dear neat man


I have read all of your research proposals and I can confirm that there are some really good proposals, well done !
However, mostly all proposals suffer from some shared issues that I summarize below. Those issues are expected but you need to address them to pass the course. I include the ones that are relevant to your proposal here so that you can revise any inaccuracies in your writing.
1- The topic has to be specific. It must tell the reader what exactly s/he will read. General topics are not accepted.
2- Please revise your writing for clarity of expression and accuracy of English grammar. I started correcting students' grammatical mistakes but that took me too long to finish few of them. For that reason, I cannot correct grammatical mistakes now as supervisors are not required to correct grammar but to evaluate the content. Of course, there will be marks for good grammar.

3- The table of contents should be organized in headings (e.g. 1 ----- 1.1 / 2 --- 2.1) where necessary. This link shows you how to create a table of content. http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/wo...001225372.aspx

4- Please follow the format suggested in the guide (e.g. title- abstract- introduction – literature review—methodology) and write paragraphs under each heading. Please avoid writing in notes or short phrases. A paragraph or so under each heading will be enough (read the guide for the exact number of paragraphs –e.g. 2-3 for the literature review).

5- When you introduce an idea, please cite the reference (e.g. X is important in teaching Y according to NAME (YEAR).

6- Your literature review has to be written in a coherent way. The sentences have to be linked to each other logically. There must be a clear line of argument that the reader can follow. Towards the end of the literature review section, you have to reach the RESEARCH GAP. In other words, you need to Say that X did this, Y did that which is similar to what X did but nobody looked at this issue (and this will be your main research point/question).

7- Your research question/s have to be specific and related to one point only which is the focus of your study. Some students included two or more research questions that are not related to each other and this is not acceptable.

8- Importantly, your methodology has to be appropriate for your research question. You can't use questionnaires to find a good way to teach speaking (for example). You can, of course, use questionnaires or interviews to elicit people's perceptions / thoughts about an idea.

9- Limitations of the study has nothing to do with where you will conduct the research (e.g. the study will be conducted here or there…etc). It is basically about what factors negatively influenced your research (e.g. time limitations – possible delays due to XXX…etc).

10- Please only cite references that you have used and cited in your writing. Some students included references that they have not used in their writing and that is time-consuming because I have to read and check whether that student used the article or not in his writing. If you used it, cite it like this – X (year) said/stated/proposed/advocated/…etc.

11- Please follow APA citation guidelines available here http://www.library.cornell.edu/resrch/citmanage/apa

Or you can use an online service that will do that for you. http://www.citationmachine.net/apa/cite-a-book#

12- Again, Please Please avoid PLAGIARISM copying or translating anyone else's work/research. I cannot detect all plagiarized work but when you submit your final draft, your paper will have to be checked by a software that can detect any copied, paraphrased or translated work that has not been referenced. Plagiarized work will get an F (0). I'm sure some of you did not mean to copy but if it happened, please make sure that you only include your own writing and cite other people's work ( say X (year) did this and that).




I wish you all the best.

Good luck and I'm looking forward to reading your Final draft.