:: Volume 8, Issue 4 (4-2020) ::
scds 2020, 8(4): 97-120 Back to browse issues page
Research as transition instrument: A phenomenological investigation of future image in Ph.D. thesis writing
Rouhollah Jalili , Mohammad Taghi Iman
Center for Impact Assessment, ACECR, Fars Branch
Abstract:   (2677 Views)
This research has been done to investigate Shiraz university doctoral students’ perspectives on thesis writing. Required data has been gathered by using deep interviews with eight doctoral students. Based on an abductive research strategy and using interpretative phenomenology, the research findings show a Ph.D. thesis doesn’t have a place in the big picture of their life. Themes abstracted from participants’ interviews have a metaphorical sense. For them, the thesis was like an instrument for transition, so they didn’t have central consideration on the thesis process. They saw thesis conduction as a stage just for the pass, and so in this definition, they saw themselves as a transit passenger. A transit passenger doesn’t have enough time for settlement and follows a long-life aim in the future. We think this finding has more important implications for research policy-makers and the process needs a fundamental review. It means they must be reduced the speed of quantitative development of higher education courses and concentrate on constructing a clear vision for them.
Keywords: phenomenology, Ph.D. thesis, future image, transit passenger, transition instrument
Full-Text [PDF 397 kb]   (495 Downloads)    
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2020/05/16 | Accepted: 2020/04/29 | Published: 2020/04/29
References
1. Appel, M. L., & Dahlgren, L. G. (2003). «Swedish Doctoral Students' Experiences on their Journey towards a Ph.D.: Obstacles and opportunities inside and outside the academic building«, Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 47(1): 89-110. doi:10.1080/00313830308608 [DOI:10.1080/00313830308608]
2. Cuzzocrea, V., & Mandich, G. (2015). «Students' narratives of the future: Imagined mobilities as forms of youth agency?«, Journal of Youth Studies, 19(4): 552-567. doi:10.1080/13676261.2015.1098773 [DOI:10.1080/13676261.2015.1098773]
3. Gidley, J. (2001) «An Intervention Targeting Hopelessness in Adolescents by Promoting Positive Future Images«, Australian Journal of Guidance & Counselling. 11(1): 51-64. [DOI:10.1017/S1037291100004337]
4. Lundgren, S. M. & Halvarsson, M. (2009). »Students' expectations, concerns, and comprehensions when writing theses as part of their nursing education«, Nurse Education Today. 29: 527-532 [DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2008.11.010]
5. Smith, J. A., Flowers, P. & M. Larkin. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. London: Sage.
6. Smith, J.A. & Osborn, M. (2003). Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In J.A. Smith (Ed.), Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods (pp.51-80). London: Sage.
7. Stubb, J., Pyhältö, K., & Lonka, K. (2012). The Experienced Meaning of Working with a Ph.D. Thesis. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 56(4): 439-456. doi:10.1080/00313831.2011.599422 [DOI:10.1080/00313831.2011.599422]
8. Wojnar, D M. & K. M. Swanson. (2007). »Phenomenology: An Exploration«, Journal of Holistic Nursing, 25(3): 172-180. DOI: 10.1177/0898010106295172 [DOI:10.1177/0898010106295172]

XML   Persian Abstract   Print

Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Volume 8, Issue 4 (4-2020) Back to browse issues page