EFL undergraduate thesis supervision: Exploring supervisors’ written feedback beliefs and practices

Despite the recognized importance of supervisors’ feedback in enhancing students’ academic development, research on novice supervisors’ perspectives, especially concerning undergraduate thesis supervision in English as a foreign language (EFL) contexts, remains scarce. In an attempt to address this gap, this qualitative case study explored the written feedback beliefs and practices of two novice supervisors in the department of English of two universities in mainland China. It examined how their beliefs were shaped and translated into practice during their supervision of EFL undergraduate students. Data were collected longitudinally over an 8-month period, including semi-structured interviews, written feedback samples, and voice messages, to capture the full thesis supervision process. Findings revealed that supervisors held varying beliefs regarding written feedback’s purpose and effectiveness, priority, and formulation, although they shared similar beliefs about its focus. These beliefs were influenced by diverse factors, notably encompassing each supervisor’s unique professional backgrounds, personal learning experiences, as well as their novice status. The examination of their belief–practice relationships suggested a dynamic continuum rather than a simple dichotomy, characterized by varying degrees of correspondence. Strong alignment was observed in feedback focus, whereas partial alignment emerged in feedback priority and formulation strategies. Key factors influencing their belief–practice relationships included students’ immediate needs, pragmatic concerns, and supervisors’ evolving role perceptions across different thesis developmental stages. This study highlights the value of examining beliefs and practices conjointly to offer more insights into the complex picture of novice supervisors’ beliefs and practices about written feedback. It concludes with pedagogical recommendations and suggestions for future research.