Identifying Dissertation Challenges of Hispanic Graduate Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55420/2693.9193.v13.n2.122Keywords:
Dissertation Writing, HSI, Writing Skills, Research Skills, Doctoral StudentAbstract
Writing and research assistance for doctoral students writing dissertations via one-on-one tutoring sessions was implemented at an HSI in the southeastern United States. This exploratory sequential mixed methods study aimed to inform the specific challenges of Hispanic graduate students completing dissertations at HSIs and identify the next steps for student support. Data were collected through an online survey completed by tutors (n=3) upon completion of each tutoring session. A total of 398 responses were analyzed and coded. Results demonstrated three major themes: writing skills (n=324), research skills (n=125), and general graduate student skills (n=20). Writing challenges included implementing APA style correctly, effectively summarizing articles, beginning chapter outlines, organizing information in dissertation drafts, and writing the literature review chapter. Research challenges included conducting a systematic literature review, analyzing data and finding themes, organizing results, going through the IRB process, locating articles using databases, and interpreting literature.
Metrics
References
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition.
Cennetku?u, N. G. (2017). International students' challenges in academic writing: A case study from a prominent U.S. university. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 309-323.
Edmonds, W., & Kennedy, T. (2017). Explanatory-Sequential Approach. SAGE Publications. https://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781071802779
Espino, M. M. (2014). Exploring the role of community cultural wealth in graduate school access and persistence for Mexican American PhDs. American Journal of Education, 120(4), 545–574. https://doi-org.ucamia.cobimet4.org/10.1086/676911
HACU (2021). Hispanic higher education and Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) 2021 fact sheet. https://www.hacu.net/images/hacu/OPAI/2021_HSI_FactSheet.pdf
Hartshorn, K. J., & Evans, N. W. (2019). Expectations and challenges of non-native university writers at the outset of discipline-specific study. TESL Reporter 52(1), 1–29.
Holloway-Friesen, H. (2021). The role of mentoring on Hispanic graduate students' sense of belonging and academic self-efficacy. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 20(1), 46-58.
Jiang, M., Arrambide, M., & Munoz, A. (2021). Effective practices in facilitating nontraditional adult learners' dissertation writing in an online doctoral program. Journal of Educators Online, 18(3).
Lambie, G., Hayes, B., Griffith, C., Limberg, D., & Mullen, P. (2014). An exploratory investigation of the research self-efficacy, interest in research, and research knowledge of PhD in education students. Innovative Higher Education, 39(2), 139–153. https://doi-org.ucamia.cobimet4.org/10.1007/s10755-013-9264-1
Okahana, H., Zhou, E., & Gao, J. (2020). Graduate enrollment and degrees 2009-2019. Council of Graduate School https://cgsnet.org/ckfinder/userfiles/files/CGS_GED19_Report_final2.pdf
O'Leary, Z. (2021). The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project (4th ed.). Sage
Publications.
Page, M.J., McKenzie, J.E., Bossuyt, P.M., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T.C., Mulrow, C.D., et al. The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Systematic Reviews 2021;10:89
Quintanilla, Y.T., González, N., Southern, S., & Smith, R.L. (2007). An ecological model for Hispanic student success in graduate education. International Journal of Learning, 13(10), 125–136. https://doi-org.ucamia.cobimet4.org/10.18848/1447-9494/CGP/v13i10/45076
Rohman, D. G. (1965). Pre-writing the stage of discovery in the writing process. College Composition And Communication, 16(2), 106-112.
Rudolph, B.A., Castillo, C.P., García, V.G., Martínez, A., & Navarro, F. (2015). Hispanic graduate students' mentoring themes: Gender roles in a bicultural context. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 14(3), 191-206.
Ruecker, T. (2015). Transiciones: Pathways of Latinas and Latinos Writing in High School and College. Utah State University Press.
Saldaña, J. (2016). The coding manual for qualitative researchers (3rd ed.). Sage.
Santa-Ramírez, S. (2021). Sink or swim: The mentoring experiences of Latinx PhD students with faculty of color. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/dhe0000335
Splinter, L. A., Pool, A. M., Schmuldt, L. M., & Bluemlein, J. S. (2022). Dissertation completion experience in online CACREP-Accredited counselor education programs: A phenomenological inquiry. Journal of Counselor Preparation and Supervision, 15(3).
U.S. Census (2020). Quick facts. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Amanda Giust
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Open Access Policy Statement
HETS Online Journal has adopted an open access policy and provides immediate access to its content free of charge to the reader. The journal does not pass on the cost of publication or submission of manuscripts, known as an Article Processing Charge (APC), to authors.
HOJ is licensed under CC-BY-NC-SA.
