Abstract
Literature in English for academic purposes and postgraduate education suggests that research writing is challenging for students and acts as a barrier to timely completion. In Malaysia, postgraduate numbers are steadily increasing, yet high attrition rates remain a significant problem. Research into thesis writing appears to be an area that is slowly beginning to grow among Malaysian scholars, however most studies focus on public higher education institutions in the country. This study seeks to provide a voice for students from an off-campus university in Malaysia by investigating their writing experiences. The aim was to explore research writing challenges because there seemed to be a lack of any formalised structure which supported the writing process in this institution. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with six full-time postgraduate research students from non-native English-speaking backgrounds and data were analysed using a general inductive approach. It was found that academic language demands were challenging, and this affected writing and disciplinary socialisation. Additionally, some students felt there was an absence of clear direction in writing. Finally, isolation was experienced and resulted in a need to reach out to other communities. These findings reveal the diverse needs of students; if addressed, more timely completion rates and greater student learning experiences may be achieved.
Highlights
Postgraduate research involves the production of a thesis and there is a rather substantial body of literature that indicates students experience difficulties writing in this genre
In Malaysia, which is the context of this study, postgraduate research writing is beginning to gain increased attention among scholars
Some recent examples of studies in postgraduate research writing in Malaysia are by Sidhu et al (2016) and Lim et al (2016) who explore the reading and writing skills of postgraduate students based on the perceptions of supervisors and students
Summary
Postgraduate research involves the production of a thesis and there is a rather substantial body of literature that indicates students experience difficulties writing in this genre. Students are expected to gain mastery in the conventions of academic writing in English so that they can meet the demands of their postgraduate studies. Postgraduate research writing has received considerable attention in countries such as the UK, Australia, and New Zealand and in many studies, the experiences of students from non-native English speaking backgrounds have been problematised (JeongBae Son & Sang-Soon Park, 2014; Phakiti, Hirsh, & Woodrow, 2013; Phakiti & Li, 2011; Strauss, 2012; Woodward-‐Kron, 2007). In Malaysia, which is the context of this study, postgraduate research writing is beginning to gain increased attention among scholars. Some recent examples of studies in postgraduate research writing in Malaysia are by Sidhu et al (2016) and Lim et al (2016) who explore the reading and writing skills of postgraduate students based on the perceptions of supervisors and students
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
