The benefits and drawbacks of writing a thesis as an English major student

Abstract

To graduate from most colleges, English majors are required to complete a research paper, also called a diploma paper. However, when writing a diploma paper in their last year of study, English language learners discover several advantages and disadvantages. This article sought to determine the advantages and disadvantages of writing a Bachelor of Arts thesis for English majors upon completion of their studies, as well as the extent to which composition classes provided during the final semester aid them. As part of this study, eight additional university students participated in a focus group, and thirty-one students were invited to complete a questionnaire. The findings indicate that writing a thesis allows you to follow your interests, get ongoing input from your mentor, and build your portfolio with well-written work that the committee members will study. Nevertheless, there are also some drawbacks that students face while writing a paper, such as managing information, the use of generalizations, and not having enough time to write it. Finally, this study suggests that having a course that prepares students to write a thesis at the end of their studies is beneficial to students as it mentors them and teaches a step-by-step writing thesis.

Keywords: Composition course; diploma paper; English majors; thesis.