Mapping the Challenges: An In-Depth Analysis of Common Flaws in Six Undergraduate ELT Research Proposals

Abstract

Research proposal writing constitutes a critical gateway to independent scholarly inquiry in English Language Teaching (ELT) undergraduate programs, yet a significant number of proposals fail to meet academic standards due to recurrent structural and rhetorical weaknesses. This study addresses the gap in fine-grained, holistic analyses of undergraduate ELT proposals by conducting an in-depth qualitative document analysis of six research proposals submitted for a proposal seminar at an Indonesian university. Employing genre analysis and academic literacies as theoretical lenses, the study systematically mapped common flaws across three intercon nected analytical categories: content and argumentation, methodology, and rhetorical and formal conventions. Data analysis followed an iterative thematic analysis procedure using NVivo software, with investigator triangulation enhancing credibility. Findings revealed pervasive and systemically interconnected weaknesses: all six proposals exhibited descriptive rather than analytical literature reviews, leading to vague problem statements and poorly formulated research questions. Methodologically, four proposals demonstrated critical misalignment between research questions and design, while all six suffered from insufficient operational detail in sampling, data collection, and analysis procedures. Rhetorically, the absence of coherent logical flow, inconsistent terminology, and pervasive citation errors compromised scholarly credibility across the sample. These findings demonstrate that flaws are not isolated but cascading, with weaknesses in problem framing precipitating methodological confusion. The study contributes empirical, text-based evidence to inform targeted pedagogical interventions in research methodology courses and supervisory practices, ultimately strengthening the foundational research competencies of future ELT professionals.