Sense-Making in Thesis Writing: Understanding the Filipino Graduate Students’ Momentum Enablers

Abstract

“Research in research” focusing on the critiques of methodologies, designs, and approaches has flourished over time; however, there is a paucity of understanding regarding the essence of doing research. In this qualitative study, the essence of doing research was explored by uncovering the significant experiences of 25 graduate students in thesis writing since thesis writing constitutes a diversity of research experiences. This descriptive phenomenological inquiry following Colaizzi’s approach revealed the essence of doing research in the form of the Momentum of Enablers, conveyed as the Sense of Beings. Momentum Enablers offered an in-depth description of researchers’ behavior and mechanisms that may affect the research process experiences.