Publishing Research Papers in Applied Linguistics and TESOL Jinyan Huang, Ph.D., Professor Niagara University, United States Wuhan University of Technology Wuhan, China June 12, 2015 English Academic Writing

Have you ever published a research paper in applied linguistics and/or TESOL?

What does a published research paper in TESOL look like? Huang, J. (2012). Using generalizability theory to examine the accuracy and validity of large-scale ESL writing. Assessing Writing, 17(3), [Quantitative research paper] Huang, J., Smith, A., & Smith M. (2011). Teacher perceptions of strategies for improving ESOL students’ academic English skills: A K-12 perspective. Canadian and International Education, 40(3), [Qualitative research paper]

Steps in publishing a research paper Research topic(s); Literature search; Literature review; Research questions; Theoretical framework/research design; Data collection; Data analysis and interpretation; Writing the article; Locate a target journal for the article Submission of the manuscript What happens next?

Research topics Selecting and defining a research topic is the first step. A good research topic should be: interesting, researchable, has theoretical or practical importance, ethical (it does not involve practices or strategies that might embarrass or harm participants), and manageable for you given your current skills, resources, and time available

Research questions Make sure that you have chosen good research questions. A good research question should: be written as a single sentence question be interesting be relevant be manageable not be too broad clear and simple

Reviewing the literature “Review” = Re + view (look again at what other researchers have done in the area related to the research problem) It describes theoretical perspectives and previous research findings related to the research problem. Therefore, the review of literature involves systematic identification, location, and analysis of documents containing information related to the research problem.

Purpose of literature review To determine what has already been done on your topic To reveal sources of data that you may not have known To provide you with new ideas and approaches that may not have occurred to you To introduce new measurement tools that other researchers have developed and used effectively To help you interpret and make sense of your findings

Scope of literature review Determining scope is challenging for beginning researchers. It is difficult to determine what to include and what not to include in the literature review.

Suggestions for adequate scope Avoid the temptation to see how everything you find is related. When there is a large existing database, review only those directly related to your problem. When there are few existing studies, cast the net a little larger and include previous work related in a meaningful way to your problem.

Steps for conducting literature review Identify and make a list of keywords to guide your literature search. Using your keywords, locate your sources. Evaluate the quality of your sources. Abstract your sources. Analyze and organize your sources Write the literature review.

The introduction of lit review The introduction contains the statement of the problem, definitions of terms, relevance of the topic, and scope of the review.

The body of lit review Major studies are described with emphasis on the aspects that make the studies relevant for the current review. Describe the purpose, subjects, and methods (very briefly) as well as the results. Describe the methods and limitations of studies so that readers have enough information to weigh the results and draw their own conclusions. Provide very short descriptions of minor studies. You can often state how they are similar to, or different from, the major studies and state their findings in a couple of sentences. Use frequent headings and subheadings, especially if they help you stick to the topic. Use quotations rarely.

The conclusion of lit review It pulls together all the findings and limitations, and gives the reader a systematic composite of the state of knowledge. It identifies specific research gaps from the literature reviewed in the body of your literature review.

Theoretical framework/ research design

Data Collection

Tools for empirical research ► Surveys and questionnaire ► Tests and assessments ► Interviews ► Observations

Stages of data collection Designing the data collection procedure(s) Selecting a sample and/or population Developing measuring devices that measure the attribute(s) of interest (surveys, tests, etc.) Administering the measuring devices (collecting the data)

Identifying an appropriate analytical procedure for quantitative and/or qualitative research.

Data analysis and interpretation; Writing the article; Locate a target journal for the article Submission of the manuscript What happens next?

List of journals in TESOL and applied linguistics Applied Linguistics; Annual Review of Applied Linguistics; Assessing Writing English Language Teaching Journal; English for Specific Purposes; Foreign Language Annals; International Journal of Applied Linguistics; Issues in Applied Linguistics Journal of English for Academic Purposes; Journal of Second Language Writing Language Assessment Quarterly; Language Teaching Research; Language and Communication Quarterly Language Learning; Language Learning and Development; Language and Cognitive Processes Language Testing; Linguistics and Education; Modern Language Journal Reading and Writing Quarterly; Reading Research Quarterly Second Language Research; Studies in Second Language Acquisition TESOL Journal; TESOL Quarterly; International Journal of TESOL and Learning

Manuscript selecting criteria Manuscript based on current theory and research Manuscript accessible to a broad readership in the filed Manuscript offering a new, original insight or interpretation Manuscript making a significant (practical, useful, and plausible) contribution to the field Methodology reflecting sound scholarship with appropriate design and accurate interpretation Manuscript well written and organized, and APA formatted

Please work in three small groups and try to review the assigned research paper (Pakistani Students' and Teachers' Beliefs about English Language Learning at School Level: An Analytical Study) with the help of three editors. Please provide the editor with your group recommendation and justification. “Becoming reviewers” activity

TESOL Journal submission guidelines 1.The manuscript is aligned with the mission of TESOL Journal. 2.The manuscript consists of practitioner-oriented submissions based on current theory and research in the field of TESOL on English as a second language, foreign language, or additional language that address research and classroom practices based on sound theorizing and grounded in thoughtful practices. 3. The content of the manuscript is accessible to the broad readership of TESOL Journal since the journal will be available to all TESOL members. 4. The manuscript offers a new, original insight or interpretation and not just a restatement of others ideas and views.

5. The manuscript makes a significant (practical, useful, plausible) contribution to the field. 6. The manuscript is likely to arouse readers' interest. 7. The research design, which may be practitioner research, smaller in scale, or qualitative in nature, should reflect sound scholarship with appropriate, correctly interpreted references to other authors and works. 8. The manuscript is well written and organized and conforms to the specifications of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6 th edition). TESOL Journal submission guidelines (Cont’d)

Discussion with editors Suggestions for an author from an editor perspective

Conclusions Conducting a research study is NOT EASY. Publishing a research paper is EVEN HARDER. A researcher should have the RIGHT skills in order to conduct a research study. Three suggestions for beginning researchers: Take research method courses if possible Consult with research experts for design and analysis Work in a research group before publishing individually

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