Final Project and Minithesis on Economics Topics: Problems and Solution

This paper tries to describe problems faced by students in general in writing final project or minithesis on Economics topics. As the last requirement every student at the Sarjana and Diploma levels, final project or minithesis is often a new and difficult problem faced by the students as they enter the last semester. In some cases, the students besides being late to graduate also drop out because they do not finish the final project or minithesis at the end of the study program. One of the factors that cause this is the studens’ failure to understand what to be chosen as a problem, to formulate the problem, or to find an appropriate title for the problem, so that the solution to the problem has been formulated. In this paper is described the technique to understand something which is appropriate to be made a title for a final project or minithesis, then how to formulate problems, to select a method of study which is suitable for the problem investigated, the data collection technique and data analysis. Through this paper it is expected that the students at the Sarjana and Diploma levels can understand how to write a final project or thesis in a simple away. Copyright © Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha. All rights reserved.


Introduction
Final project and minithesis are very common and known by people in general, especially students in the study programs at Diploma and Sarjana levels.Listening to these words, the studen often feel anxious and even tend to be afraid before doing the final project or thesis.Final project or minithesis is a scientific writing written by every student in every study program based on experience, observation and research on a problem which is done carefully under the guidance of advisers.In this case, final project and minithesis are part of requirements for graduation, the terms and condition about the standard or the format are determined by the university.
In practice, almost all students face difficulty and find themselves under stress when writing a final project or minithesis.As what is stated by Aswati (2014) there are some factors that cause students to suffer from stress when writing final project and minithesis, some of them are the failure to understand the way how to find a topic of research, the difficulty in searching literature, lack of understanding about data analysis technique, lack of understanding of the technique of writing final project or thesis, etc.In this case, students during the lectures do not pay enough attention to theories and practices explained by the lecturers in the class room tend to find it difficult to writing final project or minithesis and the lecturers often assign to write papers as a group work in which not all students want to write good papers.Besides plagiarizing most of the time, the students are lazy and let other members complete the paper, so that they are weak at writing.The ability to find a topic and then elaborate it into some formulations of problems which is then followed by describing the results of analysis of the problem investigated can actually can be trained every time they are assigned to write papers, which is the task every lecturer.This is obviously very useful for preparing the students to write their final project or minithesis well, so that they are able to graduate on time.
The limitation in students' activities in reporting the result of observation in the form of paper can have an implication on the weakness in their ability in selecting a topic for final project or minithesis.As set up in Pedoman Penulisan Tugas Akhir dan Skripsi Universitas Peddikan Ganesha (2017) the identification of problems for final project and minithesis is as follows: Identifikasi masalah untuk Tugas Akhir dapat diangkat dari hasil praktik (praktik kerja lapangan, praktik pengalaman lapangan, dan sejenisnya) yang boleh dilakukan bagi mahasiswa program Diploma.Skripsi dapat didasarkan atas informasi dari koran, majalah, buku jurnal, laporan penelitian, seminar, atau keadaan lapangan (Undiksha, 2016).
The problems for final project can be identified from the result of practices (field work, field experience practices, and the like ) which can be done by students of Diploma program.Minithesis can be based on information from daily newspapers, magazines, journals, research reports seminars, or field conditions (Undiksha 2016).
Based on the quotation above, it is very important for every Diploma student to understand practical activities done during the courses, observations in industries for certain courses, and when they are doing on job training an industry.While students at Sarjana level should be diligent in looking for information both in printed and electronic media, in addition to making observation or certain courses that make them able to sharpen their sensitivity in selecting a topic for minithesis.
The routine students do in writing about various types of problems both during the courses and in the field in the form of scientific papers have an implication to their ability in completing final project and minithesis.However, in the application, data analysis also becomes an important problem faced by every students in processing Data that they find while they use quantitative or qualitative approach in analyzing the Data that they found.Thus, an understanding of the too a processes will certainly become the important focus of every lecturer, especially the one who teaches scientific writing or research methodology to give some understanding of the too types of approach to the students.This is stated by Iswahyudi (2015) as follows.
Most students face the problems in searching an finding problems of the study that will be done.After the problem is found they have difficulty in determining the title of the research both in terms of language and substance related to the method of research whether qualitative or quantitative.The students still face technical difficulty in writing proposal and thesis, Difficulty in methodology especially in data analysis.From the methodological problem, most students use a method of research and analysis by imitating a method and an analysis of research in a previous minithesis that can be found in the library (Iswahyudi, 2015: 11).
Final project or thesis in practice often becomes a difficult problem for some students.After knowing problems faced by the students both at Diploma and Sarjana levels, in this paper the technique of writing final project or minithesis in a simple away will be discussed, that is, by writing a background of the study, breaking down the title into some formulations of problems, understanding concepts and theories used in the study, research method, Discussing the result of the data analysis, writing conclusion of each discussion, and writing suggestions based on problem solving done.

Method
Research method is a systematical effort to solve problems made in the research to obtain an appropriate answer to the problem according to the expectation about the problems enumerated in detail in the problem formulation.There are two research methods, i.e., quantitative and qualitative methods.Quantitative research method is one of research types which is systematical, planned, defined as the kind of research which demands extensively the use of numbers, figures, tables, graphs and the like starting from data collection and ending in discussion as stated by Sugiyono (2012) that quantitative method can be defined as research method based on positivist philosophy used to study a sample or a certain population.Quantitative research is also a study positioned as value free, which in this case is very rigid in applying the principle of objectivity obtained through the use of instruments that have been tested in terms of validity and reliability (Danim, 2003).
Qualitative research is a kind of research which stresses more the element of understanding of a problem in depth.In its practice, this research tends to use in-depth analysis, by investigating a problem case by case since this kind of research is based on the belief that every problem has different characteristics .Qualitative method is also called interpretative method since the researcher has to interpret his or her result based on the approach and theory he or she selected.Bogdan and Taylor in Moleong (2004:3) explain that qualitative method is a research procedure which produces descriptive data in the form of words or speeches from people and behaviour observed.Miles and Huberman in Sudikin (2002:2) explain that qualitative method tries to reveal some uniquenesses found in individuals, group, society, and/or organization in daily life in detail, comperhensively, and is not value free, i.e., can be accounted\ scientifically according to rules in life that prevail.
Table 1 below explains the differences between researches which use quantitative approach and those which use qualitative approach.Hamidi (2004) enumerates twelve Differences between quantitative and qualitative approaches as shown in table 1. Qualitative research can used hypothesis but usually without hypothesis.

Data collection technique
Quantitative research prioritizes the use of questionnaire.
Qualitative research prioritizes the use of interview and observation.5 Problem and aim of research Quantitative research ask questions or wants to find out the extent of effect, the correlation or association among variables or degrees of a variable by using measurement.

Qualitative
research ask questions or wants to find out about meaning (in the form of concepts) that exists behind the detailed story given by the respondents with the social background being studied.6

Number of Respondent
In quantitative approach the size (extent, number) of the sample is representative and is obtained by using a formula, percentage or tablepopulation-sample and has been determined before data collection.
In qualitative research the number of respondents is known when data collection is saturated.Data collection is started from interviewing prior informants or key informants and stopped with the n th respondent when the sources persons do not give new information anymore or is saturated (snow ball).

Conclusion Drawing
Quantitative research follows the process deductively, i.e., from the determination of variable (concept), followed by data collection and conclusion.
Qualitative research follows the processes inductively, i.e., the process is started from the effort to obtain detailed data (respondent's autobiography, Source: Hamidi (2004: 14-16) Based on the explanation about the Differences between quantitative and qualitative researches explained by Hamidi (2004: 14-16), it can be understood that the Differences start from the beginning in selecting a topic, in which the researcher has to select an approach according to his or her ability and need .Then, it is followed by giving an example of data collection method through questionnaire according to the topic selected in table 2, i.e., "Analysis of Stress in Production Division Workers."

Stress
Response from the condition that occurs when an individual is suffering from stress because of his or her inability to adapt himself or herself to the demand made on him or her.

Work Load
The number of activities that have to be completed by a person or a group for a work unit in a certain period.Work load measurement is defined as a technique for obtaining information about work efficiency and effectiveness of a person or a group or a work unit.
While in quantitative research questionnaire is an important instrument for collecting data, in qualitative research interview guide tends to be used for data collection.The title "Analysis of stress in production division workers" can also be provided with its interview guide based on each problem formulation.
Through the two examples of the instrument for Data collection in tables 8 and 9 above, both questionnaire and interview guide, it can be understood that determining research data variable is the important first step in writing research instrument.By understanding the variables to be found, the researches can easily write things that have to be found in the field.

Result
The final project or minithesis is actually aimed at preparing each student to write a scientific paper according to the field of the study that they undertake.Hence, in choosing a problem the students have to base it on the discipline that they study so that in writing final project and minithesis they understand how to solve problems to be investigated.In this context, knowledge and science that they got during the courses in the form of theories and practices can be applied in writing final project and minithesis by using the approaches that they got during the courses.Various things that they got through observations both directly and indirectly can be used as the background of study based on rational thinking, in which differences between reality and ideal condition will make a student think to understand the problems more deeply.In this case, the way how to look at the phenomenon is based on the cognitive ability of each student which is formed based on knowledge and experience that the students received during the courses.
Understanding the should (theory) and reality (empiric) is the beginning in designing a scientific paper for the students.Grant and Osanloo (2014) state that the importance of theory -driven thinking and acting is emphasized in relation to the selection of topic, the development of research questions, the conceptualization of the literature review, the design approach, and the analysis plan for the project, including minithesis.And, as what is stated by Supriyanto and Machfudz (2010: 46) the background of the study is the rationale for the problem to be investigated, and a researcher has to be able to understand the contradiction between the real condition and the ideal condition (theory).The examples of research topic based on the gap between theory and empiric are presented in table 5 as follows.

Research Topic
An analysis of stress in production division workers The Should (Theory) Production division workers, with an increase in their pay will work over time with an increase in their productivity Reality/real (empiric) Many production division workers have lower productivity (20-40) from previous productivity Source: Supriyanto and Machfudz (2010: 47).
As Uhlig (2012) state, there are three helpful; source for finding a general subject are: (1) draw upon your former experience, (2) peruse journal and new database in areas interest to you, because journal often include section on recent developments and new cases that can provide a good starting point for choosing a subject area, (3) talk with practitioners in your area of interest.The occurrence of something (reality) which deviates or does not conform to the theory provides an opportunity to investigate and to select it as a topic of research.In this case, through an understanding of concept and theories we can predict a cause of the occurrence of the mismatch between theory and empiric, so that there is a need to investigate the cause of the phenomenon.Table 6 below is about the prediction of the causing factor of the mismatch between theory and empiric.

Research Topic
AnAnalysis of stress in production division workers The Should Production division workers with an increase in their pay will work over time with and increase in their productivity.

Reality
Many production division workers have lower productivity (20-40) from previous productivity Causing Factor For example there is the change of management, worker's family problem, lighting in work stations which does not support productivity, target pressure, rigid regulation, etc.This factors can be used as variables that will be studied so that the development of the variables by the researchers has started since the writing of the background and/formulation of problems.If this is done, the researcher can be said to be clear enough in giving information to the reader.Cuervo, et al. (2007) state that the study of entrepreneur as individuals analyses the variables that explain their appearance, such as personal characteristics, the psychological profile (the need for achievement, the capacity to control, tolerance of ambiguity and a tendency to take risks) or non-psychological variables (education, experience, networks, the family, etc).Source: Supriyanto and Machfudz (2010: 51) Understanding the mismatch between theory an empiric can direct us to the reason why the phenomenon occurs, so that finally it can make a researcher able to predict the causing factor of the gap between theory and empiric.As what is stated by Krisyantono (2006: 3) the objective of a study is to find a relation between phenomena through an accurate and systematical analysis of the empirical data.Parallel to this idea, Prajarto (2010: 1) explains that in research activities the researcher tries to express a problem, to find the basis for understanding of the problem, and to determine and appropriate way to solve the problem.Hence, the background of fact or ideas that are relevant to the problem studied is described in the introduction as the point of departure of research problem formulation.Similarly,the urgency of research is directed to answer why the research is important to be conducted.

Formulation of Problem: Brief and Clear Description of Research Problem in the Form of Question
Research problem is an elaboration of problem identification which is at the same time also the limitation of the problem studied.In this case, the limitation of the problem is needed for the study to be focused on things related to the topic of the problem, limitation of the problem is made in order the research is not bias or becomes very broad extending beyond the topic.Problem formulation states in detail the things whose solution has to be found in the form of questions.In formulating a problem the question is written completely in detail about the scope of the problem to be studied based on problem identification and problem limitation.As what is stated by Nasution (2009:1) in elaborating problem formulation the interrogative sentences have to be clear and brief and contain concepts used as an effort to focus on the research question.
Supriyanto and Machfudz (2010: 52) explain that the basis of problem formulation is background, the researcher has to express factors which cause the problems to be studied.; (3) functional theory which stresses more on an interaction of effect between the data and theoretical prediction, i.e., the data affect the formation of theory and the formation of theory affects the data.In addition, Sugiyono (2014) explains three functions of a theory, i.e., explanation, prediction and control.
Table 6 below is the example of theoretical foundation which can be used to analyze the topic of the problem related to work stress of production, division, workers.
In a research, especially in writing a research proposal, the presence of theoretical foundation is important, since in its application later the theory is used for various bases of consideration, i.e., (1) as reference in investigation getting a problem, (2) as the basis in formulating research theoretical framework, (3) as the basis in formulating hypothesis, (4) as information for determining the way of testing the hypothesis, and (5) as away of obtaining historical information and perspective of problems to be investigated (Kuntjojo, 2009: 21).

Conclusions and Recommendations
Research conclusion is a brief statement about the result of analysis and discussion of each problem formulation.In this case conclusion is a brief answer to question asked in problem formulation, so that if there are five problem formulations there will be five conclusions.Conclusions written have to be related to problems and are provided with evidence.According to examples of problem formulation explained in table 3, the conclusions made among others are: 1.A brief explanation about the effect of change of management on worker's productivity.2. A brief explanation about the effect of worker's family problem on worker's productivity.3. A brief explanation about the effect of lightening of work station on productivity.4. A brief explanation about the effect of production target pressure on productivity.5.A brief explanation about the effect of regulation rigidity on worker's productivity The purpose of writing conclusion is to provide information to the readers about the content of the research, and to give opportunities to the readers to read quickly the result obtained from the research done.
Final project or minithesis as something that is required from each student at the last semester and which has met certain requirements has to be witten well to produce a certain understanding of phenomenon studied.In this case, the students are expected to understand things studied and be able to solve problems investigated by using an approach which is suitable with the discipline that they have selected as their major.In this paper is explained how to select a topic of research, how to make problem formulation, how to choose theoretical foundation suitable with a topic studied, and appropriate method to be used in solving problems studied, the way how to write a research discussion, and conclusion according to problem formulation that has been written.It is expected that after reading this paper, students can understand the way how to write final project or minithesis in a simple way.

Table 1
Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Researches

Table 2 .
Example of the Process of Writing Questionnaire for Measuring the Stress Level in Worker's According to its Dimensions

-
To measure the level of stress in workers according to its dimension.-Stressis the variable to be influenced that can be measured with Likert scale or by using Dummy with notation : stress= 1 and no stress =0.While the variable that affects stress can be grouped into:

Table 3 .
Example of Interview Guide For the Topic "Analysis of Stress in Production Division workers"

Table 7 .
Table 7 below is the example of problem formulation elaboration.Example of Research Problem Formulation