This questionnaire is designed as part of the research study titled “The Challenges and Strategies in Critical Reading of Academic Text among International Chinese Undergraduate Students in a Private University in Malaysia.”
The purpose of this study is to investigate Chinese undergraduate students’ academic reading strategies and reading difficulties in English academic texts.The findings will be used for academic research purposes only.Your responses will contribute to understanding students’ critical reading difficulties and strategy use in academic contexts.
Participation in this survey is entirely voluntary. All responses will remain anonymous and confidential. The collected data will be used solely for academic research purposes. You may withdraw from the survey at any time without any consequences.
You are participated in this study. If you have the followings:
(1)You are registered full time student at a local university in Malaysia
(2)You are currently an Chinese international undergraduate student.
(3)You use English as a medium for academic reading.
(4)You are willing to participate the voluntarily
You are not eligible to participate in this study if any of the following applies:
(1)You are not an undergraduate student studying at a university in Malaysia.
(2)You are a postgraduate student or a graduate.
(3)You do not use English for academic reading.
Section 1: Demographic Information Please answer the questions about your personal information.
1. Gender: Female Male Prefer not to say
2. Age: 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 >24
3. Year of Study: Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4
4. 4. Programme/Major: ________________________________ 5. 5. First Language: ________________________________ 2nd language: __________ 6. List other languages that you know and use: _______________________________________ 7. 6.Provide your IELTS/TOEFL Score : ______________________________________ 8. 7. Academic English courses taken (if any): ______________________ 9. 8. Hours spent weekly on academic reading (English): ____________ Section 2: Academic Reading Habits Please read carefully each statement and rate statement according to the likert scale provided
The scale uses a five-point scoring system:
1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly agree.
1. I regularly read English academic materials. 1 2 3 4 5
2 I usually read journal articles and course readings in digital format (e.g., PDF on laptop or mobile devices). 1 2 3 4 5
3. I take notes while reading to improve understanding 1 2 3 4 5
4. I look up unfamiliar vocabulary when reading. 1 2 3 4 5
5. I often search for additional online academic resources (e.g., Google Scholar, university library databases, or academic websites) 1 2 3 4 5
Section 3: Challenges in Critical Reading Please read carefully each statement and rate statement according to the likert scale provided
The scale uses a five-point scoring system:
1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly agree.
1. I find it difficult to read academic texts. 1 2 3 4 5
2. I cannot easily infer meanings of unfamiliar words. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I struggle to understand the relationships between sentences. 1 2 3 4 5
4. I cannot clearly identify the main ideas and supporting details in reading. 1 2 3 4 5
5. I have difficulty reading graphs, charts, and tables. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I struggle to distinguish facts from opinions. 1 2 3 4 5
7. I find it difficult to determine relevant from irrelevant information. 1 2 3 4 5
8. I find it difficult to infer implied meanings. 1 2 3 4 5
9. Identifying cause-and-effect relationships is challenging for me. 1 2 3 4 5
10. I lack confidence in analyzing academic texts. 1 2 3 4 5
11. I find it difficult to synthesize multiple ideas into one. 1 2 3 4 5
12. I struggle to understand the logical flow between paragraphs. 1 2 3 4 5
13. Summarizing a text after reading is difficult for me. 1 2 3 4 5
14. Evaluating strengths of arguments is challenging. 1 2 3 4 5
15. I cannot easily judge whether evidence in a text is reliable. 1 2 3 4 5
16. I struggle to form personal judgment about the content. 1 2 3 4 5
17. I cannot easily identify the author’s intention or attitude. 1 2 3 4 5
18. I feel anxious when reading difficult English texts. 1 2 3 4 5
19. I feel stressed when reading long academic articles. 1 2 3 4 5
20. I often do not have enough time to complete academic readings. 1 2 3 4 5
21. I need to read academic texts such as journal articles more than once to understand the content. 1 2 3 4 5
Section 4: Strategies in Critical Reading Please read carefully each statement and rate statement according to the likert scale provided .
The scale uses a five-point scoring system:
1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly agree.
1. I check the title and predict the content before reading. 1 2 3 4 5
2. I relate the reading to my prior knowledge. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I identify key ideas while reading. 1 2 3 4 5
4. I predict what will come next based on the title or abstract of an academic text. 1 2 3 4 5
5. I reread difficult parts to ensure understanding. 1 2 3 4 5
6. I break down complex ideas to understand them better. 1 2 3 4 5
7. I evaluate the types of evidence used by the author. 1 2 3 4 5
8. I compare different viewpoints in the text. 1 2 3 4 5
9. I check whether sources cited are trustworthy. 1 2 3 4 5
10. I summarize the main points after reading. 1 2 3 4 5
11. I analyze the organization of the text. 1 2 3 4 5
12. I form my own opinion rather than accepting the author’s view. 1 2 3 4 5
13. I try to get back on track when I lose concentration. 1 2 3 4 5
14. I adjust my reading speed according to what I am reading. 1 2 3 4 5
15. When text becomes difficult, I pay closer attention to what I am reading. 1 2 3 4 5
16. I stop from time to time and think about what I am reading. 1 2 3 4 5
17. I try to picture or visualize information to help remember what I read (e.g using strategies such as mind-maps). 1 2 3 4 5
18. I use online resources (e.g., dictionaries , AI and academic databases) to understand unfamiliar terms in academic texts. 1 2 3 4 5
Section 5: Instructional and Institutional Support Please read carefully each statement and rate statement according to the likert scale provided .
The scale uses a five-point scoring system:
1 = Strongly disagree; 2 = Disagree; 3 = Neutral; 4 = Agree; 5 = Strongly agree.
1. My courses include guidance on academic reading skills. 1 2 3 4 5
2. My lecturer teaches strategies for critical reading. 1 2 3 4 5
3. I receive useful feedback on my reading-related tasks. 1 2 3 4 5
4. My university provides helpful academic reading resources. 1 2 3 4 5
5. Classroom discussions help me improve my critical reading. 1 2 3 4 5