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Concept of research among master’s students in Hong Kong

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Abstract

This study explores how master’s students perceive their research experiences and interpret the concept of research. Master’s education has been regarded as a steppingstone for doctoral study for several decades in many higher education systems; however, the meaning of ‘master’ has transformed academically and socially. Accordingly, the research requirement in many master’s programmes has become flexible or been replaced by other learning outcomes. This raises the question: what meanings do ‘thesis’ and ‘research’ have in the context of master’s education? In this study, we interviewed 73 master’s students from various universities and fields of study in Hong Kong to explore their perceptions of research. The thematic analysis showed that research was interpreted via multiple perspectives among the master’s students, such as learning outcomes, learning processes, and separate tasks. Three themes, namely eligibility, accountability, and agency, were identified as key elements of writing a thesis and understanding the research. The interpretations of research varied according to aspects of the students’ backgrounds, such as their academic discipline and work experience. Most importantly, research supervision was found to play a central role in shaping the students’ perceptions of research. This study suggests how research can be meaningfully integrated into today’s master’s education.

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Data Availability

The raw/processed data required to reproduce the above findings cannot be shared at this time as the data also form part of an ongoing study.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to offer our sincere thanks to the reviewers for their valuable and constructive comments and all of the research participants.

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong under Early Career Scheme [Grant number: 27601518] (project entitled ‘106180012 Factors Involved in Master’s Degree Pursuit in Hong Kong’).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Jisun Jung, Xiaoshi Li & Mei Lai

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  1. Jisun Jung
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  2. Xiaoshi Li
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  3. Mei Lai
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Correspondence to Xiaoshi Li.

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Jung, J., Li, X. & Lai, M. Concept of research among master’s students in Hong Kong. High Educ 87, 17–33 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-022-00989-4

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