The Research Experience: A Study of Challenges Faced by M. Phil/MS Scholars at the Universities of Islamabad, Pakistan

The research investigated the hurdles that M.Phil and MS students encounter while working on their research thesis in Social Sciences. The study adapted a quantitative method, surveying scholars across five public and five private universities in Islamabad through a structured questionnaire. A group of 100 participants was chosen via simple random sampling. Before launching the full survey, we tested the questionnaire with 20 students to refine it for clarity and reliability. After collecting the data, the analysis was done using SPSS software version 24.0, and appropriate statistical tests were employed, such as the independent sample t-test, means, and standard deviations. The findings revealed that crafting a thesis is quite challenging for postgraduates, regardless of whether they attend a public or private institution. The struggles appear to be largely the same for both groups. These challenges encompass a lack of robust research support, hurdles in writing particular thesis chapters, insufficient advisory support, and not making full use of available library resources. Based on research findings, it is recommended that universities should offer structured research training, better supervisory assistance, and improved library services. Further, it is suggested that institutions should implement specific programs empowering research students to conduct and publish good-quality work, particularly in prestigious academic journals. Such initiatives would be a boon to everyone involved, from students and faculty to educational policymakers and librarians, striving to enhance research quality.