Wolaita sodo university

College of Social Sciences and Humanities

Department of English Language and Literature
Course outline
 Course Title /Code: Seminar on Selected Topics (EnLa3112)
 Module title: Researching and Reporting Skills /EnLaM3111
 Instructor’s Name: Abebayehu An.
 Instructor’s Contact Information: Office/ Phone +251 935950514/Email:
abebawuanjulo@gmail.com
 Course ECTS: 3 ECTS (81 Hrs.) or 3 3Crhs
 Mode of Delivery: Block
 Teaching Methods: Classroom contact/Lecture, group work, interactive tutorial sessions (group
and pair work /discussions and individual work (independent learning).
Course Description:
The course ‘Seminar’ is interdisciplinary course selected to enable students carry out scholarly works and
presentations before their final project around topics which integrate a broad range of intellectual
perspectives. The student in the Senior Seminar will engage in a project of individual research or creation
and will present his/her findings in both oral and written form to the other members of the course. In this
course, the student carries out a limited scale research on a specific topic of his/her area of study.

Course objectives:
Upon completing the course, students will be able to:
 develop the skill of writing seminar paper,
 write and present seminars on selected topics,
 develop an organized academic paper,
 explain the characteristics of a good research and researcher,
 develop a proposal on selected topics, and
 compose term papers following the appropriate procedures and conventions of academic writing
Unit one: An Over view on the nature and characteristics of Research
 Characteristics of a research
 Selecting and identifying a problem
 Considerations for identifying a research problem
 Sources of problems/topics
 Criteria for selecting a research problem/topic
Unit Two: Steps in writing Research paper
Steps in writing elements of a research paper
Introduction section:
 Writing back ground, Writing statement of the problem, Writing objectives of the

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 Research, Writing the significance of research, Limitations during the research, Delimitation of
the research
Review of related literature section
 Note taking, paraphrasing, and so on.
Research methodology section
 Research Design, Population of the study, Sampling techniques, Tools of date gathering, Data
collecting procedures, and data analysis.
Results and discussion section
 Finding, results and discussion
Conclusion and recommendation section
 Summary, conclusion, and recommendation
Unit three: Writing a Proposal
 Assignment: Proposal writing
Unit Four: Academic Presentation
Basic requirements of academic presentation
 Language features, Verbal and non- verbal elements, Content, Idea flow, Audibility, Clarity,
Brevity, Paralinguistic features, Factors influencing academic presentation and Article reviews
Assessment
 Continuous Assessment (50%)
 Assignment-1(individual proposal writing & presentation) 20%
 Assignment-2:(Group work) 10%
 Assignment-3(Articles review) 20%
 Final Examination 50%
References
C. R. Kothari. (2004). Research Methodology: Methods and Techniques. New Delhi: New age international (P)
limited, publishers

Gall, M.D., Borg, W.R. and Gall, J. 1996. Educational Research: An Introduction (6th ed). New York: Longman.

Kumar, R. 1996. Research Methodology. London: Longman.

Mishra, R. C,. 2005. Exploring Educational Research. New Delhi: Kul Bhushan Nangia.

Nunan, D, 1992. Research Methodology in Language Learning. Cambridge: CUP.

Robert J. Hamper & L.Sue Baugh. (2011). Hand book for writing proposals.NewYork. McGraw-Hill.

Singh, Y, K. 2005. Research Methodology. New Delhi: Kul Bhushan Nangia.

Urmila Rai,(2010), English Language communication Skills: Mumbai, Himalaya Publishing House

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Unit one: An Over view on the nature and characteristics of
Research
 Nature, Meaning and characteristic of Research
 Selecting and identifying a problem
 Considerations for identifying a research problem
 Sources of problems/topics
 Criteria for selecting a research problem/topic

1.1. Nature, Meaning and characteristic of Research

Meaning of a Research
 Re(search), knowing and predicting reality.
 Asking questions, systematically seeking (looking/searching) answers, understanding the
phenomenon using critical thinking articulating the ideas, information or evidence.
 Create knowledge, technology, practices, policies.
 Research methodology (RM) is an independent framework that includes skills in doing
research and discovering knowledge in all branches of humanities, natural, social or
management sciences.

B. Nature of a Research
Research is systematic enquiry whose goal is communicable knowledge.
I. Systematic because it is pursued (followed) according to some plan.
II. An enquiry because it seeks find answer to questions.
III. Goal directed because the objects of the enquiry are posed (showed) by the task
descriptions.
IV. Knowledge directed because the findings of the enquiry must be beyond providing
mere (simple) information and
V. Communicable because the findings must be clear and located within some
framework understanding for an appropriate audience.

C. Characteristics of research
Research is a scientific approach of answering a research question, solving a research problem,
or generating new knowledge through a systematic and orderly collection, organization, and

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 analysis of data with the ultimate goal of making the findings of research useful in decision
making. Creswell (1994,) It is a systematic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem
that needs a solution.
 Research is not only undertaken to solve the existing problem of but also contribute to the
formation of knowledge. Thus, it is a knowledge building process. It can be undertaken to fulfil
different purposes.
 Basically, research is undertaken to generate new knowledge, to solve the existing problems in
the work setting, and to build up new theory, with its certain research processes.
 There are different steps in research: sensing a problem, problem identification, theoretical
framework, hypothesis formulation, research design, data collection, data analysis, and
refinement of theory.
 Good research has certain characteristics: systematic, empirical, logical, replicable and
purposive. These should be fulfilled for scientific research.

Systematic:
It means that research is structured with specified steps to be taken in a specified
sequence in accordance with the well-defined set of rules. Systematic characteristic of
the research does not rule out creative thinking but it certainly does reject the use of
guessing and intuition in arriving at conclusion.
Logical:
This implies that research is guided by the rules of logical reasoning and the logical
process of induction (specific) and deduction (general) are of great value in carrying out
research. Induction is the process of reasoning from a part to the whole whereas
deduction is the process of reasoning from some premise to a conclusion (whole) which
follows from that very premise (a part). In fact, logical reasoning makes research more
meaningful in the context of decision making.
Empirical:
It implies that research is related basically to one or more aspects of a real situation and
deals with concrete data that provides a basis for external validity to research results.
Replicable:
This characteristic allows research results to be verified by replicating the study and
thereby building a sound basis for decisions.
Purposive:

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 Research must have a focus or a specific purpose. It is essential for the effective and
meaningful research. The purpose of research influences the activities of researcher.
Generalization:
Generalization refers to the ability to apply the results to a large portion of the population.
In the research term, it simply means how far the finding of research can be applied to the
large population. Researcher generally chooses a small sample termed as target
population out of whole large population for his analysis and research purpose. This
target population is the representative of the whole population and in the same say,
sample findings are also termed as the findings of the whole population. Research is
called generalizable if the findings of the sample can be applied to any portion or sample
of the whole population.
Cyclical Nature
Research process is cyclical in nature. It starts with a research question defining the main
aim of research project and also ends with different question arising out of research
conclusion. Many times, findings of the research bring several new questions in the mind
of people.
1.2. Identification of research problem
Identification of research problem refers to the sense of awareness of a prevalent social
problem, a social phenomenon or a concept that is worth study – as it requires to be
investigated to understand it. The researcher identifies such a research problem through
his observation, knowledge, wisdom and skills.
1.2.1. Research problem
 A problem is an interrogative sentence or statement that tells us about the relationship
that exists between two or more variables.
 It concerns with a broader area of the field of study,
 The topic is the definition of the problem that delimits the scope of problem.
To Identify the Problem:
Broad area Theme Topic
• Narrow down and identify the problem
• Formulate the problem ( operationalize problem)
• Identify key variables

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 • Define key variables.

Example
Research problem

Area - Teacher Education

Pre service In- service

➢ Curriculum
➢ Teaching learning process
➢ School experience program
➢ Quality
➢ Management
➢ Teachers’ content & pedagogical knowledge, etc.
Characteristics of good topic
 Interesting – keeps the researcher interested in it throughout the research
process.
 Researchable – can be investigated through the collection and analysis of data.
 Significant – contributes to the improvement and understanding of educational
theory and practice.
 Manageable – fits the level of researcher’s level of research skills, needed
resources, and time restrictions.
 Ethical – does not embarrass or harm participants.

1.2.2. Sources of Research Problems

There are five sources of a research problem:

 Interviews

Interviews sessions can be significant sources of research problems. The method gives you an
opportunity to have formal discussions and informal interactions with individuals who can
provide useful insights into research and make findings more relevant to future research.

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Consider having discussions with experts in the field you wish to investigate. These
professionals mat be healthcare service providers, business leaders, teachers, social workers,
attorneys, and accountants to mention but a few examples. By interacting with these experts,
you’re able to identify real-world problems that researchers have either ignored or understudied
in the academic space. Moreover, interview sessions give you the opportunity to get some
practical knowledge that can help you to design and conduct your studies.

 Personal Experiences

Your everyday experiences are a good source of research problem. You have to think
critically about your personal experiences with an issue that affects your family, your
personal life, or your community. A research problem derived from personal experience
can spring from any issue and from anywhere. For example, you can construct a research
problem from events that appear to be out of the ordinary or from community
relationships that don’t have clear explanations.
 Deductions from Theory
A deduction from theory refers to inferences a researcher makes from the generalizations
of life in a society that a researcher knows very well. A researcher takes the deduction,
places them in an empirical frame, and then, based on a theory, they come up with a
research problem and a hypothesis that suggests some findings based on given empirical
results. The research accounts for the relationship to observe if a theory summarizes the
state of an affair. A systematic investigation, which evaluates if the empirical information
affirms or rejects the hypothesis, comes next.
 Interdisciplinary Perspective

If you consider interdisciplinary perspective to identify a problem for a research study, you’ll
have to look at scholarship and academic movements from outside your main area of
investigation. It’s an intellectually involving process, one that requires reviewing pertinent
literature to discover unique avenues of exploration an analysis. The benefit of using this
approach to identify a research problem for your research paper assignment is that it presents an
opportunity for you to understand complex issues with ease.

 Relevant Literature

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To generate a research problem from relevant literature, you first have to review research related
to your area of interest. Doing so allows you to find gaps on the topic, making it easy for you to
understand just how much understudied your area of interest is.

Data collected from relevant literature is relevant because it helps to:

Fill existing gaps in knowledge based on specific research,

Determine if current studies can have implications on further research on the same issue,

See if it’s possible to conduct a similar study in a different area or apply the same in a different
context, and

Determine if the methods used in previous studies can be effective in solving future problems.

1.2.3. Criteria for Selecting a Problem

 Interest: Most important
 Significance:
Theoretical value
Practical value
Timeliness
External review
 Manageability
Expertise, time, resources
Free from personal bias

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 Unit Two: Steps of Writing Research Paper
 A research paper is a piece of academic writing based on an author's research. The
purpose of writing a research paper is to prove your understanding of a topic or to
present new findings based on the research completed. Information is gathered from
previously-completed research by academic scholars.
 Writing a research paper has several steps. These are:
Introduction section: writing back ground, statement of the problem, objectives,
significance, scope & limitations. Review of related literature section: note taking,
paraphrasing, and so on. Research methodology section: research Design,
population of the study, sampling techniques, tools of date gathering, data collecting
procedures, and data analysis. Results and discussion section: finding, results and
discussion Conclusion and recommendation section: summary, conclusion, and
recommendation

2.1. Introduction section

A. Background of the study
 The background of the study is the first section of a research paper and gives
context surrounding the research topic. The background explains to the reader
where your research journey started, why you got interested in the topic, and how
you developed the research question that you will later specify.
 Background information may include both important and relevant studies.

Before writing your study background, it is essential to understand what to include. The
following elements should all be included in the background and are presented in greater detail
in the next section:

 A general overview of the topic and why it is important (overlaps with establishing the
“importance of the topic” in the Introduction)

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  The current state of the research on the topic or on related topics in the field.
 Controversies about current knowledge or specific past studies that undergird your
research methodology
 Any claims or assumptions that have been made by researchers, institutions, or
politicians that might need to be clarified
 Methods and techniques used in the study or from which your study deviated in some
way

Paying close attention to the following questions will help you in writing background
information:

 Are there any theories, concepts, terms, and ideas that may be unfamiliar to the target
audience and will require you to provide any additional explanation?
 Any historical data that need to be shared in order to provide context on why the current
issue emerged?
 Are there any concepts that may have been borrowed from other disciplines that may be
unfamiliar to the reader and need an explanation?

B. Problem Statement
A research problem statement is a clear, concise, and specific statement that describes the issue
or problem that the research project addresses. It should be written in a way that is easily
understandable to both experts and non-experts in the field.

To write a research problem statement, you should:

 Identify the general area of interest: Start by identifying the general area of research
that interests you.

 Define the specific problem: Narrow down the general area of interest to a specific
problem or issue.

 Explain the significance of the problem: Provide context for the problem by explaining
why it is important to study and what gap in current knowledge or understanding it fills.

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  Use a scientific and objective tone: The problem statement should be written in a
neutral and objective tone, avoiding any subjective language and personal bias.

 Gap: Gap of the study is an essence of problem statement. So showing gap at this stage is
very important. Gap will show how your conceptual framework is unique and
researchable.

 Evidence/Logic: What is the need to conduct this study? Provide logics and also support
from literature regarding the need of the study.

 Consequences: What will happen if you don’t conduct the study? In short at this stage

explain the need of study.

C. Objectives of the study

Research objectives describe concisely what the research is trying to achieve. They summarize
the accomplishments a researcher wishes to achieve through the project and provides direction to
the study

Types of Research Objectives

General objective

 General objectives are broad goals to be achieved.

 The general objectives of the study state what the researcher expects to achieve by the
study in general terms.
 General objectives are usually less in number.

Specific objective

 Specific objectives are short term & narrow in focus.

 General objectives can be broken into small logically connected parts to form specific
objectives.
 General objective is met through accomplishing all the specific objective.

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  The specific objectives are more in number & they systematically address various
aspects of problem as defined under ‘the statement of problem’ & key factor that is
assumed to influence or causes the problem.
 They should specify what the researcher will do in the study, where, & for what
purpose.

D. Significance of the study

A research significance is a statement that explains why your study matters and what
contribution it makes to your field. It is often required in academic proposals, reports, and papers
to persuade readers, reviewers, and funders that your research is worth pursuing and supporting.

While writing the significance of your study, you must answer questions like:
Why should your research be published?
 How will this study contribute to the development of your field?

E. Scope of the Study

The scope of the study refers to the boundaries within which your research project will be
performed; this is sometimes also called the scope of research. To define the scope of the study is
to define all aspects that will be considered in your research project. It is also just as important to
make clear what aspects will not be covered; i.e. what is outside of the scope of the study.
Each of these parameters will have limits placed on them so that the study can practically be
performed, and the results interpreted relative to the limitations that have been defined. These
parameters will also help to shape the direction of each research question you consider.

F. Limitations of a Study
The limitations of the study are those characteristics of design or methodology that impacted or
influenced the interpretation of the findings from your research. They are the constraints on
generalizability, applications to practice, and/or utility of findings that are the result of the ways in which
you initially chose to design the study or the method used to establish internal and external validity or the
result of unanticipated challenges that emerged during the study.
Example of limitation are: sample size, lack of available and/or reliable data, self-reported data
etc.

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