Challenges and Coping Strategies Adopted by Postgraduate Students of Agricultural Education in Thesis Writing in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

The study investigated challenges encountered and coping strategies adopted by postgraduate students of agricultural education in writing thesis in Nigerian universities. Two research questions and two hypotheses guided the study. The study was conducted in Nigerian universities offering post-graduate programme in agricultural education. The population for the study was 118 made up of 14 postgraduate diploma, 66 masters and 38 doctoral students writing thesis in agricultural education. The entire population was involved in the study. An instrument tilted: Challenges and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CCSQ) was used for data collection. Three experts validated the questionnaire. Cronbach alpha reliability method was used to determine the internal consistency of the questionnaire. A reliability coefficient of 0.85 was obtained. A total of 97 copies of the questionnaire were returned representing 93 percent return rate. Data collected for the study were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions while Analysis of Variance was used to test hypothesis of no significant difference at P ≤ 0.05 level of significance. The statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was the tool employed to analyze the data collected. It was found out that 28 challenges were encountered by postgraduate students of agricultural education in thesis writing while 15 coping strategies were adopted by postgraduate students of agricultural education in thesis writing. The recommendations were that postgraduate students of agricultural education who have abandoned their thesis writing should adopt the identified coping strategies to complete their programme among others.

Challenges encountered and coping strategies used by final year undergraduate students of sociology in project writing In Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria

“…From the table it can be seen that the majority of the respondents agreed that they encountered one or more of the following challenges: lack of adequate funding, inability to source relevant materials for their research topic, inability to understand and cope with the relationship between concepts as applied to the topic approved for them by their various supervisors, and inability to cope with other academic assignments assigned by supervisors in addition to their course work/project. These findings are consistent with those of Olaitan et al (2009), Tichaona -Onias (2012, and Asogwa et al (2014).…”

“…slowed me down in my project work/ writing', 'target respondents denied me access for data collection', 'my supervisor asked me to write and submit to him/her without any guide or materials', 'I am not computer literate enough to access the internet', 'sexual harassment from my supervisor', and 'my supervisor has poor knowledge of my topic to guide me properly'. These findings contradict those of Olaitan et al (2009), Tichaona -Onias (2012, and Asogwa et al (2014) as these researchers found that students encountered the aforementioned challenges.…”

“…As regards coping strategies, Asogwa et al (2014) in their study identify strategies such as seeking help from lecturers other than the students' supervisors (from topic selection through to the completion of project writing), borrowing money to cope with financial challenges, and constant visits to supervisors' offices to check project files as the main strategies adopted by students to cope with the challenges encountered in project writing.…”

“…Studies (Olaitan et al 2009;Tichaona -Onias 2012;Asogwa et al 2014) have been conducted about the challenges and coping strategies adopted by students during project writing. The findings of these studies have revealed the fact that students face challenges that range from inability to select a researchable topic, a lack of resources/materials, the hostile attitude of supervisors, a lack of will power, a lack of money, and ill health (Olaitan et al 2009;Asogwa et al 2014).…”

“…The findings of these studies have revealed the fact that students face challenges that range from inability to select a researchable topic, a lack of resources/materials, the hostile attitude of supervisors, a lack of will power, a lack of money, and ill health (Olaitan et al 2009;Asogwa et al 2014). Tichaona and Onias (2012) have classified project-writing-related challenges into three categories; namely, supervisory, institutional and student-related.…”