Bachelor’s thesis writing as an emotional process

Abstract

This study explores the bachelor’s thesis writing process from the perspective of emotions by using a holistic, narrative approach to individual development. Emotions are analysed in interconnection with implicit conceptions about academic writing and about oneself as a writer. The process of academic writing is described as a movement where balancing positive and negative emotions is one part of academic multiliteracy. The data of the study include visual, textual, and interview data from different phases of the bachelor’s thesis process. In the analysis, four types of narratives of thesis writing are created: growth, survival, project, and conflict narratives. The study offers a holistic perspective to academic writing and provides writing instructors and students with ways to identify emotions and implicit beliefs related to writing processes.