Request Strategies Used by EFL Learners in a University Setting.

Making requests is one of the essential elements in communication, and there are many previous studies that have been conducted on this topic. However, the present study takes different aim which only focuses on analysing the strategies that the English Foreign Language (EFL) learners use towards their lecturers and fellow students in a university setting. In this study, a descriptive qualitative method was used and the data were gathered from 30 students (15 females and 15 males) of English Language and Literature (ELL) Program 2014, Universitas Negeri Malang. Moreover, Discourse Completion Test (DCT) was used as the instrument to collect the data. The DCT was in the form of questionnaire that consisted of ten different scenarios which were adapted from some situations in the real life of a university setting. In the scenarios, EFL learners were asked to make five requests that were directed to the lecturers and the other five requests directed to the fellow students. The findings reveal that; 1). EFL learners used different types of request proposed by Blum-Kulka (1989). Conventionally Indirect strategy was the most preferred by EFL learners. Direct strategy placed the second level, while the most rarely used by EFL learners in making requests was Non-conventionally Indirect strategy. Besides, various kinds of Request modifications were also found in their requests that works to mitigate the illocutionary force of the request. 2). The most preferable strategy in making request used by EFL learners towards the lecturers and fellow students was Conventionally Indirect strategy, especially Query Preparatory strategy. 3). Several factors found that affect Conventionally Indirect strategy to be the most preferable strategy used by EFL learners. First, the use of various formulas of Query preparatory strategy to make indirect requests. Second, social variables and degrees of imposition also influence EFL learners in making requests. Third, the choice of the strategy in making a request is also affected by Indonesian culture. It is suggested that the students of Department of English and other future researchers use this study as a valuable reference in conducting research on this topic. Accordingly, further research is needed to broaden the knowledge around this issue, especially in Indonesian context since it is an interesting topic in which language is related to politeness and culture.ABSTRAK Making requests is one of the essential elements in communication, and there are many previous studies that have been conducted on this topic. However, the present study takes different aim which only focuses on analysing the strategies that the English Foreign Language (EFL) learners use towards their lecturers and fellow students in a university setting. In this study, a descriptive qualitative method was used and the data were gathered from 30 students (15 females and 15 males) of English Language and Literature (ELL) Program 2014, Universitas Negeri Malang. Moreover, Discourse Completion Test (DCT) was used as the instrument to collect the data. The DCT was in the form of questionnaire that consisted of ten different scenarios which were adapted from some situations in the real life of a university setting. In the scenarios, EFL learners were asked to make five requests that were directed to the lecturers and the other five requests directed to the fellow students. The findings reveal that; 1). EFL learners used different types of request proposed by Blum-Kulka (1989). Conventionally Indirect strategy was the most preferred by EFL learners. Direct strategy placed the second level, while the most rarely used by EFL learners in making requests was Non-conventionally Indirect strategy. Besides, various kinds of Request modifications were also found in their requests that works to mitigate the illocutionary force of the request. 2). The most preferable strategy in making request used by EFL learners towards the lecturers and fellow students was Conventionally Indirect strategy, especially Query Preparatory strategy. 3). Several factors found that affect Conventionally Indirect strategy to be the most preferable strategy used by EFL learners. First, the use of various formulas of Query preparatory strategy to make indirect requests. Second, social variables and degrees of imposition also influence EFL learners in making requests. Third, the choice of the strategy in making a request is also affected by Indonesian culture. It is suggested that the students of Department of English and other future researchers use this study as a valuable reference in conducting research on this topic. Accordingly, further research is needed to broaden the knowledge around this issue, especially in Indonesian context since it is an interesting topic in which language is related to politeness and culture