Cover Letter

Kristen Ann Reinbold
155 Laurel Heights Road, Landenberg, PA 19350
karresearch@gmail.com
Dear Sir or Madam,

My name is Kristen Ann Reinbold; I am currently a senior at Millersville University, of Pennsylvania, working on my undergraduate degree in TESOL. In order to graduate with a BA in English as a Second Language and Honors College acknowledgments, I am in the process of collecting data for an honors’ thesis and research paper. I am contacting you or the organization you belong to in hopes of receiving answers to a short questionnaire in order to obtain first-hand research regarding my chosen subject for this project. I have chosen the status of English as Foreign Language education in Japan as my topic, and am particularly interested in what ways it has been influenced by distinctly Japanese elements—namely Japanese university entrance examinations, and the Japanese Government and Ministry of Education.

The aim of this questionnaire is to examine opinions held by English teachers in Japan regarding the tendency of Japanese university entrance exams and the TOELF to influence English curriculum on a high school and college level. Overall this questionnaire seeks to draw out opinions on the status of English as a Foreign Language in Japan.

There is no obligation to answer this questionnaire. However, it is not overly long and its questions do not require deeply meditated answers, only honest opinions. I ask that you could please assist in my research if you feel you have any knowledge or expertise in the matter at all. Your help is both key to the success of my research, and greatly appreciated.

The questionnaire itself may be reached at http://karresearch.blogspot.com/2011/09/honors-research-thesis-questionnaire.html