Evaluation of PhD Theses in the Field of Social Studies Education in the USA and Turkey (2018-2024)

Abstract

In this study, it is aimed to examine the doctoral theses prepared in the field of social studies education in the USA and Turkey between the years 2018-2022 in terms of various categories. For this purpose, 113 doctoral theses accessed through ProQuest database and 121 doctoral dissertations accessed from YÖK Thesis Center database were analyzed by document analysis, one of the qualitative research methods. Theses examined in the study were analyzed in terms of 7 different categories such as the year, the university, research approach, research design, study group/sample, data collection tools and the subject. According to the findings obtained from the research, in both countries between 2018-2022, at least the thesis in the field of social studies education was prepared in 2020, while the year 2021 was the year in which the most theses were prepared in this sense. While “University of South Carolina” is the university where the most theses are produced in the USA, “Gazi University” comes first in Turkey. While more qualitative research approach, research designs and data collection tools were preferred in the USA, mixed research approach was mostly preferred in studies in Turkey. While researchers in the USA mostly work with teachers, the most studied sample/study group in Turkey is students. While doctoral theses in the field of social studies education in the USA were mostly prepared on teaching methods, due diligence, teacher self-efficacy, education policies and curriculum, theses in Turkey were generally prepared on teaching methods, value and skill acquisition. The results of the research show that the studies in the field of social studies education in Turkey tend to repeat, especially in terms of subject. In this sense, it is thought that this study can be a guide for researchers in Turkey to produce different and original researches.