Keywords
BA Sociology, thesis, Directed Research, Philippines, higher education, research
Abstract
By virtue of the Philippines’ Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) Memorandum No. 40, Series of 2017, Directed Research – or more commonly known as the thesis study – has become a requirement for all students of Bachelor of Arts in Sociology programs in the country. This study recognizes that the thesis requirement is often a difficult endeavor for students and sought to look into the thesis-related experiences of students of the discipline now that it has become mandatory. Graduates of a BA Sociology program from a university in Metro Manila during two academic years (A.Y. 2021-2022 and A.Y. 2022-2023) were invited as respondents to a survey that inquired about three aspects of the thesis experience: (1) their perceptions and experiences regarding the importance of their thesis study, its potential for publication, and their readiness in conducting the terminal requirement; (2) their perceptions and experiences with regard to thesis topics, thesis groupmates, and thesis advisers; and (3) the difficulties they experienced during the conduct of the thesis study and their perceptions regarding the thesis as a BA Sociology terminal requirement. The results of the study demonstrate that BA Sociology graduates whose decision-making processes with regard to the different aspects of the thesis-making experience were governed by practical considerations. The results also suggest that the respondents do not possess a strong research culture despite being graduates of a discipline wherewith, by its very nature as a basic science, research should be a vital element. The author suggests that this lack of a research culture is due to (1) socio-economic, (2) curricular, (3) institutional, and (4) societal factors that impede a proper appreciation of the importance of research.
Recommended Citation
Quintos, Mark Anthony M. and Iwayama, Minami O.
(2023)
"Perceptions and Behaviors of BA Sociology Students Related to their Experiences in Doing a Thesis Study,"
Social Sciences and Development Review: Vol. 15:
No.
1, Article 8.
Available at:
https://scholar.pup.edu.ph/ssdr/vol15/iss1/8
