English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v6i1.7716 http://journal2.uad.ac.id/index.php/eltej/index eltej@pbi.uad.ac.id Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of EFL students at a state university in Padang, Indonesia Fitrawati a,1,*, Insan Kamil b,2, David D. Perrodin c,3 a,b English Language Department, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jln. Prof. Dr. Hamka, Air Tawar, Padang, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia Indonesia c Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Rd, Salaya, Phutthamonthon District, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand 1fitra_bing@fbs.unp.ac.id*, 2insankamil6285@gmail.com; 3daviddperrodin@gmail.com *Corresponding author A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T Article history Received 17 February 2023 Revised 6 April 2023 Accepted 22 April 2023 This study investigates the levels of foreign language reading anxiety among EFL students at a state university in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, to identify the main factors contributing to this anxiety. The study included 30 participants who provided data through two questionnaires. The first questionnaire utilized the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) to assess anxiety levels, while the second questionnaire aimed to determine the primary factor behind this anxiety. The results indicated that 67% of the students experienced moderate anxiety, 20% experienced high levels, and 13% reported low anxiety. The study identified two main factors influencing foreign language reading anxiety: text features and personal factors. Text features encompassed unfamiliar vocabulary, topics, and culture, while personal factors included concerns about the effect of reading and fear of making errors. The second questionnaire revealed that unfamiliar language ranked as the most dominant factor, followed by concerns about the impact of reading, unfamiliar topics, fear of making errors, and unfamiliar culture. Recognizing that reading anxiety is a common experience among language learners is essential. However, with the proper support and guidance, students can overcome these challenges and succeed in their English language learning journey. This is an open access article under the CC–BY-SA license. Keywords Foreign Language Reading Anxiety ELT students State University How to Cite: Fitrawati, Kamil, I., & Perrodin, D. D. (2023). Foreign language reading anxiety as experienced by EFL students of a state university in Padang, Indonesia. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 6(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v6i1.7716 1. Introduction Early on, Saito et al. (1999) recognized that foreign language reading was a critical source of language input and a potential source of anxiety for learners. As such, reading anxiety can impede language learning progress and hinder reading comprehension (Rahmawati, 2017). Although anxiety is a widely acknowledged inhibiting factor in language classrooms (Al-Obaydi et al., 2023), previous research has predominantly focused on oral performance rather than reading activities (Cui, 2020; Oteir & Al-Otaibi, 2019; Özer & İşpınar Akçayoğlu, 2021; Toyama & Yamazaki, 2021; Zhang, 2019). Yet, in academic settings, students often engage in reading more frequently than speaking activities (Bektaş‐Çetinkaya, 2019). Ahmad et al. (2013) proposed two comprehensive aspects of foreign language reading anxiety: personal and text feature factors. Three themes were identified under the text feature factors: unfamiliar vocabulary, topics, and culture. Within individual factors, the themes encompassed worry https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v6i1.7716 http://journal2.uad.ac.id/index.php/eltej/index mailto:insankamil6285@gmail.com mailto:daviddperodin@gmail.com http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ https://doi.org/10.12928/eltej.v6i1.7716 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1266-5865 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4328-7342 https://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.12928/eltej.v6i1.7716&domain=pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ 2 English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) about reading effects and fear of making errors. Unfamiliar vocabulary is often regarded as the primary factor contributing to anxiety, as unfamiliar words hinder comprehension and generate anxiety (Januarty & Azizah Nima, 2018). Furthermore, reading in a foreign language requires understanding the cultural context, which can increase readers' anxiety (Lestari et al., 2018). Unfamiliar topics and vocabulary can impede reading comprehension as students struggle to relate to and comprehend the text (Mikami, 2023). Additionally, the fear of making errors when reading aloud and worrying about the consequences of such mistakes can intensify anxiety (Perrodin et al., 2022). Muhlis (2017) evaluated foreign language reading anxiety and identified its potential factors among Indonesian EFL senior high school students. The findings revealed that more than half of the students experienced reading anxiety, with most falling into the medium anxiety level and a smaller proportion experiencing high anxiety levels. Unfamiliar vocabulary emerged as the most frequent factor contributing to reading anxiety. Similarly, Saito et al. (1999) initially examined English learners studying French, Russian, and Japanese, while Ahmad et al. (2013) later focused on university students from various majors (Mass Communication, Tourism, Hotel Management, and Law) taking Basic English courses. However, limited research has been conducted on foreign language reading anxiety levels and the dominant factors experienced by students in the English Language and Literature Department at the university level (Kamil & Fitrawati, 2022). It is often assumed that English major students are proficient in English and possess a good grasp of the four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Consequently, English major students are expected to be less likely to experience reading anxiety (Siregar & Narius, 2019). To explore this further, additional studies should investigate whether EFL students, particularly those within the English Language and Literature Department of a prominent state university in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, also encounter anxiety when reading English texts. 2. Method The present study adopted a quantitative research approach to investigate the level of reading anxiety and identify the factors contributing to such reading anxiety among EFL students at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Quantitative research employs numeric and mathematical models to analyze, collect, and interpret data (Marvasti, 2018). To achieve this, a survey design was used, as it involves distributing a questionnaire to gather numeric descriptions of trends, attitudes, or opinions within a population by studying a sample of that population (Creswell, 2014). The survey data were then analyzed using descriptive statistics, encompassing numerical and graphical techniques to present, organize, and explore the collected data (Siedlecki, 2020). 2.1 Population and Sample The population for this research comprised 157 EFL students enrolled in the English Language and Literature Department at a state university in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, during the 2019 academic year. To obtain the sample, the researchers employed the simple random sampling technique. This method involved selecting participants from the population so that each individual had an equal chance of being chosen (Fraenkel et al., 2022). For this study, 30 students were chosen to take part in the study. 2.2 Research Instrumentation In this study, two adopted questionnaires were utilized to comprehensively assess the level of reading anxiety and investigate its dominant factor. The first questionnaire employed was the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS), which consisted of 20-item statements specifically designed to capture various aspects of reading anxiety. Through the FLRAS, students provided self-reports on their anxiety levels regarding different facets of reading, their perceptions of reading challenges in a foreign language, and their perspectives on the complexity and difficulty of reading compared to other language skills. The second questionnaire utilized in this study was developed based on the work of Al- Shboul et al. (2013) and aimed to investigate the dominant factor contributing to reading anxiety. This questionnaire enabled students to self-report the factors influencing their reading anxiety in a ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 3 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) foreign language. It consisted of 25-item statements to assess various factors associated with reading anxiety. By employing these two questionnaires, the researchers aimed to gather comprehensive data on both the level of reading anxiety and the dominant factors contributing to foreign language reading anxiety among the participants. 2.3 Validity and Reliability To ensure the quality of the final data, the instruments utilized in this study underwent a thorough validity check. Experts from the English Language and Literature Department reviewed and provided comments on the validity of the items included in the questionnaires, affirming their suitability for research purposes. According to Creswell (2014), reliability refers to the consistency of scores over time when the instrument is administered a second time. When consistent findings are reproduced by these procedures in the same situation on multiple occasions or replicated by another researcher, the tool is considered reliable. The reliability coefficient's standard scale provides a categorization of the item achievement value, with values above 0.8 classified as "High," values between 0.7 and 0.8 as "Good," values between 0.6 and 0.7 as "Fair," and values below 0.6 as "Poor." In this study, the reliability test results for the first questionnaire, the FLRAS, yielded a score of 0.829, indicating high reliability. Similarly, the reliability test for the second questionnaire resulted in a score of 0.860, indicating high reliability. 2.4 Technique of Data Collection The FLRAS and the developed questionnaire items were incorporated into Google Forms to facilitate data collection. This approach was chosen due to the logistical constraints posed by the participants' engagement in a field practice program, which made it difficult to gather everyone in one physical location. Upon completion, the questionnaires were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS Version 19. The analysis involved determining the mean and standard deviation scores. These scores were utilized to classify the levels of reading anxiety among the participants. Additionally, the developed questionnaire aimed to identify the factors contributing to reading anxiety among EFL students at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. This questionnaire was also analyzed, focusing on determining the percentage of each factor's influence on reading anxiety. By employing these analytical approaches, a comprehensive understanding of reading anxiety levels and the factors affecting them was obtained within the context of the aforementioned EFL student population. 2.5 Technique of Data Analysis A descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the foreign language reading anxiety experienced by students comprehensively. The primary objectives of this analysis were to collect data on the level of reading anxiety and identify the dominant factors contributing to this anxiety. Following the guidelines of Creswell (2014), the descriptive analysis employed means, standard deviations, and scores to provide valuable insights into the results. Data from the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) was collected and thoroughly analyzed to initiate the analysis. Mean, and standard deviation calculations determined the student's reading anxiety level. Participants who scored below the mean minus the standard deviation were classified as experiencing low anxiety. In contrast, those who scored above the mean plus the standard deviation were categorized as having high anxiety. Students falling between these two scores were considered to have a medium level of anxiety. The responses were assessed using a 4-point Likert scale that included categories ranging from "strongly agree" (4) to "strongly disagree" (1). To further delve into the analysis, the sample responses were scored accordingly, and the percentages and categorizations of the respondents for each item were calculated, where values ranging from 0.76 to 100 are classified as "Strongly Agree," values from 0.51 to 0.75 as "Agree," values from 0.26 to 0.50 as "Disagree," and values from 0.0% to 0.25 as "Strongly Disagree." An essential aspect of understanding the foreign language reading anxiety experienced by students lies in the analysis of their responses. This analysis provides valuable insights into their 4 English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) perspectives and attitudes toward specific statements or themes. In this context, the Total Response Rate reveals the percentage of participants actively responding to each item's statement. By examining the frequencies of the different response categories, such as Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree (D), Agree (A), and Strongly Agree (SA), the overall level of engagement and response among the respondents can be determined. 3. Findings and Discussion 3.1 Students’ Reading Anxiety Level The primary objective of this research was to assess the level of reading anxiety among EFL students studying at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The participant's responses to the statements presented in the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) were considered to gauge the extent of their reading anxiety. The FLRAS scores range from 20 to 80, with higher scores indicating higher levels of reading anxiety. According to Wijayati et al. (2021), reading anxiety levels are categorized as low, medium, and high. As such, the student's scores ranged from a minimum of 32 points to a maximum of 68 points. The mean score was calculated as 49.37, with a standard deviation of 9.44. Students were categorized based on their FLRAS scores to determine their anxiety levels. Those with scores lower than the mean minus the standard deviation were classified as having low anxiety. Students with scores higher than the mean and standard deviation were classified as experiencing high anxiety. Students falling between these two scores were considered to have a medium level of anxiety. Furthermore, scores below 40 indicated low anxiety, above 59 indicated high anxiety, and between 40 and 59 indicated medium anxiety. Analyzing the FLRAS scores allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the distribution of students' reading anxiety levels. Based on the frequency distribution, it was found that most respondents (20 students, or 67%) fell into the medium level of reading anxiety. Additionally, six students (20%) experienced a high level of reading anxiety, while four (13%) reported a low level of reading anxiety. Inconclusion, the majority of the students fell into medium anxiety level with a percentage of 67% (20 out of 30 respondents). 3.2 Factors of Foreign Language Reading Anxiety The dominant factor of reading anxiety was analyzed using the adapted questionnaire developed by Ahmad et al. (2013). This questionnaire comprised 25 statements organized into five themes: (1) worry about reading effects, (2) fear of making errors, (3) unfamiliar culture, (4) unfamiliar topic, and (5) unfamiliar vocabulary. The themes were ranked in order of dominance, with the most prevalent theme listed first and the least prevalent theme listed last. The categorization and ranking of these themes can be found in Table 1. Table 1. The Percentage of the Specific Factors of Reading Anxiety Aspects Statement Themes 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (A) 4 (SA) Total Response Rate (%) Category Rank Text Feature Factors 1–5 Unfamiliar vocabulary 7.34% 30.66% 32% 30% 71.17% Agree 1 6–9 Unfamiliar Topic 13.34% 29.16% 37.50% 20% 66.04% Agree 3 10–14 Unfamiliar Culture 14% 44% 37.34% 4.66% 58.17% Agree 5 Personal Factors 15-19 Fear of Making Error 12.66% 36.66% 32.66% 18% 64% Agree 4 20–25 Worry about the Reading Effect 11.11% 30% 37.22% 21.67% 67.36% Agree 2 ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 5 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) Table 1 provides an overview of the percentage of responses related to specific factors contributing to reading anxiety. The factors were categorized into two main aspects: text feature factors and personal factors. Three main themes emerged under the text feature factors aspect: unfamiliar vocabulary, unfamiliar topics, and unfamiliar culture. The leading cause of reading anxiety was the unfamiliar vocabulary theme, with 71.17% of EFL students expressing a Total Response Rate. The second factor was the worry about the reading effect theme under the personal factors, which garnered 67.36% response as a cause of reading anxiety. The third factor causing reading anxiety was identified as the unfamiliar topic theme, with 66.04% of the Total Response Rate. The theme of fear of making errors under the personal factors ranked as the fourth factor, with 64% of the Total Response Rate. Finally, the unfamiliar culture theme under the text feature factors aspect was determined to be the last factor contributing to reading anxiety, with a total response of 58.17%. 3.3 Unfamiliar Vocabulary Table 2 provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics, frequencies, and percentages of the data associated with the unfamiliar vocabulary themes. Table 2. Percentage of Unfamiliar vocabulary No Item Description 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (A) 4 (SA) Total Response Rate (%) Category 1 Unfamiliar English words upset and worry me while reading.. 3 14 9 4 61.7% Agree 10% 46.66% 30% 13.34% 2 Translating words helps me understand English texts.. 0 7 14 9 76.7% Strongly Agree 0% 23.34% 46.66% 30% 3 A series of three unfamiliar words makes me anxious while reading in English. 3 11 9 7 66.7% Agree 10% 36.66% 30% 23.34% 4 Knowing the translation of a text in English enhances my enjoyment.. 0 2 7 21 90.8% Strongly Agree 0% 6.66% 23.34% 70% 5 I dislike English texts with numerous difficult words.. 5 12 9 4 60% Agree 16.66% 40% 30% 13.34% Total 71.17% Agree Table 2 provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics and descriptions of the responses related to the unfamiliar vocabulary theme. Five items (1–5) in the table encompass statements that revolve around unfamiliar vocabulary as a cause of reading anxiety. Item 1 highlights that 43.34% of the respondents agreed (30% agreed and 13.34% strongly agreed) that encountering unfamiliar words leads to feelings of upset and worry. This indicates that unfamiliar vocabulary significantly contributes to reading anxiety. Moving on to Item 2, 76.66% (46.66% agreed and 30% strongly agreed) agreed they needed to focus on translating words to comprehend the text. This suggests that when students cannot understand the meaning of words, they tend to experience anxiety due to difficulty comprehending the overall text. Furthermore, 53.33% of the respondents agreed (30% agreed and 23.34% strongly agreed) with Item 3, which aligns with Ahmad et al.'s (2013) findings that unfamiliar words intensify the complexity of reading tasks and evoke anxiety. Additionally, 93.34% of the respondents (23.34% agreed and 70% strongly agreed) reported enjoying reading English texts when they know the 6 English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) translation. This indicates that encountering unfamiliar words in the text triggers reading anxiety for these individuals. Finally, in line with Item 5, 43.34% of the students (30% agreed and 13.34% strongly agreed) agreed that encountering new or complex words frequently in a text acts as an obstacle that induces anxiety. The total percentage of responses with the unfamiliar vocabulary theme is 71.17%, establishing it as the predominant factor contributing to reading anxiety among the five themes analyzed. 3.4 Unfamiliar Topic Table 3 displays the descriptive statistics, frequencies, and percentages of the data concerning unfamiliar topic themes. Table 3. Percentage of Unfamiliar Topics No Item Description 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (A) 4 (SA) Total Response Rate (%) Category 6 Enjoy English reading when understanding part of the text. 0 5 15 10 79.2% Strongly Agree 0% 16.66% 50% 33.34% 7 Prefer familiar topics over unfamiliar ones, especially in English. 11 13 6 0 45.8% Disagree 36.66% 43.34% 20% 0% 8 Favorite English reading: short stories with simple words and common topics. 1 3 15 11 80% Strongly Agree 3.34% 10% 50% 36.66% 9 Anxious when reading unfamiliar topics in English. 4 14 9 3 59.2% Agree 13.34% 46.66% 30% 10% Total 66.04% Agree Table 3 provides the descriptive statistics for the responses related to unfamiliar topic themes. Four items (6–9) in the table contain statements concerning the impact of unfamiliar topics on reading anxiety. Regarding Item 6, a significant majority of respondents (83.34%) agreed (50% agreed and 33.34% strongly agreed) that they enjoy reading English texts when they can understand some part of the content. Item 7 reveals that 20% of the respondents prefer to avoid reading texts that discuss unfamiliar topics. In Item 8, a substantial proportion of the respondents (86.66%) agreed (50% agreed and 36.66% strongly agreed) that they prefer reading short stories because they use more straightforward language and more accessible vocabulary. Furthermore, Item 9 demonstrates that 40% of the respondents (30% agreed and 10% strongly agreed) reported experiencing anxiety when encountering unfamiliar topics. The Total Response Rate for unfamiliar topic themes is 65.87%, indicating that this theme is the primary contributing factor to reading anxiety among the five themes analyzed. 3.5 Unfamiliar Culture Table 4 below displays the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages of the data about unfamiliar cultural themes. Table 4 provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages related to the unfamiliar culture theme. This theme is explored through five items (10–14) that examine its role as a factor causing reading anxiety. The results indicate that 50% of the respondents (43.34% agreed and 6.66% strongly agreed) acknowledged Item 10, highlighting multiple meanings for a single word, leading to inaccuracies in text comprehension. Similarly, 56.68% of the respondents (53.34% agreed and 3.34% strongly agreed) agreed with Item 11, stating that understanding word meanings does not guarantee an understanding of the author's intent. In Item 12, 30% of the respondents agreed that they engage in word-by-word translation to comprehend the text. However, they encounter difficulties when related ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 7 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) words result in different meanings. This frustration was further emphasized by Item 13, which received agreement from 46.66% of the respondents (36.66% agreed and 10% strongly agreed), highlighting the challenges posed by related words that alter the intended meaning. Table 4. Percentage of Unfamiliar Culture Furthermore, Item 14 revealed that 26.66% of the respondents (23.33% agreed and 3.33% strongly agreed) often face situations where they cannot understand English texts, despite knowing the meaning of individual words. This demonstrates the complexity of comprehension beyond word- level understanding. The total percentage of responses related to the unfamiliar culture theme is 58.17%. These findings suggest that unfamiliar cultural elements significantly contribute to reading anxiety among the respondents. 3.6 Fear of Making Error Table 5 displays the statistical information, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages about the theme of fear of making an error. Table 5 presents a comprehensive analysis of the responses related to the fear of making errors theme. This table includes data from five items (15–19) that explore the impact of the fear of making mistakes on reading anxiety. Item 15 reveals that 36.66% of respondents (26.66% agreed and 10% strongly agreed) expressed concern about making errors while reading English texts, leading to increased anxiety. Similarly, Item 16 indicates that 66.66% of respondents (26.66% agreed and 40% strongly agreed) experience distress when they cannot comprehend the text they are reading. According to Item 17, 56.67% of respondents (46.57% agreed and 10% strongly agreed) admitted to spending excessive time searching for the meaning of every word due to a lack of confidence. Furthermore, Item 18 highlights that 43.33% of respondents (36.67% agreed and 6.66% strongly agreed) feel anxious about pronouncing unfamiliar words, indicating a lack of confidence in their pronunciation skills. Additionally, Item 19 reveals that 50% of respondents (26.66% agreed and 23.34% strongly agreed) prefer silent reading, possibly due to a fear of making pronunciation errors. Overall, the total percentage of responses related to the fear of making errors theme is 64%. This theme is the fourth dominant factor contributing to reading anxiety among the five themes analyzed. No Item Description 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (A) 4 (SA) Total Response Rate (%) Category 10 Multiple word meanings hinder my understanding of English texts. 2 13 13 2 62.5% Agree 6.66% 43.34% 43.34% 6.66% 11 English text comprehension challenge: understanding words but not the writer's message. 2 11 16 1 63.3% Agree 6.66% 36.66% 53.34% 3.34% 12 I translate word by word while reading English text. 6 15 9 0 52.5% Agree 20% 50% 30% 0% 13 Frustrating when words in English are connected but have different meanings. 1 15 11 3 63.3% Agree 3.34% 50% 36.66% 10% 14 Despite knowing every word's meaning, I struggle to understand English texts. 10 12 7 1 49.2% Disagree 33.34% 40% 23.33% 3.33% Total 58.17% Agree 8 English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) Table 5. Percentage of Fear of Making Error No Item Description 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (A) 4 (SA) Total Response Rate (%) Category 15 Anxious about making errors while reading English text. 4 15 8 3 58.3% Agree 13.34% 50% 26.66% 10% 16 Upset when unable to comprehend the text. 1 9 8 12 75.8% Agree 3.34% 30% 26.66% 40% 17 Overprepare by searching for meanings of every word if asked by the lecturer. 2 11 14 3 65% Agree 6.66% 36.67% 46.67% 10% 18 Anxious about encountering unfamiliar word pronunciations. 6 11 11 2 57.5% Agree 20% 36.67% 36.67% 6.66% 19 Prefer silent reading over reading aloud. 6 9 8 7 63.3% Agree 20% 30% 26.66% 23.34% Total 64% Agree 3.7 Worry about the Reading Effect Table 6 provides a comprehensive analysis of the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages of the data related to the worry about the effect of the reading theme. Table 6 presents a comprehensive analysis of the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages of the data related to the worry about the effect of the reading theme. Six items (20–25) contain statements that reflect the fear of making errors as a factor causing reading anxiety. When examining the responses, it becomes evident that 53.34% of the respondents (20% agreed and 33.34% strongly agreed) acknowledged focusing more on reading correctly rather than on understanding the text during reading aloud. This emphasis on performance often hinders their comprehension of the text. Maintaining focus is crucial for students to comprehend English texts effectively. However, Item 21 reveals that 43.34% of the respondents (33.34% agreed and 10% strongly agreed) find it challenging to understand the text while reading aloud. On the other hand, Item 22 indicates that 70% of the respondents (43.34% agreed and 26.66% strongly agreed) understand the text better when reading it silently. Concerning word accents, Item 23 shows that 46.66% of the respondents (36.66% agreed and 10% strongly agreed) tend to focus on word accents, potentially inhibiting their reading comprehension. Additionally, 76.66% of the respondents (60% agreed and 16.66% strongly agreed) expressed feeling upset when they did not understand the text they read, as revealed by Item 24. Furthermore, Item 25 highlights that 63.34% of the respondents (30% agreed and 33.34% strongly agreed) reported losing focus and being easily disturbed due to worry about reading. These findings collectively contribute to understanding the worry about the theme of the reading effect. Overall, the Total Response Rate to the concern about the reading effect theme is 67.36%. This establishes the theme as the second dominant factor of reading anxiety among the five themes examined in the study. ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 9 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) Table 6. Percentage of Worry about the Reading Anxiety No Item Description 1 (SD) 2 (D) 3 (A) 4 (SA) Total Response Rate (%) Category 20 Reading aloud: prioritize accuracy over text comprehension. 3 11 6 10 69.2% Agree 10% 36.66% 20% 33.34% 21 Understanding text is harder while reading aloud in class. 5 12 10 3 59.2% Agree 16.66% 40% 33.34% 10% 22 Silent reading enjoyable due to easy comprehension. 3 6 13 8 71.7% Agree 10% 20% 43.34% 26.66% 23 In class, prioritize word accent over understanding when reading English text. 6 10 11 3 59.2% Agree 20% 33.34% 36.66 10% 24 Upset when unsure about understanding English reading. 1 6 18 5 72.5% Agree 3.34% 20% 60% 16.66% 25 When reading English text, I get disturbed easily by noises and do not remember what I have read. 2 9 9 10 75.2% Agree 6.66% 30% 30% 33.34% Total 67.36% Agree 3.8 Analysis and Interpretation The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the level of reading anxiety and its dominant factors among 30 EFL students at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Most respondents reported experiencing medium-level reading anxiety, with a notable percentage reporting high-level anxiety and a smaller portion reporting low-level anxiety. These findings align with previous studies conducted by Aisyah (2017), Al Faruq (2019), and Muhlis (2017), indicating a common prevalence of reading anxiety among students in similar contexts. Among the various factors contributing to reading anxiety, the theme of "unfamiliar vocabulary" emerged as the primary cause. Many respondents expressed anxiety when confronted with new or unfamiliar words. However, the study also revealed that understanding the meaning of words played a crucial role in alleviating anxiety (Badara et al., 2019). Respondents who agreed that knowing the translation of words enhanced their enjoyment of reading demonstrated a positive correlation between vocabulary comprehension and reduced anxiety. These findings support and corroborate the conclusions drawn by Aisyah (2017), Al Faruq (2019), Al-Shboul et al. (2013), Muhlis (2017), and Ahmad et al. (2013), highlighting the dominant role of unfamiliar vocabulary as a significant source of reading anxiety. The second most prominent factor identified in this study was the "worry about reading effect" theme. Anxiety within this theme stems from concerns related to performance (Zhang, 2019) and the fear of negative evaluation by peers or teachers (Perrodin et al., 2022). Interestingly, many students acknowledged focusing more on reading correctly rather than understanding the text during oral reading, which contrasts with the emphasis placed on the theme of being "afraid of making errors" in previous research conducted by Ahmad et al. (2013) and Muhlis (2017). These variations in findings emphasize the contextual nature of foreign language reading anxiety, suggesting that the dominant factors may vary depending on the specific circumstances and cultural context. 10 English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) The remaining themes, including "unfamiliar topics," "fear of making errors," and "unfamiliar culture," were found to contribute to reading anxiety to a lesser extent. Unfamiliar topics presented challenges and led to anxiety when students lacked familiarity and interest in the subject matter (Dang, 2022). Similarly, the unfamiliar culture factor did not immediately cause anxiety but hindered overall comprehension due to incomplete knowledge of cultural references within the text (Jin et al., 2021). Based on the results obtained from the questionnaire about reading anxiety, the current study showed that the level of students' reading anxiety is at the medium level. This finding means that the group of students experienced reading anxiety at a moderate level. Similarly, Muhlis (2017) clarified that students' reading anxiety level is medium. It means the students feel anxious when reading activities in class. Recently, the study done by Al Faruq (2019) was consistent with the current results that students feel nervous when involved in reading activities. Linking reading anxiety to critical reading might be interpreted as a negative relationship, which means the more students feel anxious when they are involved in reading activity, the lower the reading comprehension score they will get. In summary, the findings of this study highlight the dominance of the "unfamiliar vocabulary" and "worry about reading effect" themes as the primary factors causing reading anxiety among EFL students. These results underscore the importance of vocabulary acquisition and addressing performance-related concerns in alleviating reading anxiety (Limeranto & Subekti, 2021). Educators and curriculum designers can utilize these findings to develop targeted strategies that mitigate anxiety and promote adequate reading comprehension among globalized EFL learners (Wijaya, 2022). Additionally, the contextual nature of reading anxiety should be acknowledged, as different factors may exert varying influences depending on the specific linguistic and cultural context (Valizadeh, 2021). 4. Conclusion The study on foreign language reading anxiety among EFL students revealed essential insights into the levels and factors contributing to this phenomenon. It is evident that each student experiences anxiety to varying degrees and is influenced by different factors. The study's first finding indicated that more than half of the sample experienced a medium level of reading anxiety. This suggests that reading anxiety is a prevalent issue among EFL students, with 67% falling into the medium anxiety level, 20% experiencing high anxiety, and only 13% reporting low anxiety levels. The study identified two broad aspects that contribute to anxiety in reading: text features and personal factors. Under the text feature factor, themes such as unfamiliar vocabulary, unfamiliar topics, and unfamiliar culture emerged as prominent contributors to anxiety. Among these, unfamiliar vocabulary had the highest percentage (71.17% total response) and was ranked as the primary factor causing anxiety in reading. Unfamiliar topics followed closely, scoring 66.04% in total response and becoming the second factor contributing to reading anxiety. The unfamiliar culture theme obtained a 58.17% total response and was ranked as the least dominant factor among the five themes. Within the personal factor aspect, the worry about the reading effect emerged as the primary source of reading anxiety. This theme garnered a 67.36% total response and ranked as the second dominant factor. The fear of making errors was identified as the final theme in the personal factor aspect, scoring 64% in total response and ranking as the fourth dominant factor contributing to foreign language reading anxiety. The study concluded that EFL students at a prominent state university in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, experience reading anxiety at a medium level. In descending order, the most dominant factors contributing to this anxiety were unfamiliar vocabulary, worry about the reading effect, unfamiliar topics, fear of making errors, and unfamiliar culture. This study sheds light on students' challenges when reading in a foreign language and highlights the importance of addressing these factors to alleviate reading anxiety. Educators and language instructors should consider implementing strategies and interventions to help students overcome anxiety and develop confidence in their foreign language reading abilities. By creating supportive learning environments and providing targeted language instruction, students can improve their reading skills and gain proficiency in the foreign language. ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 11 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) Acknowledgment The researcher extends the gratitude to all parties who helped in the process of this research project, data collection, data analysis and provided feedback so that this paper could be completed. Therefore, the researchers would like to thank and appreciate to all parties who have supported and encouraged the researchers to complete this manuscript. Declarations Author contribution : Fitrawati was responsible for the entire research project. He also led the writing of the manuscript and the collaboration with the second author. Insan Kamil revised and proofread the final draft. David D. Perrodin participated in the data collection, transcription and analysis. All the authors approved the final manuscript. Funding statement : This research did not receive any funding from any party. Conflict of interest : All authors declare that they have no competing interests. Ethics declaration Additional information : We as authors acknowledge that this work has been written based on ethical research that conforms with the regulations of our university and that we have obtained the permission from the relevant institute when collecting data. We support English Language Teaching Educational Journal (ELTEJ) in maintaining high standards of personal conduct, practicing honesty in all our professional practices and endeavors. No additional information is available for this paper. Conflict of interest : The authors declare no conflict of interest. Additional information : No additional information is available for this paper. REFERENCES Ahmad, I. S., M. Al-Shboul, M., Sahari Nordin, M., Abdul Rahman, Z., Burhan, M., & Basha Madarsha, K. (2013). The potential sources of foreign language reading anxiety in a Jordanian EFL context: A Theoretical Framework. English Language Teaching, 6(11), 89–110. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n11p89 Aisyah, J. (2018). Students’ reading anxiety in English foreign language classroom. Journal of English and Education, 5(1), 56–63. https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/L-E/article/view/9903 Al Faruq, A. Z. (2019). Reading anxiety in English as a foreign language for undergraduate students in Indonesia. Journal of Teaching & Learning English in Multicultural Contexts, 3(2), 88–95. https://doi.org/10.37058/tlemc.v3i2.1275 Al-Obaydi, L. H., Rahul, D. R., & Pikhart, M. (2023). The effect of online oral reading on reading comprehension, reading anxiety, and classroom anxiety among EFL learners. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11950-y Al-Shboul, M. M., Ahmad, I. S., Nordin, M. S., & Rahman, Z. A. (2013). Foreign language reading anxiety in a Jordanian EFL context: A qualitative study. English Language Teaching, 6(6), 38– 56. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n6p38 Badara, A., Hanafi, H., Kamaluddin, K., Nurlaela, N., & Sari, I. N. (2019). The relationship between anxiety level and foreign language learners’ reading comprehension. Proceedings of the https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n11p89 https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/L-E/article/view/9903 https://doi.org/10.37058/tlemc.v3i2.1275 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11950-y https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n6p38 12 English Language Teaching Educational Journal ISSN 2621-6485 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) International Symposium on Social Sciences, Education, and Humanities (ISSEH 2018), 49– 53. https://doi.org/10.2991/isseh-18.2019.12 Bektaş‐Çetinkaya, Y. (2019). Foreign language reading anxiety: A Turkish case. Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, 1(2), 44–56. https://www.jltl.com.tr/index.php/jltl/article/view/86 Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE. Cui, R. (2022). Review of research on foreign language anxiety and foreign language enjoyment. Scientific and Social Research, 2(3), 108– 111. https://doi.org/10.36922/ssr.v2i3.1003 Dang, V. T. T. (2022). Foreign language reading anxiety and its correlation with topic familiarity. ICEMT ’22: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Education and Multimedia Technology, 360–365. https://doi.org/10.1145/3551708.3556209 Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2022). How to design and evaluate research in education (11th ed.). McGraw Hill. Januarty, R., & Azizah Nima, H. N. (2018). Energizing students’ reading comprehension through multimodal texts. International Journal of Language Education, 2(2), 14–22. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v2i2.4347 Jin, Y., Dewaele, J.-M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2021). Reducing anxiety in the foreign language classroom: A positive psychology approach. System, 101, Article 102604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102604 Kamil, I., & Fitrawati. (2022). The EFL learners’ reading anxiety level at English Department UNP. Journal of English Language Teaching, 12(1), 300–312. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v12i1.121549 Lestari, E. D., Usman, S., & Jamiluddin. (2018). The correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of the eleventh grade students of SMAN 5 Palu. E-Journal of English Language Teaching Society, 6(1), 1–16. http://jurnal.untad.ac.id/jurnal/index.php/ELTS/article/view/11495 Limeranto, J. T., & Subekti, A. S. (2021). Indonesian theology students’ foreign language reading anxiety and reading performance: A correlational study. Studies in English Language and Education, 8(1), 131–142. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i1.17398 Marvasti, A. (2018). Research methods. In A. Treviño (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of social problems (pp. 23–38). Cambridge University Press. Mikami, H. (2023). A preliminary assessment of facilitating anxiety in second language reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 35(1), 30–47. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/67437 Muhlis, A. (2017). Foreign language reading anxiety among Indonesian EFL senior high school students. English Franca: Academic Journal of English Language and Education, 1(1), 19– 44. https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v1i1.160 Oteir, I. N., & Al-Otaibi, A. M. (2019). Foreign language anxiety: A systematic review. Arab World English Journal, 10(3), 309–317. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no3.21 https://doi.org/10.2991/isseh-18.2019.12 https://www.jltl.com.tr/index.php/jltl/article/view/86 https://doi.org/10.36922/ssr.v2i3.1003 https://doi.org/10.1145/3551708.3556209 https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v2i2.4347 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102604 https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v12i1.121549 http://jurnal.untad.ac.id/jurnal/index.php/ELTS/article/view/11495 https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i1.17398 https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i1.17398 https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v1i1.160 https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no3.21 ISSN 2621-6485 English Language Teaching Educational Journal 13 Vol. 6, No. 1, April 2023, pp. 1-13 Fitriawati et.al. (Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of …) Özer, Ö., & İşpınar Akçayoğlu, D. (2021). Examining the roles of self-efficacy beliefs, self-regulated learning and foreign language anxiety in the academic achievement of tertiary EFL learners. Participatory Educational Research, 8(2), 357–372. https://doi.org/10.17275/per.21.43.8.2 Perrodin, D. D., Liangruenrom, N., & Chancharoen, S. (2022). Lasting effects of foreign language anxiety with adults working in international organizations. PASAA, 63, 254–278. https://www.culi.chula.ac.th/publicationsonline/files/article/ITddaL1LNHMon41145.pdf Rahmawati, I. F. (2017). Modelling the pattern of relationship among cognitive learning style, reading anxiety, reading strategy and reading comprehension of EFL university students [Master’s thesis]. Universitas Negeri Malang. http://repository.um.ac.id/id/eprint/58910 Saito, Y., Garza, T. J., & Horwitz, E. K. (1999). Foreign language reading anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 83(2), 202–218. https://doi.org/10.1111/0026-7902.00016 Siedlecki, S. L. (2020). Understanding descriptive research designs and methods. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 34(1), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.1097/nur.0000000000000493 Siregar, A. I. A., & Narius, D. (2019). An analysis of student’s reading motivation in reading subject at English Department of Universitas Negeri Padang. Journal of English Language Teaching Volume, 8(3), 391–398. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v8i3.105345 Toyama, M., & Yamazaki, Y. (2021). Classroom interventions and foreign language anxiety: A systematic review with narrative approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 614184. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.614184 Valizadeh, M. (2021). The effect of reading comprehension strategies instruction on EFL learners’ reading anxiety level. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 9(S1-May), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v9is1-may.3999 Wijaya, K. F. (2022). Strategies to overcome foreign language reading anxiety among globalized EFL learners. SALEE, 3(2), 138–152. https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v3i2.436 Wijayati, P. H., Mardianti, N. I., & Murtadho, N. (2021). The correlation between students’ reading anxiety and their reading comprehension in ESP context. IJoLE (International Journal of Language Education), 5(2), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v5i2.15440 Zhang, X. (2019). Foreign language anxiety and foreign language performance: A meta‐analysis. The Modern Language Journal, 103(4), 763–781. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12590 .%20https:/doi.org/10.17275/per.21.43.8.2 https://www.culi.chula.ac.th/publicationsonline/files/article/ITddaL1LNHMon41145.pdf http://repository.um.ac.id/id/eprint/58910 https://doi.org/10.1111/0026-7902.00016 https://doi.org/10.1097/nur.0000000000000493 https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v8i3.105345 https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.614184 https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v9is1-may.3999 https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v3i2.436 https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v5i2.15440 https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12590 Foreign language reading anxiety: Exploring the experiences of EFL students at a state university in Padang, Indonesia Fitrawati a,1,*, Insan Kamil b,2, David D. Perrodin c,3 a,b English Language Department, Universitas Negeri Padang, Jln. Prof. Dr. Hamka, Air Tawar, Padang, Sumatra Barat, Indonesia Indonesia c Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, 999 Phutthamonthon Sai 4 Rd, Salaya, Phutthamonthon District, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand 1fitra_bing@fbs.unp.ac.id*, 2insankamil6285@gmail.com; 3daviddperrodin@gmail.com *Corresponding author How to Cite: Fitrawati, Kamil, I., & Perrodin, D. D. (2023). Foreign language reading anxiety as experienced by EFL students of a state university in Padang, Indonesia. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 6(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1292... 1. Introduction Early on, Saito et al. (1999) recognized that foreign language reading was a critical source of language input and a potential source of anxiety for learners. As such, reading anxiety can impede language learning progress and hinder reading comprehens... Ahmad et al. (2013) proposed two comprehensive aspects of foreign language reading anxiety: personal and text feature factors. Three themes were identified under the text feature factors: unfamiliar vocabulary, topics, and culture. Within individual f... Muhlis (2017) evaluated foreign language reading anxiety and identified its potential factors among Indonesian EFL senior high school students. The findings revealed that more than half of the students experienced reading anxiety, with most falling in... However, limited research has been conducted on foreign language reading anxiety levels and the dominant factors experienced by students in the English Language and Literature Department at the university level (Kamil & Fitrawati, 2022). It is often a... 2. Method The present study adopted a quantitative research approach to investigate the level of reading anxiety and identify the factors contributing to such reading anxiety among EFL students at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Quantitative rese... 2.1 Population and Sample The population for this research comprised 157 EFL students enrolled in the English Language and Literature Department at a state university in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, during the 2019 academic year. To obtain the sample, the researchers emplo... 2.2 Research Instrumentation In this study, two adopted questionnaires were utilized to comprehensively assess the level of reading anxiety and investigate its dominant factor. The first questionnaire employed was the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS), which consist... The second questionnaire utilized in this study was developed based on the work of Al-Shboul et al. (2013) and aimed to investigate the dominant factor contributing to reading anxiety. This questionnaire enabled students to self-report the factors in... By employing these two questionnaires, the researchers aimed to gather comprehensive data on both the level of reading anxiety and the dominant factors contributing to foreign language reading anxiety among the participants. 2.3 Validity and Reliability To ensure the quality of the final data, the instruments utilized in this study underwent a thorough validity check. Experts from the English Language and Literature Department reviewed and provided comments on the validity of the items included in th... The reliability coefficient's standard scale provides a categorization of the item achievement value, with values above 0.8 classified as "High," values between 0.7 and 0.8 as "Good," values between 0.6 and 0.7 as "Fair," and values below 0.6 as "Poor... 2.4 Technique of Data Collection The FLRAS and the developed questionnaire items were incorporated into Google Forms to facilitate data collection. This approach was chosen due to the logistical constraints posed by the participants' engagement in a field practice program, which made... The analysis involved determining the mean and standard deviation scores. These scores were utilized to classify the levels of reading anxiety among the participants. Additionally, the developed questionnaire aimed to identify the factors contributing... By employing these analytical approaches, a comprehensive understanding of reading anxiety levels and the factors affecting them was obtained within the context of the aforementioned EFL student population. 2.5 Technique of Data Analysis A descriptive analysis was conducted to examine the foreign language reading anxiety experienced by students comprehensively. The primary objectives of this analysis were to collect data on the level of reading anxiety and identify the dominant factor... Data from the Foreign Language Reading Anxiety Scale (FLRAS) was collected and thoroughly analyzed to initiate the analysis. Mean, and standard deviation calculations determined the student's reading anxiety level. Participants who scored below the me... To further delve into the analysis, the sample responses were scored accordingly, and the percentages and categorizations of the respondents for each item were calculated, where values ranging from 0.76 to 100 are classified as "Strongly Agree," value... An essential aspect of understanding the foreign language reading anxiety experienced by students lies in the analysis of their responses. This analysis provides valuable insights into their perspectives and attitudes toward specific statements or the... 3. Findings and Discussion 3.1 Students’ Reading Anxiety Level The primary objective of this research was to assess the level of reading anxiety among EFL students studying at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. The participant's responses to the statements presented in the Foreign Language Reading Anx... Students were categorized based on their FLRAS scores to determine their anxiety levels. Those with scores lower than the mean minus the standard deviation were classified as having low anxiety. Students with scores higher than the mean and standard d... Analyzing the FLRAS scores allowed for a comprehensive understanding of the distribution of students' reading anxiety levels. Based on the frequency distribution, it was found that most respondents (20 students, or 67%) fell into the medium level of r... 3.2 Factors of Foreign Language Reading Anxiety The dominant factor of reading anxiety was analyzed using the adapted questionnaire developed by Ahmad et al. (2013). This questionnaire comprised 25 statements organized into five themes: (1) worry about reading effects, (2) fear of making errors, (3... Table 1. The Percentage of the Specific Factors of Reading Anxiety Table 1 provides an overview of the percentage of responses related to specific factors contributing to reading anxiety. The factors were categorized into two main aspects: text feature factors and personal factors. Three main themes emerged under the... 3.3 Unfamiliar Vocabulary Table 2 provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics, frequencies, and percentages of the data associated with the unfamiliar vocabulary themes. Table 2. Percentage of Unfamiliar vocabulary Table 2 provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics and descriptions of the responses related to the unfamiliar vocabulary theme. Five items (1–5) in the table encompass statements that revolve around unfamiliar vocabulary as a cause of read... Furthermore, 53.33% of the respondents agreed (30% agreed and 23.34% strongly agreed) with Item 3, which aligns with Ahmad et al.'s (2013) findings that unfamiliar words intensify the complexity of reading tasks and evoke anxiety. Additionally, 93.... 3.4 Unfamiliar Topic Table 3 displays the descriptive statistics, frequencies, and percentages of the data concerning unfamiliar topic themes. Table 3. Percentage of Unfamiliar Topics Table 3 provides the descriptive statistics for the responses related to unfamiliar topic themes. Four items (6–9) in the table contain statements concerning the impact of unfamiliar topics on reading anxiety. Regarding Item 6, a significant majority ... 3.5 Unfamiliar Culture Table 4 below displays the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages of the data about unfamiliar cultural themes. Table 4 provides a comprehensive overview of the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages related to the unfa... Table 4. Percentage of Unfamiliar Culture Furthermore, Item 14 revealed that 26.66% of the respondents (23.33% agreed and 3.33% strongly agreed) often face situations where they cannot understand English texts, despite knowing the meaning of individual words. This demonstrates the complexity ... 3.6 Fear of Making Error Table 5 displays the statistical information, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages about the theme of fear of making an error. Table 5 presents a comprehensive analysis of the responses related to the fear of making errors theme. This table in... Furthermore, Item 18 highlights that 43.33% of respondents (36.67% agreed and 6.66% strongly agreed) feel anxious about pronouncing unfamiliar words, indicating a lack of confidence in their pronunciation skills. Additionally, Item 19 reveals that 50%... Table 5. Percentage of Fear of Making Error 3.7 Worry about the Reading Effect Table 6 provides a comprehensive analysis of the statistics, descriptions, frequencies, and percentages of the data related to the worry about the effect of the reading theme. Table 6 presents a comprehensive analysis of the statistics, descriptions, ... On the other hand, Item 22 indicates that 70% of the respondents (43.34% agreed and 26.66% strongly agreed) understand the text better when reading it silently. Concerning word accents, Item 23 shows that 46.66% of the respondents (36.66% agreed and 1... Table 6. Percentage of Worry about the Reading Anxiety 3.8 Analysis and Interpretation The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the level of reading anxiety and its dominant factors among 30 EFL students at a state university in West Sumatra, Indonesia. Most respondents reported experiencing medium-level reading anxiety... Among the various factors contributing to reading anxiety, the theme of "unfamiliar vocabulary" emerged as the primary cause. Many respondents expressed anxiety when confronted with new or unfamiliar words. However, the study also revealed that unders... The second most prominent factor identified in this study was the "worry about reading effect" theme. Anxiety within this theme stems from concerns related to performance (Zhang, 2019) and the fear of negative evaluation by peers or teachers (Perrodin... The remaining themes, including "unfamiliar topics," "fear of making errors," and "unfamiliar culture," were found to contribute to reading anxiety to a lesser extent. Unfamiliar topics presented challenges and led to anxiety when students lacked fami... Based on the results obtained from the questionnaire about reading anxiety, the current study showed that the level of students' reading anxiety is at the medium level. This finding means that the group of students experienced reading anxiety at a mod... In summary, the findings of this study highlight the dominance of the "unfamiliar vocabulary" and "worry about reading effect" themes as the primary factors causing reading anxiety among EFL students. These results underscore the importance of vocabul... 4. Conclusion The study on foreign language reading anxiety among EFL students revealed essential insights into the levels and factors contributing to this phenomenon. It is evident that each student experiences anxiety to varying degrees and is influenced by diffe... The study identified two broad aspects that contribute to anxiety in reading: text features and personal factors. Under the text feature factor, themes such as unfamiliar vocabulary, unfamiliar topics, and unfamiliar culture emerged as prominent contr... Within the personal factor aspect, the worry about the reading effect emerged as the primary source of reading anxiety. This theme garnered a 67.36% total response and ranked as the second dominant factor. The fear of making errors was identified as t... The study concluded that EFL students at a prominent state university in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, experience reading anxiety at a medium level. In descending order, the most dominant factors contributing to this anxiety were unfamiliar vocabul... This study sheds light on students' challenges when reading in a foreign language and highlights the importance of addressing these factors to alleviate reading anxiety. Educators and language instructors should consider implementing strategies and in... Acknowledgment The researcher extends the gratitude to all parties who helped in the process of this research project, data collection, data analysis and provided feedback so that this paper could be completed. Therefore, the researchers would like to thank and appr... Declarations REFERENCES Ahmad, I. S., M. Al-Shboul, M., Sahari Nordin, M., Abdul Rahman, Z., Burhan, M., & Basha Madarsha, K. (2013). The potential sources of foreign language reading anxiety in a Jordanian EFL context: A Theoretical Framework. English Language Teaching, 6(1... Aisyah, J. (2018). Students’ reading anxiety in English foreign language classroom. Journal of English and Education, 5(1), 56–63. https://ejournal.upi.edu/index.php/L-E/article/view/9903 Al Faruq, A. Z. (2019). Reading anxiety in English as a foreign language for undergraduate students in Indonesia. Journal of Teaching & Learning English in Multicultural Contexts, 3(2), 88–95. https://doi.org/10.37058/tlemc.v3i2.1275 Al-Obaydi, L. H., Rahul, D. R., & Pikhart, M. (2023). The effect of online oral reading on reading comprehension, reading anxiety, and classroom anxiety among EFL learners. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-119... Al-Shboul, M. M., Ahmad, I. S., Nordin, M. S., & Rahman, Z. A. (2013). Foreign language reading anxiety in a Jordanian EFL context: A qualitative study. English Language Teaching, 6(6), 38–56. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v6n6p38 Badara, A., Hanafi, H., Kamaluddin, K., Nurlaela, N., & Sari, I. N. (2019). The relationship between anxiety level and foreign language learners’ reading comprehension. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Social Sciences, Education, and Huma... Bektaş‐Çetinkaya, Y. (2019). Foreign language reading anxiety: A Turkish case. Journal of Language Teaching and Learning, 1(2), 44–56. https://www.jltl.com.tr/index.php/jltl/article/view/86 Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE. Cui, R. (2022). Review of research on foreign language anxiety and foreign language enjoyment. Scientific and Social Research, 2(3), 108–111. https://doi.org/10.36922/ssr.v2i3.1003 Dang, V. T. T. (2022). Foreign language reading anxiety and its correlation with topic familiarity. ICEMT ’22: Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Education and Multimedia Technology, 360–365. https://doi.org/10.1145/3551708.3556209 Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2022). How to design and evaluate research in education (11th ed.). McGraw Hill. Januarty, R., & Azizah Nima, H. N. (2018). Energizing students’ reading comprehension through multimodal texts. International Journal of Language Education, 2(2), 14–22. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijole.v2i2.4347 Jin, Y., Dewaele, J.-M., & MacIntyre, P. D. (2021). Reducing anxiety in the foreign language classroom: A positive psychology approach. System, 101, Article 102604. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2021.102604 Kamil, I., & Fitrawati. (2022). The EFL learners’ reading anxiety level at English Department UNP. Journal of English Language Teaching, 12(1), 300–312. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v12i1.121549 Lestari, E. D., Usman, S., & Jamiluddin. (2018). The correlation between students’ vocabulary mastery and reading comprehension of the eleventh grade students of SMAN 5 Palu. E-Journal of English Language Teaching Society, 6(1), 1–16. http://jurnal.un... Limeranto, J. T., & Subekti, A. S. (2021). Indonesian theology students’ foreign language reading anxiety and reading performance: A correlational study. Studies in English Language and Education, 8(1), 131–142. https://doi.org/10.24815/siele.v8i1.17398 Marvasti, A. (2018). Research methods. In A. Treviño (Ed.), The Cambridge handbook of social problems (pp. 23–38). Cambridge University Press. Mikami, H. (2023). A preliminary assessment of facilitating anxiety in second language reading. Reading in a Foreign Language, 35(1), 30–47. https://hdl.handle.net/10125/67437 Muhlis, A. (2017). Foreign language reading anxiety among Indonesian EFL senior high school students. English Franca: Academic Journal of English Language and Education, 1(1), 19–44. https://doi.org/10.29240/ef.v1i1.160 Oteir, I. N., & Al-Otaibi, A. M. (2019). Foreign language anxiety: A systematic review. Arab World English Journal, 10(3), 309–317. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol10no3.21 Özer, Ö., & İşpınar Akçayoğlu, D. (2021). Examining the roles of self-efficacy beliefs, self-regulated learning and foreign language anxiety in the academic achievement of tertiary EFL learners. Participatory Educational Research, 8(2), 357–372. https... Perrodin, D. D., Liangruenrom, N., & Chancharoen, S. (2022). Lasting effects of foreign language anxiety with adults working in international organizations. PASAA, 63, 254–278. https://www.culi.chula.ac.th/publicationsonline/files/article/ITddaL1LNHMo... Rahmawati, I. F. (2017). Modelling the pattern of relationship among cognitive learning style, reading anxiety, reading strategy and reading comprehension of EFL university students [Master’s thesis]. Universitas Negeri Malang. http://repository.um.ac... Saito, Y., Garza, T. J., & Horwitz, E. K. (1999). Foreign language reading anxiety. The Modern Language Journal, 83(2), 202–218. https://doi.org/10.1111/0026-7902.00016 Siedlecki, S. L. (2020). Understanding descriptive research designs and methods. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 34(1), 8–12. https://doi.org/10.1097/nur.0000000000000493 Siregar, A. I. A., & Narius, D. (2019). An analysis of student’s reading motivation in reading subject at English Department of Universitas Negeri Padang. Journal of English Language Teaching Volume, 8(3), 391–398. https://doi.org/10.24036/jelt.v8i3.1... Toyama, M., & Yamazaki, Y. (2021). Classroom interventions and foreign language anxiety: A systematic review with narrative approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 614184. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.614184 Valizadeh, M. (2021). The effect of reading comprehension strategies instruction on EFL learners’ reading anxiety level. Shanlax International Journal of Education, 9(S1-May), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.34293/education.v9is1-may.3999 Wijaya, K. F. (2022). Strategies to overcome foreign language reading anxiety among globalized EFL learners. SALEE, 3(2), 138–152. https://doi.org/10.35961/salee.v3i2.436 Wijayati, P. H., Mardianti, N. I., & Murtadho, N. (2021). The correlation between students’ reading anxiety and their reading comprehension in ESP context. IJoLE (International Journal of Language Education), 5(2), 15–29. https://doi.org/10.26858/ijol... Zhang, X. (2019). Foreign language anxiety and foreign language performance: A meta‐analysis. The Modern Language Journal, 103(4), 763–781. https://doi.org/10.1111/modl.12590