Copyright (c) 2025 Qyamudin Ziar, Arsalan Zaiel, Abdullah Noori

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Investigating Research Anxiety Among Undergraduate English Major Students at Kabul University
Corresponding Author(s) : Qyamudin Ziar
Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities,
Vol. 2 No. 4 (2025): October
Abstract
Research has a crucial role in developing the academic achievements of undergraduate students. However, majority experience extreme stress and anxiety while they are conducting their academic research. This study examines the factors contributing to research anxiety among undergraduate English major students at Kabul University. Although global studies have broadly explored academic stress, limited attention has been paid to the specific phenomenon of research anxiety within Afghan higher education, which this study aims to address. This investigation is conducted through a quantitative research design. Seventy-two students participated in this study. The findings revealed that most participants reported moderate to high levels of anxiety during conducting their research. It attributed to a variety of factors. The primary cause of this anxiety is a lack of experience or training. Additionally, fear of failure and inadequate academic support are significant contributing factors. Generally, senior students exhibited lower levels of anxiety than the lower level students. It is reflecting their growing familiarity with the research process. In result, it highlighted the urgent need for academic institutions and universities to address this anxiety. The study recommends integrating research training, mentorship programs, and enhanced access to investigation resources to reduce anxiety among students. Furthermore, addressing this type of anxiety will enhance the academic quality of research.
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- Aunurrahman, A. (2019). Exploring the writing anxiety of EFL university students in Pontianak, Indonesia. IJELTAL: Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v4i1.336 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v4i1.336
- Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
- Bitchener, J., & Basturkmen, H. (2006). Perceptions of the difficulties of postgraduate L2 thesis students writing the discussion section. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 5(1), 4–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2005.10.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2005.10.002
- Bitzer, E. M. (2005). Learning experiences of doctoral students. Higher Education Research & Development, 24(4), 343–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360500284761
- Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
- Cao, S., Zhong, L., & Wang, C. (2025). The impact of student writing assessment literacy on psychological factors: An ordinal logistic regression analysis includes writing anxiety measured via SLWAI. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2502.00004
- Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539
- Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
- Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 109–132. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153
- Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
- Khayber Najafi, I., Rahmani, A. K., & Zaki, Z. (2024). The level of foreign language anxiety among EFL students: A comparative study of ALM and CLT. Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 6(4), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2024.6.4.20 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2024.6.4.20
- Kiley, M., & Wisker, G. (2009). Threshold concepts in research education and evidence of threshold crossing. Higher Education Research & Development, 28(4), 431–441. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360903067930 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360903067930
- Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press.
- Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308
- Kumar, R., & Hamer, L. (2013). Preservice teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward student diversity and proposed instructional practices: A sequential design study. Journal of Teacher Education, 64(2), 162–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487112466899 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487112466899
- Lei, S. A. (2008). Factors changing attitudes of graduate school students toward an introductory research methodology course. Education, 128(4), 667–685. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ816957
- McKeachie, W. J. (2013). Anxiety in the college classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 42(6), 385–390. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0056312 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0056312
- Miri, M. A., & Joia, J. (2023). Writing anxiety in an Afghan EFL setting: Voices from five Afghan undergraduate English majors. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 12(1), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.3125 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.3125
- Nawawi, A. R. N., Nirwanto, R., & Widiastuty, H. (2024). A study on EFL students’ writing anxiety: A case study of Indonesian students. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 7(1), 114–123. https://journal.ikipsiliwangi.ac.id/index.php/project/article/view/21465
- Noori, A. (2018). Academic writing difficulties of undergraduate English major students at Kabul University. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 15(2), 50–68. https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.5249 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.5249
- Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Academic procrastination and statistics anxiety. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 29(1), 3–19.
- https://doi.org/10.1080/0260293042000160384 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0260293042000160384
- Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Wilson, V. A. (2003). Statistics anxiety: Nature, etiology, antecedents, effects, and treatments A comprehensive review of the literature. Teaching in Higher Education, 8(2), 195–209.
- https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251032000052447 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251032000052447
- Papanastasiou, E. C., & Zembylas, M. (2008). Anxiety in undergraduate research methods courses: Its nature and implications. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 31(2), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437270802124616 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17437270802124616
- Prasetyaningrum, A., Nazri, A., & Asrobi, M. (2023). A study of learners’ writing anxiety in an EFL context. Jo ELT (Journal of English Language Teaching), 8(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.33394/jo-elt.v8i1.3707
- Pyhalto, K., Toom, A., Stubb, J., & Lonka, K. (2009). Developing scholarly communities as learning environments for doctoral students. International Journal for Academic Development, 14(3), 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440903106551 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440903106551
- Rabadi, R. I., & Rabadi, A. D. (2020). Do medical students experience writing anxiety while learning English as a foreign language? Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13, 883–893. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S276448 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S276448
- Rasid, S., & Nor, H. (2024). The struggle with writing anxiety: English Language Education department students and thesis proposal completion. TEFLA Journal, 6(1), 8–16. https://doi.org/10.35747/tefla.v6i1.987 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35747/tefla.v6i1.987
- Stubb, J., Pyhalto, K., & Lonka, K. (2011). Balancing between inspiration and exhaustion: PhD students' experienced socio-psychological well-being. Studies in Continuing Education,33(1),33–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2010.515572 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2010.515572
- Wahyuni, S. W., & Umam, M. K. (2017). An analysis on writing anxiety of Indonesian EFL college learners. JEELS: Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies, 4(1), 105–128. https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v4i1.333 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v4i1.333
- Wilson, V. A. (2012). Statistics anxiety in relation to general anxiety, mathematics anxiety, test anxiety, and trait anxiety. Psychological Reports, 111(2), 407–410. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1971.28.2.407
- https://doi.org/10.2466/15.10.PR0.111.5.407-410
References
Aunurrahman, A. (2019). Exploring the writing anxiety of EFL university students in Pontianak, Indonesia. IJELTAL: Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 4(1). https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v4i1.336 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21093/ijeltal.v4i1.336
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W. H. Freeman.
Bitchener, J., & Basturkmen, H. (2006). Perceptions of the difficulties of postgraduate L2 thesis students writing the discussion section. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 5(1), 4–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2005.10.002 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2005.10.002
Bitzer, E. M. (2005). Learning experiences of doctoral students. Higher Education Research & Development, 24(4), 343–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360500284761
Bryman, A. (2016). Social research methods (5th ed.). Oxford University Press.
Cao, S., Zhong, L., & Wang, C. (2025). The impact of student writing assessment literacy on psychological factors: An ordinal logistic regression analysis includes writing anxiety measured via SLWAI. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2502.00004
Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539
Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.
Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2002). Motivational beliefs, values, and goals. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 109–132. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.53.100901.135153
Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012). The Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Review of Meta-analyses. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9476-1
Khayber Najafi, I., Rahmani, A. K., & Zaki, Z. (2024). The level of foreign language anxiety among EFL students: A comparative study of ALM and CLT. Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 6(4), 179–186. https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2024.6.4.20 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32996/jeltal.2024.6.4.20
Kiley, M., & Wisker, G. (2009). Threshold concepts in research education and evidence of threshold crossing. Higher Education Research & Development, 28(4), 431–441. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360903067930 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360903067930
Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon Press.
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610. https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/001316447003000308
Kumar, R., & Hamer, L. (2013). Preservice teachers' attitudes and beliefs toward student diversity and proposed instructional practices: A sequential design study. Journal of Teacher Education, 64(2), 162–177. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487112466899 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487112466899
Lei, S. A. (2008). Factors changing attitudes of graduate school students toward an introductory research methodology course. Education, 128(4), 667–685. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ816957
McKeachie, W. J. (2013). Anxiety in the college classroom. Journal of Educational Psychology, 42(6), 385–390. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0056312 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/h0056312
Miri, M. A., & Joia, J. (2023). Writing anxiety in an Afghan EFL setting: Voices from five Afghan undergraduate English majors. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 12(1), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.3125 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.3125
Nawawi, A. R. N., Nirwanto, R., & Widiastuty, H. (2024). A study on EFL students’ writing anxiety: A case study of Indonesian students. PROJECT (Professional Journal of English Education), 7(1), 114–123. https://journal.ikipsiliwangi.ac.id/index.php/project/article/view/21465
Noori, A. (2018). Academic writing difficulties of undergraduate English major students at Kabul University. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 15(2), 50–68. https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.5249 DOI: https://doi.org/10.18196/ftl.5249
Onwuegbuzie, A. J. (2004). Academic procrastination and statistics anxiety. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 29(1), 3–19.
https://doi.org/10.1080/0260293042000160384 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0260293042000160384
Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Wilson, V. A. (2003). Statistics anxiety: Nature, etiology, antecedents, effects, and treatments A comprehensive review of the literature. Teaching in Higher Education, 8(2), 195–209.
https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251032000052447 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1356251032000052447
Papanastasiou, E. C., & Zembylas, M. (2008). Anxiety in undergraduate research methods courses: Its nature and implications. International Journal of Research & Method in Education, 31(2), 155–167. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437270802124616 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17437270802124616
Prasetyaningrum, A., Nazri, A., & Asrobi, M. (2023). A study of learners’ writing anxiety in an EFL context. Jo ELT (Journal of English Language Teaching), 8(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.33394/jo-elt.v8i1.3707
Pyhalto, K., Toom, A., Stubb, J., & Lonka, K. (2009). Developing scholarly communities as learning environments for doctoral students. International Journal for Academic Development, 14(3), 221–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440903106551 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13601440903106551
Rabadi, R. I., & Rabadi, A. D. (2020). Do medical students experience writing anxiety while learning English as a foreign language? Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13, 883–893. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S276448 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S276448
Rasid, S., & Nor, H. (2024). The struggle with writing anxiety: English Language Education department students and thesis proposal completion. TEFLA Journal, 6(1), 8–16. https://doi.org/10.35747/tefla.v6i1.987 DOI: https://doi.org/10.35747/tefla.v6i1.987
Stubb, J., Pyhalto, K., & Lonka, K. (2011). Balancing between inspiration and exhaustion: PhD students' experienced socio-psychological well-being. Studies in Continuing Education,33(1),33–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2010.515572 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/0158037X.2010.515572
Wahyuni, S. W., & Umam, M. K. (2017). An analysis on writing anxiety of Indonesian EFL college learners. JEELS: Journal of English Education and Linguistics Studies, 4(1), 105–128. https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v4i1.333 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30762/jeels.v4i1.333
Wilson, V. A. (2012). Statistics anxiety in relation to general anxiety, mathematics anxiety, test anxiety, and trait anxiety. Psychological Reports, 111(2), 407–410. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pr0.1971.28.2.407
Accepted 2025-10-25
Published 2025-10-31