An Exploratory Study on the PhD Dissertation: PhD Students’ Opinions on their Research Development Process


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Authors

  •  Nihan Sölpük Turhan
  • Engin Karadağ

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.543437

Keywords:

PhD students, Research development process, Case study

Abstract

The aim of this research is to compare the approaches within the context of the PhD students’ dissertation process. Moreover, in this research it is aimed to identify how PhD students evaluate their own dissertation process. In addition, this research analyses the differences between the students’ study attitudes “in the PhD dissertation process in the field of educational sciences. This research adapts a qualitative research methodology and a case study design. Participants of the research were selected by purposeful sampling method with regard to the topic of interest. The majority of the participants, the PhD students, worked as research assistants at the same university. The data obtained from the PhD students were analyzed by using descriptive analysis method. Findings showed that the PhD students have different opinions about the development and design of the dissertation process. The PhD students stated feeling of inadequacy in the following issues: designing the research in accordance with theoretical method steps, the use of technology, the implementation of statistical methods, the cooperation between schools and universities, time management, and foreign language use in academic context.

Author Biographies

 Nihan Sölpük Turhan

This study was based on PhD dissertation titled “Conceptualization of Research and Doctoral Dissertation Process: A Comparative Study with Doctoral Students and Advisors”, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Institute of Educational Sciences. † Corresponding Author: Nihan Sölpük Turhan, nsolpuk@fsm.edu.tr, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University 

Engin Karadağ

Akdeniz University

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Published

30.10.2022

How to Cite

Turhan, NihanS., & Karadağ, E. (2022). An Exploratory Study on the PhD Dissertation: PhD Students’ Opinions on their Research Development Process. International Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, 6(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.33200/ijcer.543437

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