Week 12: Assignment 12 – Research proposals

Work in your group and make the first draft of your research proposal.

Assignment 12

Group number: 04

Group members:

1. Vo Thi Thao Linh (20204117)

2. Dinh Thi Ngat (20204133)

3. Nguyen Thi Huong Que (20204149)

4. Pham Thi Tuong Vi (20204187)

Research Proposal

Title page: An Investigation on SOFL Sophomores' Difficulties in Learning Vocabulary in

Reading Skill II.

Introduction

Vocabulary plays a vital role in language development and academic success, according to

research by Nation (2001). However, research has shown that students frequently struggle

with vocabulary acquisition, particularly in the context of reading (Groot, 2000).

Our study focuses on investigating the challenges faced by sophomore students at School of

foreign language (SOFL, HUST) when learning vocabulary in the Reading Skill II course. In

order to improve students' language learning outcomes, it is vital to recognize the challenges

that they face when learning new vocabulary, which is essential for good reading

comprehension, in particular, for sophomore students at SOFL to succeed academically in

Reading Skills 2.
The specific difficulties faced by students in vocabulary learning will be explored using a

quantitative research. In order to investigate the unique vocabulary challenges faced by the

Sofl sophomores, a questionnaire survey will be used to collect quantitative data.

Purpose /Research question

The purpose of this research are: (1) To identify and analyze the difficulties of SOFL

sophomores when dealing with learning English vocabulary in the Reading II module and (2)

To give some suggestions for possible methods to help them improve. To achieve these

objectives, this study attempts to address the following questions:

 What difficulties do SOFL sophomores at HUST encounter when learning vocabulary

through the Reading II module?

 How can SOFL sophomores at HUST improve their English vocabulary acquisition

through the Reading II module?

Literature review

Reading is considered one of the four core skills in academic success and the foreign language

learning process. Anderson et al. (1985) defined reading as a process in which readers transfer

words, clauses, and events from the text into meanings understood in the mind. They affirmed

its profound influence that reading must be viewed as a crucial part of language development

rather than as a separate ability from speaking, listening, and writing. According to Truong

(2018), by reading numerous topics, learners could gain the large number of extensive

knowledge needed in various contexts, practice the way of thinking in that language, and

improve spelling and grammatical characteristics.

However, reading is not always an easy activity for learners. The research conducted by

Nurmalasari and Haryudin (2021) showed that these frequent difficulties learners face when

reading text are mainly insufficient vocabulary and structure knowledge that constrained the

comprehension and interpreting ability. The findings carried out by Pham (n.d) indicated that
problems stemming from both individual and background factors are the result of poor

motivation, anxiety, limited vocabulary, lack of shared experience, and neglect.

Therefore, learning vocabulary is quite essential, not only in reading, but also in speaking,

listening, and writing. Michael (2009) said "Communication in a language just cannot happen

in any meaningful way without words to express a wide range of meaning," regardless of how

well a pupil learns grammar or how successfully they master linguistic sounds.

Research methods

The present study which employs a quantitative research design with the instrument used to

gather information is questionnaire. This type of survey can be applied to all respondents as

well as be both physically distributed and electronically distributed to the answers. It is

appropriate for the researcher to collect data related to what difficulties Sofl students get

during learning English vocabulary in Reading Skills 2.

The research is carried out among 40 students, which have been taking Reading Skills 2 at the

School of Foreign Language (SOFL, HUST). The participants consisting of females and

males, voluntarily complete the questionnaire.

The questionnaire survey is implemented in the widely-used online platform – Google Forms,

which allows researchers to acquire feedback quickly and efficiently. Via the Internet, the

respondents can be deployed and complete the survey questionnaire. The researcher will use

both open-ended and closed - ended questions to provide the in - detail and diverse responses.

The survey is accomplished with the expectation of the end of June. Before the questionnaire

survey is distributed to students, we will give them specific instructions to avoid puzzled. The

students are guaranteed anonymity and confidentiality and they have the chance not to be part

of the study if not feel comfortable. The survey will take about 4-8 minutes to complete the

questions. After gathering the feedback, the researcher conducted analyzed the data. The first

step is clean the data, meaning removing major errors or unwanted information. Then, transfer
the data the research collects into fieldwork. The final step is for the researcher to summarize

the data based on the results. After analyzing the data, it is necessary to interpret the results.

Schedule of work/ Timeline

Research phrase  Objectives  Deadline 

1. Background  Choose research topic  26th April 2023

research  Identify objectives 

 Decide and refine research

questions 

 Develop a theoretical framework 

2. Literature  Look for sources to support the 16th May 2023

review  research topic and literature

review 

 Conduct a review of relevant

literature 

 Make an outline of literature

review 

 Write the first draft literature

review 

 Redraft and submit literature

review 

3. Research  Decide the research approaches  21st June 2022

design  Identify online and offline

planning  channels for recruiting

participants 

 Finalize sampling methods and

 data analysis methods 

4. Data  Design questionnaire  30th June

collection and  Design observation plan  2023

preparation   Send out the questionnaire and

conduct observation 

5. Data analysis   Statistically analyze survey data  19th July 2023

 Conduct analysis of observation

results 

 Draft the results 

 Finalize and report data

collection 

6. Writing    Complete a full thesis draft  23rd July 2023

 Meet the teacher to discuss

feedback and revisions 

7. Revision   Redraft based on feedback  7th August 2023

 Get supervisor approval for the

final draft 

 Proofread 

 Print and submit 

References

Anderson, R. C., Hiebert, E. H., Scott, J. A., & Wilkinson I. A. G.(1985). Becoming a Nation

of Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading.National Academy of Education.

Retrieved from https://naeducation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Anderson-Hiebert-

Scott-Wilkinson-Becoming-a-Nation-of-Readers.pdf
Groot, P. (2000). COMPUTER ASSISTED SECOND LANGUAGE VOCABULARY

ACQUISITION. 4, 56–76.

https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/2d62539a-383d-450a-

bf46-5bda8f588f7d/content

Nation, I. (2001). Learning Vocabulary in Another Language.

https://moodle.ph-ooe.at/pluginfile.php/114044/mod_resource/content/1/

Nation_2001_Learning_vocabulary_in_another_language.pdf 

Nurmalasari, N., & Haryudin, A. (2021). THE STUDENTS’DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING

READING. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 4(1), 29-

34.Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348222818_THE_STUDENTS'_DIFFICULTIE

S_IN_LEARNING_READING

Pham, T.H. (n.d).A study on the causes of difficulties in reading skills experienced by first-

year English . Workshop on Innovation in Language Teaching and Learning. Retrieved

from file:///E:/Pham%20Thu%20Huong.pdf

Truong, T.P.(2018). Using extensive reading to improve economic vocabulary for second-

year Students at the University of Languages and international studies – Vietnam

National university, Hanoi.Vnu.edu. Retrieved from

https://repository.vnu.edu.vn/bitstream/VNU_123/63018/1/USING%20EXTENSIVE

%20READING%20TO%20IMPROVE%20ECONOMIC%20VOCABULARY%20FOR

%20SECOND-YEAR%20STUDENTS%20AT%20THE%20UNIVERSITY%20OF

%20LANGUAGES%20AND%20INTERNATIONAL%20STUDIES

%20%E2%80%93%20VIETNAM%20NATIONAL%20UNIVERSITY%2C

%20HANOI.pdf