Research Methodology
The current study explores the topic of errors that Egyptian EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners make. The research focuses on morphological errors in applying affixes and a separate group of population – senior secondary students. The research problem is an understanding of the morphological aspect of making errors in the use of affixes and their causes. Studying English provides students with additional opportunities for self-realization, and therefore it is necessary to improve the teaching effectiveness. Moreover, since affixes are added to a word to obtain new meanings, the wrong usage leads to misunderstandings in communication (Abeyweera, 2021). Therefore, the study aims to review and analyze the errors in using affixes among senior secondary students. The research answers the questions about the most common errors and their reasons and seeks to provide recommendations to prevent such mistakes.
Research Design
The current study uses a descriptive qualitative research design, which involves a detailed overview of a particular phenomenon. Such research aims for a deep understanding of the subject and does not seek to make predictions about specific results (Tomaszewski et al., 2020). Materials for analysis can be images, written texts, or transcriptions of oral texts. Descriptive design meets the goals of reviewing widespread mistakes and their causes, as it aims to describe or define the phenomenon (DeCarlo, 2018). The research focused on mistakes made by learners is sometimes separated into a distinct category – error analysis, but such studies are essentially descriptive (Atmowardoyo, 2018). Conducting an error analysis study is crucial because it raises the question of why certain errors are made. Moreover, understanding the prevalence of specific mistakes helps teachers and students to find reasons for mistakes and improve learning performance accordingly (Atmowardoyo, 2018). Design choice influences further study planning and selection methods and data collection and analysis tools.
Data Selection Method
The data selection determines the accuracy of the study results and the answers to the questions posed. Text data and evidence from students is required to answer research questions, and obtaining such information is possible through cooperation with the target population. In such research circumstances, non-probability sampling methods are used. Following this technique, the researcher selects participants rather than uses random selection strategies (Berndt, 2020). One of these methods is the convenience sample, according to which the researcher collects data where it is convenient to them (DeCarlo, 2018). As part of the current study, it is necessary to contact senior secondary students, and the convenience sample method will be most suitable for finding participants.
The best data to answer the questions about errors types is texts written by students in English and tests on the use of affixes. Essays written by students will demonstrate the use of words with affixes in context. However, such data is challenging to study and analyze – students may avoid using words with affixes, or the researcher may not notice them. Therefore, including an additional test with options will help obtain more data. The researcher will need other data from students to answer the questions about the reasons for errors and possible solutions – participants explanations of their affix’s choice and opinions on methods that could help in learning. Obtaining such information is possible through interviews with several participants.
Data Collection Instruments
Suitable tools for collecting data will be a survey combining open and closed questions and interviews. They will help obtain documents for analysis – students’ texts and tests and interviews’ transcriptions. Open-question surveys can produce a significant amount of data for analysis (Braun et al., 2021). This format will enable the researcher to understand common errors better and highlight their types. Conducting an interview will be appropriate after the survey to analyze the mistakes together with the students. Interviewees should share why they used certain affixes, when and why their usage is challenging, and when it is easy to add an affix. Such information will be valuable to understand the errors reasons better. Finally, students’ opinions on teaching methods, which affect them more, and the description of those that help to navigate affixation, will assist in providing recommendations to avoid errors.
It is essential to provide suitable conditions for the survey and interview so that the results are more accurate. Under the influence of the pandemic, many studies have adapted their methods for obtaining data in online format (Moises Jr., 2020). However, considering that students will have many opportunities to check the written texts in the electronic form, such conditions are not appropriate for the current study since the results will not be honest. For this reason, the survey should be conducted using either written questions and answers on paper or written in electronic format without errors detections tools and checkers. Conducting interviews, in turn, is possible in the format of video conferencing online.
When using survey and interview tools, it is essential to consider the ethical aspect of the study. Since texts, opinions, and errors are more personal data and subject to analysis, it is crucial to maintain the confidentiality of participants. The collected questionnaires and transcripts will not contain data capable of identifying the respondents by people other than the researcher. In addition to privacy, it is crucial to obtain the informed consent of students to participate in the study and to the usage of the data obtained (Kang & Hwang, 2021). Considering of the ethical factor will contribute to greater students’ trust and, accordingly, the opportunity to obtain more fair data.
Data Analysis
Data analysis will take place within the framework of a morphological approach since the use of affixes refers to the question of studying a word as part of speech. It is necessary to analyze such structural features of the text as words formed by adding affixes – infixes, suffixes, and prefixes. The researcher will carry out the review in several stages used for the error analysis – “collection of language samples, identification, description, explanation and evaluation of errors” (Özkayran & Yılmaz, 2020, p. 52). It is necessary to use coding during the identification stage, which involves marking with short descriptors (Busetto et al., 2020). The most convenient marking will correspond to error types – omission, misformation, addition, and misordering errors; accordingly, Surface Strategy Taxonomy will be used (Özkayran & Yılmaz, 2020). Such a strategy occurs in other research and has proven its usefulness for studying errors.
The data from the interview will be helpful in the stages of explaining and assessing the errors and subsequently answering questions about the error’s reasons and recommendations. Responses will be transcribed for convenience and also require coding. Labeling can include categories such as errors’ reasons, describing correct affixation, helpful teaching methods, ineffective methods, and suggestions. The researcher will explore and mark the responses for further structuring and analysis. The analysis involves the use of several tools at different stages. In particular, it is possible to identify errors in texts using software that checks the grammar of the text. For a more accurate interview transcription, the researcher will require a voice recorder. Office programs will be helpful for structuring data for its convenient use.
Procedures
Based on the chosen approaches, methods, and tools for research, it is possible to distinguish the necessary procedures for its implementation:
- The preparation of documents necessary for the study, which involves the creation of a questionnaire for the survey and questions for the interview. It is essential to consider the ethical aspect and prepare a statement on how the data will be used and privacy support to inform the participants.
- Finding and establishing an agreement on data collection with a target audience sample – senior secondary students.
- Conducting a survey to obtain data, collecting questionnaires, and preparing them for analysis.
- Studying the texts for identification and coding of errors in student texts.
- The classification of errors according to the proposed types – omission, misformation, addition, and misordering errors.
- Conducting interviews with students to discuss the errors made in affixation, and find out the reasons for a particular affixation – in cases of wrong and right answers to find patterns in error causes.
- Obtaining students’ opinion on the effectiveness of teaching methods.
- Description of errors in the use of affixes, their reasons, and assessment of their repeatability.
- Structuring the obtained data and analysis results to highlight conclusions about errors made by EFL students, their reasons, and providing recommendations on effective teaching methods.
Quality Control
The development of a design, a plan, and a specified sequence of procedures for the study are essential for guaranteeing its quality. The research must be reliable and valid to meet the quality requirements for scientific work. The data obtained should reflect the actual situation, provided by the appropriate selection and the selected methods. A well-defined plan contributes to the consistency of the study to ensure its reliability. The chosen design offers an opportunity to repeat the research and, if necessary, confirm the results. A few data collection tools contribute to the completeness of the answers to the questions posed and the results’ reliability.
References
Abeyweera, G. H. (2021). The use of affixation in academic English: A lexical explanation on affixation, root and meaning. Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 1(3), 1-13. Web.
Atmowardoyo, H. (2018). Research methods in TEFL studies: Descriptive research, case study, error analysis, and R & D. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 9(1), 197-204. Web.
Berndt, A. E. (2020). Sampling methods. Journal of Human Lactation, 36(2), 224-226. Web.
Braun, V., Clarke, V., Boulton, E., Davey, L., & McEvoy, C. (2021). The online survey as a qualitative research tool. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 24(6), 641-654. Web.
Busetto, L., Wick, W. & Gumbinger, C. (2020). How to use and assess qualitative research methods. Neurological Research and Practice, 2(14), 1-10. Web.
DeCarlo, M. (2018). Scientific inquiry in social work. Open Social Work Education. Web.
Kang, E., & Hwang, H. (2021). Ethical conducts in qualitative research methodology: Participant observation and interview process. Journal of Research and Publication Ethics, 2(2), 5-10. Web.
Moises Jr, C. (2020). Online data collection as adaptation in conducting quantitative and qualitative research during the COVID-19 pandemic. European Journal of Education Studies, 7(11), 78-87. Web.
Özkayran, A., & Yılmaz, E. (2020). Analysis of higher education students’ errors in English writing tasks. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 11(2), 48-58. Web.
Tomaszewski, L. E., Zarestky, J., & Gonzalez, E. (2020). Planning qualitative research: Design and decision making for new researchers. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 19, 1-7. Web.