EFL STUDENTS' ANXIETY IN RESEARCH PROPOSAL SEMINAR

Abstract

This qualitative research uses a basic qualitative design which aims at knowing and analysing the symptoms and factors of foreign language anxiety faced by English Department Students of STKIP PGRI West Sumatera as EFL students during their research proposal seminar. In addition, this research was addressed to eight students who was presenting their research proposal, and they are selected through a purposive sampling technique. Furthermore, in data collection processes, several instruments are used, such as audio / video recorder, observation checklists, interview guides, and field notes. Those instruments are used within two techniques of data collection, observation and interview, in which observation was done to see the symptoms of foreign language anxiety, and the interview was intended to find out its factors. As the result, it is found that the findings of this study are relevant to the theories stated by several experts, like Arnold (2005: 66), Howrits,Young, Hashim, and Palacious. Precisely, those results are as follows : (1) signs or symptoms of English Department students anxiety in research proposal seminar at STKIP PGRI West Sumatera are general avoidance, physical actions, and cultural depended signs ; (2) factors or causes of English Department students anxiety in research proposal seminar at STKIP PGRI West Sumatera are communication apprehension, text anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, lecturers / contributors characteristics, and psychological factors.