Exploring Preparation Strategies of Algerian Master's Students for the PhD Contest: A Case Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70091/Atras/vol06no02.6Keywords:
Academic performance, Algerian students, PhD contest, preparation strategies, stress management, study intensityAbstract
This exploratory study aims to investigate Algerian Master’s students’ strategies used to prepare for the PhD contest. The significance of this study lies in its potential to highlight effective strategies to improve Algerian Master's students' success in PhD contests. Relevant data were gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire created via Google Forms and posted in Facebook groups dedicated to Algerian Master’s students who have sat for, or intend to sit for, the PhD contest. The researcher managed to reach 118 Master’s students from different Algerian universities who completed the questionnaire. The areas of focus are gender differences, timing of preparation, study intensity, approaches adopted, level of stress, and academic achievement. The results show that students who started their preparation more than two months before the contest and spent more than five hours per day preparing reported higher levels of confidence. Sixty-one percent (61%) of students relied solely on theory (collecting and reviewing information). Regarding negative factors, 58% of respondents reported high stress levels due to fear of failure, time constraints, and lack of resources, all of which impacted their outcomes. A strong correlation was observed between the performance of Master’s students in their previous academic careers and their results in the PhD contest, with high-performing students tending to adopt a more structured approach. For future research, the extended effects of preparation strategies on learners’ performance should be analyzed, and potential interventions should be considered.
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