BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article
Front. Educ.
Sec. Higher Education
Volume 10 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/feduc.2025.1541115
Thesis and Dissertation Advising Preferences and Best Practices in the Philippines
Provisionally accepted
- Cebu Technological University, Cebu, Philippines
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Abstract. This study investigated the advising preferences of graduate students and the best practices of their research advisers in selected private and state universities in Cebu and Palawan. Grounded in the Expectancy-Value Theory by Eccles et al. (1983), the research examined how students' expectations for success and the value they assign to thesis work influence their advising preferences. A quantitative descriptive survey design was used, involving 72 graduate students enrolled in thesis or dissertation seminars. Data were gathered using a validated instrument (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82) and supplemented by qualitative interviews. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were employed. Findings revealed that the top three advising preferences were: (1) coaching and mentoring abilities, (2) field of specialization, and (3) adviser availability. A significant relationship was found between age and advising preference. Thematic analysis yielded three key insights: The Three Cs of Advising, Respect begets Respect, and Have Fun and Enjoy the Journey. The study concludes that understanding and addressing the diverse advising needs of graduate students is essential for creating a supportive academic environment that fosters success and satisfaction. While the findings offer valuable guidance, they are limited by the study's reliance on self-reported data and its specific geographic focus, which may limit broader applicability. The Expectancy-Value Theory provided a useful lens for analysis, though future research may benefit from exploring additional frameworks. The study recommends the development of a thesis and dissertation advising handbook to institutionalize effective advising practices.
Keywords: Thesis and dissertation, Advising, best practices, Quantitative Descriptive, Philippines
Received: 07 Dec 2024; Accepted: 29 Aug 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Delos Santos. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Maria Salud Medida Delos Santos, Cebu Technological University, Cebu, Philippines
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.