Table of contents
Title page i
Approval page ii
Declaration of authorship iii
Acknowledgement iv
Abstract v
Table of contents vi
List of tables xii
Chapter I. Introduction
1.1. Background information 1
1.2. Purpose of the research 4
1.3. Research questions 4
1.4. Significance of the research 4
1.5. Definitions of the terms 5
1.6. Organisation of the dissertation 6
Chapter II. Writing Supervision, Writing Feedback,
and Thesis Assessment 7
2.1. Writing Supervision 8
2.2. Writing Feedback 9
2.2.1. Definitions of feedback 10
2.2.2. The nature of feedback 10
2.2.3. The effectiveness of feedback 12
2.2.4. Feedback providers and receivers 13
2.2.4.1. Selecting supervisors 13
2.2.4.2. Responsibilities of supervisors 15
2.2.4.3. Responsibilities of students 18
2.2.5. Feedback strategies 21
2.2.5.1. Timing 21
2.2.5.2. Amount 23
2.2.5.3. Modes 25
2.2.5.3.1. Oral feedback 25
2.2.5.3.2. Written feedback 27
2.2.5.3.3. Electronic feedback 28
2.2.5.4. Audience 29
2.2.5.4.1. Individual feedback 29
2.2.5.4.2. Group feedback 30
2.2.6. Feedback Contents 31
2.2.6.1. Focus 31
2.2.6.1.1. On the work itself 32
2.2.6.1.2. On the process 33
2.2.6.1.3. On the self regulation 34
2.2.6.1.4. On the personality 34
2.2.6.2. Comparison 35
2.2.6.2.1. Criterion reference 35
2.2.6.2.2. Norm-reference 36
2.2.6.2.3. Self-reference 37
2.2.6.3. Functions 38
2.2.6.3.1. Descriptive feedback 39
2.2.6.3.2. Evaluative feedback 40
2.2.6.3.3. Formative feedback 42
2.2.6.3.4. Corrective feedback 43
2.2.6.4. Valence 46
2.2.6.4.1. Positive feedback 47
2.2.6.4.2. Negative feedback 48
2.2.6.4.3. Suggestions 49
2.2.6.6. Specificity 51
2.2.6.7. Tone 53
2.2.7. Feedback sources 55
2.2.7.1. Supervisors 55
2.2.7.2. Tutors 56
2.2.7.3. Peers 61
2.2.8. Key issues of feedback 65
2.3. Thesis Assessment Criteria 68
2.3.1. Well Written thesis 68
2.3.2. Topic/Title 69
2.3.3. Contents and Organisation 69
2.3.3.1. Introduction 70
2.3.3.2. Review of literature 71
2.3.3.3. Methodology 72
2.3.3.4. Findings and discussions 73
2.3.3.5. Conclusion and recommendation 73
2.3.4. Style and Tone 74
2.3.5. Conventions 74
Chapter III. Research Methodology 76
3.1. Research direction 76
3.2. Research design 76
3.3. Research setting and participants 77
3.4. Data collection 78
3.5. Data analysis 79
Chapter IV. Findings and Discussions 82
4.1. The nature of feedback in thesis writing supervision 82
4.1.1. Feedback providers and receivers 82
4.1.1.2. Responsibility of supervisors 86
4.1.1.3. Responsibility of students 88
4.1.1.4. The relationship between supervisors and students 90
4.1.2. Feedback strategies 92
4.1.2.1. Timing 93
4.1.2.2. Amount 95
4.1.2.3. Modes 98
4.1.2.4. Audience 101
4.1.3. Feedback contents 103
4.1.3.1. Focus 105
4.1.3.2. Comparison 107
4.1.3.3. Functions 110
4.1.3.4. Valence 115
4.1.3.5. Clarity 119
4.1.3.6. Specificity 121
4.1.3.7. Tone 123
4.1.4. Feedback sources 127
4.1.4.1. Supervisor 127
4.1.4.2. Tutor 129
4.1.4.3. Peer 129
4.2. The contribution of feedback to the development of thesis 130
4.2.1. The development of the students’ thesis 131
4.2.1.1. The thesis development of student one (1) 131
4.2.1.2. The thesis development of student two (2) 140
4.2.1.3. The thesis development of student three (3) 157
4.2.2. The contribution of feedback 168
4.2.2.1. Feedback providers and receivers 172
4.2.2.2. Feedback strategies 173
4.2.2.3. Feedback contents 175
Chapter V. Conclusion and Recommendations
5.1. Conclusion 180
5.2. Recommendation 181
References 183
List of Tables
1. Table 4.1. Data of feedback providers and receivers 83
2. Table 4.2. Data of feedback strategies 93
3. Table 4.3. Data of feedback contents 104
4. Table 4.4. Data of feedback sources 127
5. Table 4.5. Thesis Document Assessment 167
6. Table 4.6. Data of the Contribution of Feedback Providers
and Receivers 172
7. Table 4.7. Data of the Contribution of Feedback Strategies 174
8. Table 4.8. Data of the Contribution of Feedback Contents 176
9. Table 4.9. Data of the Contribution of Feedback Sources 178
Appendices 213
Appendix 1: Data of textual evidence, interview and observation
of student one (1) 213
Appendix 2: Data of textual evidence, interview and observation
of student two (2) 246
Appendix 3: Data of textual evidence, interview and observation
of student three (3) 270
Appendix 4: Data of thesis assessment of student 1 296
Appendix 5: Data of thesis assessment of student 2 298
Appendix 7: Document analysis guideline 301
Appendix 8: Interview guideline for student 304
Appendix 9: Interview guideline for supervisor 308
Appendix 10: Observation guideline/checklist 311
Appendix 11: Thesis assessment checklist 315
Appendix 12: Consent letters from students 317
Appendix 13: Consent letters from supervisors 318
Appendix 14: Consent letter from independent evaluator 319
Appendix 15: Research Approval 320
