Difficulties faced by students of Diyala Difficulties faced by students of Diyala

University in writing Graduate Research in University in writing Graduate Research in

English from student’s point of viewEnglish from student’s point of view

By :By : Dr. Sami Abdul-Aziz                     Dr. Ena’am Dr. Sami Abdul-Aziz                     Dr. Ena’am

YousifYousif Presidency of Diyala University                    Presidency of Diyala University                   

College of Basic Education – DiyalaCollege of Basic Education – Diyala

The problem of the study and Its The problem of the study and Its significancesignificance

                        An interview with a sample of the 4th grade students in An interview with a sample of the 4th grade students in the departments of English at the two colleges mentioned above, the departments of English at the two colleges mentioned above, reveled that most of them find writing a graduate research paper reveled that most of them find writing a graduate research paper as a very difficult and complex task.as a very difficult and complex task.

                  The researchers suppose that the ability to write a The researchers suppose that the ability to write a worthwhile graduate research paper is not possessed by most of worthwhile graduate research paper is not possessed by most of the students of the departments of English in  Diyala University. the students of the departments of English in  Diyala University. Thus, The present study is an attempt to identify the difficulties Thus, The present study is an attempt to identify the difficulties encountered by the students in writing a graduate research paper encountered by the students in writing a graduate research paper in English, and to discover aspects of deficiency and mastery in in English, and to discover aspects of deficiency and mastery in their written research.their written research.

Aim of the Study :Aim of the Study :

The present study aims at identifying and The present study aims at identifying and classifying the difficulties faced by the 4th grade classifying the difficulties faced by the 4th grade students of the departments of English in the students of the departments of English in the colleges of Education and Basic Education at colleges of Education and Basic Education at Diyala University in writing graduate research Diyala University in writing graduate research paper, from the students point of view paper, from the students point of view

Limits of the Study:Limits of the Study:

                    This study is limited to : This study is limited to : Graduate research paper of the 4th grade Graduate research paper of the 4th grade

students of the English Departments in (a) students of the English Departments in (a) College of Education, and (b) college of Basic College of Education, and (b) college of Basic Education at Diyala University for the academic Education at Diyala University for the academic year 2004/2005.year 2004/2005.

ProceduresProcedures : :

Population and sample selection:Population and sample selection:                 The total number of students in the The total number of students in the

departments of English in the two college departments of English in the two college mentioned above is 347  .mentioned above is 347  .

                  A sample consisted of 50 students was A sample consisted of 50 students was randomly selected from each department of the randomly selected from each department of the two colleges, thus the sample of the present two colleges, thus the sample of the present study consisted of 100 students distributed as it study consisted of 100 students distributed as it is shown in table (1) is shown in table (1)

The Questionnaire :The Questionnaire :

graduated research paper in English, the graduated research paper in English, the researchers constructed an open questionnaire researchers constructed an open questionnaire and gave it to a sample of 4th grade students in and gave it to a sample of 4th grade students in the department of English in the college of the department of English in the college of Education Ibn-Rushd, University of Baghdad. Education Ibn-Rushd, University of Baghdad. The pilot sample consisted of 30 students. The The pilot sample consisted of 30 students. The open questionnaire contained the following open questionnaire contained the following open question : [What are the main difficulties open question : [What are the main difficulties that face you in writing your graduate research that face you in writing your graduate research paper ?].paper ?].

      After analyzing the results obtained from the After analyzing the results obtained from the open questionnaire, the researchers constructed open questionnaire, the researchers constructed the closed questionnaire and considered it as the the closed questionnaire and considered it as the main instrument of the  present study. It is main instrument of the  present study. It is consisted of 26 items. They represent the most consisted of 26 items. They represent the most important difficulties in writing the graduate important difficulties in writing the graduate research paper in English from the pointsresearch paper in English from the points)    )    

ConclusionConclusion

After presenting the difficulties faced by After presenting the difficulties faced by students of Diyala University in writing graduate students of Diyala University in writing graduate research paper throughout the procedures of research paper throughout the procedures of this study, the researchers considered the this study, the researchers considered the weighted mean 1.10 and as a difficult topic . weighted mean 1.10 and as a difficult topic . Consequently, ten topic were considered to be Consequently, ten topic were considered to be difficult.difficult.

1- ( Finding and limiting a topic ) constituted the 1- ( Finding and limiting a topic ) constituted the most difficult topic for the students.most difficult topic for the students.

2-( Writing an Introduction ) constituted the 2-( Writing an Introduction ) constituted the second difficult topic for the students .second difficult topic for the students .

3- ( Searching sources of information ) 3- ( Searching sources of information ) constituted the third difficult topic for the constituted the third difficult topic for the students .students .

4- ( Formulating a research paper ) ) constituted 4- ( Formulating a research paper ) ) constituted the fourth difficult topic for the students .the fourth difficult topic for the students .

5- ( Acknowledging sources ) constituted the 5- ( Acknowledging sources ) constituted the fifth difficult topic for the students . fifth difficult topic for the students .

6- ( Having a dominate purpose  ) constituted the six 6- ( Having a dominate purpose  ) constituted the six difficult topic for the students .difficult topic for the students .

7- ( Using association techniques to gather information ) 7- ( Using association techniques to gather information ) constituted the seventh difficult topic for the students .constituted the seventh difficult topic for the students .

8- ( Selecting accurate verbs and tenses ) constituted the 8- ( Selecting accurate verbs and tenses ) constituted the eight difficult topic for the students .eight difficult topic for the students .

9 -( Identifying questions ) constituted the ninth difficult 9 -( Identifying questions ) constituted the ninth difficult topic for the students .topic for the students .

10-(Developing a tentative outline) constituted the tenth 10-(Developing a tentative outline) constituted the tenth difficult topic for the studentsdifficult topic for the students

Recommendations :Recommendations :

                            In the light of the finding achieved and the In the light of the finding achieved and the conclusions derived, the researchers recommend the conclusions derived, the researchers recommend the following:following:

1.     Instructors can help their students to become 1.     Instructors can help their students to become efficient writers by providing different types of practices efficient writers by providing different types of practices in writing to improve their writing skills.in writing to improve their writing skills.

2.     Emphasizing the association techniques to gather 2.     Emphasizing the association techniques to gather information.information.

3.     Instructors should show their students the 3.     Instructors should show their students the differences between writing an essay, a composition and differences between writing an essay, a composition and a research paper.a research paper.

4.     Students should be aware of limiting a topic and 4.     Students should be aware of limiting a topic and writing an introduction.writing an introduction.

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