The TESOL M.A.
Thesis or Project
The TESOL
M.A. Comprehensive Examination
The
TESOL M.A. Thesis or Project
IMPORTANT NOTE
Cal State LA's Academic Senate is responsible for setting the
University's policies regarding all matters of the curriculum,
including those governing the production of theses and projects. These
policies are set forth in the University's Catalog and are further
elaborated in the publication, Guide to Preparation of Master's Theses
and Project Reports, prepared by the Office of Graduate Studies and
Research. Both documents are available for reference
in the J.F. Kennedy Library and for purchase in the book store
located in the Student Union. In addition, the Charter School of
Education Assembly has enacted a set of policies which are described
in a handout, Guidelines for Students Preparing Theses or Projects,
available in the TESOL Program office (KH C-2098). Students are
also advised to consult the Charter School of Education's Student Advisement
Handbook for Master's Degree Programs (1995).
The Catalog and Graduate Studies guide provide details about the
University's policies regarding what constitutes a thesis or a project
report, procedures for submitting the final product, and certain style
and format requirements. The Charter School of Education documents
describe additional policies regarding style and procedures. Finally,
the TESOL Program has certain program-specific policies and procedures
regarding the preparation of theses and project reports, and that is
what this handout details.
Students are cautioned, however, that the University and the Charter
School of Education guidelines are the official words on theses and
project reports. Anything contained in the present handout which is
found to be at variance with the Academic Senate guidelines should
immediately be brought to the attention of a TESOL adviser.
"Should I
consider writing a thesis or project report?"
It goes without saying that not
every student is a good candidate for writing a thesis or project
report. On the other hand, some students are very well-suited for the
task. Students who match one or more of the following descriptions,
for instance, may be considered likely candidates.
You have a good idea for a research
study, and you are interested in conducting original research. Of
course, what one person considers a good idea may not be such to
someone else. Talk over your idea with a professor or a trusted
colleague. Try to remain open to their critiques and suggestions for
improvement. Above all, make certain that you are interested in
actually doing the work that will be required. The glamour of a
published final product belies the many hours involved in researching
a topic, collecting and analyzing the data, and writing and re-writing
(and re-writing) the thesis itself.
You have been working on an innovative
curricular project, and you want to refine it or prepare it for
publication. There are many kinds of activities that would be
appropriate for a project report, including teaching materials,
videotapes, and computer programs, to mention just a few.
You are good writer, and you enjoy
doing it. Of course, being a good writer is not enough. You must also
have a good idea which you wish to pursue. Needless to say, if you
know you are not a good writer or if you know you do not enjoy
writing, you should not undertake to prepare a thesis or project
report.
You have ambitions to pursue a Ph.D.
Although not a requirement for admission to most doctoral programs, it
is a good idea to submit a thesis as evidence of your scholarly
writing ability as part of your application dossier. In general, the
more competitive the program is, the more they will tend to rely on
such evidence in making their selection decisions.
You have developed a good working
relationship with a professor who is involved in a large-scale study.
It is often the case in large-scale research projects that large
amounts of data go unanalyzed due to a lack of time and resources.
Professors engaged in such work often will give capable students
access to portions of their data. Of course, they will be reluctant to
do so indiscriminately, and it is considered poor form and, therefore,
is ill-advised for students to approach professors with whom they have
had minimal or no contact and request access to their data.
The preceding descriptions are not
exhaustive. There may be other aspects of your background that would
make you a good candidate. If so, talk with an adviser, but be
prepared to be dissuaded. In general, students will be discouraged
from undertaking a thesis or project report, because unless they are
good candidates for such a task, they likely will not finish their
degree programs. For instance, the following students would not be
considered good candidates.
You are not a self-starter. It takes a
considerable degree of self-discipline to write a thesis or project
report. Remember that once you undertake the task you will be largely
on your own. There are no scheduled class meetings, nor will your
thesis chair give you assignments and check your completion of them on
a regular basis. You will be expected to work independently and to
consult with your professor only periodically. Therefore, if you
recognize that you often tend to procrastinate on academic assignments
or if you know that you depend a great deal on someone else's
directions and/or deadlines to complete such tasks, you probably are
not a good candidate.
Your primary motivation for pursuing a
thesis or project is your fear of the Comprehensive Exam. Some
students develop unrealistic fears regarding formal examinations,
especially important ones like the Comps which provide entry into
another career phase or salary step. In fact, most such fears are
unfounded. The pass-rate on the Comps in the TESOL Program is fairly
high. Usually, upwards of 85% of students are successful in it. On the
other hand, the completion rate for theses and project reports is
probably about the same as the Comps pass-rate. Many of those who
never finish writing a thesis should never have undertaken the task
because their principal reason for doing it was to avoid the Comps.
When should I begin thinking about it?
As early as possible in your degree program, but only after you have
determined that you are a good candidate for a thesis or project
report, begin discussions with a professor about your ideas. Remember
that you must find a faculty member who is willing to chair your
supervising committee. Therefore, you must determine early on that a
professor is interested in assisting you with your ideas. Utilize the
research class(es) and other courses you take as testing grounds for
your ideas. Most important, conduct a thoughtful self-analysis to
determine for yourself whether you feel you should pursue this course.
What should I do first?
We recommend that you begin by following these steps.
Step 1
First, you should obtain all of the
pertinent guidelines and forms, and read them very carefully. They
include the following:
- the University's General Catalog
(read the graduate section);
- the University Guide to Preparation
of Master's Theses and Project Reports (July 1993);
- the Charter School of Education's
Student Advisement Handbook for Master's Degree Programs (1995);
- the Charter School of Education
Guidelines for Students Preparing Theses or Projects;
- Form EGS-12, "Request for
Thesis/Project Committee"; and
- Form EGS-14, "Request for
Approval of Thesis or Project Proposal".
Step 2
Prepare a projected timeline for
yourself. Be realistic, and determine whether you are prepared to
spend the time it will take to complete your work. If you are in a
rush to complete your degree, you should take the Comps instead.
Step 3
After you have read the documents cited
above and have prepared a timeline, you should consult the faculty
member you wish to work with and determine the following:
Does this person have an interest in
your topic? Not every faculty member is an expert in every aspect of
SLA or TESOL. Make certain that you have a good match between your
area of interest and the area of specialization of the faculty member.
Is he or she willing to supervise your
work? University professors are not required to undertake the
supervision of theses or project reports unless they are interested in
them. A difference in philosophy or perspective may prompt a faculty
member to decline your request to chair your committee.
Will he or she be able to fit you into
his or her workload? The supervision of a thesis or project requires
countless hours of consultation with individual students as well as
reading and editing of preliminary drafts. There is a limit to the
number of students any one professor can accommodate. Make sure early
on that the faculty member is able to give you an adequate amount of
time.
Is he or she able to accommodate your
timeline? Professors periodically earn sabbaticals or leaves of
absence for research or other purposes. Typically, these are scheduled
several quarters in advance. Make sure that the faculty member
understands your projected timeline and that it coincides with his or
her plans.
Step 4
Next, make sure you submit the
Advancement to Candidacy form. This form should be prepared as soon as
possible after you have completed 16 units of coursework in your
program. Note that you will not be permitted to enroll in the
thesis/project course sequence unless you have been advanced to
candidacy.
Step 5
Visit an adviser to formally modify
your degree program. This involves changing your original degree
program by deleting the Comprehensive Exam and adding the 599ABC
thesis/project course sequence. Work with the adviser to carefully
plan when you will enroll in the remaining courses, including any
additional courses which may be necessary for you to successfully
complete your thesis or project report. Note that it is the policy of
the SOE Assembly that all students who choose to do a thesis or
project report must complete both EDFN 452 and 500!
How do I select a topic?
There are many ways to go about
selecting a topic for a thesis or project report. The following list
gives just a few examples of how you may do this.
If you already have an idea, discuss it
with a faculty member to determine whether or not it is appropriate.
Consult the Annotated List of TESOL
M.A. Theses and Projects (December 1995) It is available on limited
loan at the J.F. Kennedy Library , and all TESOL professors have
copies in their offices. This list will give you a sense of the kinds
of topics which have been deemed appropriate. Once you have identified
some which interest you, look up the original copies in the Library in
order to get a sense of what will be required of you should you
undertake something similar. One word of caution as you review the
actual theses. The University's and the Charter School of Education's
policies regarding theses and project reports have changed
significantly in the last few years. Therefore, do not use the theses
in the Library to determine matters of style or organization as you
prepare your own writing. Instead, refer to the documents listed
earlier. They are the final word on policy and style.
Sometimes, a faculty member will state
in class that a certain topic would make an interesting research
project. Listen carefully, and pursue a discussion of it with the
faculty member during office hours.
How do I proceed?
You must follow certain steps in
completing your project or thesis, and they must be accomplished in
sequence.
You must select a committee.
You must prepare a Proposal and have it
approved by your committee. This is done during the quarter in which
you register for 599A, and you will not receive credit for 599A until
your Proposal has been approved and the Form EGS-14 filed with the
Office of the Associate Dean (KH-D2070).
Enroll in 599B and 599C.
Note that you must have received credit
for 599A before you will be permitted to enroll in 599B; and 599B and
599C must be taken in separate quarters. Thus, you will be making a
commitment of at minimum 3 quarters. Because writing is such an
individual process and for the majority of students the timeline
exceeds 3 quarters, students who are under strict timelines for
finishing are advised not to pursue this route.
How do I know when I have
reviewed enough literature?
There is no standard number of
references required for a thesis or project. Do not expect your
professor to give you a specific number or to provide you with a
ready-made list of articles and books. However, the following
guidelines should be helpful.
- Consult the theses and projects in
the Library for a sense of the scope of a literature review.
- Try to identify the most recent
pertinent reference article or book, and use its Reference List as
a guide in conducting your library search.
- Concentrate on the most recent
research, and limit older entries to landmark studies or works which
have had a particular influence on your thinking.
-
Once you have conducted this preliminary search, prepare a typed draft
of your Reference List and consult with your chair.
What should I keep in mind
about working with my chair?
Be sure that you work out a tentative
time line with your chair when you first begin to work on your
thesis/project. Every professor works with several students
simultaneously, and they must plan their schedules accordingly. Also,
remember that professors periodically earn sabbaticals or leaves of
absence for research or other purposes. You need to make sure that the
faculty member understands your projected timeline and that it
coincides with his or her plans. Of course, you should also let your
professor know if you plan to take some time off as well.
The following are some other things to
keep in mind about working with your chair.
Please make sure that you have
proofread carefully all of the drafts you turn in. Your chair's task
is to read for content.
Spelling, punctuation, and
grammaticality are your responsibilities. Note that the APA manual has
guidelines for capitalization, punctuation, abbreviations, etc. Spend
some time reviewing these conventions. Also, professors generally use
standard proofreading marks. See the APA manual if you are not
familiar with these marks.
It is strongly recommended that you
prepare your thesis/project on a word processor or computer. This will
facilitate the multiple drafts that are always necessary. If you do
not have a computer, note that several CSLA computing facilities are
available to students.
Whenever you submit a draft, please
follow these guidelines:
Number all pages, even if the page
numbering is temporary. Write in the page numbers by hand, if
necessary.
Separate the pages of your computer
printout, and either staple the pages or use a strong clip to hold it
all together. In other words, do not turn in a draft on
continuous-feed computer paper until you have separated and
reassembled the pages.
With every draft, write a cover note
with specific questions/concerns you may have. Do you want your
professor to look at a particular section? Do you need suggestions on
fleshing out one of the examples? Are you unsure if a literature
review is complete? Etc.
With every draft, write your full
address and telephone number in case you professor needs to contact
you.
Every time you submit a new draft,
please enclose the previous draft so that your professor can compare
your revisions and save time by not having to review again sections
that have already been approved. Remember that you are entitled to
disagree with any suggested revisions, but if you do so you should be
prepared to defend your position. If you have doubts about an issue,
it is best to discuss them with your professor before you write on
that issue.
Finally, please submit separate copies
of your drafts to your two committee members, unless they ask you not
to do so. It is your responsibility to reconcile differences in their
comments/feedback. In other words, it is considered discourteous to
ask one professor to react to a draft which contains another
professor's editorial comments unless asked to do so.
The final stages of thesis/project
preparation are very time consuming, and, unfortunately, these final
stages typically occur at the end of a quarter, when everyone is
extremely busy. Therefore, please allow plenty of time to complete
your final revisions and to secure faculty signatures. Be sure to
allow plenty of time to obtain permission to reprint published
material that you plan to include in your thesis/project (e.g.,
cartoons, commercial materials, etc.). You will need to make an
appointment with the Thesis coordinator in the library to get the
specifications for manuscript preparation. Follow these instructions
carefully in order to expedite the process. Note that if you have any
doubts about the quality of your computer's output or the
acceptability of any piece of your thesis/project, it is a good idea
to show the librarian samples well ahead of the last few weeks.
Finally, it is customary to make two
(2) copies of your thesis/project in addition to the ones required by
the library. One of these is for the chair of your committee and the
other for the TESOL Program. Consult with your other committee members
on whether or not you should give them one as well.
The
TESOL M.A. Comprehensive Examination
A. GENERAL INFORMATION
1. Purpose: The purpose of the
Comprehensive Examination (CE) is to assess the M.A. TESOL candidates'
knowledge in all areas of the TESOL Program. Candidates' knowledge
will be assessed through their analytic, creative and practical
abilities in the form of written responses as applied to the
knowledge.
2. Frequency: The CE will be offered
twice a year, Fall and Spring quarters.
3. Scope: The scope of the CE will be
broad and cover all areas in the TESOL Program. Candidates should
prepare for the CE by reading all texts, journals and supplementary
materials provided in the classes offered by the TESOL Program and
other associated University departments.
4. Mode: The mode of the CE is
Open-Book and Take-Home, timed and written. Open book means candidates
are free to refer to any texts or journals, and Take Home means
candidates can respond to the questions at home. Timed refers to the
duration of the CE, and written means the CE is a written exam. No
oral examinations are held.
5. Examination parameters: The CE will
consist of two questions from the various knowledge areas of the TESOL
Program. The knowledge areas are described in Section C (Comprehensive
Examination Areas) below. Candidates are expected to respond to both
questions with equal attention and detail. Responding to only one
question will not be given a passing grade.
6. Duration: The duration of the CE
will be four days; from Thursday afternoon to Monday afternoon.
7. Consultation among candidates: Since
the purpose of the CE is the assessment of individual knowledge,
consultation among candidates in the writing of the responses is not
allowed. The University's guidelines regarding cheating will apply.
According to the University's General Catalog, the term
"cheating" includes, but is not limited to: plagiarism,
receiving or knowingly supplying unauthorized information during an
examination, taking an examination for another student or having
another student take an examination for you, etc. See the University's
General Catalog for details.
8. Plagiarism: Since the purpose of the
CE is the assessment of individual knowledge, plagiarism is not
permitted. Plagiarism refers to representing somebody else's words or
ideas as one's own. Paraphrasing an author's idea or quoting even
limited portions of his or her text without proper citation is also an
act of plagiarism. See the University's General Catalog for details.
9. Referring to authors' materials:
Since the CE is a open-book, take-home exam, less credit will be given
by the faculty readers for recopying of large pieces of information
from well-known authors, texts or journal articles without
accompanying analysis. More credit will be given for your analytical
ability as well as your creative and practical abilities.
10. Make-up Examination: A Make-up CE
will only be allowed in extreme cases and on a case by case basis.
11. Notification of results: The
results of the CE will be available with the EFIS Office Staff in the
last week of the Quarter. The exact date may vary slightly depending
on intervening holidays but typically the 10th Monday of the Quarter
between 11 am and 6 pm is when the results will be available either in
person or by phone ((323) 343-4330). Notifications will also be mailed
by the EFIS Office soon after. Results will not be publicly posted in
the EFIS Office or on the M.A. TESOL Home Page.
12. Grading procedures: All responses
submitted in response to the CE questions will be read blind (without
any candidate identification such as name, student ID, etc.) by at
least two TESOL faculty readers. The following grades will be assigned
by the readers for each response: Pass with distinction, Pass, and No
Pass. A pass in both questions would be necessary for an overall pass.
If both readers agree with the grades, the result will be final. If
there is disagreement among the readers regarding a candidate's final
grade, a third reader will adjudicate. This result will then be the
final grade.
13. Review of Grades: A review and
discussion of the grades assigned by the readers is available to all
candidates, especially those who feel that the grades they received
were lower than their expectation. Such candidates should make
appointments with the faculty members who were readers for the CE.
14. Retaking the CE: Candidates who
were not successful in the CE, may retake the CE the next time it is
offered. A total of two retakes is allowed by University regulations.
If the retake date causes undue hardship to a candidate (example,
returning to home country, for international students), the candidate
may petition the TESOL Program Chair for a Make-Up CE. The conditions
for this allowance will be the same as for the Make-Up CE but
typically this allowance is granted only for candidates who were
unsuccessful in the Fall Quarter CE and want to Retake the CE in
Winter Quarter instead of waiting until Spring Quarter CE. In the
Retake, candidates must respond to both questions, even if one was
passed in a previous CE.
15. Adjustments for candidates with
disabilities: The TESOL Program fully supports the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). Reasonable accommodation will be provided to
any student with a disability who is registered with the Office of
Students with Disabilities (OSD) who needs and requests accommodation.
The OSD may be contacted to verify the presence of a disability and
confirm that accommodation is necessary. The OSD will arrange and
provide for the accommodation. Reasonable accommodation may involve
allowing a student to use an interpreter, note taker, or reader;
accommodation may be needed during administration of the CE. The
intent of the ADA in requiring consideration of reasonable
accommodation is not to give a particular student an unfair advantage
over other students, but simply to allow a student with a disability
to have an equal opportunity to be successful.
B. PROCEDURES
The procedures for the CE will be as
follows:
1. Candidates are expected to register
for the CE (EDFN or TESL 596) by using the standard registration
procedures for the semester they wish to take the CE.
2. Candidates will receive the
Guidelines and Procedures for the CE in the mail in the second week of
the quarter. These Guidelines and Procedures are also available with
the EFIS Office (KH 2098) and posted on the M. A. TESOL Home Page.
3. Candidates will need to go to the
EFIS Office on the specified date and time to pick up the questions
for the CE (This will typically be the 5th Thursday of the Quarter
between 3 pm and 6 pm).
4. Candidates will need to go to the
EFIS Office on the specified date to return their responses. (This
will typically be the 6th Monday of the Quarter by 5 pm).
5. NO LATE RESPONSES WILL BE ACCEPTED
and NO MAILED or FAXED responses will be accepted.
6. All responses should be typed,
double-spaced with a 12-point font size on standard US letter paper
(8.5 x 11 inches). Two copies of all responses must be submitted to
the office.
7. No name, student ID or any other
identification should be provided on the response pages. The only
Identification number used on your response pages should be one given
to you by EFIS Office Staff, when you pick up the questions.
C. SPECIFIC GUIDELINES
1. Preparation: Preparation for the CE
is very important. Start your preparation at least one quarter prior
to taking the CE by organizing class notes, assignments, and term
papers. Make sure that you obtain a copy of the
TESOL Knowledge Base and the TESOL Program Reference List. Then read
texts and journal articles carefully with a view to understanding and
organizing the material. If you find that you do not have key papers
or articles, make you sure you copy them and file them appropriately.
This is very crucial as in an open-book take home CE, your
organizational abilities will help you a lot during the exam days.
2. Exam days: After you return home
with your questions, quickly figure out the sources you need to refer
to for each of the questions. Make sure you have them at home, if not,
go to the library and copy them immediately; then start planning your
responses. Set aside one day for each of the two responses and the
extra time for revisions. And, do not work round the clock; take
frequent breaks and get sufficient sleep during this period. Also,
save your work on the computer frequently; perhaps even have it on a
floppy disk as well as hard disk.
3. Length of responses: Your response
to each question should not exceed 12 double-spaced pages with
12-point font size on standard US letter paper (8.5 x 11 inch). For
both questions, your responses should not exceed 24 pages, including
any tables, figures, and references.
4. Format of responses: Your responses
should be formatted as follows: Margins should be set at no less than
1 inch on all sides. The first page of each response should include
the candidate's assigned identification number and the current quarter
and year in the upper left-hand corner. A title for each response
should be centered at the top of the first page. The pages should be
numbered separately for each response.
5. Printing your responses: Your
responses should be printed out clearly. This is very important
because no matter how well written your responses are, the printed
version should be clear. There is no need to use color printing and
other graphic representations when the information can be conveyed
through standard text.
6. Hand-in time: Follow the hand-in
time carefully. Late responses will not be accepted by EFIS Office
staff, and faculty readers will not read them as this is a timed test,
roughly four days.
D. Comprehensive Examination AREAS
1. The purpose of the CE is to assess
the M.A. TESOL candidates' knowledge in all TESOL areas but in order
for this to be manageable, the following division is made. It is not
necessary to take all the classes listed under each area for you to be
successful in the CE.
AREA 1: TESOL Methodology ESL
Methodology, curriculum and syllabus design, English for
Academic/Specific Purposes, English Phonetics, Computer applications
Primary Classes: TESL 560, 562, 563, 564, 565, 566, 568, 572, 573A
AREA 2: TESOL Research Second Language
Acquisition, Classroom research, program evaluation Primary Classes:
TESL 560, 573A, 567B, EDFN 500, EDFN 452
AREA 3: Language Assessment ESL or EFL
testing, performance testing, testing skill areas Primary Classes:
TESL 567A, 567B, 573A, EDFN 500, EDFN 452,
AREA 4: Applied linguistics Pedagogic
English Grammar, Sociolinguistics, Psycholinguistics, Discourse
Analysis Primary Classes: TESL 570, 571, 573A, 574, 575, ENGL 401,
ENGL 405
2. Two questions from the four areas
listed above will make up the Comprehensive Examination. Remember, you
should respond to both questions with equal attention and detail.
Responding to only one will not be not be given a passing grade.
3. These areas will be used when CE
questions are written but questions could be cross-cutting and may
require knowledge from other areas to be used. Also, the areas and
classes are listed as a guide not a comprehensive and definitive
listing of areas and classes.
F. SAMPLE QUESTIONS
Sample 1 (Answer all three parts.
Questions are from Areas 1 & 2)
1. What do you understand by the
Monitor Hypothesis as used in the field of Second Language
Acquisition?
2. What research studies support this
Hypothesis? In your view, are the designs of these studies and
explanations of results provided appropriate and adequate? Discuss.
3. What are the implications of this
hypothesis for ESL classroom teaching? Provide specific examples of
teaching activities (which reflect this approach).
Sample 2 (Answer all three parts.
Questions are from Areas 2 & 3)
1. What do you understand by the term
"Second Language Learner or Test taker characteristics"?
2. Which of all the characteristics
do you think critically matter to second language
acquisition/learning? Cite key studies to support your response.
3. What of all characteristics do you
think critically matter to second language test performance? Cite
key studies to support your response.
Sample 3 (Answer all three parts.
Questions are from Areas 1, 2, & 3)
1. What do you understand by the term
"Communicative Language Teaching"?
2. What research studies or theories
support this teaching methodology?
3. What are the implications of this
methodology on curriculum/syllabus design and assessment?
Sample 4 (Answer all three parts.
Questions are from Areas 1 & 4)
1. How would you place grammar
teaching within the context of communicative language teaching?
2. What recent debates have you read
about that present opposing views of this concept? Cite key
proponents/opponents of the efficacy of grammar teaching.
3. What research studies would you
design to test hypotheses regarding the role of grammar teaching?
A NOTE ABOUT STUDY GROUPS:
If you wish to form a study group, go to
the EF&IS Division office or e-mail the Division secretary for a
list of students who have signed up to take the exam.