Doing a final year project for the TESL undergraduate degree can be a tough time for many. However, most of the problems faced by students are actually manageable should they know the right to deal with such "heavy" task. This simple guide outlines the basics that TESL students need to know when completing their projects so that in the end of the semester it does not turn out to be a FATAL year project.

Tip #1 Be Prepared
Make sure you understand what “research” is all about. That would mean a good grasp of the course Research Methodology would be an advantage. Why? Without knowing "what is a research", "why do research" and "how to conduct a research", it would be difficult for you to understand the whole purpose of completing a FYP.

Tip #2 Think Broadly
Now, here comes the tough part – generating your topics. After getting a firm understanding on research methodology, you might be cracking your head generating possible topics for your FYP. Well, your first step is to think broadly. This would mean that you need to try to do some readings on various resources (senior’s FYP or even articles on the internet), and make a short list of the areas that interest you the most. For example, if you’re into technology, the field Computer-Assisted Language Learning would be your primary area. Interest is important, because without it, you will be very “demotivated” to continue your research later on.

Tip #3 Narrow Down
Once you have listed all those areas that you are interested, it’s time to narrow it down. How? The first thing is to narrow it down by locating the resources available which include lecturers’ expertises. Some topics that you are interested in might not have the relevant resources that you need or there are just too limited resources available, thus, it’s better for you to leave it out (perhaps for future research). Next, go through some FYPs or research articles available at the library or on the Internet. See if there are topics that are related to yours and try to develop from there. For example, if a senior has done a research on code-switching among university students, you might want to do a research from a different perspective such as factors of code-switching among teachers. NOTE: Avoid doing topics that are too ambitious. Since it’s just a FYP for a Bachelor’s Degree, you might not have enough time and resources to do MEGA projects. As I always say, think small yet beneficial.

Tip #4 Know your topic well
After deciding your topic, instead of start “disturbing” the lecturers, one thing that you need to do is to READ-UP and understand your topic well. Like the example I gave earlier, if you’re doing a topic on code-switching, you need to KNOW what code-switching is, and what have others found out about it. Meaning, you need to gather all related resources and start reading as early as possible. This is to ensure that you know what you’re doing and it can reduce the possibilities of your topic being “rejected” by the lecturers. NOTE: Avoid going to the lecturers with an “EMPTY HEAD” and do not expect the lecturers to give you topics and all the resources. That’s not an undergraduate mentality, that’s a Primary-School Attitude!

Tip #5 Be Independent
Yes! This is in fact very important. I know some of you are struggling to stand on your own, but when it comes to FYP, you need to try to be as independent as possible. You need to be independent in managing your own research and gathering your resources. Try to plan your research by setting your own deadlines or targets and if you are really lost, consult the lecturers, friends or seniors, do not be afraid to ask. If you are not independent and always wait for the lecturers to push you, then you’ll be in trouble. Make the first initiative as it’s your FYP that is at stake.

Tip #6 Stop the Blame Syndrome
Blaming will not solve your problems, particularly when you’re blaming your supervisor/lecturer for not helping you. Perhaps, you are right to argue that some supervisors are not helpful enough, but it is wrong for you to blame them. No matter how “terrible” you think your supervisor is, try to get to know his or her style of working and constantly build good rapport. Some students just do not understand this and treat their supervisors as “personal assistants” by asking them to correct their language/grammar or ask them to help find related resources!

Tip #7 Enjoy what you’re doing
Well, finally do not put unnecessary burden or stress on yourself. Treat FYP as a process of learning and not solely because of wanting to get high grades. If you aim too high, you’re putting yourself into unnecessary pressure which will cause you to be depressed and cannot concentrate on your studies. Remember, even though FYP is important, you have other courses to “entertain” as well. So, you need to balance up.

Extra Tips:
Where to find research articles?

Proquest – http://www.umi.com/pqdauto
Emerald – http://www.emerald-library.com/
Science Direct – http://www.sciencedirect.com/

More Links:
MELTA The English Teacher Journal – http://www.melta.org.my/modules/sections/index.php?op=listarticles&secid=1

UKM’s Internet Journal of E-Language Learning and Teaching http://www.eltrec.ukm.my/ijellt/archive.asp

TEFL Web Journal – http://www.teflweb-j.org/

Oxford’s ELT Journal – http://eltj.oxfordjournals.org/archive

The Internet TESL Journal – http://iteslj.org/

E-Journal on Writing – http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/TESL-EJ/

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology http://www.ascilite.org.au/ajet/ajet.html

Journal on language learning and technology – http://llt.msu.edu

CALICO Journal – http://www.calico.org/calicopubs.html

Some Topics You can Consider

General Education

• The Influence of Classroom Physical Settings on Teaching And Learning
• Teaching of Science and Mathematics in English
• The Effectiveness of Preschool Education
• Class Size Problem: Malaysian Teachers’ Perceptions
• Classroom Management Problems Faced by Teachers in Rural and Urban Schools

General ELT

• The Effectiveness of Using Cooperative Group Work in Teaching Writing
• The Use of Student’s Mother Tongue By Teachers: A Useful Tool in ESL Classrooms
• The Role of Parents In the Development of Their Children Language Competency in English
• The Effects of Teacher’s Written Feedback on Students’ Writing Performance
• The Use of Role-play in Enhancing Speaking Skills in Learning English Language
• A Study of How Teachers Utilise Newspaper in Writing Classroom

Linguistics and Sociolinguistics

• Communicative Strategies of Learners from Different Socio-Cultural Backgrounds
• Discourse Analysis of Language Use in Different Settings (ie: KFC Counter, Medical Consultations)
• Genre Analysis of Students’ Written Assignments
• Code-switching among selected group of students

Computer/IT Related

• The Use of Computer-Simulated Games in English Language Teaching
• Analysing Students’ Interactions in Asynchronous Online Discussions
• Teachers’ Perceptions towards the Use of Computer in Language Teaching
• The Internet as a Tool to Assist ESL Teachers in the teaching English
• E-Mail as an Alternative Consultation Tool For Students: A Case Study
• Implementation of Smart Schools

Teaching of Literature

• Using Songs in the teaching of poetry among Form 4 students
• The use of Reader-Response Theory in Helping Students to learn literature
• The Effectiveness of Drama Techniques in Teaching Short Stories

Literary Criticism

• A study on the Female Characters in Relation to the Development and Changes of Ravi’s Identity in “The Return” By K.S. Maniam
• The Female Protagonists of Jane Austen’s Novels: A Feminist View on Women Respects and Power
• The Tragic Heroes: A Comparative Look at Shakespeare’s Hamlet and Usman Awang’s Hang Jebat
• The Fantasy and Moral Reality in The Rime of The Ancient Mariner
• The Portrayal of Upper Class Malay Society in Karim Raslan’s Short Stories

Gender Studies

• The differences in Class Participation between Male and Female Students in English Classrooms
• A Study of Students’ Attitude Differences in Learning Literature in English: The Factors of Gender
• Gender Portrayals in Teen Magazine
• A Comparative Study on Men and Women Use of Language in Workplace.

Material Development

• Courseware/CD-ROM for Teaching a Specific Language Content (ie: Tenses or Prepositions)
• Teaching Kits for Form 4 Literature Components

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