Idris, Ahmad Yusuf (2011) Investigating the effects of the supervisor's feedback on international Masters students' dissertation writing outcomes in the UK. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

In the UK, international Masters students whose first language is not English may find the
Masters dissertation challenging perhaps because they cannot utilize the full potential of the
supervisor’s feedback throughout the dissertation writing process. This process is critiqued as
complex and messy, for it involves a clash of expectations, miscommunication, uncertainties and
confusions. Yet although the number of international students has increased rapidly in most UK
universities, the effects of the supervisor’s feedback on their Masters dissertation writing are
poorly investigated. To address these issues, this thesis reports on a small-scale study conducted
among international students at Masters level at the University of Warwick. Three departments
are included: Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG), Law School (LS), and Centre for
Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies (CTCCS). Using semi-structured interviews (12
preliminary interviews and 3 longitudinal interviews), semi-structured questionnaires (26
completed questionnaires) and documents (supervisors’ annotations and written comments on the
students’ submissions), the current study aims to investigate what influences the supervisor’s
feedback may have on international students’ Masters Dissertation Writing (MDW).
Analysis of the data obtained by means of qualitative content analysis, it has been
discovered that the supervisor’s feedback can have a variety of effects on the quality of
international students’ writing. These can be classified into psycho-affective, interpersonal,
developmental, linguistic, behavioral and practical influences. In order to obtain a fine-grained
picture of such effects, it is important to consider them not only in the light of such feedback
issues as feedback delivery methods, feedback focus, and feedback processing, but also in
relation to such concepts as motivation, independence, and the responsibilities of both students
and supervisors. The key findings of this study are largely consistent with the feedback effects
reported in previous research on this topic, indicating that the effects identified may be
applicable to MDW in general.
The current study suggests that both supervisors and students should negotiate those
conflicting feedback expectations that emerge throughout the dissertation process on a frequent
basis in order to help students gain more constructive support. To facilitate the process of
negotiation, it is recommended that face to face tutorials should be seen as a key feedback
delivery method in the Masters dissertation process. Another practical recommendation made in
this study is that Sinclair’s (2005) hands-on approaches to PhD supervision should be used at
Masters level as a means of reducing the negative impact of the power hierarchy inherent in the
supervisor-supervisee relationship, thus helping international students in the process of
developing into more independent learners. The study concludes that Masters supervisors should
weigh their feedback choices carefully because their feedback may help students not only make
more successful revisions but also change negative attitudes towards MDW. Supervisors should
also consider such important variables as the student’s personal needs and lacks, the
developmental phase of doing the dissertation and departmental expectations, with a view to
promoting their motivation and encouraging them to develop strategies contributing to
significant improvement in their writing.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB2300 Higher Education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	University of Warwick -- Foreign students, University of Warwick -- Graduate students, Dissertations, Academic, Grading and marking (Students)
Official Date:	June 2011
Dates:	Date Event June 2011 Submitted
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Applied Linguistics
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Ushioda, Ema ; Richards, Keith, 1952- ; Wharton, Sue ; Kennedy, Judith
Sponsors:	Jāmiʻat Dimashq [University of Damascus]
Extent:	xv, 321 leaves : ill.
Language:	eng

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