Work

Refining Qualitative Methods for ESL Academic Literacy Research: Reflections from a Pilot Study in Bangladesh

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This paper critically reflects on a pilot study within a doctoral research project investigating English as a Second Language (ESL) undergraduate students’ construction of academic literacy practices at a Bangladeshi Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) based university. The study assessed the feasibility of a qualitative, multi-case methodology involving reflective diaries, interviews, and document analysis with one student and one tutor. Drawing on the conceptual framing of academic literacies, insights into the student’s engagement with ESL writing tasks, tutor expectations, and institutional constraints were revealed. The pilot identified methodological challenges, such as data completeness and recruitment barriers, alongside benefits like triangulated perspectives and iterative tool refinement. These reflections inform the refinement of data collection strategies and research focus for the main study, offering valuable implications for other researchers.

Source: White Rose Research Online (University of Leeds, The University of Sheffield, University of York)

DOI: 10.48785/100/416

Author: Chowdhury, Sharifa

Institution: University of Leeds

Language: English

Topic: Discourse Analysis in Language Studies

Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W7133567359