Scoping Review Proposal Template for MA Applied Linguistics Students – Pragmatics Focus

📝 Scoping Review Proposal Template

For MA Applied Linguistics Students – Pragmatics Focus Title

Format:

A Scoping Review of [Pragmatic Phenomenon] in [Context or Population]

✍️ Example:

A Scoping Review of Politeness Strategies in Intercultural Email Communication Among EFL Learners

Abstract

✳️ Purpose: Summarize the review’s focus, rationale, objectives, scope, and expected contributions.

✍️ Example:

Pragmatic competence, particularly the use of politeness

strategies, plays a critical role in intercultural communication.

While existing studies have explored how English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners perform such strategies, research appears fragmented across contexts and methods. This scoping review aims to map current empirical studies on politeness strategies in EFL email communication, identify dominant themes, and highlight methodological patterns and gaps. The review follows a systematic, transparent approach aligned with scoping review guidelines and will contribute to pedagogical and research developments in L2 pragmatics.

1. Introduction

Function: Introduce the topic, define key terms,

contextualize it within applied linguistics and pragmatics, and explain the relevance of a scoping review.

Content to Include:

 Definition and role of the pragmatic phenomenon (e.g., speech acts, politeness, implicature)

 Relevance to intercultural/EFL contexts

 Overview of current research focus and debates

 Statement of fragmentation or lack of synthesis

 Justification for the review and its scope

 Purpose of using a scoping (rather than systematic/meta- analytic) review

✍️ Example:

In applied linguistics, pragmatic competence is essential for effective second language (L2) communication, especially when learners must navigate culturally sensitive speech acts such as refusals and requests. Politeness strategies, shaped by social norms, have been widely studied in face-to-face

conversations but remain underexplored in asynchronous, written interactions like emails. Moreover, research in this area is scattered across disciplines and contexts. A scoping review is thus warranted to systematically identify, chart, and summarize the extent, range, and nature of existing research.

 Mục đích: Giới thiệu hiện tượng dụng học, đặt nó vào bối cảnh ngành Ngôn ngữ học ứng dụng, và lý do chọn scoping review.

 Nội dung:

 Định nghĩa hiện tượng dụng học (như hành vi nói, chiến lược lịch sự, hàm ẩn…).

 Liên hệ đến bối cảnh liên văn hóa hoặc người học EFL.

 Giải thích tại sao cần scoping review.

2. Objectives and Research Questions

Function: Clarify what the review aims to achieve and articulate specific, answerable questions.

In applied linguistics, particularly in pragmatics, the scope should be guided by the specific pragmatic phenomenon under investigation (e.g., speech acts, politeness strategies), the target population (e.g., EFL learners), and the context of use (e.g., email communication, classroom discourse). Once the scope is established, research questions should be designed to reflect the exploratory nature of scoping reviews. These

questions typically aim to map the extent, range, and nature of existing research rather than evaluate effectiveness. Effective scoping review questions focus on what has been studied, how it has been studied, with whom, and in what contexts. They often address the types of methods and theoretical frameworks used, the key findings and challenges reported, and gaps in the literature.

Content to Include:

 1–2 overarching objectives

 3–5 research questions guiding your synthesis

✍️ Example:

Objective:

This review aims to map the scope and characteristics of empirical research on politeness strategies in intercultural email communication involving EFL learners.

Research Questions:

E.g.:

1. What pragmatic features of politeness strategies are investigated in the reviewed studies?

2. What research designs, contexts, and participant populations are employed?

3. What theoretical frameworks are used to analyze politeness in these studies?

4. What challenges or errors do learners encounter when using politeness strategies?

5. What gaps exist in the current literature?

Aim for 2-4 questions only.

 Mục đích: Xác định rõ những gì bài tổng quan muốn đạt được và đặt ra 2–4 câu hỏi nghiên cứu chính.

 Nội dung mẫu:

 Các đặc điểm dụng học nào được khảo sát?

 Thiết kế nghiên cứu, ngữ cảnh, và nhóm người học nào được sử dụng?

 Khung lý thuyết nào được áp dụng?

 Người học gặp khó khăn gì trong việc sử dụng hiện tượng dụng học đó?

3. Methodology

Function: Describe the transparent, replicable method you will use to conduct the scoping review, including eligibility criteria, databases, and synthesis procedures.

3.1 Eligibility Criteria

Define inclusion and exclusion based on:

 Publication type

 Language

 Time period

 Focus

 Population/context

✍️ Example:

Only empirical, peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2010 and 2025 in English will be included. Studies must investigate politeness or other pragmatic features in digital written communication involving L2/EFL learners.

Conceptual papers, theses, or studies unrelated to pragmatics will be excluded.

 Loại bài viết: Bài báo khoa học thực nghiệm, có bình duyệt.

 Ngôn ngữ: Tiếng Anh.

 Giai đoạn: Từ năm 2010 đến 2025.

 Nội dung: Tập trung vào hiện tượng dụng học trong giao tiếp kỹ thuật số.

3.2 Search Strategy

Detail:

 Databases (e.g., Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, LLBA)

 Keywords and Boolean operators

 Search filters (e.g., peer-reviewed, year range)

✍️ Example:

A systematic search will be conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC using the terms: (“politeness strategies” OR

“speech acts” OR “pragmatic competence”) AND (“email” OR

“digital communication”) AND (“EFL” OR “English learners”).

Filters will be applied to restrict results to peer-reviewed journal articles in English from 2010 onward.

 Cơ sở dữ liệu: Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC.

 Từ khóa và toán tử logic: (e.g. “politeness strategies” AND

“email” AND “EFL”).

3.3 Study Selection Process

Explain:

 Screening steps (title/abstract, full-text)

 Use of reference management software

 Application of PRISMA guidelines (mention inclusion of flowchart in final paper)

✍️ Example:

After importing references into Zotero, duplicates will be removed. Title and abstract screening will be conducted first, followed by full-text screening based on the inclusion criteria.

The selection process will be documented using a PRISMA flow diagram.

 Dùng phần mềm quản lý tài liệu (ví dụ Zotero), lọc tiêu đề, tóm tắt, rồi toàn văn.

 Áp dụng sơ đồ PRISMA để minh họa quá trình sàng lọc.

3.4 Data Extraction

List variables and format of the extraction table.

Stu dy

Ye ar

Count ry

Learn er Grou

p

Pragma tic Feature

Theo ry

Meth od

Key Findin

gs

✍️ Example:

A coding sheet will be used to extract relevant data, including study design, population, pragmatic focus, theoretical

framework, and main findings. This will support the subsequent thematic synthesis.

Các trường dữ liệu: năm, quốc gia, nhóm người học, hiện tượng dụng học, lý thuyết, phương pháp, kết quả chính.

3.5 Data Synthesis

Describe the analytic approach (usually qualitative/thematic).

✍️ Example:

Thematic synthesis will be employed to identify recurring topics and patterns in how politeness is conceptualized, taught, and assessed. Inductive coding will group data into thematic clusters such as instructional interventions, learner performance, and cross-cultural variation.

Phân tích chủ đề (thematic synthesis), mã hóa quy nạp, gom nhóm thành các chủ đề chính.

4. Expected Findings and Presentation Plan

Function: Explain how you plan to organize and present results (what tables, figures, or thematic structures).

✍️ Example:

The review’s findings will be presented by organizing studies into thematic categories such as types of politeness strategies, instructional approaches, and sociopragmatic influences.

Tables will summarize study characteristics, and figures may

illustrate trends across time or geographical focus. Each theme will be accompanied by narrative descriptions and representative findings.

 Tổ chức kết quả theo các chủ đề như loại chiến lược, phương pháp giảng dạy, yếu tố xã hội.

 Bảng tóm tắt đặc điểm nghiên cứu, biểu đồ minh họa xu hướng.

5. Discussion Plan

Function: Provide an outline of how you will interpret the results in relation to theory and practice.

✍️ Include:

 Interpretation of themes

 Comparison with existing frameworks or reviews

 Gaps in knowledge

 Implications for pedagogy, curriculum, or assessment

 Limitations of reviewed studies (e.g., method homogeneity, regional bias)

✍️ Example:

The discussion will interpret findings in relation to politeness theory and intercultural pragmatics. It will highlight

underrepresented learner groups, overreliance on production data, and the absence of longitudinal studies. Implications will be drawn for pragmatic instruction in digitally mediated

environments. Limitations such as geographic concentration and reliance on DCTs will also be addressed.

 Diễn giải kết quả theo lý thuyết dụng học và các khung hiện có.

 Nêu ra các lỗ hổng trong nghiên cứu, đề xuất cho giảng dạy và đánh giá.

 Nhận diện hạn chế (thiết kế nghiên cứu, thiên lệch vùng miền...).

6. Conclusion

Function: Summarize the contribution of your review, reaffirm its purpose, and highlight anticipated impact.

✍️ Example:

This scoping review will provide a structured overview of how politeness strategies are studied among EFL learners in online written communication. It will identify emerging themes,

methodological tendencies, and underexplored areas in

pragmatic research. The review is expected to support more informed instructional design and inspire future empirical investigations.

 Tóm lược đóng góp của tổng quan.

 Khẳng định lại mục tiêu và ảnh hưởng mong đợi đến nghiên cứu và thực hành.

References

Function: Demonstrate your engagement with the literature and appropriate methodological resources. Use consistent APA formatting.