Needs Analysis Definition

Words: 726
Pages: 3
Open Document
Needs analysis is one of the main issues for designing ESP courses, materials, tests or other evaluation tools (Prachanant, 2012). Needs analysis is defined as “the process of identifying and evaluating needs” of the particular group of people, or target population (Titcomb, 2000). Needs analysis also known as needs assessment. McCawley (2009) defined the needs assessment as the systematic study about “knowledge, ability, interest or attitude of a defined audience or group involving a particular subject (P.3).
The term “target population” is the same as “learners” called by Hutchinson and Waters (1987). The term “needs” generally means something required or wanted (Khan et al., 2011). However, in the field of ESP, “needs” refers to “learners’ …show more content…
Necessities are what the learners have to know to perform in their target situation such as discourse, grammar and vocabulary that are always used in the particular situation. Lacks mean the gap between learners’ current proficiency and the necessities. In other words, lacks are what learners haven’t had to perform in their target situation. The last term in target needs “wants” means learners’ desire (Hutchinson & Waters, 1987; Titcomb, 2000).
To perform the analysis of target needs, which is called target situation needs analysis by Dudley-Evans and ST. Johm (1998), the researcher needs to address the questions as follow (Hutchinson & Waters, …show more content…
- Linguistic analysis, discourse analysis, genre analysis focus on knowledge of how language is used in target situation.
- Wants focus on the target population’s desire
- Means analysis focuses on the environment where the course is run.
To perform needs analysis for the particular group, the researcher has to understand the procedures of the needs analysis and pay attention to each of steps in order to render the valid and reliable research. McCawley (2009) argues six steps of needs analysis include:
- Write objective - what does the researcher want to learn from needs analysis?
- Select audience - who is the target population or group?
- Collect data – how will the researcher collect the data?
- Select audience samples – How will the researcher select the sample?
- Pick an instrument – What instrument and techniques will the researcher use for collecting data?
- Analyze data – How will the researcher analyze the data.
The data for needs analysis is commonly collected by questionnaires, interviews, observation, analysis of authentic texts, assessment, discussions and record keeping (Dudley-Evans & ST. John,
Show More

Related Documents: Needs Analysis Definition

Marketing and Business Report Essay

School/Portfolio: The Faculty of Business Course Code/ID: BUMKT1501 Course Title: Introduction to Marketing Teaching Location: Mt Helen Semester: Semester 2 2014 Prerequisite(s): Nil Corequisite(s): Nil Exclusion(s): Nil Credit Points/ Progress Units: 15 ASCED Code: 080505 Adopted Reference Style  APA 1 COURSE ORGANISATION: 1.1 Student Responsibility It is the responsibility of every student to be aware of the requirements for this course…

Words 3195 - Pages 13

Essay on Potential Structure

Understanding the topic - Introduce the topic(s) covered, discuss definitions – perhaps say why they are important? Why the author has used? Use your other journals to provide additional definitions… 3. Critical Analysis of the journal & topic – answer the ‘analysis questions’ in the critical thinking wheel; what are the important aspects? How are they used? Why are they important – as argued by the author… 4. Critical Analysis of the journal & topic – depending on your journal compare and contrast…

Words 365 - Pages 2

Business Strategy Essay

What is strategy? At the most basic definition, strategy is defined as "a plan of action designed to achieve a long term or overall aim" (Oxfor Dictionaries definitions: Strategy, 2013) . But in the context of the business environment, strategy is a very important tool used by all successful entities in almost every facet of their operation. We will look at an in depth definition of what strategy means in a business context. To understand this is to understand the business environment, and the…

Words 1922 - Pages 8

People with stigma Essay

Distinction Introduction 10% A definition of stigma not really attempted or clearly presented. There was no planned approach to the essay established in the introduction A definition of stigma was stated and the introduction to the essay included the purpose, but no clear indication of the approach to be taken An informative definition of stigma and a clearly structured introduction to the essay. Some key terms are used An informative and well supported definition of stigma and clearly structured…

Words 1322 - Pages 6

Essay about Abc Software

These combined skills, experience and intelligence allow PCS Consulting clients to minimize risk, reduce overall implementation costs and select the ABC software best aligned to meet their specific needs. 1. Objectives and Target Outcomes 2. Functional and Technical Requirements 3. Prototype 4. Fit analysis 5. Implementation Plan For more information, contact PCS Consulting, Inc. www.pcsconsulting.com info@pcsconsulting.com +1.317.815.8680 C Copyright 2005-2008 PCS Consulting, Inc. Copyright…

Words 2866 - Pages 12

Chapter 6 Essay

stakeholders. Analysis: after the requirements are elicited and collected the set of data still unorganized that means that they must still be analyzed. The analysis consists in two main tasks: Categorizing or clustering the requirements and Prioritizing the requirements. Documentation and Definition: is an activity that comes after requirements analysis. In fact, it overlaps with requirements analysis and should be looked upon as a set of iterative activities within the broader context of analysis. Requirements…

Words 731 - Pages 3

Macroeconomics Economics

either the economy as a whole or its basic subdivisions or aggregates, such as the government, household, and business sectors. Microeconomics is the study of parts of economics concerned with particular markets, and segments. This study looks at analysis in a single household, a company, or a specific industry. Microeconomics looks closely at supply and demand in single markets, consumer’s behaviors and choices. However, Macroeconomics is the study of the economy as a whole unit or its elementary…

Words 940 - Pages 4

Essay about How Sustainable Is Ecotourism

(Fennell, 1999). One heavily promoted though rather verbose definition was put forward by Ceballos-Lascurain (1992). An official international definition was adopted during the UN International Year of Ecotourism in 2002 (UNEP and WTO, 2002). The major components, as analyzed by Buckley (1994) do not seem to have changed: nature-based product, minimal-impact management, environmental education, contribution to conservation. An analysis of published literature by Donohoe and Needham (2006) identified…

Words 600 - Pages 3

Framing Theory

According to Entman, “to frame is to select some aspects of a perceived reality and make them more salient in a communicating text, in such a way as to promote a particular problem definition, causal interpretation, moral evaluation, and/or treatment recommendation”(1993, p. 52). Entman’s definition of framing is one of many that currently exist, but is also one that is widely accepted. Framing theory implies that the way an issue is presented (the “frame”) influences the choices people make. De…

Words 1243 - Pages 5

The Five Methods Of The Definition Of Five Values

published: 2008 5. Author: Matt data published: 2011 The reasons for me to choose these five articles are these articles are very specific and the author collect other materials to write for these articles. In the first article, it told me 4 values and the definition of the PED. Most of the material that I search was not specific than these. All of these materials include the PED and tax for the demerit good, for example the cigarettes. Price elasticity demand is the measurement for the price fluctuation, and…

Words 1253 - Pages 6