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

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.