FORMING RESEARCH SKILLS IN STUDENTS OF NON-LINGUISTIC SPECIALIZATIONS (ON THE EXAMPLE OF AN ELECTIVE DISTANCE COURSE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

Purpose. The article examines research skills formation in undergraduate students by means of a foreign language as a necessary aspect of their academic and professional activities. This paper aims to assess possibility of elective foreign language course in forming elementary research skills in the students of non-linguistic specializations. Materials and methods. The main theoretical methods are analysis of pedagogical and methodological literature on the problem, comparison, generalization. The leading method is a pedagogical experiment. The basis for the forming of research skills is an elective distance learning course aimed at using sources in a foreign language. Results. The article presents data on the methods of forming research skills among university students. The obtained results indicate the formation of research skills of non-linguistic degree courses’ students in the implementation of an elective distance course in a foreign language. As a result of studying this course students have developed research skills necessary for using English for scientific goals and academic needs.