Conducting research on language interference in writing among high school students is

a valuable endeavor. To ensure the success of your research, you should follow a
systematic research plan. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you plan your research
effectively:

1. Define Your Research Question/Objective:

 Start by clearly defining the specific research question or objective you want to
address. For example, "What are the common patterns of language interference
in the writing of high school students learning English as a second language?"
2. Literature Review:
 Conduct a thorough literature review to understand existing research on
language interference in writing, particularly among high school students. This
will help you identify gaps in the current knowledge and refine your research
focus.
3. Research Design:
 Decide on the research methodology you'll use. Common methods for this type
of research include surveys, interviews, and analysis of written samples. Consider
whether you'll use a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approach.
 Determine the population you want to study (e.g., high school students of a
specific age group, language background, or region).
 Develop a sampling strategy to select participants or written samples.
4. Data Collection:
 If conducting surveys or interviews, design and pilot-test your questionnaire or
interview questions.
 If analyzing written samples, create a standardized rubric or criteria for identifying
language interference patterns.
 Collect data from your chosen sample, ensuring ethical considerations and
consent where necessary.
5. Data Analysis:
 Analyze the collected data using appropriate statistical or qualitative analysis
techniques.
 Identify common language interference patterns, their frequency, and any related
factors (e.g., language proficiency, language background).
6. Results Interpretation:
 Interpret your research findings in the context of your research question. Discuss
how language interference manifests in high school students' writing and any
potential implications.
7. Discussion and Conclusion:
  Discuss the significance of your findings, how they relate to existing literature,
and their practical implications for educators and curriculum development.
 Conclude by summarizing the key findings and their contributions to the field.
8. Recommendations:
 Provide recommendations for educators, policymakers, or researchers based on
your findings.
9. Write Your Research Paper:
 Organize your research findings, discussion, and recommendations into a well-
structured research paper. Follow the guidelines of your institution or the journal
where you plan to submit your work.
10. Ethical Considerations:
 Ensure that you have followed ethical guidelines throughout your research,
especially if it involves working with human subjects.
11. Peer Review and Editing:
 Seek feedback from mentors, professors, or peers to refine your research paper
before submission.
12. Submission and Presentation:
 Submit your research paper to relevant conferences or journals.
 Prepare to present your research findings at conferences or seminars.
13. Continued Learning:
 Stay updated on the latest research in the field of language interference and
related areas.

Remember to maintain meticulous records of your research process, adhere to ethical

guidelines, and be prepared to adapt your research plan if unexpected challenges arise.
Good luck with your research!
1. Definition and Conceptual Framework:
 Gass and Selinker's Interlanguage Theory (1972) laid the foundation for
understanding how a learner's native language influences their acquisition of a
second language, including writing skills.
2. Transfer and Interference:
 Odlin's book "Language Transfer: Cross-Linguistic Influence in Language
Learning" (1989) explores how the structures and rules of a person's native
language can affect their second language writing.
3. Error Analysis:
 Error analysis studies, such as Corder's (1973) seminal work, examine the types of
errors non-native speakers make in writing, often linking them to transfer or
interference from their first language.
4. Contrastive Analysis Hypothesis:
 Studies like Lado's "Linguistics Across Cultures" (1957) have explored how
comparing and contrasting the structures of two languages can help predict
areas of difficulty in language learning and writing.
5. Interlanguage Studies:
 Selinker's theory of interlanguage suggests that learners develop their own
linguistic systems (interlanguages) influenced by both their native language and
the target language. Research has examined how these interlanguages manifest
in writing.
6. Error Patterns:
 Research often identifies common error patterns attributed to language transfer
and interference, such as errors in word order, preposition usage, verb tense, and
article usage.
7. Specific Languages and Language Pairs:
 Research often focuses on specific language pairs (e.g., Spanish-English, Chinese-
English) to understand the unique challenges posed by each pair and how
language transfer manifests in writing.
8. Pedagogical Implications:
 Studies often explore pedagogical strategies to address language transfer and
interference in writing, including error correction techniques, language awareness
activities, and contrastive analysis in the classroom.
9. Corpus Linguistics:
 Corpus linguistics studies analyze large collections of written texts to identify and
quantify instances of language transfer and interference, providing valuable
insights into the frequency and patterns of these phenomena.
10. Longitudinal Studies:
  Research that tracks the development of writing skills in non-native speakers over
time can reveal how language transfer and interference diminish as learners gain
proficiency.
11. Technology and Writing Development:
 Digital tools and platforms have enabled research on how technology can assist
non-native writers in overcoming language transfer and interference issues.
12. Cross-Disciplinary Approaches:
 Some research combines insights from linguistics, psychology, and education to
provide a comprehensive understanding of how language transfer and
interference impact writing skills among non-native students.

It's important to note that the field of language transfer and interference in writing is
continually evolving, with new studies and approaches emerging regularly. To access the
most up-to-date research, consider using academic databases, journals, and
publications in the field of applied linguistics and second language acquisition.

1. Define Your Research Objectives:

 Clearly state the research questions or objectives you want to address in both the
theoretical and practical chapters of your dissertation. What specific aspects of language
interference in writing are you investigating?

2. Review the Literature:

 Begin with the theoretical chapter. Conduct a thorough literature review to explore
existing research on language interference, its theories, models, and relevant concepts.
This will help you build a strong theoretical foundation for your study.

3. Theoretical Framework:
 Develop a clear theoretical framework that will guide your research. Explain the key
theories and models that underpin your study. Discuss how these theories relate to
language interference in writing.

4. Methodology:

 In the practical chapter, describe your research methodology. Explain how you plan to
collect and analyze data. Consider using a mixed-methods approach, combining
qualitative and quantitative methods, if applicable.
 Justify your choice of research methods and tools. Discuss their strengths and
limitations.

5. Data Collection:

 Detail the procedures for data collection. If you are conducting surveys, interviews,
experiments, or analyzing existing texts, explain how you will do this and provide a
timeline.

6. Data Analysis:

 Describe how you will analyze the data you collect. Specify the software or techniques
you will use for data analysis. Provide examples or mock data if necessary to illustrate
your approach.

7. Ethical Considerations:

 Address ethical concerns related to your research, especially when dealing with human
subjects. Discuss informed consent, confidentiality, and any potential biases.

8. Data Presentation:

 In the practical chapter, present your findings clearly using tables, charts, and graphs.
Interpret the data and relate it back to your research questions.

9. Discussion:

 Analyze your findings in the context of the theoretical framework. Discuss the
implications of your results for the field of language interference in writing.

10. Conclusion:
 Summarize the main findings of your research and how they contribute to the
understanding of language interference in writing. Highlight any limitations and suggest
areas for future research.

11. References:

 Ensure that you properly cite all the sources you've referenced in your dissertation
following a consistent citation style (e.g., APA, MLA).

12. Appendices:

 Include any supplementary materials, such as questionnaires, interview transcripts, or

coding schemes, in the appendices.

13. Proofreading and Editing:

 Allocate time for proofreading and editing to ensure your dissertation is free from errors
and flows smoothly.

14. Timeline:

 Create a timeline that outlines when you plan to complete each section of your
dissertation. Be realistic about your deadlines.

15. Peer Review and Feedback:

 Seek feedback from your advisor, peers, or mentors at various stages of your research
and writing process.

16. Final Submission:

 Prepare your final dissertation document according to your institution's formatting and
submission guidelines.

Remember that your dissertation plan is a flexible guide that can be adjusted as needed
throughout your research. Regularly reviewing and updating your plan will help you stay
on track and produce a well-structured and well-researched dissertation.