The Influence of Social Support on the Duration of Thesis Completion among Physics Education Students

Himawan Putranta

doi:10.30998/c5gkhs39

Authors

Himawan Putranta Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Tarbiyah and Teacher Training, Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Kalijaga , Sunan Kalijaga State Islamic University Yogyakarta Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30998/c5gkhs39

Keywords:

Final semester students; social support; student obstacles; study period; thesis completion

Abstract

Thesis is a final assignment that students must complete as a prerequisite for graduation and to obtain a bachelor's degree at a university. This is a challenging task for most students, who must face numerous challenges and obstacles while completing the thesis within a predetermined one-semester timeframe. One factor that is believed to influence students in achieving their thesis is social support, whether from friends, parents, lecturers, or the university. This phenomenological study aims to investigate the influence of social support on the time it takes to complete the thesis of final semester students in Physics Education at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta. Research data collection was conducted by administering a questionnaire to 10 final-semester students. Data analysis, which involved analytical reduction, began by identifying important statements from respondents' answers, determining core themes, and interpreting the essence of social support for the completion of the thesis. The study's results found that social support influences the completion of the thesis, as it provides enthusiasm, motivation, and support to students. Social support received by students, whether from friends, parents, or lecturers, offers various types of support, each with its own benefits. All three play a significant role in student life, despite differing types of social support. The positive impact of social support for final-semester students is that it boosts their enthusiasm for their thesis and increases their motivation. The adverse effect is that students become dependent on support from others and misinterpret social support as a social demand that final-semester students must have

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmad, M., & Wilkins, S. (2025). Purposive sampling in qualitative research: A framework for the entire journey. Quality & Quantity, 59(2), 1461-1479. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-024-02022-5

Al Izza, A., & Lailiyah, S. (2024). Literature review: Factors affecting final year anxiety in preparing a thesis in Indonesia. Journal of Community Mental Health and Public Policy, 6(2), 114-125. https://doi.org/10.51602/cmhp.v6i2.153

Al-Kamzari, F., & Alias, N. (2025). A systematic literature review of project-based learning in secondary school physics: theoretical foundations, design principles, and implementation strategies. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 12(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04579-4

Assem, H. D., Nartey, L., Appiah, E., & Aidoo, J. K. (2023). A review of students' academic performance in physics: Attitude, instructional methods, misconceptions, and teachers’ qualifications. European Journal of Education and Pedagogy, 4(1), 84-92. https://doi.org/10.24018/ejedu.2023.4.1.551

Aygün, M., & Hacioglu, Y. (2022). Teaching the sound concept: a review of science and physics education postgraduate theses in Turkey. Athens Journal of Education, 9(2), 257-275. https://doi.org/10.30958/aje.9-2-5

Banda, H. J., & Nzabahimana, J. (2021). Effect of integrating physics education technology simulations on students' conceptual understanding in physics: A review of literature. Physical Review Physics Education Research, 17(2), 231-239. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.17.023108

Bekkouche, N. S., Schmid, R. F., & Carliner, S. (2022). "Simmering pressure": How systemic stress impacts graduate student mental health. Performance Improvement Quarterly, 34(4), 547-572. https://doi.org/10.1002/piq.21365

Brunsting, N. C., Zachry, C., Liu, J., Bryant, R., Fang, X., Wu, S., & Luo, Z. (2021). Sources of perceived social support, social-emotional experiences, and psychological well-being of international students. The Journal of Experimental Education, 89(1), 95-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2019.1639598

Cardwell, R., Nelson, K., Duncan, R., Copnell, B., & Moss, C. (2024). Being effective and supervising for thesis success in nursing coursework master’s degrees: A qualitative descriptive study. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 80(12), 5050-5063. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16164

Cho, H., Lee, K., Choi, E., Cho, H. N., Park, B., Suh, M., & Choi, K. S. (2022). Association between social support and postpartum depression. Scientific Reports, 12(1), 3128-3133. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-07248-7

Dupont, S., Galand, B., & Nils, F. (2015). The impact of different sources of social support on academic performance: Intervening factors and mediated pathways in the case of master's thesis. European Review of Applied Psychology, 65(5), 227-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erap.2015.08.003

Faeni, D. P., Oktaviani, R. F., Riyadh, H. A., Faeni, R. P., & Beshr, B. A. H. (2025). Green human resource management (GHRM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in reducing carbon emissions for sustainable practices. Environmental Quality Management, 34(3), 700-711. https://doi.org/10.1002/tqem.70048

Güroğlu, B. (2022). The power of friendship: The developmental significance of friendships from a neuroscience perspective. Child Development Perspectives, 16(2), 110-117. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12450

Hossain, M. S., Alam, M. K., & Ali, M. S. (2024). Phenomenological approach in the qualitative study: Data collection and saturation. ICRRD Quality Index Research Journal, 5(2), 148-172. https://doi.org/10.53272/icrrd.v5i2.4

Jolly, P. M., Kong, D. T., & Kim, K. Y. (2021). Social support at work: An integrative review. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 42(2), 229-251. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2485

Kim, J., Yu, S., Detrick, R., & Li, N. (2025). Exploring students' perspectives on Generative AI-assisted academic writing. Education and Information Technologies, 30(1), 1265-1300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12878-7

Krumsvik, R. J. (2022). Academic writing in scientific journals versus doctoral theses: The article-based thesis and the synopsis. Nordic Journal of Digital Literacy, 7(2), 78-94. https://doi.org/10.18261/njdl.17.2.1

Lessil, C. G. (2023). Empathy and social support for special needs children at Leleani Special School (SLB) 1. Interdisciplinary Social Studies, 2(12), 2627-2637. https://doi.org/10.55324/iss.v2i12.536

Lin, T. C., Hsu, J. S. C., Cheng, H. L., & Chiu, C. M. (2015). Exploring the relationship between receiving and offering online social support: A dual social support model. Information & Management, 52(3), 371-383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2015.01.003

Matin, M. A., & Khan, M. A. (2017). Common problems faced by postgraduate students during their thesis work in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education, 8(1), 22-27. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v8i1.32245

Mejova, Y., & Lu, A. H. (2022). I feel you: A mixed-methods study of social support for loneliness on Twitter. Computers in Human Behavior, 136(1), 107-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2022.107389

Melrose, K. L., Brown, G. D., & Wood, A. M. (2015). When is social support received related to perceived support and well-being? When it is needed. Personality and Individual Differences, 77(1), 97-105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.12.047

Okolie, U. C., Nwosu, H. E., & Mlanga, S. (2019). Graduate employability: How can higher education institutions meet the demand of the labour market? Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 9(4), 620-636. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-09-2018-0089

Sabouripour, F., & Roslan, S. B. (2015). Resilience, optimism, and social support among international students. Asian Social Science, 11(15), 159-165. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v11n15p159

Saxton, G. D., & Wang, L. (2014). The social network effect: The determinants of giving through social media. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 43(5), 850-868. https://doi.org/10.1177/0899764013485159

Shin, H., & Park, C. (2022). Social support and psychological well-being in younger and older adults: The mediating effects of basic psychological need satisfaction. Frontiers in Psychology, 13(1), 105-110. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1051968

Sverdlik, A., Hall, N. C., McAlpine, L., & Hubbard, K. (2018). The PhD experience: A review of the factors influencing doctoral students' completion, achievement, and well-being. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 13(1), 361-388. https://doi.org/10.28945/4113

Vidal, C., Reinert, M., Nguyen, T., & Jun, H. J. (2024). Chronic stress and lack of social support: Role in adolescent depression and suicide-related behaviors in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Affective Disorders, 365(1), 437-442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.08.090

Vuong, B. N., Tushar, H., & Hossain, S. F. A. (2023). The effect of social support on job performance through organizational commitment and innovative work behavior: Does innovative climate matter?. Asia-Pacific Journal of Business Administration, 15(5), 832-854. https://doi.org/10.1108/APJBA-06-2021-0256