Thesis writing anxiety among Polish translation students: Findings from a survey study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37536/FITISPos-IJ.2024.11.1.381Keywords:
Translator education, Thesis writing, Anxiety, Mental healthAbstract
This article focuses on the anxiety experienced by undergraduate and graduate translation students during the process of thesis writing. The survey study described in the paper examines the challenges of academic thesis writing against the backdrop of increased mental health concerns among young adults, driven in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, the unstable economic situation in Poland and the war in Ukraine. A sample of 111 translation trainees from 13 Polish higher education institutions participated in an online survey in April-May 2022. The participants were categorised into four groups based on their thesis writing stage and experience. The study tested three key hypotheses: (1) experience lowers anxiety, (2) experience reduces perceived difficulty, and (3) repeaters exhibit improved time management skills. Additionally, participants provided insights into strategies for alleviating thesis-related anxiety and recommended actions for supervisors to mitigate such anxiety. The findings offer valuable guidance for both translation educators and students.
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