FRAMEWORKS FOR UNDERSTANDING AS EXPERIENCED IN ESSAY WRITING AND IN PREPARING FOR EXAMINATIONS

Two small-scale qualitative studies are presented that explore the exp eriences of final-year undergraduate students in developing understand ing of the process of revision for final examinations and of planning and writing term papers. Interviews with 23 students were supplemented with written descriptions from a further 11 students. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed to identify categories of description. T he experience of understanding was described by students in similar wa ys, emphasizing coherence, provisional wholeness, and confidence in ex plaining. However, contrasting forms of understanding were also identi fied, which differed in terms of the breadth, depth, and structure tha t students tried to develop. Those who had reached a deep level of und erstanding also reported being able to perceive and review frameworks for their understandings in ways suggesting an awareness of knowledge objects experienced in a quasi-sensory way. Similar perceptions were r eported in researching and writing term papers, indicating that struct ures of knowledge objects serve to control explanations as they evolve during the writing process.