,
however, in the former format, now the reviews are more relevant and directed to the
results of the present study and no longer just a historical review.
- Similarities and differences between the results and the work of others should clarify and/or
to confirm the hypotheses;
- In the discussion, take note of the following guide questions:
- How did the study help or resolve the problems?
- What important implications can be drawn from the study?

CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions
• Answers each stated research question in the form of a generalization derived from the
analysis and interpretation of findings. The conclusion should have sufficient strength to
serve as the foundation for theory-building

Recommendations
• Prescribes concrete and doable interventions that address, alleviate or arrest the problem
situation.

Note
1. The Abstract of the thesis ought to be included in the copy to be evaluated and
defended. It consists of concise statements (more or less 150-250 words) of: • what
the study is all about, • the methodology, • the most important findings.
2. Introductory Materials for the thesis/research proper:
• Title page • Endorsement • Approval sheet • Acknowledgment (optional but usual) •
Table of Contents • List of Appendices, Tables, Figures • Thesis Abstract

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 (Sample format of research outline for title defense)

Mountain Province State Polytechnic College

Title
Author
Academic Program

Brief description of the research

(Give background and motivation for your work. Explain the basic knowledge needed.
Show what you want to achieve. Submit at least four topics for possible research)
From the topic that you have decided, make a research outline using the matrix provided below for title defense.

Research Scope and Theories Methods/ Statistical

Questions and Delimitation procedure analysis
Hypothesis (if (include
any) research
method,
respondents or
sources of date,
instrument)
List questions in Identify your Identify the Identify the Identify the
such a way that scope your theories to be methodology to statistical tool
answering the study. Also, used for each be used for each to be used for
first question include the question. question. each question
will facilitate the limitation. (Ex. (if applicable).
resolution of the Is it only in the You can skip this
next question. speaking if you are not sure. You can skip this
aspect, or if it if your research is
*Your research is in writing, is qualitative
should be it only focused
output-based, so You can skip this
on grammar, if your research is
the last question etc.)
of your research quantitative but
should lead to a not sure of what
development of to use.
material,
framework,
design, activities
which would
address the the
main problem.

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Research Paradigm

Research time plan: (attach a detailed time plan)

Noted by:

Course Facilitator:

Comments/suggestions:

_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

References
(Provide at least 5-8 references supporting your topic)

Name of Author/s Title and publication Statement/s cited

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 For Research Proposal

A research proposal contains:

TITLE PAGE
APPROVAL SHEET
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURE/S

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER II METHODOLOGY

REFERENCES
APPENDICES
(inclusive of a copy of the data gathering instrument)
CURRICULUM VITAE
TIME TABLE

*Refer to the parts of the manuscript lifted from MPSPC Research Manual Revised 2018 for the
content of each part of the research.

1. When the group is ready with their research proposal, their adviser approves the same by affixing
his/her signature on the Approval Page. Five (5) copies are submitted to the Dean at least one
(2) weeks before the schedule of the proposal defense.

2. These copies are given to the members of the Thesis Committee before whom the group defends
the proposal. The members of the Thesis Committee are appointed by the Dean in
consultation with the student and adviser on the basis of expertise and field of specialization.
3. Follow the sample format of the thesis proposal in the following page.

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 THESIS TITLE TO BE TYPED USING ALL CAPITAL

LETTERS IN A PYRAMIDAL FORM

A Thesis Proposal Presented to

the Faculty of the Teacher Education

Mountain Province State University

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree

SPECIFY THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM BEING PURSUED IN FULL CAPS

by

FIRST NAME MIDDLE NAME FAMILY NAME

(The arrangement of names is according to the percentage of contribution from highest to lowest)

Month and Year of the defense

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 (Approval sheet for thesis/dissertation proposal)

APPROVAL SHEET

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of IN CAPS, this research proposal entitled
IN CAPS has been prepared and submitted by NAME OF CANDIDATE IN CAPS who is hereby
recommended to proceed with his/her study.

(NAME OF ADVISER IN CAPS, Degree)

Adviser

APPROVED BY EXAMINATION COMMITTEE

________________
Chairman

________________ ________________
Member Member

Accepted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree IN CAPS.

NAME OF DEAN IN CAPS, Degree

Dean, School

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
TITLE PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
APPROVAL SHEET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ABSTRACT (This should only be included in the completed research)
ACKNOWLEDGMENT (This should only be included in the completed research)
DEDICATION (This should only be included in the completed research)
TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
LIST OF FIGURE/S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Chapter 1 Introduction . . . . . . ..
Background of the Study . . . . . . . . .
Review of Related Literature . . . . . .
Theoretical Framework . . . .
Conceptual Framework . . . . . .
Statement of the Problem and Hypotheses (If any)
Chapter 2 Design and Methodology . . . . .
Research Design and Methodology . . . . .
Population and Locale of the Study . . . .
Data Gathering Tools . . . . . . . . . . .
Data Gathering Procedure . . . . . . . . .
Treatment of Data . . . . . . . . . . . .
CHAPTER 3 PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Xxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remove Chapter 3 and 4 for
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . research proposal.
CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . .
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . .
REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
APPENDICES
A xxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . .
C xxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . .
CURRICULUM VITAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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 LIST OF TABLES

Table No. Table Title Page

1 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 xxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . .

5 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure No. Figure Title Page

1 xxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 xxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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 Part II – Thesis/ Dissertation Writing II

(Approval sheet for thesis/dissertation – for final defense)

APPROVAL SHEET

This thesis/ dissertation entitled IN CAPS, prepared and submitted by NAME OF CANDIDATE
IN CAPS, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree IN CAPS, has been examined
and accepted.

(NAME OF ADVISER IN CAPS, Degree)

Adviser

APPROVED BY THE EXAMINATION COMMITTEE

________________
Chairman

________________ ________________
Member Member

ACCEPTED and APPROVED in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
IN CAPS.

NAME OF COURSE FACILITATOR, Degree NAME OF DEAN IN CAPS, Degree

Course Facilitator Dean, Name of School

NAME OF CAMPUS DIRECTOR IN CAPS, Degree

Campus Director

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 WRITING THE INTRODUCTION

Writing the rationale/ Introduction

Exercise 1.1 Discussion Questions

Think through these questions and imagine how you would be conducting your research.
1. How do I start writing my research introduction?
2. What should I include in the introductory part?
3. How do I write my research objectives or questions?

The main purpose of the INTRODUCTION is to give a description of the problem that will be
addressed. In this section, you, as the researcher/s might discuss the nature of the research, the
purpose of the research, the significance of the research problem, and the research question(s) to
be addressed.

Three essential parts of a good introduction are:

 RATIONALE
 PURPOSE
 RESEARCH QUESTION(S)

RATIONALE

Somewhere in the introduction you need to inform the reader of the rationale of your
research. This is a brief explanation of why your research topic is worthy of study and may
make a significant contribution to the body of already existing research.

Cite literatures that would support or further explain your topic.

PURPOSE
The statement of purpose is not simply a statement of why the research is being done. (That is
what the rationale section is for.) Rather, "purpose" refers to the goal or objective of your
research. The purpose statement should answer questions. . .
 "What are the objectives of my research?" and
 "What do I expect to discover or learn from this research?"

After mentioning the main goal of your research, this is where you write your review of related
literatures (RRL). Considering our institutional format, the RRL is not removed as part of
Chapter 1.

The last paragraphs of this part should include your scope and limitations of your study. The
importance is also included as well. Though these will not be shown in your subheading, make
sure that how you state it serves the purpose.

For scope and limitation, these are specific research coverage and those that are not covered in
the research. The importance of the study would discuss the benefits of the research.
In our format, there is no longer the Definition of Terms part, but the terms used in the
context of the study should be defined as you use it in your discussion. This applies in all parts
of the paper. If a word is first used in any part of the paper and would have a specific meaning
in the context of the study, this should be defined first as you discuss it. Meaning, the
definition is incorporated.

After writing the rationale and purpose of your study, provide the conceptual or theoretical
framework of the study. Provide a subheading for this part. Concepts and theories that you
will be using in your research should be discussed here. Included in this part is the paradigm of
the research. Let us try to avoid the Input-process-output since this is already overused. Try to
frame your own paradigm where all of the variables interplay.

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 RESEARCH QUESTION

The introduction usually ends with a research question or questions. This question should
be. . .
 Related to your research purpose
 Focused
 Clear

For the purpose of reviewing how introductions are written, we will use two research articles on
language assessment: Article 1. Teaching English as a Language not Subject by Employing
Formative Assessment by Chandio and Jafferi (2015); Article 2. Language assessment literacy: an
uncharted area for the English language teachers in Bangladesh by Sultana (2019). We will refer to
these articles as Article 1 and Article 2, respectively. You can get a copy of these articles through
these links or I can give the soft copy to you during our face-to-face class:
([Link]
([Link]
/download)

We will use the articles (1) and (2) to look into how the researchers incorporated the essential parts
of writing their introduction and the gap in this articles. Take a closer look to find these parts. Read
the following articles and do the given exercises.

Article 1
Introduction
The undertaken study encompasses the issues and problems of teaching
English as a foreign or secondary language in the public sector schools and
colleges of Sindh in particular and Pakistan in general. There are significant
differences between approaches, methods, and techniques incorporated for
teaching a subject and a language. Further, teaching the learner’s mother tongue
or common language of the learner’s society (L1) and foreign or secondary
language (L2) also require different approaches, methods, and techniques (Brown,
1994; Genesse, 1988; Moinzadeh, Dezhara & Rezaei, 2012; Penfield & Roberts,
2014; Piaget, 1951; Saville-Troike’s, 2006; Scovel, 1988; Steinberg, 1997).
Traditionally, English language has been taught as a subject rather than a
language in state sector schools. Moreover, the pedagogical differences of
teaching L1 and L2 have not been considered distinctively and incorporated while
teaching languages in the public sector schools and colleges of Sindh. The L1
learner comes with considerable competence in two skills, that is, listening and
speaking and the school helps him/her in the acquisition of the remaining two
skills of language, that is, reading and writing. In the case of L2, the learner
needs to acquire all four skills of language; therefore, different pedagogical
approaches and methods are required for its teaching. However, the current
practices of teaching English only focus on reading and writing, whereas listening
and speaking remain ignored both in teaching and learning and assessment
process.

The current assessment system employs summative (product) assessment at

the end of the academic year to award degrees or promote students to the next
class. In fact it is likely to get a degree and the learner is left with no choice and
opportunity to improve and cross the learning gap. Conversely, formative (process)
assessment, which provides timely and continuous feedback and appraisal to the
learner for scaffolding any learning deficiencies, has not yet been employed and
incorporated effectively. The absence of formative assessment constrains the
teaching learning process. The situation further aggravates when the summative
assessment depends only on paper-and-pencil based test, whereas the other
current alternative means of assessments like self-assessment, peer assessment,
portfolio assessment, interviews, conferences etc. are not explored and

18
 incorporated to assess and evaluate the learning process of language acquisition
in particular and subject competence in general. Shaaban (2005) maintains that
“Alternative means of assessment take into account variations in students’ needs,
interests, and learning styles, and they attempt to integrate assessment and
learning activities. They also indicate successful performance, highlight positive
traits, and provide formative rather than summative evaluation” (p.35). Hence, the
study under discussion deals with the teaching of English as L2 and explores the
opportunities of formative assessment with the modern alternative means. It
primarily deals with the theoretical framework of teaching and assessing
practices of English as L2. It seeks to develop a discourse to bolster the teaching
and assessment process of English language in public sector schools and colleges
of Sindh the study also distinguishes summative and formative assessment and
highlights the significance of the use of alternative assessment for both
summative and formative assessment process. The researchers have had first-
hand experience of teaching English to the students of class IX, X, XI and XII in
the public sector schools and colleges of Sindh and have drawn much from their
12-years of teaching experience, observation, prevailing teaching and assessment
practices, and pedagogical practices in these schools and colleges.

Exercise 1. 2
What is the purpose of the study? And why is it important to look into it? (Do
not copy the researcher’s statement. State it in your own words)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
What is/are the objective/s of the study?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
How many literatures of the study were cited? What idea of the researcher did
the literatures support? Did it help in supporting the statement?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Article 2

Introduction

Popham (2004) once labeled teachers’ lack of appropriate training in

assessment as “professional suicide” (p. 82). Recognizing the importance of
assessment literacy, language testing researchers, and other key stakeholders
have been continuously promulgating the idea of language assessment literacy (LAL)
in many parts of the world (Inbar-Lourie, 2008, 2013a; Malone, 2008). In Western
educational settings, the assessment literacy of teachers has received attention in
educational policies and research since the early 1990s (Gotch & French, 2014;
Plake et al., 1993; Popham, 2013; Stiggins, 2004). In the last decade, some studies
investigated various aspects of LAL, for example, how it is defined or
conceptualized and how it can be developed further (Lam, 2015). However, in the
context of Bangladesh, assessment literacy is still an underexplored area,
especially for classroom English language teachers. Although English teachers are
responsible for preparing the questions for the internal examinations that are held
at the school or preparing the students for public exams, it has never been

19
 considered essential for classroom English teachers to develop the required
assessment literacy. On the other hand, English is taught as a compulsory subject
at school level in Bangladesh so that students become proficient users of English in
real life (National Curriculum, 2012). In a different context, López and Bernal (2009)
pointed out that teachers with assessment training used tests to improve teaching
and learning whereas teachers without assessment training used tests to obtain
grades. The inadequacy of assessment knowledge may “cripple the quality of
education” (Popham, 2009, p. 43). Then, what is the situation for English teachers
in Bangladesh? There is no publication that indicates or investigates the
assessment literacy of English teachers in the context of Bangladesh. This paper,
therefore, investigates to what extent English language teachers at the secondary
level possess assessment literacy and how they perceive LAL.

Exercise 1.3
What is the purpose of the study? And why is it important to look into it? (Do
not copy the researcher’s statement. State it in your own words)
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
What is/are the objective/s of the study?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
How many literatures of the study were cited? What idea of the researcher did
the literatures support? Did it help in supporting the statement?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

Note: Make sure to decide what topic you will be covering/ researching. You have to
consider the limitations we have right now because of this pandemic. You might not be
gathering data personally from your respondents, so it is really important to strategize
about this. We will be discussing more of this during our online discussion.

It is time that you write the introduction of your research. Check your Research outline which you
have written in the research matrix. You can start by asking what you want to achieve in your
research. Meaning, you focus on the objectives of your study. Review the essential parts of the
introduction. Observe how you have answered Exercises 1.2 and 1.3. Write your rationale in a way
that readers can identify your purpose of your study.

I will give an announcement on the submission of your first draft of the Introduction part through
our Group Chat.

20
 Writing the Literature Review

Exercise 2.1 Discussion Questions

1. What is review of literature?
2. Where do I find literatures for my research?
4. What are to include and to exclude in writing review of literature?

What is the purpose of a literature Review?

A literature review is not just a list of your sources or just a compiled information. It is much more
than that because it requires you to analyze and synthesize the information related to your research
about its key themes or issues. This means that you do not simply copy what is written in other
literatures or just summarizing what the material is all about. You need to provide your analysis of
the material which will lead you to provide what lacks in the material or what gap you might want to
fill in your research.

Why do we need literature review in our research?

One set of purposes is to explain the motivations for doing your research. Your aims are to: Outlined
by Roland (n.d), The Learning Hub,Student Services, The University of Queensland.

a. convince the reader that the research area is significant / important / interesting

You’re trying to convince the reader to read on and also providing context to help them see the
“bigger story” of which your research is a part.

b. convince the reader that we shouldn’t be (completely) satisfied with the existing literature on the
topic and that your research will fill some important or interesting gap or address some
important limitation or deficiency

To do this you need to critique the prior literature; if there’s no gap or limitation or deficiency with
the prior research, why is there a need to do more in the area?

c. explain and justify your research hypotheses / ideas

What theory and/or prior experimental results suggested to you that your hypotheses were *“are” if
you are writing a research proposal] likely to be true / ideas were likely to be fruitful? This
necessitates arguments, because if things are certain, you don’t have hypotheses, you have facts
and there is no need to do any research!

d. explain how the historical context for your research guided what you did
But only if that is important for understanding where your research fits into a “bigger picture” or if
understanding the past is helpful for understanding the present and giving direction for where
your research needs to go.

e. explain and justify your choice of theoretical framework

Theory guides what to look for when collecting data (because theory can be used to make
predictions) and also helps you analyse and interpret what you find, so writing critically means
moving beyond simply summarizing the theory to explaining how it will guide research design
and data interpretation and also noting any limitations and how you intend to deal with these.

21
f. convince the reader that your research methods are sound and were well thought through
What approaches could have been used for your research? Why did you think the approach you
chose was the best one given any constraints?

g. introduce relevant terminology and provide definitions to clarify how terms are to be used
When using new or contested ideas where is no universally agreed upon definition for a term or
concept, it is necessary to discuss the options and explain why you decided on one particular
interpretation or definition.

How do I organize the Review?

Since you will be reading a number of materials it is best that you make your outline notes.
In making your notes, follow the matrix.

For journal articles

Author/s Year Journal Objective/s Method Strength/limitation Findings and
of the study arguments

For other sources

Author/s Year Publication Salient information to the topic

What are the steps in writing your literature review?

1. Gather sources
- To avoid unnecessary information in your research, focus on your topic. What is the aim of your
research? Remember that language education deals with broad topics, so ask the question yourself,
“What are the limitations of my study?” This will help you narrow down the information you need
to look for. For instance, if your focus in language education is on speaking, this is still very broad.
What is the aim of your study about speaking? Is it on fluency, accuracy, or speed, among others. If
it is on accuracy, what is it are you trying to look into in this area? You might want to look at your
research objectives or questions again. Next is to ask Why? How? These are just few of the questions
that will help you with your material hunt. You need more guide questions? Read the aims of review
of related literature stated earlier in this module.
2. Evaluate your source
Evaluating your source is very important in writing your review of literature. With the information
available on the internet, there are really articles that seem to be credible and true. It is for the
readers to learn how to filter the information they are reading. As a researcher, you should learn this.
So what do we consider in evaluating our source?
- Credentials: Who are the authors? Are the authors expert in their field?
- Evidence: Are the evidence presented accurate and complete? Does the evidence support the
conclusion?
- source: Where was the article published? Is it on a reputable non-biased website, peer-
reviewed, blog, wiki, newspaper? Is the source current from your topic?
- On web domains, where does your source come from?

22
  Government or military (.gov or .mil)
University (.educ)
Company website (.com
Special interest (.org)
Check their citation and evidence. University of Maryland Global Campus listed some tips on fact-
checking websites available online.

Beware of:

 Websites that contain the suffix "lo" (e.g., Newslo) or that end in ".[Link]".
These often present false information for satirical or other purposes.
 Websites that urge you to dox an individual or organization
 Websites that have amateurish design, use ALL CAPS, and try to play on your
emotions
Those are often signs that information is not trustworthy and that you should research it
further via other sources
 Memes making the rounds on Facebook or other social media sites
Try googling the topic of a meme or other doubtful story: if it is a legitimate news story,
you'll probably find it covered by an established source like a major newspaper or TV news
channel
 Clickbait
Sensationalist headlines and odd photos whose purpose is not to publish legitimate news
but to increase traffic at a website

For more information about this, visit the website of University of Maryland Global Campus
[Link]
credible,use%20and%20cite%20credible%20sources.

Exercise 2.2
Make an outline for your literature review and follow the matrix provided above.
Your literature review should answer the aim of writing the literature review.

How do I synthesize the Related Literature?

When you are done with your outline, it is time to organize your sources. Review of related
literatures has parts: the introduction, body, and conclusion.
Skene (n.d) outlines how to write literature review.

Introduction
The introduction should identify your topic, some discussion of the significance of that topic and a
thesis statement that outlines what conclusion you will draw from your analysis and synthesis of the
literature. If your literature review is part of a larger work, explain the importance of the review to
your research question.

Body
In the body, discuss and assess the research according to specific organizational principles (see
examples below), rather than addressing each source separately. Most, if not all, paragraphs should
discuss more than one source. Avoid addressing your sources alphabetically as this does not assist in
developing the themes or key issues central to your review.

23
Organizing Principles
Principle When to use Example (For the examples below, we still use Article A and B
from Module 1)
Theme -When explaining key LAL is essential for language teachers as well as other
themes or issues stakeholders in understanding the scope of this field
relevant to the topic - (Taylor, 2009). However, Scarino (2013) argues that
This is the most language teachers are the most important of all the
common way to stakeholders because they are the direct test users.
organize literature Unfortunately, some experienced teachers do not possess
reviews. adequate assessment knowledge (Crusana et al., 2016). A
study by Tsagari and Vogt (2017) found that the sample
teachers were not prepared to conduct assessment-related
tasks since they had not received enough academic
support from the teacher educational programs.
Adapted from Sultana, N. Language assessment literacy:
an uncharted area for the English language teachers in
Bangladesh. Lang Test Asia 9, 1 (2019).
[Link]

Methodology When discussing Frank (2012) debates that most of the teachers use paper
(also called a interdisciplinary and pencil based tests as a means of assessment to
methodology approaches to a topic measure the achievement of their students, whereas
review) or when discussing a globally, “Some alternative forms of assessment are (also)
number of studies growing in popularity” (Frank, 2012, p.32). However,
with a different most of the items included in these traditional tests have
approach. issues of content validity; therefore, they fail to measure
the aimed skills adequately and satisfactorily (Davies,
1990; Heaton, 1990; Popham, 1981). Content validity in
an educational test represents how much measure of the
given test is related to the subject actually taught to the
students. Henning (2012) points out 20 common mistakes
in the traditional testing pattern, which are categorized
under four main aspects of testing: (a) examination
characteristics, (b) items characteristics, (c) test-validity
concerns, and (d) administrative and scoring issues.
Example adapted from Chandio and Jafferi. (2015).
Teaching English as a Language not Subject by
Employing Formative Assessment. Journal of Education
and Educational Development. Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 151 -
171
Chronology When historical English language teaching (ELT) always has been an area
changes are central to of challenge in Bangladesh regardless of various attempts
explaining the topic. at curriculum reform (Rahman & Pandian, 2018).
Replacing the grammar translation method (GTM),
communicative language teaching (CLT) was introduced
in the 1990s for teaching the English language in
Bangladesh with the goal of improving English teaching
and learning. The first CLT-based examination at the
secondary level took place in 2001. Even though a CLT-

24
 based curriculum has been in operation in this country for
the last two decades, the communicative purpose of
English teaching and learning apparently was never
achieved. Instead, the standards of English have degraded
over the last few years rather than showing evidence of
improvement. Some studies (Hamid, 2011; Islam, 2015;
Karim, 2004; Rahman, 2015; Selim & Mahboob, 2001)
have suggested a strong presence of teaching to the test in
teachers’ classroom practices.
Adapted from Sultana, N. Language assessment literacy:
an uncharted area for the English language teachers in
Bangladesh. Lang Test Asia 9, 1 (2019).
[Link]

Conclusion
The conclusion should provide a summary of YOUR findings from the literature review. Explain
what your analysis of the material leads you to conclude about the overall state of the literature,
what it provides and where it is lacking. You can also provide suggestions for future research or
explain how your future research will fill the gaps in the existing body of work on that topic.

Citing and referencing (From [Link]

APA Reference Review Sheet

What is APA? APA Format
The American Psychological Book:
Association (APA) is a format style most Author(s). (Year published). Title of Book:Captial
commonly used for research papers letter for subtitle. City Where Published,
within the Social Sciences, Business, State (if city can be confused): Publisher.
and Nursing. Online Newspaper/Periodicals:
This sheet is to review common types of Author(s). (Year, Month Day). Title of article.
resource and how to reference them. Name of Newspaper or Periodical. Retrieved
For additional information, look at the [Link]
following resources:
APA [Link] – Online Scholarly Journal Articles:
[Link] Author(s). (Year published). Name of article. Name
of Journal, number of journal(issue if available).
University of Maryland APA Citation Retrieved Month day, year, from
Examples - [Link]
[Link]
html Online Encyclopedias and Dictionaries:
Title. (n.d. or date published) In Name of
Purdue APA Formatting and Style Guide - online resource. Retrieved Month date,
[Link] year, from [Link]
e/560/01/ Television Broadcast or Series Episode:
Producer. (Date of broadcast or copyright). Title
of broadcast [Television broadcast or Television
series]. City of origin: Studio or distributor.

Music Recording
Songwriter, Firstname. (Date of copyright). Title of
song [Recorded by artist if different from
song writer]. On Title of album [Medium of
recording]. Location: Label. (Recording

25
 date if different from copyright date).

Personal Interviews
(personal interviews are not included in
reference page but citation can be included in
the text as personal communication):

D. Adams, personal communication, August 20,

2008.

We follow the APA 6th Edition for citing and referencing. The copy of this is free on the internet
and can be easily downloaded. The commonly used sources for our references are shown on the
table below. For others not included here, check out the websites I have included below.

For outline versions of APA 6th Edition, you may visit:

1. DCU Library: APA Style of Citing & Referencing.
[Link]
2. A guide to the APA 6th ed. referencing style.
[Link]
_6th_edition.pdf

It is time to organize your review of literature. Gather your output in Exercise 2.2. Following the
introduction, body, conclusion, and organizing principles, evaluate and synthesize your sources in a
paragraph form. You will use your reviewed literatures in Chapter 1 and in Chapter III of your
research.

26
 Writing the Methodology
A. Dimensions of Research

Dimensions of research include intended use, purpose, time, and technique. Learning this will
help you identify the appropriate method and design for your research.

1. The Use of Research

Considering the utility of research, it is divided into two: basic and applied. Generally, applied
research deals with particular topics which have direct practical relevance. On the contrary, basic
research is mainly motivated by the expansion of knowledge and seek to answer questions that are
not related to direct applications. The following concepts delve into such distinctions.

Basic Research vs Applied Research (Brown, 2019)

What is basic research?

Basic research is also known as fundamental or pure research since it is mainly concerned with the
improvement of scientific knowledge. The purpose of basic research is simply to gather more
information to further understand existing phenomena specially in the field of natural sciences. Its
focus is on supporting as well as challenging assumptions which aim to explain various phenomena.
Pure research looks at the “big picture” in the sense that it looks for overall factors and related
postulates. Hence, fundamental research is purely theoretical as it delves into basic laws and
principles.

The outcomes of basic research form the basis for many applied research.

Basic research
 Seeks generalization
 Aims at basic processes
 Attempts to explain why things happen
 Tries to get all the facts
 Reports in technical language of the topic

What is Applied Research?

The purpose of applied research is to know more about a certain real-world problem and take steps
to solve it. It focuses on the application of natural science principles on practical difficulties as well
as enhancing innovations. Such studies are often associated with the fields of business, economics,
health, and politics.

Many applied researchers utilize the naturalistic observation method to verify existing social
difficulties and then conduct experiments to ascertain solutions. However, data gathering challenges
such as ethics and validity issues may arise specially when testing procedures may pose harm for
humans and animals. Thus, restrictions are applied in employing the respective study procedures.

A research, the outcome of which has immediate application is also termed as applied research.
Such a research is of practical use to current activity.

Applied research
 Studies individual or specific cases without the objective to generalize
 Aims at any variable which makes the desired difference
 Tries to say how things can be changed
 Tries to correct the facts which are problematic
 Reports in common language

27
Difference between Basic and Applied Research

Purpose of Basic and Applied Research

Basic research is meant to expand one’s current knowledge while applied research is aiming to solve
particular life problems.

Nature
Basic research is more theoretical since it generally generates theories and explores information
which may not be presently applied. It is also focused on improving current academic concepts. On
the other hand, applied research is more practical and descriptive in nature as it seeks to alleviate
current problems in various fields and is mostly concerned with end-usage.

Scope
The scope of basic research is often universal as it may bae applied to diverse concepts. However,
applied research is largely particular as it is focused on very specific topics which seek to answer
certain problems.

Technology
As compared to basic research, applied research is more often linked with the improvement of
technology as it covers the direct application of knowledge.

Future
While basic research aims to predict future phenomena, applied research seeks to prevent predicted
problems or come with solutions for future challenges. The former deals with knowing what could
happen while the latter goes beyond by coming up with probable actions.

Drive
Basic research is driven by curiosity while applied research is driven by clients as the former is
conducted to understand fundamental concepts while the latter is done to help solve individuals’ or
groups’ problems.

Commercial Objectives
As compared to basic research, applied research is closely associated with commercial processes
since it aims to create relevant products and services.

Economy
As compared to basic research, applied research is more closely connected with the development of
economy as numerous surveys, experiments, and case studies are conducted to verify the efficacy of
products, market strategies, and other economically related procedures.

Academic Publications
As compared to applied research, basic researches more often appear in academic publications as
they delve into generating new knowledge.

Environment
Basic research occurs in a sterile or highly-controlled environment such as laboratories. Conversely,
applied research mainly takes place in real world settings where other unexpected variables may
intervene.

28
Basic vs Applied Research: Comparison Chart

Basic Research Applied Research

Expands current knowledge Solves particular life problems
Theoretical and exploratory in nature Practical and descriptive in nature
Wider scope More specific scope
Less associated with technology Associated with the advancement of technology
Predicts future phenomena Creates solutions or preventions for future
problems
Curiosity-driven Client-driven
Does not have direct commercial objectives Has direct commercial objectives
Less connected with economy Highly connected with economical pursuit
Less often appear in academic publications More often appear in academic publications
Takes place in sterile environment Occurs in real world settings

Exercise 3.1
Where do you think your research be categorized? Why so? (You may want to
think of the aim and outcome of your research for your answer)
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Basic and applied research, further divided into three types of research bearing some characteristics
feature as follows:

Quantitative research
 It is numerical, non-descriptive, applies statistics or mathematics and uses numbers.
 It is an iterative process whereby evidence is evaluated.
 The results are often presented in tables and graphs.
 It is conclusive.
 It investigates the what, where and when of decision making.

Qualitative research
 It is non-numerical, descriptive, applies reasoning and uses words.
 Its aim is to get the meaning, feeling and describe the situation.
 Qualitative data cannot be graphed.
 It is exploratory.
 It investigates the why and how of decision making.

Mixed research
Mixed research- research that involves the mixing of quantitative and qualitative methods or
paradigm characteristics. Nature of data is mixture of variables, words and images.

Other types of research

Exploratory Research
Exploratory research might involve a literature search or conducting focus group interviews. The
exploration of new phenomena in this way may help the researcher’s need for better understanding,
may test the feasibility of a more extensive study, or determine the best methods to be used in a

29
subsequent study. For these reasons, exploratory research is broad in focus and rarely provides
definite answers to specific research issues.
The objective of exploratory research is to identify key issues and key variables.

Descriptive research
The descriptive research is directed toward studying “what” and how many off this “what”. Thus, it
is directed toward answering questions such as, “What is this?”.

Explanatory research
 Its primary goal is to understand or to explain relationships.
 It uses correlations to study relationships between dimensions or characteristics off individuals,
groups, situations, or events.
 Explanatory research explains (How the parts of a phenomenon are related to each other).
 Explanatory research asks the “Why” question.

Longitudinal Research
Research carried out longitudinally involves data collection at multiple points in time. Longitudinal
studies may take the form of:
 Trend study- looks at population characteristics over time, e.g. organizational absenteeism
rates during the course of a year
 Cohort study- traces a sub-population over time, e.g. absenteeism rates for the sales
department;
 Panel study- traces the same sample over time, e.g. graduate career tracks over the period
1990 – 2000 for the same starting cohort.
While longitudinal studies will often be more time consuming and expensive than cross-sectional
studies, they are more likely to identify causal relationships between variables.

Cross-sectional Research
One-shot or cross-sectional studies are those in which data is gathered once, during a period
of days, weeks or months. Many cross-sectional studies are exploratory or descriptive in
purpose. They are designed to look at how things are now, without any sense of whether
there is a history or trend at work.

Action research
 Fact findings to improve the quality of action in the social world

Policy-Oriented Research
 Reports employing this type of research focus on the question ‘How can problem ‘X’ be
solved or prevented ?’

Classification research
 It aims at categorization of units in to groups
 To demonstrate differences
 To explain relationships

Comparative research
 To identify similarities and differences between units at all levels

Causal research
 It aims at establishing cause and effect relationship among variable

Theory-testing research
 It aims at testing validity of a unit

Theory-building research
 To establish and formulate the theory
These other types of research may either be qualitative or quantitative. However, they are more
specific depending on the direction of your research.

30
 Exercise 3.2
If you are to be more specific of your research design, what specific design your
research fits into? Why? (Your explanation of this will be included in Chapter II of
your research under Research Design)
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

A. Locale and Population

In other institutions and other journals, locale and participants/ population are separate sections of
Design and methodology. However, in MPSPC research format, these two are taken as one unit.
Locale is discussed first before the population of the study.

Exercise 3.3
Describe the setting/ place where your research is to be conducted. Give an
explanation of why you chose the place to conduct the study. (You might want to
connect the need to conduct the study)

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

31
B. Instruments
This is also called the data gathering tools. In this section, discuss the tools you will be using for
gathering your data.

Exercise 3.4
Enumerate and describe the tools you will use to gather the needed data in your
study.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

C. Data Collection
This section is where you discuss how you have gathered your data. This is also called the data
gathering procedure.

Exercise 3.5
Explicitly narrate the steps/ procedure of how you will gather your data, and how
you will analyze it.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

32
D. Data Analysis
This is section is where you explain how you will treat/ or analyze your data. This is also called the
treatment of data.

Exercise 3.6
Discuss how you will analyze or treat your data. What analysis tool will you use?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Since you are writing for a research proposal, meaning, you did not yet conduct the study, use the
future tense.

ETHICS IN RESEARCH

Since research is procedural in nature, there are ethical considerations that you need to observe.
Once this is breached, it compromises the result of your research. All research papers should
include this as part of the design and methodology or should at least be mentioned in this part.

(From U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)

Research ethics provides guidelines for the responsible conduct of research. In addition, it
educates and monitors scientists conducting research to ensure a high ethical standard.
The following is a general summary of some ethical principles:
Honesty:
Honestly report data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate,
falsify, or misrepresent data.
Objectivity:
Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review, personnel
decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research.

Integrity:
Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and action.
Carefulness:
Avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and critically examine your own work and the work
of your peers. Keep good records of research activities.
Openness:
Share data, results, ideas, tools, resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas.

Respect for Intellectual Property:

Honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data,
methods, or results without permission. Give credit where credit is due. Never plagiarize.
Confidentiality:
Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for publication, personnel
records, trade or military secrets, and patient records.
Responsible Publication:
Publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to advance just your own career. Avoid
wasteful and duplicative publication.
Responsible Mentoring:

33
Help to educate, mentor, and advise students. Promote their welfare and allow them to make their
own decisions.
Respect for Colleagues:
Respect your colleagues and treat them fairly.
Social Responsibility:
Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through research, public
education, and advocacy.
Non-Discrimination:
Avoid discrimination against colleagues or students on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or other
factors that are not related to their scientific competence and integrity.
Competence:
Maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through lifelong education
and learning; take steps to promote competence in science as a whole.
Legality:
Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.
Animal Care:
Show proper respect and care for animals when using them in research. Do not conduct
unnecessary or poorly designed animal experiments.
Human Subjects Protection:
When conducting research on human subjects, minimize harms and risks and maximize benefits;
respect human dignity, privacy, and autonomy.

Exercise 3.7
Considering the research ethics guidelines outline above, what are the ethical
considerations you need to consider in your research? Briefly explain this. (you
may use another page
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Following the MPSPC research format, organize you answers in Exercise 3.1-3.7 to come up with
you Chapter II of your research.

To prepare your research proposal manuscript, review and edit your Chapter 1 and Chapter 2.
Include the preliminary pages which consist the title page, approval sheet, and table of contents.

REFERENCES
Chandio and Jafferi. (2015). Teaching English as a Language not Subject by Employing Formative
Assessment. Journal of Education and Educational Development. Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 151 - 171.
DCU Library: APA Style of Citing & Referencing.
[Link]
International Network for Natural Sciences . (2020). [Link]
research/
Sultana, N. Language assessment literacy: an uncharted area for the English language teachers in
Bangladesh. Lang Test Asia 9, 1 (2019). [Link]
MPSPC Research Manual Revised 2018

34
National Council of Teachers of English. (2005). Understanding the relationship between research
and teaching.
[Link]
%20and%20policy,that%20will%20best%20serve%20students.

UCOL Student Experience Team (SET) Library and Learning Services. (2015).A guide to the APA
6th ed. referencing style.
[Link]
_6th_edition.pdf
University of Maryland Global Campus. Is my source credible? Retrieved from
[Link]
a%20credible,use%20and%20cite%20credible%20sources.
What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important? U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences. Retrieved [Link]

35
Sample of Title Page:

36
Pagination and Approval Sheet Samples: (The pagination for preliminary
pages are 1” from the bottom of the edge of the page and centered.)

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Chapter Page and pagination (No pagination for all chapter pages. The
line spacing for the body except for the side titles and table titles
must be double-spaced - ds.)

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(The line spacing for side titles and table titles must be single-spaced - ss. The pagination of the body part of the whole
manuscript is found in the right-hand corner of the page, 1” from the edge of the paper.)

ds

ds

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Side Title and Spacing

ss
ds

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Indentions:

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Table format:

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References:

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TIMELINE FOR TW1:

DATES ACTIVITY
July 16, 2025 First meeting, face to face, creation of group chat, distribution of
modules
July 22, 2025 Orientation and discussion of module
July 24, 2025 Review of Related Literature
July 29, 2025 Submission of three research topics using Output 1
September 4, 2025 Schedules of Title defense
October 7 and 9, 2025 Schedules of Proposal Defense
November 10, 2025 Submission of Final Proposal integrating the comments and
suggestions of the panel members

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