The challenge of writing a postgraduate thesis
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Published:
Jul 31, 2024
Main Article Content
Vol. 5 No. 2 (2024), EXPERIENCES, pages 120-137
Submitted: Mar 18, 2023
Accepted: Sep 22, 2023
Published: Jul 31, 2024
Abstract
Different studies have shown that postgraduate thesis writing represents a challenge for students, who experience this task as something frustrating and lonely, which is why they often end up giving up. Recently, accompanying strategies have been studied for this kind of research writing, such as collaborative peer review withing Thesis Writing Circles. The main objective of this study is to identify the impact of these accompanying devices on the changes in writing strategies through the descriptive-qualitative analysis of the answers given by thesis students in a writing circle, in pre and post participation questionnaires regarding their self-perception as research writers. The results show that de Thesis Writing Circle is an effective tool to face the challenge of writing producing more confidence and enjoyment in the participants when writing, making them more productive and helping them become aware of their own writing, as well as helping them develop new strategies to write scientific texts. Thus, the results provide us with tools to continue with the research into this topic and they also allow us to assess the strengthening strategies of research writing in postgraduate courses.
Keywords:
research writing, thesis writing circles, writing strategies, post-grade escritura de investigación, círculos de escritura de tesis, estrategias de escritura, posgrado
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References
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Aitchison, C., & Guerin, C. (2014). Writing groups, pedagogy, theory and practice. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 3–17). Routledge.
Aitchison, C., & Lee, A. (2006). Research writing: problems and pedagogies. Teaching in Higher Education, 11(3), 265–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510600680574
Álvarez, G., & Colombo, L. (2021). Dialogic approaches to writing: student perspectives on two Argentinian doctoral initiatives. Teaching in Higher Education, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1952566
Álvarez, G., & Difabio de Anglat, H. (2019). Retroalimentación entre pares en un taller virtual de escritura de tesis de posgrado. Apertura, 11(2), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.32870/Ap.v11n2.1540
Bitchener, J. (2018). The relationship between reading, thinking and writing the literature review component of a doctoral confirmation proposal. In S. Carter & D. Laurs (Eds.), Developing research writing: A handbook for supervisors and editors (pp. 9–16). Routledge.
Bruner, J. S. (1984). Acción, pensamiento y lenguaje. Alianza Editorial.
Bruner, J. S. (1988). Desarrollo cognitivo y educación. Morata.
Carlino, P. (2005). Escribir, leer y aprender en la universidad. Una introducción a la alfabetización académica. Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Carter, S., & Laurs, D. (2018). Introduction: opening the books on research writing feedback. In S. Carter & D. Laurs (Eds.), Developing research writing: A handbook for supervisors and editorsesearch Writing. (pp. 1–6). Routledge.
Chois Lenis, P. M., & Jaramillo Echeverri, L. G. (2016). La investigación sobre la escritura en posgrado: Estado del arte. Lenguaje, 44(2), 227–259. https://doi.org/10.25100/lenguaje.v44i2.4622
Colombo, L. M. (2013). Una experiencia pedagógica con grupos de escritura en el posgrado. Revista Aula Universitaria, 15(10), 61–68. https://doi.org/10.14409/au.v1i15.4368
Colombo, L., & Rodas, E. L. (2021). Interdisciplinarity as an opportunity in Argentinian and Ecuadorian writing groups. Higher Education Research and Development, 40(2), 207–219. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1756750
Difabio de Anglat, H. (2012). Hacia un inventario de escritura académica en el posgrado. Revista de Orientación Educacional, 26(49), 37–53.
Guerin, C. (2014). The gift of writing groups. Critique, community and confidence. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 128–140). Routledge.
Guerin, C., & Aitchison, C. (2018). Peer writing groups. In S. Carter & D. Laurs (Eds.), Developing research writing: A handbook for supervisors and editors (pp. 51–55). Routledge.
Ings, W. (2014). The studio model. Developing community writing in creative, practice-led PhD design theses. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 190–203).
Kumar, V., & Stracke, E. (2007). An analysis of written feedback on a PhD thesis. Teaching in Higher Education, 12(4), 461–470. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510701415433
Lovat, T., Holbrook, A., Bourke, S., Dally, K., & Hazel, G. (2022). Examiner comment on theses that have been revised and resubmitted. AARE Conference, Brisbane, 1–23. https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2002/lov02282.pdf
Luchilo, L. (2010). Programas de apoyo a la formación de posgrados en América Latina: tendencias y problemas. In L. Luchilo (Ed.), Formación de posgrado en América Latina: Políticas de apoyo, resultados e impactos (pp. 13–31). Eudeba.
Maher, M. (2014). Transparent transactions. When doctoral students and their supervisors write together. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 83–93). Routledge.
Padilla, C., & López, E. (2019). Prácticas de retroalimentación en aulas universitarias de humanidades: Comentarios digitales docentes y perfiles estudiantiles de escritor. Revista Signos, 52(100), 330–356. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-09342019000200330
Paré, A. (2014). Writing together for many reasons. Theoretical and historical perspectives. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 18–29). Routledge.
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1992). Dos modelos explicativos de los procesos de composición escrita. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 15(58), 43–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/02103702.1992.10822332
Scardamalia, M., Bereiter, C., & Steinbach, R. (1984). Teachability of reflective processes in written composition. Cognitive Science, 8(2), 173–190. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog0802_4
Torrance, M., Thomas, G. V., & Robinson, E. J. (1994). The writing strategies of graduate research students in the social sciences. Higher Education, 27(3), 379–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03179901
Zimmerman, B. J., & Bandura, A. (1994). Impact of self-regulatory influences on writing course attainment. American Educational Research Journal, 31(4), 845. https://doi.org/10.2307/1163397
Aitchison, C., & Guerin, C. (2014). Writing groups, pedagogy, theory and practice. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 3–17). Routledge.
Aitchison, C., & Lee, A. (2006). Research writing: problems and pedagogies. Teaching in Higher Education, 11(3), 265–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510600680574
Álvarez, G., & Colombo, L. (2021). Dialogic approaches to writing: student perspectives on two Argentinian doctoral initiatives. Teaching in Higher Education, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2021.1952566
Álvarez, G., & Difabio de Anglat, H. (2019). Retroalimentación entre pares en un taller virtual de escritura de tesis de posgrado. Apertura, 11(2), 40–53. https://doi.org/10.32870/Ap.v11n2.1540
Bitchener, J. (2018). The relationship between reading, thinking and writing the literature review component of a doctoral confirmation proposal. In S. Carter & D. Laurs (Eds.), Developing research writing: A handbook for supervisors and editors (pp. 9–16). Routledge.
Bruner, J. S. (1984). Acción, pensamiento y lenguaje. Alianza Editorial.
Bruner, J. S. (1988). Desarrollo cognitivo y educación. Morata.
Carlino, P. (2005). Escribir, leer y aprender en la universidad. Una introducción a la alfabetización académica. Fondo de Cultura Económica.
Carter, S., & Laurs, D. (2018). Introduction: opening the books on research writing feedback. In S. Carter & D. Laurs (Eds.), Developing research writing: A handbook for supervisors and editorsesearch Writing. (pp. 1–6). Routledge.
Chois Lenis, P. M., & Jaramillo Echeverri, L. G. (2016). La investigación sobre la escritura en posgrado: Estado del arte. Lenguaje, 44(2), 227–259. https://doi.org/10.25100/lenguaje.v44i2.4622
Colombo, L. M. (2013). Una experiencia pedagógica con grupos de escritura en el posgrado. Revista Aula Universitaria, 15(10), 61–68. https://doi.org/10.14409/au.v1i15.4368
Colombo, L., & Rodas, E. L. (2021). Interdisciplinarity as an opportunity in Argentinian and Ecuadorian writing groups. Higher Education Research and Development, 40(2), 207–219. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2020.1756750
Difabio de Anglat, H. (2012). Hacia un inventario de escritura académica en el posgrado. Revista de Orientación Educacional, 26(49), 37–53.
Guerin, C. (2014). The gift of writing groups. Critique, community and confidence. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 128–140). Routledge.
Guerin, C., & Aitchison, C. (2018). Peer writing groups. In S. Carter & D. Laurs (Eds.), Developing research writing: A handbook for supervisors and editors (pp. 51–55). Routledge.
Ings, W. (2014). The studio model. Developing community writing in creative, practice-led PhD design theses. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 190–203).
Kumar, V., & Stracke, E. (2007). An analysis of written feedback on a PhD thesis. Teaching in Higher Education, 12(4), 461–470. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562510701415433
Lovat, T., Holbrook, A., Bourke, S., Dally, K., & Hazel, G. (2022). Examiner comment on theses that have been revised and resubmitted. AARE Conference, Brisbane, 1–23. https://www.aare.edu.au/data/publications/2002/lov02282.pdf
Luchilo, L. (2010). Programas de apoyo a la formación de posgrados en América Latina: tendencias y problemas. In L. Luchilo (Ed.), Formación de posgrado en América Latina: Políticas de apoyo, resultados e impactos (pp. 13–31). Eudeba.
Maher, M. (2014). Transparent transactions. When doctoral students and their supervisors write together. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 83–93). Routledge.
Padilla, C., & López, E. (2019). Prácticas de retroalimentación en aulas universitarias de humanidades: Comentarios digitales docentes y perfiles estudiantiles de escritor. Revista Signos, 52(100), 330–356. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-09342019000200330
Paré, A. (2014). Writing together for many reasons. Theoretical and historical perspectives. In C. Aitchison & C. Guerin (Eds.), Writing groups for doctoral education and beyond: Innovations in practice and theory (pp. 18–29). Routledge.
Scardamalia, M., & Bereiter, C. (1992). Dos modelos explicativos de los procesos de composición escrita. Infancia y Aprendizaje, 15(58), 43–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/02103702.1992.10822332
Scardamalia, M., Bereiter, C., & Steinbach, R. (1984). Teachability of reflective processes in written composition. Cognitive Science, 8(2), 173–190. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15516709cog0802_4
Torrance, M., Thomas, G. V., & Robinson, E. J. (1994). The writing strategies of graduate research students in the social sciences. Higher Education, 27(3), 379–392. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03179901
Zimmerman, B. J., & Bandura, A. (1994). Impact of self-regulatory influences on writing course attainment. American Educational Research Journal, 31(4), 845. https://doi.org/10.2307/1163397