Research Analyses

Research Analyses

The title of a qualitative journal:

EFL Teachers’ Attitudes toward Communicative Language Teaching in Taiwanese College by Ming Chang

Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan

Journal:

The Asian EFL Journal Professional Teaching Journals – CEBU Conference Issue (3) Volume 53 on Page 17-34 July 2011

The title of a quantitative journal:

A Simulation Study of Missing Data with Multiple Missing X’s

by Jonathan D. Rubright; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants,

Ratna Nandakumar; University of Delaware,

Joseph J. Glutting; University of Delaware

Journal:

Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, Vol 19, No 10 on Page 1 – 8 August 2014

This Paper is Partial Fulfillment of MID Test Assignment for Metodologi Penelitian Subject lecturer by Dr. Dadang Sudana, M.A., Ph.D.

Written by

Rezki Firdaus

1407335

SCHOOL OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

INDONESIA UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION

2015

 

A.           Introduction

These essays will give an appraisal of the first journal entitled EFL teachers’ attitudes toward communicative language teaching in Taiwanese college, which written by Ming Chang from Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. This journal is taken from the Asian EFL journal entitled Professional Teaching Journals – CEBU Conference Issue (3) Volume 53 and published on July 2011. The second journal entitles a simulation study of missing data with multiple missing X’s that was written by Jonathan D. Rubright, Ratna Nandakumar and Joseph J. Glutting and published by practical assessment, research & evaluation published on August 2014.

This statement was found in the first journal of Chan (2011) who state that Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) advocates teaching practices that develop learners’ abilities to communicate in a second language. It represents a change of focus in language teaching from linguistic structure to the learners’ need for developing communication skills. In recent decades, many English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms have adopted CLT into their curricula. Richards (2006, p. 4) also states that “the notion of communicative competence was developed within the discipline of linguistics (or more accurately, the subdiscipline of sociolinguistics) and appealed to many within the language teaching profession, who argued that communicative competence, and not simply grammatical competence, should be the goal of language teaching”. He continued that with CLT began a movement away from traditional lesson formats where the focus was on mastery of different items of grammar and practice through controlled activities such as the memorization of dialogs and drills, and toward the use of pair work activities, role plays, group work activities and project work.

Ming Chang was born in Tainan, Taiwan. She earned her Ed.D. from Texas A & M University – Kingsville in USA. Now she is an Assistant Professor in Language Teaching Center at Minghsin University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. Her research interests include TEFL and EFL teacher training. The main point why the first author does this research was to investigate Taiwanese college teachers’ attitudes toward CLT. That’s why this qualitative journal chosen as an appraisal.

Missing data are a part of almost all research, and we all have to decide how to deal with it from time to time Howell (2012). The second journal that was stated by Rubright, Nandakumar and Glutting (2014) who state that when exploring missing data techniques in a realistic scenario, the current literature is limited: most studies only consider consequences with data missing on a single variable. This simulation study compares the relative bias of two commonly used missing data techniques when data are missing on more than one variable. He continued that regardless of reasons for missingness, all analysts at one time or another are confronted with and must address it - even if addressing it means ignoring it altogether. Howell (2012) also states that there are several reasons why data may be missing. They may be missing because equipment malfunctioned, the weather was terrible, people got sick, or the data were not entered correctly. Yet, it is known that the missing data mechanism can impact the results of a model depending on how missingness is handled. This journal studies the impact of missingness on more than one variable when utilizing various missing data techniques.

The information that was stated in this journal clear enough to understand. They point every part of the problem as clear as a bell. Every part about the missing data, the define term of the problem and the argument of the writer interelated each other.

Jonathan D Rubright (corresponding author) was an American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Psychometrician, Examinations Team Princeton South Corporate Center, Ratna Nandakumar was a college students’ of University of Delaware, School of Education and Joseph J. Glutting was a college students’ of University of Delaware, School of Education.

B.            Summary of first journal and second journal

Both of these essays will cope some aspects of the journal to be analyzed; abstract, background, literature framework, research methodology, discussion, conclusion, and reference. The first journal that was going to investigate entitled EFL Teachers’ Attitudes toward Communicative Language Teaching in Taiwanese College by Ming Chang Minghsin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, Journal: The Asian EFL Journal Professional Teaching Journals – CEBU Conference Issue (3) Volume 53 on Page 17-34 July 2011.

The first element to be analyzed in this journal is abstract. The abstract of this journal has strengths and weaknesses. It has included the aim of the study, the research design and the findings of the study, which describe the content of the journal. However, in this case, the writer of the journal has started the abstract with some opinion statements or the theory which do not follow by the source of the theory. Moreover, in this abstract, the writer did not mention the data collection and analysis techniques. The writer only stated the research design. It is not complete yet.

 The introduction of the journal is the second part to be analyzed in this essay. The introduction in this journal has included the three moves. The writer of the journal has established the research territory and a niche. The position of the research has been described clear enough in the introduction. The writing style used by the writer is good enough. It is clear, simple, and to the point. Some sources quoted above the topic of the research have been revealed here. However, the research questions as the main part of the introduction does not appear in this introduction. It gives such misleading for the reader of what the writer tries to answer in this research.

The third aspect to be analyzed in this essay is the literature framework. The literature framework in this journal has given those elements. The writer has elaborated the evaluation and quotation the theories above the field discussed by divided each element by using sub-headings. This way gives good effect for the readers to make easier to find and read the theories related to the research topic. In addition, the elements being explored in the literature framework of this journal are interconnected with the research topic in detail form.

The research methodology is the next section to be analyzed. The research methodology in this journal has strengths and weaknesses. This section is written clear enough by explaining the purpose of the study, mentioning the research design which underlying the research questions (has not mentioned before). In addition, they also make it detail about the research settings and participants, including the process of choosing the participant. That is good to give additional information for the readers to know how the writer chooses the participant of the research. Moreover, in this part, the writer mentions and gives a short explanation of data collection techniques used to answer the two research questions.

However, the weaknesses of this section lie in some points. The first is that the writer does not explain the reason of why he uses certain research design. Then, the second one is that the writer also does not give further explanation about the data collection techniques used in the research. The writer only mention and give the definition of those two techniques. The third point is that the data analysis technique has not elaborated by the writer. This part is very important since the readers need the information about how the writer analysis the data gotten to reveal the findings later on.

The fifth part to be discussed in this essay is the discussion or the presentation of the data. The discussion in this journal has exposed as well. The writer divides the discussion or elaboration of the data into some parts based on the research questions given before. The writer divides the analysis of the data in some sub-headings chronologically, which make the readers easier to read it. The table is used in the journal has good effect for the readers to comprehend the research findings.  

The conclusion section is the sixth part to be analyzed. The conclusion of this journal is good for the writer has restated the aim of the research and the research questions to recall the readers’ attention of the main focus of the research. The summary and the contribution of the research also appeared in this concluding part. In the last lines, the writer also reveals the recommendations for the next researcher related the possible directions for future studies. The weaknesses of this journal only related to the research design of this journal. She was not present the research design clearly as stated above.

The last section to be analyzed is the reference. Here in this journal, the writer has quoted some relevant sources to be involved in the journal. It is written and arranged well, but involving the writers of the sources exposed, the year, the title of the book/journal/journal, the publication and the year of publication.

The second journal going to investigate was; A Simulation Study of Missing Data with Multiple Missing X’s by Jonathan D. Rubright; American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Ratna Nandakumar; University of Delaware, Joseph J. Glutting; University of Delaware, Journal: Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, Vol 19, No 10 on Page 1 – 8 August 2014.

Abstract of this study is not really good because of two reasons. First, in their abstract, Jonathan, Ratna and Joseph discuss the overview of missing data clarification in a realistic scenario from previous research and the weaknesses. Second, in the journal being investigated, some important elements, including into the genetic structure of an abstract such as why the study is conducted, and what type of research method employed for the study is not highlighted. However, there also did not include the reason why the research is important. These two components should be included in a good abstract.

The introduction is presented in a good way due to the existence of important aspects highlighted in the journal such as the research context and previous related studies. These characteristics can be seen in the first paragraph of the journal. Nevertheless, other significant aspects such as statements of the problems of the research and the significance of the research are stated. In the second paragraph of the introduction, the journal discusses the gap attempted to be plugged. The writers say that very few studies have investigated the use of missing data techniques, but it is limited to exploring the impact of data missing from a single variable.

Related to above statement the writer of these studies try to find the impact of missingness data and compare Listwise Deletion (LD) and Multiple Imputation methods on more than one variable data and techniques.

The literature review of the journal seems to fit the characteristic of a good literature review since it elaborately explains types of missing data and methods of handling missing data. The literature is also reviewed in a solid way for that it points out important people getting involved in, especially in a way of handling missingness data such as; LD (Listwise Deletion, Pairwise Deletion, Mean Substitution, and more solutions like Maximum Likeihood, Full Information Maximum Likelihood, and Multiple Imputation. But, here not all of the solution is explainable clear.

In terms of research methodology, this journal basically fits its function as a central park demonstrating the research validity that is justified by data dealing with the research used in the previous related research studies. However, some elements such as research design, data collection, participants and data analysis are well discussed quantitatively.

Jonathan D. Rubright, Ratna Nandakumar and Joseph J. Glutting explains all that they got in their research in good organizations. They explained their finding in his research as detailed like he had arranged in his research methodology. Reporting the research result is an essential thing in the research. It is the important characteristic that differentiates research and non research. This partitioning is as a spot to relate the data to expose from the research. (Allison & Race, 2004:6 in Emilia 2009:201).

The conclusion of the journal very well restates the aims of the study as well as a summary of primary findings and recommendation, particularly for further researchers interested in the same topic. The research contributions and its weaknesses, on the other hand, are discussed clearly.

The writers of the journal present the references consistently. They follow MLA instead of APA. They also seem to be consistent in writing the writers’ first names in the reference section; they abbreviate them. In conclusion, the journal contains some of the important elements of research studies suggested. Some of the missing points are even very crucial such as why the study is conducted, and type of research method of the study didn’t emerge in an abstract. But, overall discussion about this journal is good.

References

Chan. M. (2011). EFL Teachers’ Attitudes toward Communicative Language Teaching in             Taiwanese College. The Asian EFL Journal Professional Teaching Journals – CEBU Conference Issue (3) Volume 53 on Page 17-34 July 2011.

Howell, D. C. (2012). Treatment of Missing Data - Part 1. Available at https://www.uvm.edu/~dhowell/StatPages/More_Stuff/Missing_Data/Missing.html, accessed on Monday, 11/05/2015 at 16:47

Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Rubright, J. D., Nandakumar, R. And Glutting. J. J. (2014). A Simulation Study of Missing            Data with Multiple Missing X’s. Journal: Practical Assessment, Research &    Evaluation, Vol 19, No 10 on Page 1 – 8 August 2014.