Dimensions of Student Writers's Self in Qualitative Research Interviews

Abstract

This chapter presents a qualitative study of the dimensions of the self in semi-structured interviews with students from European universities, who shared their experiences of writing Bachelor’s and Master’s theses at local universities. The study, undertaken to enhance the understanding of learning and writing practices at the tertiary level, was based on the discursive analysis of student writing narratives revealed through the research interview accounts. The concept of self was approached as a combination of autonomous writer’s voice and aspiring academic identity performed in university-related contexts. The findings show that the thesis writer’s self reveals four major dimensions, influenced by important aspects of their writing journeys: uncertainty of competence as academic writers, emotionally loaded situations affecting writing, supervisory relationships, and personal efforts to overcome difficulties.