From Struggle to Success: Exploring Effective Interventions for Undergraduate Thesis Writing
Year: 2025
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Undergraduate thesis writing is a critical academic requirement that often presents considerable challenges, particularly in institutions with limited research infrastructure, mentorship, and academic support systems. This study explores the difficulties faced by undergraduate students from five academic programs at Bukidnon State University (BukSU), Philippines, and identifies institutional interventions that support thesis completion. Employing a mixed-methods descriptive survey design, data were collected from 50 students through a validated questionnaire. Findings indicate that analyzing and interpreting data, managing stress and anxiety, ensuring technical writing quality, and meeting deadlines, and balancing responsibilities were among the most difficult ("very challenging") aspects of the thesis process. Tasks related to methodology, data collection, and writing recommendations were rated as "neutral'; while receiving guidance from advisers and incorporating feedback were "moderately challenging" to the respondents. To address these issues, students proposed interventions such as structured mentorship, workshops on research methodology and writing, access to academic databases, and stress management support. These inventions, particularly mentorship and targeted training, helped improve students’ confidence, research performance, and motivation. These findings affirm global evidence that comprehensive, student-centered support systems are vital for facilitating undergraduate research. The study contributes to the broader discourse on research capacity-building in higher education and offers contextually grounded recommendations applicable to similarly situated universities worldwide.
Source: Preprints.org
Authors: Salome L. Escalona, Edgar R. Eslit
Institution: Bukidnon State University
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4411047774