عباس ذبیحی فرد

Purpose : The aim of present research was identifying the effective components on managing the challenges of thesis writing based on the lived experiences of PhD students in Islamic Azad University. Methodology : This study in terms of purpose was applied and in terms of implementation method was phenomenological from type of qualitative. The research population was students and graduates of the PhD period of humanities fields at the Islamic Azad University in 2020-21 academic years. The research sample according to the principle of theoretical saturation was determined 12 people which were selected by purposive sampling method. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews whose validity by 15 professors was obtained by the relative content validity coefficient method 0.866 and its reliability by the Holsti coefficient method was obtained 0.865. Finally, the data were analyzed by open, axial and selective coding method in MAXQDA-18 software. Findings : The results showed that for managing the challenges of thesis writing based on the lived experiences of PhD students were identified 67 indicators in 13 sub-components and 3 main components. The main components were included administrative-organizational solutions (with three sub-components of maximum use of virtual systems, modification of the thesis doing process and financial assistance), solutions (with three sub-components of increase study, proper planning and strengthening skills) and educational strategies Conclusion : The results of this study have practical implications for graduate officials and planners, and they can use the identified components to properly manage the challenges of thesis writing and improve them in the higher education system.  

Purpose: Thesis writing always has been associated with many challenges in different fields and areas and based on this, the present research was conducted with the aim of presenting a pattern of managing the challenges of thesis writing in the educational-research field. Methodology: The current research in terms of implementation method was qualitative and in terms of purpose was applied. The research population was students and graduates of the PhD period of humanities fields at the Islamic Azad University in 2020-21 academic years, which from them number of 12 people were selected as a sample according to the principle of theoretical saturation and with the purposeful sampling method. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews whose validity by 15 professors was obtained by the relative content validity coefficient method 0.84 and its reliability by the Holsti coefficient method was obtained 0.83. Finally, the data were analyzed by methods of open, axial and selective coding and thematic analysis in MAXQDA-18 software. Findings: The findings showed that managing the challenges of thesis writing in the educational-research field had 74 indicators, 13 components and 4 dimensions. The educational gap dimension has includes three components of computer and software training gap, the lack of familiarity with new research methods and the gap in the practical thesis writing course, choosing the subject dimension has includes three components of lack of paying attention to interdisciplinary subjects, lack of suitable guide for choosing subject and not lack of paying attention to students' interests, cooperation of professors dimension has includes five components of back-promising, restrictions on the selection of supervisors, scientific disability of supervisors, lack of access to professors and lack of commitment and responsibility and educational content dimension has includes two components of lack of access to first-hand sources and lack of easy access to content. Finally, pattern of managing the challenges of thesis writing in the educational-research field was drawn using the theme network method. Conclusion: According to the results of this research, planning it seems necessary to managing the challenges of thesis based on the identified dimensions, components and indicators.