Understanding How Final-Year Students Prepare Their Speaking Skills for Thesis Defense

Abstract

This study explores how final-year EFL students prepare their speaking skills for the thesis defense, a high-stakes academic event that demands both linguistic ability and personal confidence. Many students find this moment particularly challenging, not only because they must present their research clearly in English, but also because they must do so under pressure in front of an academic panel. To understand this experience more deeply, the study used a qualitative phenomenological approach, gathering data through in-depth interviews with two final-year undergraduate students at Universitas Islam Malang. The findings reveal three core challenges that students commonly face: limited vocabulary, difficulties with pronunciation, and a lack of self-confidence tied to speaking anxiety. What makes these challenges especially difficult is that they do not occur in isolation; each one tends to feed into the others, making the overall experience more overwhelming than any single problem alone. Despite these obstacles, the participants showed real determination in finding ways to overcome them. Their preparation strategies ranged from practicing in front of a mirror and recording themselves to enriching their vocabulary through English songs and watching YouTube videos for natural language exposure. They also benefited from structured classroom activities such as debates and presentations, and regularly consulted with their advisors to deepen their understanding of the thesis content itself. Taken together, these findings suggest that preparing for a thesis defense is not simply about mastering vocabulary or fixing pronunciation; it requires a balanced approach that addresses language skills, emotional readiness, and academic knowledge at the same time. This study hopes to offer useful insights for students facing similar challenges, as well as for teachers and institutions looking for better ways to support EFL learners in an oral academic setting.