Understanding Difficulties Faced by Graduate Students in Thesis Writing: Basis for Intervention

Abstract

Pursuing a master’s degree program is difficult as graduate students must hurdle thesis writing. This task is Herculean, and some factors that contribute to it need to be uncovered and understood to help graduate students overcome difficulties. This study sought to determine the difficulties experienced by graduate students in thesis writing to provide an intervention. Thirty-one (31) graduate students who had written their thesis participated in the study. The perceived level of difficulties encountered by students in thesis writing was assessed. Moreover, factors that hindered them from writing a research report were investigated. This descriptive research used a survey questionnaire and an unstructured interview to elicit responses from respondents. The results of the study showed that a lack of academic or technical writing skills and factors like heavy teaching loads and other work assignments, financial constraints or budgetary problems, personal problems, a lack of determination or commitment, a lack of interest and motivation to do research, and a low level of language proficiency caused the graduate students’ struggles in doing their thesis. Suggested interventions for the students may be adopted to help them cope with thesis writing difficulties and enhance the teaching of research writing.