Views: 1,669
Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 15. Number 2, June 2024 Pp.246-260
English Language Centre (PPAL)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia
English Language Centre (PPAL)
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia
The background and problem statement to the study is the first part of the research and so, gives the reader a first impression. The background should explain the meaning of the concepts/variables; pay particular attention to the dependent variable; state its importance; and then link or relate it to the independent variables with appropriate references; but proceeding from general to specifics, It is what gives the reader the impression that the researcher has a good understanding of the research topic; and of course, the subject matter. This study aims to perform a genre analysis on the apparent structural linguistics and grammatical patterns of 30 PhD theses’ introductions and problem statements written by Arabic scholars in English, focusing primarily on the language structure and macro-level move analysis of the selected theses. This study used an updated CARS framework (Swales, 1990) for the move analysis which comprises three primary moves as the theoretical frame. There are three stages to this study. Stage 1 entails the data collection which is important to gain entry to the particular settings in the articles. The 30 PhD theses were accessed from various university library databases; their copies were later compiled in computer-readable form. Stage 2 entails the corpus compilation stage where the theses were edited and saved as a raw corpus to manually tag the moves and search the structural linguistics prior to conducting the search process. The final stage entails the genre analysis which consists of the move analysis and structural analysis. The main findings revealed that the problem statements and introductions of the descriptive theses are made up of two mandatory moves (Move 1: Situating the Research and Move 2: Presenting the Research) and three elective moves. Meanwhile, the informative theses comprise three mandatory moves (Move 1: Situating the Research, Move 2: Presenting the Research, and Move 3: Describing the Problem) along with two elective moves. The findings revealed differences between the descriptive and informative theses, whereby more phrasal lexical bundles exist compared to clausal ones. This study hence suggests the development of a viable pedagogical template to be integrated into the syllabus, which would serve as a coping strategy for students in responding to the rigorous demands of academic writing.
Keywords: Background of the study, problem statement, genre analysis, Arab students
Al-Jarrah, M., & Kadhim, K.A. (2024). Analyzing the Background and Problem Statement of Ph.D. Theses Written by Arabs in Selected Malaysian Universities. Arab World English Journal, 15(2), 246-260.
Al-Buainain, H. (2007). Researching types and causes of errors in Arabic speakers’ writings. Research in ELT context, 195-224.
Al-Khanjari, Z., Al-Kindi, Z., Al-Kindi, E., & Kraiem, N. (2015). Developing educational mobile application architecture using SOA. International Journal of Multimedia and Ubiquitous Engineering, 10(9), 247-254. http://dx.doi.org/10.14257/ijmue.2015.10.9.25
Al‐Khatib, M. A. (2001). The pragmatics of letter‐writing. World Englishes, 20(2), 179-200.
Almehmadi, M. M. (2012). A contrastive rhetorical analysis of factual texts in English and Arabic. Frontiers of Language and Teaching, 3(1), 68-76.
Al-Mukdad, S. (2019). Investigating English Academic Writing Problems Encountered by Arab International University Students. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 9(3), 300. https://doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0903.07
Alsamadani, H. A. (2010). The relationship between Saudi EFL students’ writing competence, L1 writing proficiency, and self-regulation. European Journal of Social Sciences, 16(1), 53-63.
Al-Shormani, M. (2010). Semantic Errors committed by Arab learners of English: Classifications and L1 and L2 Sources. CALTS, University of Hyderabad, India.
Alzaza, N. S. (2012). Opportunities for Utilizing Mobile Learning Services in the Palestinian Higher Education. Int. Arab. J. e Technol., 2(4), 216-222.
Ankawi, A. (2020). The Academic Writing Challenges Faced by Saudi Students Studying at a University in New Zealand. International Journal of English Language Education, 8(2), 117. https://doi.org/10.5296/ijele.v8i2.17342
Bhatia, V. K. (1993). Analysing Genre — Language Use in Professional Settings. London: Longman, Applied Linguistics and Language Study Series.
Bordens, K. S., & Abbott, B. B. (2008). Research design and methods: A process approach ( 7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Connor, J. R., & Menzies, S. L. (1995). Cellular management of iron in the brain. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 134, 33-44.
Connor, U., & Mauranen, A. (1999). Linguistic analysis of grant proposals: European Union research grants. English for specific purposes, 18(1), 47-62.
Creswell, J. W., Plano Clark, V. L., Gutmann, M. L., & Hanson, W. E. (2003). Advanced Mixed Methods Research Designs. In A. Tashakkori, & C. Teddlie (Eds.), Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research (pp. 209-240). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Cumming, A., Lai, C., & Cho, H. (2016). Students’ writing from sources for academic purposes: A synthesis of recent research. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 23, 47-58.
Evangelista, L. D., & Hernandez, M. T. H. A. (2013). Struggle and Survive: Difficulties Encountered by Students in Undertaking Research. Social Sciences and Development Review.
Fareed, M., Ashraf, A., & Bilal, M. (2016). ESL learners’ writing skills: Problems, factors and suggestions. Journal of education and social sciences, 4(2), 81-92.
Hosseinpour, M., Yahaya, A. S., & Sadullah, A. F. (2014). Exploring the effects of roadway characteristics on the frequency and severity of head-on crashes: Case studies from Malaysian Federal Roads. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 62, 209-222.
Ibrahim, N., & Nambiar, R. M. (2011). What is the problem with the statement of problem? The case of ostgraduate international students and the introductory sections of a roject paper. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 1713-1717.
Khan, A. I., Al-Shihi, H., Al-Khanjari, Z. A., & Sarrab, M. (2015). Mobile Learning (M-Learning) adoption in the Middle East: Lessons learned from the educationally advanced countries. Telematics and Informatics, 32(4), 909-920.
Khreshe Challenges Face Arab Students in Writing Well-Developed Paragraphs in English. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 49-59.
Koch, A. L. (1983). The surface stress theory of microbial morphogenesis. Advances in microbial physiology, 24, 301-366.
Mokhtar, Y., Heireche, H., Bousahla, A. A., Houari, M. S. A., Tounsi, A., & Mahmoud, S. R. (2018). A novel shear deformation theory for buckling analysis of single layer graphene sheet based on nonlocal elasticity theory. Smart structures and systems, 21(4), 397-405.
Promsin, P. (2006). An analysis of moves and modality in English engineering abstracts. NIDA Language and Communication Journal, 11(1), 43-61.
Rass, R. A. (2015). Challenges Face Arab Students in Writing Well-Developed Paragraphs in English. English Language Teaching, 8(10), 49-59.
Ridha, N. (2012). The effect of EFL learners’ mother tongue on their writings in English: An error analysis study. Journal of the College of Arts, 60, 22-45.
Saidi, M., and Khazaei, Z. (2021). Genre analysis of research article abstracts in applied linguistics: exploring sub-disciplinary variations. Int. J. Engl. Lang. Transl. Stud, 9, 34–40. doi: 10.1155/2021/3578179
Shah, I. A., & Baporikar, N. (2013). Gender discrimination: who is responsible? Evidence from Pakistan. Women’s Studies, 42(1), 78-95.
Shintani, M., Terada-Hagiwara, A., & Yabu, T. (2013). Exchange rate pass-through and inflation: A nonlinear time series analysis. Journal of International Money and Finance, 32, 512-527.
Sükan, S., & Mohammadzadeh, B. (2022). Challenges of writing theses and dissertations in an EFL context: genre and move analysis of abstracts written by Turkish MA and ph. D. Students. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 925420.
Swales, J. (1990). Genre analysis: English in academic and research settings. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tahaineh, Y. S. (2010). Arab EFL university students’ errors in the use of prepositions. Modern Journal of Applied Linguistics, 1(6), 76-112.
Monther Aljarrah is a PhD. candidate in English Language Centre (PPAL). Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia. Self-motivated, research-oriented and passionate in the subject area and proficiency in education research and special education. Adept at public speaking, designing curriculums, organising plays at the international level and working in fast-paced environments.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1527-7766
Kais A. Kadhim is associate professor in linguistics and translation. He got his PhD in 2008. He has published more than 40 articles in reputable journals. And he has managed to write 3 books in discourse and translation.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1759-248X