Allameh Tabataba’i University Strategic Recommendations for  Administrative Bodies

Allameh Tabataba’i University Strategic Recommendations for Administrative Bodies

Content Pathology of Master's Theses in Arabic, Persian, and English Language and Literature at Universities in Tehran in 2016

Author
Department of Arabic Literature, Allameh Tabataba'i University
Abstract
The quality of master's theses in Persian, Arabic, and English language and literature at universities in Tehran faces a set of methodological and substantive shortcomings that undermine the scientific credibility and social utility of these studies. Key vulnerabilities include the non-practical nature of topics and their lack of connection with societal and external organizational needs, the improper application of research methodology principles (sampling, method selection, data analysis, and theoretical utilization), weaknesses in employing the "language of science" while leaning toward literary language and rhetorical devices, limited audience reach, repetitive topics, and low scientific value of problems and hypotheses. Furthermore, institutional issues—such as non-discriminatory faculty evaluation, low and delayed compensation for supervision and defense evaluation, lack of responsibility toward research quality, disproportionate student-to-faculty ratios, inefficient plagiarism detection systems, and the proliferation of thesis-buying markets—have diminished student motivation and facilitated academic dishonesty. Corrective strategies emphasize establishing an intermediary institution to connect academia and society, rigorous training in research methodology and interdisciplinary foundations, appointing external supervisors from relevant organizations, holding specialized interdisciplinary workshops, adjusting student admission capacities based on faculty-student ratios, incorporating faculty research evaluations, enforcing research misconduct regulations, developing multilingual plagiarism detection systems, and pursuing legal action against thesis brokers.
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