UNDERGRADUATE THESIS DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING ESSAYSIN THE GENERAL ENGLISH 5 UNIT FORSENIOR ENGLISH MAJORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OFKHANH HOA

PEOPLE’S COMMITTEE OF KHANH HOA PROVINCE UNIVERSITY OF KHANH HOA UNDERGRADUATE THESIS DIFFICULTIES IN WRITING ESSAYS IN THE GENERAL ENGLISH UNIT FOR SENIOR ENGLISH MAJORS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KHANH HOA STUDENT’S NAME: TRẦN THÚY QUỲNH CLASS: ENGLISH LINGUISTICS K1 DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE SUPERVISOR: Dr TRẦN THỊ ÁI HOA Khanh Hoa, June 2020 DECLARATION I hereby declare that the study titled “Difficulties in writing essays in the General English Unit for senior English majors at the University of Khanh Hoa” was bona fide research work accomplished by me from September, 2019 to June, 2020 and conducted under the supervisor of Dr Tran Thi Ai Hoa an instructor of English at Department of Foreign languages, the University of Khanh Hoa This undergraduate thesis is not submitted to any other university or institution for the award of any degree, diploma or published any time before TRAN THUY QUYNH ACKNOWLEDGEMENT From the outset of this report, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all those who have helped me in this study Without their active guidance, cooperation, help, and encouragement, I would not have made headway in the study First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the University of Khanh Hoa Board and all teachers in the Department of Foreign language for creating good conditions so that I could carry out and complete the graduate research, which will be a big milestone for my study at school and for career development in the future I have special thanks to Ms Tran Thi Ai Hoa who was my supervisor during the research period with her friendliness and enthusiasm about supervising and supporting me in completing the research work I am eternally grateful to my associate supervisor, Dr Tran Thi Ai Hoa for extensive expertise and her tolerant perseverance with me in the world of combustion research It was only reason that her initial valuable guidance and accurate judgement that I received to be able to drive my research work in a respectable manner In addition, I would like to thank Ms Nguyen Hoai Trang who is a lecturer of the Department of Foreign language at the University of Khanh Hoa teaching General English Unit and thank all students in class English Lingustics K1 for their support and encouragement me to complete the research work in a cheerful and in enthusiastic Further on, I would like to express my thanks to my best friends, Huynh Thuc Khiem, Hoang Thi Thanh Huyen, Vo Thi Khuong Linh and Luu Thi Bao Khuyen for their offered support and motivation and for their precious friendship and strong faith in me through all the fluctuations of my study Last but not least, I would like to give all my thanks to my family for their unconditional love and some my old friends who are the senior students in Ho Chi Minh city for giving me motivation and love TABLE OF CONTENT CONTENTS DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ABSTRACT CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Significance of the study 1.3 Aim and objective of the study 1.3.1 Aim of the study 1.3.2 Objectives of the study 1.4 Research question 1.5 Structure of the study CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Writing essays 2.1.1 Definition of an essay 2.1.2 Structure of an essay 2.1.3 Types of essays 2.2 Previous studies CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research approach and design 3.2 Research setting 3.3 Research participants and sampling 3.3.1 Participants 3.3.2 Sampling 3.4 Data collection 10 3.4.1 Data collection instrument 10 3.4.2 Data collecting procedure 12 3.5 Data analysis 12 3.5.1 Questionnaire 12 3.5.2 Interview 12 3.5.3 Test scoring records 13 3.6 Validity and Reliability 13 3.6.1 Validity 13 3.6.2 Reliability 13 CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 13 4.1 Findings from Questionnaire 13 4.1.1 Students’ background in learning English at school 13 4.1.2 Students’ difficulties in writing essays 15 4.1.3 Students’ essay writing learning and practicing 28 4.1.4 Students’ strategies to solve difficulties 31 4.2 Findings from Interview 32 4.2.1 Students’ interview 32 4.2.2 Teacher’s interview 35 4.3 Findings from Test scoring records 37 4.3.1 The score of 25 essays 39 4.3.2 The sub-scores based on the Table of Evaluation according to the Rubrics for evaluating essays The Rubrics consists of criteria, which contains from point to points each (Appendix C) The points were divided into two groups such as 1-2 and 3-4 for analysis 40 4.4 Discussion 42 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSION 45 5.1 Recapitulation 45 5.2 Implications 46 5.3 Suggestions 47 5.4 Limitation 47 REFERENCES 49 APPENDIXES 50 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CAE: Certificate in Advanced English GCSE: General Certificate of Secondary Education IELTS: International English Language Testing System EFL: English as a foreign language TOEIC: Test of English for International Communication TOEFL iBT: Test of English as Foreign Language internet Based Test UKH: University of Khanh Hoa LISTS OF TABLES Table 1: Partcipants of the research Table 1: Descriptive statistics of writing essay score explained 39 Table 2: Students’ difficulties in writing essays 45 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Students’ numbers of the years of having learned English 14 Figure 2: Purpose of learning English 14 Figure 3: How to answer questions relating to the topic to develop ideas for the essay 15 Figure 4: How to construct an essay (including introduction, body and conclusion) 16 Figure 5: How to write topic sentences 16 Figure 6: How to write supporting sentences 17 Figure 7: Practical knowledge about topic 17 Figure 8: Word choice 18 Figure 9: Grammar usage 19 Figure 10: Spelling errors 19 Figure 11: Sentence paraphrase 20 Figure 12: Linking words 20 Figure 13: Literary mechanism 21 Figure 14: Large words in the paper 21 Figure 15: Writing sentence in context 22 Figure 16: Coherence and cohesion 22 Figure 17: Essay writing guidelines 23 Figure 18: Interaction between the teacher and the student 23 Figure 19: Unqualitied corrected-essays 24 Figure 20: Materials 24 Figure 21: Time limitation 25 Figure 22: Short-term memories 25 Figure 23: Spirits, mood and feelings 26 Figure 24: Negative attitudes 26 Figure 25: Group work in class 27 Figure 26: Self-study 27 Figure 27: More time for practicing writing essays because of part – time jobs 28 Figure 28: Learning writing essay in class at General English Unit 28 Figure 29: Learning writing in the General English Unit at school 29 Figure 30: The pie chart shows the percentage of students being given writing essays at homework 29 Figure 31: The essay correction at school 30 Figure 32: Frequency of practicing writing essays after school 30 Figure 33: Frequency of practicing writing essays after school per week 31 English in class Unlimited level C1 Advanced -The number of word in the paper of the final-term test was few to ability -Had enough time to writing an essay, sometimes lack of time -Agreed that feelings and health not affect on writing an essay -Practiced writing essays after school (not usually, writing an essay per month) -Had no parttime job S4 -Writing essays -Learnt writing -Said that the not well essay skill at number of -Having difficulties in the 4th academic year topic in the textbook -Revised before doing the mid-term and final-term writing essay at school (not understand -Said that the the papers, lack teacher gave of vocaubulary) homework to -Agreed that improve improve writing essay writing essay skill is necessary (for exams) -When writing essays: understood and identified types -Said that teacher corrected essays in class(in detailed) -Felt satisfied with correction English Unlimited level C1 Advanced is not enough to enhancing writing essay skill; the topics are difficult and common -Agreed that adding reference materials is necessary sometimes did not; essays had -Did not know Essay Rubric -Agreed to recommend teachers and full of three before students to use parts include interview the book of essays, but introduction, body and conclusion; often not enough main ideas and supporting ideas clearly; limited to use words, phrases and structures in the textbook English Unlimited level C1 Advanced -The number of -Said that the teacher did not ever introduce and guide how to use Essay Rubric in learning writing in class -Agreed to recommend teachers and students to use Essay Rubric in teaching and learning for Academic from paragraph to essay given the researcher as reference material for English Intergratered Skills course test -Essays reached average good level (6-7) word in the English paper of the Intergrated final-term test Skills course in class was enough to ability -Had enough time to writing an essay -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay - Did not practice writing essays after school (because of having no time and no materials) -Had part-time job -Writing essays -Learnt writing not well essay skill at the 4th -Having academic year difficulties in at school writing essay S5 (relating grammar and lack of vocabulary) -Agreed that improve -Said that the teacher gave homework to improve writing essay -Said that -Said that the number of topic in the textbook English Unlimited level C1 Advanced is enough to enhancing writing essay skill; the topics are not too -Revised before doing the mid-term and final-term test -Essays reached average level (5-6) writing essay teacher skill is a bit corrected necessary (just essays in for study and exam) class(in overall) -When writing essays: understood and identified types of essays; essays had full -Felt satisfied necessary with correction -Agreed to -Did not know recommend Essay Rubric teachers and before students to use of three parts include introduction, body and conclusion; often wrote a lot of main ideas, but not enough supporting ideas; did not use words, phrases and structures in the textbook English interview -Said that the teacher did not ever introduce and guide how to use Essay Rubric in learning writing in class -Agreed to recommend teachers and students to use Essay Rubric in teaching and learning for Unlimited level English C1 Advanced Intergrated -The number of Skills course word in the in class paper of the final-term test was enough to ability difficult -Agreed that adding reference materials is the book Academic from paragraph to essay given the researcher as reference material for English Intergratered Skills course -Had enough time to writing an essay -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay -Practiced writing essays after school (wrote an essay per week) -Had part-time job S6 -Writing essays -Learnt writing -Said that the well essay skill at number of topic in the the 4th -Having academic year textbook difficulties in English at school, just writing essay Unlimited level self-study (lack of C1 Advanced vocabulary and -Said that the is enough to teacher did not not enhancing give understanding writing essay homework to topics) skill; the topics improve are both easy -Agreed that writing essay and difficult improve writing essay skill is necessary (for intensive study, future jobs and for those who -Said that teacher corrected essays in class(in detailed) -Agreed that adding reference materials is necessary -Revised before doing the mid-term and final-term test -Essays reached good level (8-9) are likely to be English teachers) -When writing essays: understood and identified types of essays; essays had full of three parts include introduction, body and conclusion; wrote a lot of main ideas and supporting ideas clearly; use words, phrases and structures in -Felt satisfied -Agreed to with correction recommend teachers and -Knew Essay students to use Rubric before the book interview Academic from paragraph to -Said that the teacher did not essay given the ever introduce researcher as and guide how reference material for to use Essay English Intergratered learning writing in class Skills course Rubric in -Agreed to recommend teachers and students to use Essay Rubric in teaching and learning for English English Intergrated Unlimited level Skills course C1 Advanced in class the textbook -The number of word in the paper of the final-term test was enough to ability -Usually lack of time when writing essays -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay -Practiced writing essays after school -Had no parttime job S7 -Writing essays -Learnt writing -Said that the well essay skill at number of topic in the the 4th -Having academic year textbook difficulties in English at school writing essay ( Unlimited level difficult topics) -Said that the C1 Advanced teacher gave is numerous to -Agreed that homework to enhancing improve improve writing essay writing essay writing essay skill; the topics skill is are quite necessary (for -Said that difficult future jobs; teacher writing essay is the basis of writing thesis, report and other formal writings) -When writing essays: understood and identified types of essays; corrected essays in class(in detailed) -Felt satisfied with correction -Knew Essay Rubric before interview -Said that the -Agreed that adding reference materials is necessary -Disagreed to recommend teachers and students to use the book -Revised before doing the mid-term and final-term test -Essays reached average good level (6-7) essays had full teacher did not Academic from of three parts ever introduce paragraph to include and guide how essay given the introduction, body and to use Essay Rubric in researcher as reference conclusion; learning material for wrote enough writing in class English main ideas but not enough supporting ideas; limited to use words, -Agreed to recommend teachers and students to use Essay Rubric in teaching and structures in learning for the textbook English English Intergrated Unlimited level Skills course C1 Advanced in class phrases and -The number of word in the paper of the final-term test was enough to ability -Had enough time to writing an essay, sometimes lack of time -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay Intergratered Skills course -Practiced writing essays after school (just a few) -Had part-time job -Writing essays -Learnt writing -Said that the not well essay skill at number of -Revised before doing the 4th academic year topic in the the mid-term textbook and final-term at school English test -Having difficulties in writing essay (relating grammar, linking words and sentence structures; how to arrange ideas logically) S8 -Agreed that improve writing essay skill is necessary (for exams and writing essays) -When writing essays: understood and identified types -Said that the teacher gave homework to improve writing essay C1 Advanced is enough to enhancing writing essay skill; the topics -Said that teacher are not too corrected essays in are interesting difficult and to practice class(in -Agreed that adding reference -Felt satisfied with correction materials is necessary -Knew Essay -Agreed to Rubric before recommend interview detailed) essays had full -Said that the teacher ever introduced and of three parts include guided how to use Essay of essays; Unlimited level teachers and students to use the book Academic from paragraph to essay given the -Essays reached average level (5-6) introduction, Rubric in researcher as body and learning reference conclusion; writing in class material for wrote enough main ideas but not enough supporting ideas; use words, phrases and structures in the textbook -Agreed to recommend teachers and students to use Essay Rubric in teaching and learning for English English Intergrated Unlimited level Skills course C1 Advanced in class -The number of word in the paper of the final-term test was large to ability -Usually lack of time when writing essays -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay - Did not practice writing essays after school (just reading to gain knowledge) English Intergratered Skills course -Had part-time job -Writing essays -Learnt writing -Said that the not well essay skill at number of -Revised before doing the 4th academic year topic in the the mid-term textbook and final-term at school English test -Having difficulties in writing essay (having no essay, reason -Said that the teacher gave homework to not closely) improve outline of an -Agreed that S9 improve writing essay skill is necessary (because writing related to writing thesis, internship report and CV) -When writing essays: understood and identified types of essays; essays had full of three parts include introduction, body and conclusion; wrote enough writing essay -Said that teacher corrected essays in class(in overall) Unlimited level C1 Advanced is enough to enhancing writing essay skill; the topics are not too difficult, but not factual and applied -Agreed that adding reference -Felt satisfied with correction materials is necessary -Did not know -Agreed to Essay Rubric recommend before interview -Said that the teacher did not ever introduce and guide how to use Essay Rubric in learning writing in class teachers and students to use the book Academic from paragraph to essay given the researcher as reference material for English -Essays reached average level (5-6) main ideas but Intergratered -Agreed to sometimes not recommend Skills course enough teachers and supporting students to use ideas; did not Essay Rubric use words, in teaching and phrases and learning for structures in English the textbook Intergrated English Skills course Unlimited level in class C1 Advanced -The number of word in the paper of the final-term test was large to ability -Had enough time to writing an essay -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay -Practiced writing essays after school (writing an essay per week) -Had part-time job -Writing essays -Learnt writing well essay skill at the 4th -Having academic year difficulties in at school writing essay (relating to sentence -Said that the teacher gave structures, lack homework to of vocabulary improve and level word writing essay lower advanced -Said that C1) teacher corrected -Agreed that essays in improve class(in writing essay detailed) skill is S10 necessary (for exams at school and exams for certification ) -When writing essays: -Said that the number of topic in the textbook English Unlimited level C1 Advanced is not enough to enhancing writing essay skill; the topics are difficult -Agreed that adding reference materials is necessary -Felt satisfied -Agreed to with correction recommend -Knew Essay Rubric before interview understood and -Said that the teacher did not identified types ever introduce of essays; and guide how essays had full to use Essay of three parts include Rubric in introduction, body and conclusion; wrote enough main ideas and writing in class learning -Agreed to recommend teachers and students to use teachers and students to use the book Academic from paragraph to essay given the researcher as reference material for English Intergratered Skills course -Revised before doing the mid-term and final-term test -Essays reached good level (7-8) supporting Essay Rubric ideas; limited in teaching and to use words, phrases and structures in learning for English Intergrated the textbook Skills course English in class Unlimited level C1 Advanced -The number of word in the paper of the final-term test was enough to ability, sometimes it was few -Had enough time to writing an essay, sometimes lack of time -Agreed that feelings and health affect on writing an essay -Practiced writing essays after school (practiced at extra lessons) -Had no parttime job APPENDIX G TABLE OF CRITERIA FOR GRADING ESSAYS (APPLIED TO GRADE ESSAYS IN THE FINAL-TEST IN THE GENERAL ENGLISH UNIT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF KHANH HOA) P/2 Items Detail of criterias (point over the point grading scale) Wide range of vocabulary Grammar and Vocabulary Accurate use of lexis and grammatical forms, 0.5 Occasional errors mat be present but not impede communication Clear organization of idea Discourse management Use a range of cohesive devices and discourse 0.5 markers Interlligible pronunciation Pronunciation Appopriate intonation 0.5 Accurate sentence and word stress Appropriate response Interactive communication Being able to main and develop intercations 0.5 ... 7 .5 0. 75 Essay 0 .5 0 .5 1 0. 25 Esasy 10 2 1 .5 1 7 .5 0. 75 Essay 11 1 .5 1 .5 1 .5 7 .5 0. 75 Essay 12 1 .5 1 .5 1 .5 7 .5 0. 75 Essay 13 2 .5 2 .5 1 .5 1 .5 10 1. 25 Essay 14 3 3 2 .5 14 .5 1 .5 Essay 15 2 1 .5 2 .5. .. 16 2 .5 2 1 .5 10 Essay 17 1 1 .5 5 .5 0 .5 Essay 18 2 2 1 .5 9 .5 38 Essay 19 2 .5 2 .5 2 .5 2 .5 13 1. 25 Essay 20 1 .5 1 1 .5 0 .5 Essay 21 1 0 .5 0 .5 0 .5 3 .5 0. 25 Essay 22 3 .5 3 .5 3 .5 3 .5 18 1. 75 3 .5 3 .5 3... Writing part in the finalterm exam in General English Unit The reason is that the students learned and wrote essays in the General English Unit In the final-term test, the writing part just included