Difficulties Faced by Postgraduate Students of English Language Teaching (ELT) in Thesis Writing in Turkey

Year 2019, , 152 - 164, 30.04.2019

Arzu Ekoç

https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.422463

Abstract

There are a growing number of students who continue postgraduate degrees
in English Language Teaching (ELT) in state and private universities in
Turkey. It is taken for granted that thesis writing is a significant aspect of
postgraduate education and postgraduate students are experiencing some
difficulties with the thesis writing process. In this process, supervision is
a complex process and sometimes supervision is the element that makes things
easier for postgraduate students or exacerbates the process. Therefore,
supervisor–supervisee relationship is a topic that has been explored much
abroad lately but relatively few are written about the Turkish case.
Considering this research gap, this article investigates postgraduates’ views
on master’s and PhD thesis supervision and difficulties they faced in thesis
writing in ELT. The participants from different private and state universities
received a link to an online survey engine. The aim was to understand how
thesis writing in ELT and supervision are experienced in Turkey. In this
study, qualitative and quantitative research methods were used. The data
collected in the study were analyzed by content analysis technique and
frequency counting. The findings are important as they show that there are
serious linguistic challenges inherent in thesis writing that are complicating
the process but also supervisory process that needs delicate attention. The
paper suggests that supervisors and universities should consider the positive
and negative aspects of their attitudes and behaviors throughout this process.
Some measures can be taken to enhance the quality of supervision at
universities in Turkey. 

Keywords

postgraduate programmes, thesis writing, supervision, supervisor, English language teaching

Türkiye’de İngiliz Dili Eğitimi Alanında Lisansüstü Yapan Öğrencilerin Tez Yazarken Karşılaştıkları Zorluklar

Abstract

Türkiye’de gerek
devlet gerek vakıf üniversitesi olsun İngiliz Dili Eğitimi alanında lisansüstü
tez yazan öğrenci sayısı giderek artmaktadır. Tez yazmak, lisansüstü eğitimin
çok önemli bir parçasıdır ve lisansüstü öğrencileri, tez yazarken çeşitli
zorluklarla karşılaşmaktadır. Tez danışmanlığı, danışman-öğrenci ilişkisi yurt
dışında çok sıklıkla irdelenen bir konudur, nispeten ülkemizde bu konuda
çalışma azlığı dikkat çekmektedir. Bu eksikliği de göz önüne alarak, bu
çalışmayla farklı üniversitelerden mezun olmuş lisansüstü mezunu öğrencilerin
görüşlerine başvurmak amaçlanmıştır. İnternet yoluyla bir anket gönderilerek lisansüstü
mezunlarının görüşleri alınmıştır. Amaç tez danışmanlığının öğrencinin
üzerinde yarattığı olumlu ve olumsuz yanları saptamak ve tez yazma sürecini
nasıl iyileştirebiliriz sorusuna yanıt aramaktır. Araştırmada nitel ve nicel
araştırma yöntemlerinden yararlanılmıştır. Bu çalışmayla,  lisansüstü eğitimde tez danışmanlığı konusu
irdelenmiş olacak ve gerekli iyileştirmelerle lisansüstü eğitimin daha
sağlıklı, etkili ve verimli geçmesi yolunda küçük bir adım atılmasına olanak
sağlanacaktır.
                                                                   

Keywords

Lisansüstü programları, Tez yazma, Danışman, Danışmanlık, İngiliz Dili Eğitimi

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