Resume of English Journal Education by Bella Amalia

RESUME OF ENGLISH JOURNAL EDUCATION

THE IDENTITY OF THE REVIEWER

NAME                               : BELLA AMALIA

STUDY PROGRAM  : ENGLISH EDUCATION    DEPARTMENT

EXPLORING COGNITIVE PROCESS OF RESEARCH TOPIC SELECTION IN ACADEMIC WRITING

Fahrus Zaman Fadhly

Emzir

Ninuk Lustyantie

Background

Facts show that Indonesia already has several reliable scientific writers, as shown through data from Scimago. Scimago (2018) shows that Indonesia only has 75,220 articles with H-index 196. This acquisition places Indonesia ranked 11th. At this level, there is a gap to be able to contribute to language education through a review of proven processes and results of writing. The gap is an opportunity that this research will take advantages of this present research. It is a manifestation of efforts to construct the cognitive process of academic writing----selection of research topics in particular. Several different ways in which the author gets inspiration to write, what values underlie the author to give their arguments on a particular topic, how the author decides the point of view of their argument, starts writing, develops the argument, and closes the writing. This present research is expected to bring novelty in identifying the cognitive processes experienced by reputable international journal writers who can take important lessons for other Indonesian scientists. Cognitive models existed are still very limited to explain comprehensively how the true cognitive processes of research topics selection experienced by the author who have been tested. This study is expected to present novelty in the subject area. This research has the urgency to describe the cognitive processes experienced by Indonesian scientific writers whose writings are published in reputable international journals. By identifying cognitive processes that take place in the writing process, so that it can be a guide for other writers in writing scientific articles in reputable international. journals. Another is to boost the quantity and quality of scientific publications of Indonesian researchers/scientists in reputable international journals as part of efforts to increase national competitiveness from the scientific publications sector.

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to explore and reconstruct the cognitive processes experienced by Indonesian scientific writers in selecting research topic in academic writing.

Method

The techniques for collecting cognitive process data in this academic paper are carried out through (1) observation, (2) interviews, (3) documents. Observation is done by directly observing the writing process of the scientific writings of the informants/speakers so that the whole construction of the cognitive process phenomena that occur/is done by them is obtained. Interviews were conducted in-depth (in-depth interviews) with (3) selected informants from a number of state universities in Indonesia from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesian (UPI) and Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad). The three Indonesian scientists included: Didin Saripudin, Atip Latiful Hayat (ALH) and Dr. Fitri Khaerunnisa (FK). The selection of the three Indonesian scientists was taken based on considerations, among others: (1) the performance of research and scientific publications that stood out especially their research works published in reputable international journals; (2) the ease of accessing them for the purposes of observation and in-depth interviews and obtaining the necessary written documents; and (3) the diversity of informants/resource persons with diverse scientific clusters is intentionally conducted to see whether there are variations in cognitive processes as reflected in the interview process and their academic writings. Interviews are conducted informally so that the informant feels comfortable and goes on intimately. High technical language will be avoided and researchers should optimally be able to provide a sense of comfort so that informants feel free in responding to each researcher's questions in their own way (Sunstein & Chiseri-Strater, 2012; Marshall & Rossman, 1999, Holstein & Gubrium, 1995).

Results

Of the three informants interviewed, i.e.: DS with a background in Sociology of education, indigenous education & multicultural education, ALH with a background in International law and telecommunications law, and FK with a background in nanomaterial carbon,adsorption, nanocomposite polymer. As their different experiences in choosing and determining research topics. 

Research topic selection based on research road map

In choosing and determining research topics, DS followed a road map that had been designed with those who have the sameexpertise. In accordance with his background, DS researches teaching aspects such as approaches and methods, learning resources including textbooks, learning media, learning evaluation, etc.

Research topic selection based on previous studies by conducting literature review

The role of scientific articles published in reputable international journals/nationally accredited journals is recognized by DS to be very influential in selecting research topic.

Research topic selection based on national research topics of Indonesian ministry of research, technology and higher education

As an authoritative institution as well as sponsors of various types of research, the Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (Kemenristekdikti) carries out certain themes every year. Every year, there are no less than 10 (ten) research topics offered by Kemenristekdikti. Researchers utilize research topics offered by Kemenristekdikti.

Research topic selection based on interpretation of regulations

As a researcher in the field of law, ALH explained his cognitive experiences that research topic were obtained through interpretation of a regulation. The novelty of a research topic was derived from the process of understanding and interpreting the existing regulations.

Research topic selection inspired by court decisions

Based on ALH’s experience, a research topic also usually comes from an analysis of court decisions that are often referred to as case studies. It is especially related to the research question of how a court applies the law in a case.

Research topic selection inspired by the presence of actual cases or topics that are becoming public discourse

Research topic selection is inspired by the emergence of pros and cons of a case or a regulation.

Research topic selection through research discussion and sharing

Intensive discussions with experts, lecturers and teachers inspired writers to select a research topic. DS acknowledges that through discussions with teachers as education practitioners inspired him to find research topics that have a high element of novelty.

Determination of research topics resulting from exposure to controlled data so that novelty is found

Based on FK's cognitive experience, the determination of research topics can also be raised from the exposure of new data found. However, exposed data is verified (crosscheck) with scientific articles that have been published by leading journals throughout the world. The novelty element can also be identified from the activity of exposing the data. When exposing data generated from certain methods or equipment is found element of novelty, the research topic can be identified.

Determination of research topics as results from the search for the possibility of the existing papers

Finding possibilities from published articles in line becomes an important way of determining research topics that have novelty elements. The intelligence of a researcher with long hours of flying reading will easily identify the possibility space so that the data to be explored also has a high element of novelty.

References

Fadhly, F. Z., Emzir, E., & Lustyantie, N. (2018). Exploring cognitive process of research topic selection in academic writing. English Review: Journal of English Education 7(1), 157-166. doi: 10.25134/erjee.v7i1.1535.