VNU Journal of Foreign Studies

VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs <div class="description-journal"> <div class="description-journal"> The Journal of Science was established in 1985 for the publication of national and international research papers in all fields of natural sciences and technology, social sciences and humanities. Since then, the journal has grown in quality, size and scope and now comprises a dozen of serials spanning academic research. With the rapid expansion of the field of Economics, the VNU Journal of Science is delighted to announce the launch of the VNU Journal of Science: Foreign Studies (JS: FS) since 2002. This serial publication provides researchers with the opportunity to publish research covering aspects in these areas in the popular VNU Journal of Science series. As a fully open access publication, the journal will provide maximum exposure for published articles, making the research available to all to read and share. The journal will be published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December. Scope JS: FS is an open access journal publishing double-blinded peer-reviewed research papers, discussions and reviews dealing with Linguistics, Foreign language education, International studies, Related social sciences and humanities. Peer Review Process Any manuscript followed the journal’s scope and author guideline will be assigned to the managing editors. All manuscripts have undergone editorial screening and anonymous double-blind peer-review by the at least one independent expert in the field. The managing editor makes an editorial decision, which is subject to endorsement by the Editor – in Chief. Abstracting and Indexing </div> </div> en-US tapchincnn@vnu.edu.vn (Tạp chí Nghiên cứu nước ngoài) tapchincnn@vnu.edu.vn (VNU Journal of Foreign Studies) Wed, 26 Feb 2025 11:23:11 +0000 OJS 3.2.1.1 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 DISCOURSE AND PRACTICE: NEW TOOLS FOR CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5286 "Discourse and Practice: New Tools for Critical Discourse Analysis" by Theo van Leeuwen (2008) stands as a pivotal work in the development of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA, hereafter), particularly in the exploration of how social practices are represented and transformed through various semiotic means. As CDA continues to evolve, van Leeuwen's work provides a crucial framework for understanding the intricate interplay between discourse and social reality. Thanh Diem Dang Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5286 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 LANGUAGE AND POWER (SECOND EDITION) https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5422 Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is undeniably a significant and diverse area of linguistic education and research. The increasing number of publications and books being published in this field is the evidence of its growing influence and importance. Norman Fairclough, a renowned British linguistics professor, has been highly influential in the language and power domain, and is widely regarded as the pioneer in the field of CDA. “Language and Power” (Fairclough, 2013) is a notable addition to the “Language in Social Life” series and highlights the critical role of language in comprehending issues of social and professional concerns. The book is highly valued by those who seek to understand how our ways of communication are both impacted by and impact the structures and forces of contemporary social institutions. Thi Quyen Pham Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5422 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 CLAUSE COMPLEX RESOURCES REALISING LOGICAL MEANINGS IN A LITERARY TEXT: A SYSTEMIC FUNCTIONAL LINGUISTICS ANALYSIS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5311 This descriptive qualitative-quantitative research attempts to explore in-depth clause complex resources and how they are employed in the construction of logical meanings in a literary text. The data for analysis is “Chapter 1” – “The Period” of “Book the First” of the three-book novel “A Tale of Two Cities” by the eminent British novelist Charles Dickens. The theoretical framework adopted for analysing the data is Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). The units of analysis are paratactic and hypotactic clause complexes. Findings of the study exhibit a number of clause combining features, of which four stand out: (1) the text is organised mainly around clause complexes; (2) in terms of TAXIS or degree of interdependency, clause simplexes are linked to one another to form clause complexes mostly by hypotactic relation; (3) in terms of LOGICO-SEMANTIC RELATION or type of interdependence, clause simplexes are linked to one another mostly by expansion mode; and (4) of the three modes of expansion: elaboration, extension, and enhancement, enhancement takes up the largest proportion, whereas elaboration does not feature in the text. The study closes with a summary of the salient clause combining features found in the text, a recommendation affirming the relevance of SFL as a theoretical framework for analysing and interpreting logical meanings of texts in general and of literary texts in particular for teaching, learning and research, and some suggestions for further study. Van Van Hoang Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5311 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 ENGLISH - VIETNAMESE AERONAUTICAL ENGINEERING TEXTBOOK COVER DESIGNS: A CONTRASTIVE STUDY FROM THE THEORY OF MULTIMODAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5315 Abstract: This mixed-method study compares and contrasts Vietnamese and English aeronautical engineering textbook covers using Multimodal Discourse Analysis (MDA) by Kress and van Leeuwen’s (2006) visual grammar framework. By examining the cover designs through interactive meaning (social distance and perspective) and compositional meaning (information value, framing, and salience) across 25 covers per language, the study unveils similarities in the use of photographic distances for social relationships, predominance of subjective angle images, framing techniques, top-down layouts, and consistent title/author elements. However, differences arise in the book cover design choices based on the visual grammar framework. Vietnamese covers often depict impersonal distance via long shots, while English covers favour oblique angles, suggesting detachment. Vietnamese covers segregate images and text, whereas English covers integrate images as backgrounds. Vietnamese covers include more supplementary metadata like genre and audience. These differences highlight cultural, stylistic, and marketing influences across linguistic contexts, demonstrating that integrating multimodal and contrastive analyses deepens understanding of textbook covers as complex semiotic systems and informs the development of more effective, culturally relevant designs to enhance aeronautical engineering education. Quang Dong Lam, Hong Lam Tran Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5315 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 TRANSNATIONAL AFFINITY AND THE DECISION TO STUDY ABROAD OF VIETNAMESE STUDENTS: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5355 Abstract: Transnationality usually refers to the ties and interactions that connect people and institutions across national borders and has often been studied in the context of migration. However, globalization and the movement of people and ideas, media and goods have allowed transnational ties to be formed, maintained, and developed even before people leave their own country. This qualitative study explores transnational affinity between students and their potential destinations for studying abroad. Through narrative inquiry, the study tells the stories of four young Vietnamese people who developed connections with a foreign country and interrogates the role this emotional bond plays in their choice of destination for overseas education. Analysis reveals the complex and multi-faceted way in which transnational affinity emerges and functions. Foreign language education, media exposure, and personal recommendations help shape emotional connections to a foreign country. Joy acts as both an entry point and a reinforcing mechanism in this process. In addition, transnational affinity entails identity work: the growing ability to visualize oneself in the foreign country as images of the place becomes intertwined with the vision of one’s possible self. Thanh Ha Nguyen, Huong Lam Quynh Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5355 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 THE POWER OF WORDS: A RHETORICAL ANALYSIS OF EMILY DOE’S COURT STATEMENT https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5357 Abstract: This paper focuses on the rhetorical strategies in Emily Doe's victim impact statement following her sexual assault by Brock Turner. The analysis is conducted within the discourse analysis theoretical framework to explore how Doe employs specific rhetorical devices such as pronouns, metaphors, antithesis, parallelism, and triplets to construct her narrative and convey her message. The findings show that Doe's effective strategic use of these rhetorical devices emphasizes her pain, resilience, and quest for justice, helping her reclaim her voice and identity. The research contributes to a deeper understanding of the rhetorical power in victims' narratives. Minh Huyen Vu Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5357 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF UPBRINGING ON THE FORMATION AND WAYS OF EXPRESSING PREFERRED LOVE LANGUAGE https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5353 Abstract: Understanding how a person expresses love is not solely about observing others, but also requires observing ourselves to figure out how we want to be loved. Using autoethnographic method and the framework of love languages by Gary Chapman (2015), the study analyzes my love languages to find out how mine are formed through my parents' primary love languages influences. Furthermore, the concept of love languages extends beyond family bonds to intimate relationships, so this autoethnography also explores the expression of love languages in my romantic relationship to understand how I receive and demonstrate my concern towards my partner. Besides the preferred love languages inherited from my parents, the desire for another distinct type of love language is discovered during the process of being in a romantic relationship. This demonstrates that people can long for experiencing an unfamiliar love language expression due to their lack of exposure to that particular love language type from their parents. Therefore, by understanding the differences among people’s preferences for expressing their care and love towards others, I conclude that it is necessary to learn how to appreciate the differences and embrace the need of mutual understanding to help people maintain their relationships. Thi Lan Huong Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5353 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IMPROVING STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT IN WRITING LESSONS FOR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS USING TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5343 Abstract: Writing skills have always been perceived as difficult for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in higher education. Studies (Vo, 2021; Huang, 2018; Zhang, 2016) have found that EFL students often commence tertiary education with an elementary level of English, which contributes to these challenges. In addition, a lack of confidence in writing results in demotivation in learning English. In line with recent empirical scholarship on EFL, Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) is proposed as an effective approach that facilitates both the teaching of communicative skills and engagement through the use of the target language and tasks in an authentic and context-sensitive manner for EFL. Specifically, this study critically explores how adapting such a teaching method can help teachers and students nurture and improve their writing skills in English. Drawing on a quasi-experimental design involving 60 learners, it examines the extent to which TBLT can help improve writing skills for non-English major students at a Vietnamese university. The findings indicate that the implementation of TBLT tasks in writing lessons resulted in significant improvements in students’ writing performance. The study discusses participants’ statements in the experiment to better understand the perceptions of the effectiveness of this pedagogical approach. Thi Hong Le Vo, Xuan Trang Tran, Raqib Chowdhury Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5343 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF U.S. FAMOUS PEOPLE’S TWEETS ON THE OVERTURN OF ROE V. WADE (1973) https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5358 []Abstract: The overturn of Roe v. Wade (1973) in 2022 has triggered a rally as to abortion rights in the States, flooding both the news, online discussions and debates. On the day of the decision, 80 U.S. famous people instantly reacted through their tweets. This paper qualitatively analyzed these tweets using Fairclough’s CDA framework. Three prominent patterns were found regarding these people’s political ideologies on abortion rights. First, the sole pro-life tweeter maintained that pro-choice were only hypocrites, and the constitution text was the most legitimate reference for the Supreme Court’s work. Second, the other 79 tweeters’ ideologies were identified as convergent in that: (1) pro-life was grounded in blind religious faith and filled with conservative hegemony; (2) anti-abortion was associated with resistance to democracy, justice and social progress; (3) voting for the Democratic would be the solution to the problem; and (4) the celebrities’ advocacy of pro-choice was righteous. Third, the representation of pro-choice ideologies among these 79 tweeters were found to be differentiated due to the tweeters’ various backgrounds and expertise. Many tweets also used paradoxical argumentation such as the idea of democracy that excluded pro-life individuals. The discussion of the research findings suggested that the participants’ short expressions on Twitter not only proved ineffective for compelling social mobilization in such a case like this but also reinforced polarization as the mediated perspectives overtly showed intolerance. Thi Hoang Mai Vu, Trang Linh Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5358 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 CONVERGENCES AND DIVERGENCES IN INDIA AND AUSTRALIA’S MARITIME SECURITY POLICIES TOWARDS THE INDO-PACIFIC REGION https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5332 Abstract: Maritime trade routes within the Indo-Pacific region, a central artery for global trade and geostrategic interests, are witnessing increased maritime security challenges, including inter-state disputes, arms proliferation, terrorist acts, smuggling, piracy, and climate change. Nations in the region have significantly adjusted their maritime security policies in recent years. This article aims to analyze the similarities and differences in the maritime security policies of India and Australia, two key nations that shape the region’s security structure. Marked by a changing geopolitical landscape, India and Australia are enhancing their capabilities, modernizing their naval forces, strengthening maritime cooperation with allies and partners, and promoting a rules-based maritime order. However, the article also demonstrates that the different geostrategic visions, relationships with major powers, and varying capacities of India and Australia lead to differences in their maritime security policies. The article provides prospects on how India and Australia can contribute to the maritime security of the Indo-Pacific region. Thi Tieu Nhat Ta, Thanh Long Nguyen, Cao Bao Ngoc Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5332 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 ENGLISH MISSION STATEMENTS OF VIETNAMESE TERTIARY EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: AN ANALYSIS OF LOGICAL MEANING https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5429 Abstract: A mission statement serves as an organisation’s guiding declaration, defining its core purpose and the fundamental reasons for its existence (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 1998). By addressing the questions “What are we going to do?” “How?” and “For whom?”, a tertiary education institution’s mission statement communicates its core roles and functions to stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students and their families, industries, and the general public. Generally, mission statements are often concise and typically constructed with clauses linked by specific logical dependency relations, which indicate whether clauses are presented as equally important or if one depends on another, and logico-semantic relations, which demonstrate how the clauses are semantically connected. In this study, the English mission statements of 106 two-cycle accredited tertiary education institutions in Vietnam were investigated. The analytical framework was based on Systemic Functional Linguistics, with the focus on the logical meaning and the systems to realise it. The findings showed the dominance of parataxis and expansion, especially extension. The analysis of the multilayer of meaning in the mission statements revealed intriguing insights into how tertiary education institutions in Vietnam showcase their roles, functions, identity and status to the stakeholders, and revealed how certain tasks and objectives might be prioritised through the use of clause complexing strategies. Thi Minh Tam Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5429 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 VIETNAM - U.S. EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION (2013-2023): FROM A NATIONAL TO AN INSTITUTIONAL LEVEL https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5347 Abstract: Reflecting on a decade of robust bilateral relations between Vietnam and the United States, we recognize a significant transition from a comprehensive partnership in 2013 to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2023. Given the dynamics of globalization and international integration, an exploration of educational cooperation between our two nations is not only relevant but essential. This study clearly outlines key educational support programs, evaluates their tangible outcomes, and showcases specific case studies that highlight the vital roles and shared concerns of both countries. A case study involving collaboration between a Vietnamese university and its American counterparts vividly illustrates the various levels of successful international cooperation. This analysis lays a foundation for anticipating the future of Vietnam-U.S. collaboration in education, especially within tertiary institutions. Nguyen Thu Trang Hoang, Thi Nhu Quynh Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5347 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 FACTORS AFFECTING THE OPERATION OF PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHERS AT VIETNAMESE ECONOMICS UNIVERSITIES https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5349 Abstract: This research paper examines the factors influencing the operation of professional learning communities (PLCs) among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers at Vietnamese economics universities. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates quantitative survey data with qualitative interviews from four universities in Hanoi to provide a more profound understanding of PLC implementation and management in Vietnam higher education contexts. The key findings indicate that strong institutional support, effective leadership, high teacher engagement, and favorable external conditions are essential for the success of PLCs in the investigated institutions. The study identifies significant challenges, such as the lack of synchronization in PLC activities and inconsistencies in quality management, which impede PLC effectiveness. Recommendations include developing structured models and policies to foster collaborative learning, promoting a culture of continuous professional development, and ensuring external conditions are conducive to PLC sustainability. This research enriches the existing literature on PLCs by analyzing their dynamics within Vietnamese higher education and offers practical strategies for educational leaders and policymakers to enhance PLC operations. Ultimately, these recommendations aim to support the professional growth of EFL university teachers and improve the overall quality of education in Vietnamese economics universities (VEUs). Anh Tuan Huynh, Thi Hong Hanh Nguyen Copyright (c) 2025 VNU Journal of Foreign Studies https://jfs.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/index.php/fs/article/view/5349 Wed, 26 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000