Task for session 5 - Correlational Research

Proposed Study 1

1. Research Question:
The correlation between the “Use of English” grades and the grades on IELTS test of the university final year students

Background: As IELTS (International English Language Testing System) becomes a more and more important measurement on the English standard of local university students, we would like to investigate the correlation between the Use of English grade of university entrants and their IELTS score on graduation.

2. How could data for the correlated variables be collected?
Population: The final year students of a local university, who: 1. HAVE sat in the “Use of English” tests of local A-level Open Examination; 2 HAVE taken the IELTS test in their last year of study.

Sampling method: Random Sampling method – As every individual in the population will have the same chance to be selected, the “random sampling” will be used.

Sample size: 60 students.

Instruments: 2 kinds of data are to be collected-
1. The grades of the subject “Use of English” of the samples – The overall grade and sub-grades (grades on listening test, oral test, writing test and reading test) of “Use of English” examination will be collected. It is a kind of interval data

2. The grades of IELTS test of the same samples – The overall grades and the sub-grades (grades on listening test, oral test, writing test and reading test) of the IELTS test will be collected. It is also a kind of interval data

Both kinds of data can be gathered from the Academic Registry Office of the university.

Measurement: Correlation coefficient – Pearson R test

3. How to contribute to improvements on the education/learning & teaching?

The results will affect how we can design the emphasis on the English courses at the university level. The result of the IELTS is considered by many employers as a mechanism to tell the English proficiency level of the university graduates. If there is positive relationship between the “Use of English” test and the IELTS test, then we propose that the university can organize some IELTS training workshops for university students, and focus the training on particular aspects (e.g. Listening skills, Oral English skills). However, though the research can assess the relationship between the English grades of the university final year students before and after entering the university, the limitation is that it only focused on the results of the students who have taken the IELTS test.

Proposed Study 2

1. Research Question:
The correlation between the Use of English grades and the undergraduate English course grade of the university students who came from Chinese-medium secondary schools?

Background: From year 2000, about 2/3 local secondary schools have adopted Chinese as the medium-of-instruction (in short, the schools are called ‘CMI schools’). It has been a controversial issue in the education field that whether the English standard of the students who come from CMI schools has been affected.

2. How could data for the correlated variables be collected?

Population: The students of a local university, who: 1. HAVE sat in the “Use of English” tests of local A-level Open Examination; 2. Graduated from a CMI school (completed secondary 1 to 7 in the CMI schools); 3. HAVE completed a compulsory credit-bearing English course at the University.

Sampling method: Stratified Sampling method – The samples are randomly chosen from all faculties of the university, proportionate to the enrollment of each faculty

Sample size: 60 students

Instruments: 2 kinds of data are to be collected-
1. The grades of the subject “Use of English” of the samples – The overall grade and sub-grades (grades on listening test, oral test, writing test and reading test) of “Use of English” examination will be collected. It is a kind of interval data

2. The grades of the compulsory English course of the same samples – The overall grades of the course will be collected. It is also a kind of interval data

Both kinds of data can be gathered from the Academic Registry Office and the Faculty offices of the university.

Measurement: Correlation coefficient – Pearson R test

If the coefficient is high, say r=0.90, then there is a positive and high correlation between the 2 variables. If the coefficient is zero, r=0, then there is no correlation. If r=0.30, then there is a low correlation between the 2 variables and we may not be able to draw any conclusion or generate any constructs for theories.

3. How to contribute to improve the education/learning & teaching?

The study would help in the design of the curriculum for the compulsory English course for University students, especially who come from CMI schools. If the research findings show that there is a correlation between the medium of instruction at secondary level and their university English grade, then some supplementary courses will need to be tailored made for these students before they enter the university or as foundation course in their first year of study.

Proposed Study 3

1. Research Question :
The correlation between the hours of studying and the average GPA of University students

Background: It is always believed that the higher the number of hours of studying, the better will be the academic results. We would like to investigate the correlation between the number of hours of studying and students’ academic results. As GPA is usually used for benchmarking the academic results of students, we would like to study if there is a positive relationship between these two variables.

2. How could data for the correlated variables be collected?

Population: a group of University students of a local university studying ACCT 101

Sampling method: Random Sampling method – As every individual in the population will have the same chance to be selected, the “random sampling” method will be used.

Sample size: 30 students.

Instruments: 2 kinds of data are to be collected-

1. The overall GPA for ACCT 101 for this group of samples. It is a kind of interval data

2. The studying hours of the same samples- this data should be collected after the GPA results are released after the semester examination and gathered by a questionnaire. It is also a kind of interval data. The data will be gathered by asking the students in the same class ACCT 101 to fill in a self-administered questionnaire.

Measurement: Correlation coefficient – Pearson R test

Suppose the r score of the research result is 0.7, which means there is a very positive relationship between the GPA scores and the studying hours of the students, the graph would probably be:

Source: http://noppa5.pc.helsinki.fi/koe/flash/corr/ch16.html

3. How to contribute to improvements on the education/learning & teaching?

The results will affect the study mode of students. Education units (e.g. Center for Enhanced Learning and Teaching) who studied the results will be able to advise students on the best study strategy, e.g. the optimal number of hours for studying for their reference,

This research could be developed into further research looking into when is the best timing for studying, e.g. one month before examination or one week before examination.

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References :

Gay, L. R., Mills, G. E., & Airasian, P. (2006). Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Applications. Upper Saddle River, N.J. : Pearson/Merrill Prentice Hall

Cohen, L., Mansion, L., & Morrison, K. (2000). Research methods in education. London. RoutledgeFalmer