University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences

How to increase the quality of theses The necessity of revising thesis educational processes

Research findings presented at the university's Knowledge Translation Unit press conference show that a lack of prior research experience is a key factor in increasing anxiety and confusion among graduate students during the thesis writing process, necessitating targeted educational interventions.

According to a report by Web Day University's correspondent, Dr. Soheila Shahshahani-pour, a faculty member at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, stated during a press conference titled Challenges of this university's graduate students regarding the thesis unit process: A significant portion of the country's scientific production takes the form of student theses; therefore, the proper management and effective guidance of the research process at the graduate level is of strategic importance in universities.

Referring to the need to consider student perspectives when facing thesis-writing challenges, she added: Recognizing the factors affecting students' research experiences, in addition to helping identify and resolve potential problems, can lead to strengthening strengths and improving the final quality of theses at the university level.

It is noteworthy that this press conference was held through the efforts of the Knowledge Translation Unit and the university's Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology, during which key findings of a study in this field were presented.

The role of the supervisor and education in facilitating the thesis process

Referring to the results of this research, Dr. Shahshahani-pour said: The findings show that factors affecting the completion of the thesis unit, from the students' perspective, range from medium to high importance. Based on the data obtained, the highest levels of satisfaction were related to two axes: the role of the supervisor and the impact of education in facilitating the thesis process, paying attention to personal interest, and innovation in the research topic.

She added: It was also found that during the report-writing stage, the average scores in these areas increase, which indicates the role of practical experience in improving the research process.

The link between research experience and thesis anxiety

The faculty member continued by pointing to another significant finding of this study, saying: The results showed a direct correlation between anxiety and confusion related to the thesis and the students' prior research experiences; specifically, students who had no previous research experience experienced higher levels of anxiety and confusion during the thesis process.

She also added: The study results indicate significant differences in students' self-assessment levels based on gender and the various stages of thesis implementation; notably, average self-assessment scores were reported to be lower among female students and during the data analysis stage.

Dr. Shahshahani-pour continued: Furthermore, factors such as gender, academic level, and year of study had a significant relationship with the criteria for selecting supervisors and co-supervisors.

Emphasis on education and strengthening students' research skills

Concluding her remarks by providing suggestions to improve the research process at the university, the faculty member at the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences stated: Effective measures in this field include university officials emphasizing continuous training and empowerment of students for thesis work, providing student perspectives on supervisor selection criteria to department heads and faculty members, and increasing university interaction with Master's students, particularly female students and first-year students.

She also emphasized the necessity of holding educational courses and specialized workshops to enhance self-assessment levels and strengthen students' research skills.