LOS BAÑOS, Laguna – 25 graduate students attended the Training on Writing Thesis and Dissertation Proposals jointly organized by SEARCA and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension (OVCRE), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB). The three-day training was conducted by Dr. Evelyn Mae T. Mendoza, UPLB Professor Emeritus from the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) and National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) Academician, Dr. Pamela A. Custodio, Assistant Professor from the College of Development Communication (CDC) and Dr. Rico C. Ancog, Professor from the School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM), UP Scientist III, and 2019 Outstanding Young Scientist.
The graduate students in attendance are SEARCA Scholars from Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) in Indonesia, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia, UPLB, and IRRI Affiliate Research Scholars nearing or conducting their thesis and dissertation writing. Dr. Glenn B. Gregorio, SEARCA Director, welcomed the participants and recognized the high interest of students from outside SEARCA who would like to attend the activity.
The training is annually and exclusively offered by SEARCA through the Graduate Education and Institutional Development Department (GEIDD) to its scholars from all study posts: UPLB in the Philippines, Kasetsart University (KU) in Thailand, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Brawijaya (UB), and Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) in Indonesia, and Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) in Japan. For this training, SEARCA has extended its registration to select Affiliate Research Scholars from IRRI. Dr. Gregorio, who is also a NAST Academician and UPLB Professor, shared his tips on thesis and dissertation writing stemming from his own experience such as keeping it sweet and simple and to become good re-writers.
The first day of the training discussed the research process, writing the introduction, citing and writing the literature review, and writing the conceptual and theoretical framework. The second day discussed quantitative and qualitative methodology, ethics in research, formatting, writing the proposal, and presenting tables and charts. Dr. Mendoza also discussed about publishing in journals and avoiding predatory journals and conferences. The last day of the training was dedicated to the attendees’ presentation of outputs and critiquing by the resource persons and their fellow trainees. A feedback that was common among all groups was their inability to finish the presentation according to the prescribed time limit. Dr. Maria Cristeta N. Cuaresma, GEIDD Program Head, recognized this as something to be improved and can be a topic of a separate training. The scholars were also reminded that they have been given the basics and it is up to them to apply what they have learned to finish their thesis and dissertation on time with the guidance of their committee and external reviewers.
SEARCA, through GEIDD, has been organizing training workshops for scholars to equip them in accomplishing their academic requirements and prepare them for their future roles as champions of inclusive agriculture and innovations for development.