LLT Journal, e-ISSN 2579-9533, p-ISSN 1410-7201, Vol. 26, No. 2, October 2023, pp.

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LLT Journal: A Journal on Language and Language Teaching

http://e-journal.usd.ac.id/index.php/LLT
Sanata Dharma University, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Exploring EFL Undergraduate Students’ Academic Procrastination in Thesis Writing: A Narrative Study in Indonesia

1* 2 3, 4
Baihaqi Zakaria Muslim , Hamidah Salam , Emy Rosida and Anfi Wardani

Sanggar Menulis Manuskrip, Indonesia

STAI Nurul Islam Mojokerto, Indonesia

Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia
UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya, Indonesia
baihaqizakaria27@gmail.com, hamidahsallam@gmail.com.
emyrosida22@gmail.com, and awielrose@gmail.com
*correspondence: baihaqizakaria27@gmail.com.com
DOI: …. (completed by editors)
received …; accepted … (completed by editors)

Abstract
While a substantial body of literature has investigated the phenomenon of academic procrastination among undergraduate students, research
specifically explore academic procrastination among English as a Foreign Language (EFL) undergraduate students during thesis writing
remains limited. To address this glaring gap, this narrative study aims to gain in-depth understanding on the interplays of factors contributing
to EFL undergraduate students' academic procrastination during their thesis writing process. By employing purposive sampling technique, this
study identified three EFL undergraduate students volunteer to be involved as research participants. Semi-structured interviews were
employed as the primary data collection method to collect the data from participants live-experiences. Through thematic analysis, this study
found various factors contributing to EFL students’ thesis writing procrastination such as learners inadequate self-regulated capability,
language mastery, writing ability, supervisor guidance, and emotional regulation. Additionally, this study also found detrimental effects of
thesis writing procrastination on EFL undergraduate students’ wellbeing. By understanding contributing factors and hazardous effects of
thesis writing procrastination, this study discussed possible intervention in order to mitigate and overcome thesis writing procrastination
among EFL undergraduate students, which ultimately offer implications for future pedagogical practice and research. Finally, suggestion,
recommendation, and limitation of this research were also discussed.
Keywords: Academic procrastination, English as a foreign language, Indonesia university student, self-regulated learning, thesis writing

Introduction
Academic procrastination is conceptualized as deliberate delay and voluntary avoidance of the intended assignment (Steel, 2007) indicated by
the tendency to postpone the completion of academic tasks (Rothblum, Solomon, & Murakami, 1986). From the situational perspective,
several prominent scholars have emphasized on defining academic procrastination as a shortcoming in the performance of self-regulation
(Senécal, Koestner, & Vallerand, 1995). In this regard, academic procrastination is associated with several factors such as high-level anxiety
(Solomon & Rothblum, 1984), low self-efficacy (Klassen, Krawchuk, & Rajani, 2008), and low self-esteem (Senécal et al., 1995) that lead to
frequent academic procrastination which might result to problematic outcomes namely severe personal productivity loss (Goroshit, 2018) and
depression (Lindner, Zitzmann, Klusmann, & Zimmermann, 2023). Moreover, procrastination has been found among approximately 30 –
60% committed by undergraduate students which significantly affects their academic task completion (Goroshit, 2018). Therefore, it is
important to seriously address this issue in order to significantly enhance students’ academic performance and task completion.

In Indonesia, academic procrastination has been identified as a significant challenge for English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
undergraduate students majoring in English Language education, particularly during their thesis writing process (Pravita & Kuswandono,
2022; Wahyuni & Umam, 2022). This phenomenon arises due to the unique challenges that EFL learners face when writing a thesis. In spite
of living in an expanding circle country, EFL learners majoring in English Language education are required to write their thesis in English
Language. Consequently, without sufficient English language mastery, learners would have difficulties in expressing their ideas and

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arguments in their thesis (Wahyuni & Umam, 2022). Additionally, to craft a strong thesis, learners are required to have sufficient academic
writing capabilities, critical thinking skills, research methodologies knowledge, and research persistence. Any deficiency in these elements
would inevitably pose a challenge which hampers learners’ thesis writing progress as reported by a recent study (Boufeldja & Bouhania,
2020). This struggle can lead to negative emotions such as demotivation and anxiety, which can further fuel procrastination and hinder
students' ability to complete their theses in a timely manner.

For the past few decade, numerous literatures were attracted to investigate academic procrastination in various fields and
contexts (E.g., Goroshit, 2018; Lindner et al., 2023; Zhou & Hiver, 2022). However, to the best of author’s knowledge, research that
specifically focuses on EFL students' procrastination in thesis writing remains limited and under-explored. A past academic literature (Mudra
et al., 2021) for instance, after gathering data from 67 EFL undergraduate learners, reported that academic procrastination thriving among
learners with higher level of writing anxiety during research writing progress. Similarly, a recent survey involving 12 EFL undergraduate
students conducted by Pravita and Kuswandono (2022), highlighted that students’ writing anxiety can intensify students’ avoidance
behaviour resulting in students’ procrastination in thesis writing process. Albeit theses studies have partially illuminated the factors
contributing to EFL learners thesis writing procrastination, however, many aspects remain underexplored. This represents a significant gap in
the existing literature and highlights the need for further investigation into the unique challenges and factors contributing to procrastination in
this particular context.

To seal this glaring gap, this study aims to gain comprehensive understanding regarding factors contributing to EFL
undergraduate learners’ academic procrastination during thesis writing and its effect on EFL learners. Through exploring EFL learner
experience in thesis writing, this study is expected to give valuable insight on various factors contributing to academic procrastination during
the thesis writing process. Furthermore, this study could provide deeper acumen on the effect of procrastination for EFL learners thesis
writing progress. In doing so, researchers, lecturers, and learners can hopefully develop appropriate thesis writing strategies and intervention
to mitigate procrastination during thesis writing. Thus, the research questions guiding this academic literature are;

1) What are the factors contributing to EFL learners' academic procrastination in thesis writing?
2) How does academic procrastination in thesis writing affect EFL learners?

Academic procrastination.
As a complex and multifaceted behavior, the term “procrastination” has its roots in Latin, stemming from the combination of “pro” which
signifies moving forward, and “crastinus” which pertains to the following day. This etymology elucidates the concept’s temporal aspect which
refers to the act of postponing or the tendency to delay tasks until a later time (Steel, 2007). This focus on the future delay signifies a crucial
aspect of procrastination in which the procrastinators are often involved in a struggle between short-term pleasure and long-term goals. In this
regard, Solomon and Rothblum (1984) pointed out that academic procrastination is not solely a result of poor study habits and time
management skills but also the consequence of a complex phenomenon involving a combination of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional
factors in which these elements interact and influence each other.

It can be said that behaviourally learners often engage in procrastination due to several factors such as ineffective time
management skills, poor goal-settings, and failure in self-regulation (Steel, 2007; Tice & Baumeister, 1997). In this regard, Ziegler and
Opdenakker (2018) reported that these behaviours are interconnected and potentially create a vicious cycle which reinforces procrastination.
Without appropriate targeted intervention, learners would have difficulties in breaking free from this pattern. Besides the behavioural aspects,
cognitive factors also play a significant role in procrastination. In this context, learners may struggle with maladaptive beliefs such as
irrational perfectionism and fear of failure, potentially leading to self-doubt, task aversion, and eventually procrastination (Deemer, Yough, &
Morel, 2018). Further, the state of learners’ affective such as low levels of self-esteem, anxiety, and depression, can depress learners’
motivation and contribute to the increase of procrastination levels in academic settings (Rebetez, Rochat, Barsics, & Van der Linden, 2016).

For the past few decades, the consequence of academic procrastination remains as a subject of debate among several researchers.
Interestingly, several prominent scholars posit that academic procrastination can bring certain benefits for learners. Chun Chu and Choi
(2005) for instance, reported that through procrastinating, learners are able to promote their creativity during the incubation of ideas and
innovation when tackling with their tasks. In a similar vein, Choi and Moran (2009) discovered that some learners are inclined to procrastinate
because they derive enjoyment from working under pressure and believe it leads to better outcomes. This indicates that procrastination might

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be a purposeful strategy for individuals who perform well under pressure and can deliver high-quality results. Recently, Abramowski (2018)
found that learners who procrastinated on academic tasks reported feeling of better prepared, as they had acquired additional resources and
had more time to contemplate various aspects of the problem. Based on these findings, it can be said that procrastination may allow certain
learners to accumulate more information, consider diverse viewpoints, and approach tasks with a more comprehensive understanding.

Despite the potential benefits of procrastination for some learners, a substantial body of research emphasizes the adverse effects
associated with this behaviour in academic contexts. These detrimental consequences include psychological distress, academic performance
degradation, regret, heightened anxiety, and avoidance of social interactions (Lindner et al., 2023; Steel, 2007). The negative impact of
procrastination on mental health is particularly concerning, as it can lead to heightened levels of anxiety and stress. This, in turn, can create a
vicious cycle in which the increased levels of stress and anxiety could further fuel procrastination behaviour among learners and making it
more difficult for individuals to escape this pattern of procrastination habit (Lindner et al., 2023). Given these wide-ranging negative
consequences, several studies have highlighted the importance of self-regulated learning in addressing academic procrastination (Klassen et
al., 2008; Wolters, 2003).

Self-regulated learning
Zimmerman (2000) defines self-regulated learning as students’ capability to personally generate thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in order to
attain predetermine academic goals. Self-regulated learning also means the students can regulate other factors such as motivation, effort, and
self-esteem during their learning activities (Pintrich, 2000). In this regard, Demetriou (2000) highlighted three important components of self-
regulated learning. The first component is self-monitoring which refers to how the students keep track of their current state or ongoing
activities; having capability to control or known as self-system; and self-modification which is defined as directing the current applied skills
and strategies for future activities. In this regard, students are active in monitoring their progress, reflecting, and then solving the existing
problems to achieve their goals. In other words, students who are highly motivated as well as cognitively, metacognitively, and emotionally
active in the process of learning can be considered as self-regulated learners.

Self-regulated learning encompasses three dimensions namely cognitive, metacognitive, and affective dimensions (Zimmerman,
2000). Cognitive dimension represents the way someone remembers, understands, and processes information (Zimmerman, 2000) which
involves several strategies such as memorising, note-taking, problem-solving, reorganising, and rehearsal strategy (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, &
Mckeachie, 1993). Another dimension which is the extension of cognitive dimension is metacognitive dimension which can be defined as a
controller to direct and manage someone’s thoughts and actions to achieve their goal (Pintrich, 2000). In this regard, metacognitive strategies
consist of time management, setting goals, making plans, monitoring, evaluating work (Zhang, 2010), as well as making decisions to conduct
peer learning and help-seeking (Pintrich et al., 1993). Meanwhile, affective dimension involves efforts to maintain goal-oriented behaviour
(Zimmerman, 2000) which encompasses several strategies such as setting learning environment, doing self-talk strategies, and regulating
emotions during the learning process (Zhou & Hiver, 2022).

In regard to the three dimensions of self-regulated learning, some self-regulated learning strategies can also be applied in the
writing process, including thesis writing. Some strategies to engage in the writing process are planning, idea generating, self-evaluating, self-
monitoring, and reflecting (Magno, 2009). Further, there are three triadic self-regulatory processes in writing emphasised by Zimmerman
(2000): environmental processes, behavioural processes, and personal processes. In terms of personal processes, it includes time planning and
management, where learners should be able to manage and invest their time to write. Zimmerman and Risemberg (1997) further highlighted
that independent thinking and self-discipline are pivotal for writing activity. In other words, students who can successfully plan, monitor, and
evaluate their progress to achieve their goals, and commit to be disciplined in terms of time in writing are more likely to finish their academic
degrees on time. In contrast, a lack of motivation which can refer to losing interest in the set goal, and ineffective performance control
including planning strategies are some of main personal limitations leading to poor self-regulation (Zimmerman, 2000). This failure of self-
regulation may lead to procrastination (Tice & Baumeister, 1997), making it difficult to meet deadlines.
Method
Research Design
This narrative study (Barkhuizen, Benson, & Chick, 2014) is grounded within the constructivism paradigm (Creswell & Creswell, 2018) and
is aimed at earning an in-depth understanding of the mechanical process about the factors arousing academic procrastination during thesis
writing from the experience of EFL undergraduate students. As a research design, narrative inquiry enables researchers to elicit and transform
non-narrative data into a story allowing researchers to effectively convey their interpretation and insights delineated from the data

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(Barkhuizen et al., 2014), Further, Clandinin and Connelly (2000) describe narrative inquiry as magnifying glasses that assist researchers in
exploring and understanding the occurred social phenomena. For these reasons, this design is appropriate for this study since it aids the
researcher in scrutinising minuscule details of participants’ personal life experiences and provides interpretation in a more engaging and
comprehensible way. In doing so, it can facilitate a deeper understanding regarding thesis writing procrastination and its factors within the
most naturalistic settings possible.

Research participants

To recruit the research participants, this study purposively selected research participant candidates under several predetermined criteria. First,
the research participants for this study must be EFL undergraduate students or fresh graduates majoring in English-related degrees. Second,
the research participant needs to have experience in thesis writing. Lastly, the participant needs to undertake a bachelor’s degree longer than
four years. After determining the participant criteria, the researchers started to recruit participants by abiding the ethical procedures of
participant recruitment recommended by Hammersley & Traianou (2012). In detail, the researchers seek assistance from multiple heads of the
English Education Program from several universities in East Java, Indonesia. The heads then recommended several research candidates that
met the research requirement and afterward, we send several invitations to several candidates that will be involved in this study. In this regard,
the invitation informs the participant candidates about research objectives and participation conditions. Additionally, the invitation also
informs the candidates about the potential risks of this study as well as confidentiality assurance of their information. Lastly, it also includes
the right of withdrawal for research participants at any given time.

As a result, three EFL female undergraduate students give a positive reply and volunteer to participate in this study. To ensure
the participants' confidentiality, we give pseudo name for each research participant. In this regard, the first research participant is given Anna
as a pseudo-name. She is 23 years old and an EFL undergraduate learner majoring in English Language Education at one of the public
th
universities in Jember, Indonesia. Currently, she is in her 12 semester and in her final part of thesis writing. We name the second participant
th
as Bella, 22 years old female EFL learner and is currently still finishing her thesis as a 10 semester undergraduate student of English
Language Education Department in one of public University in Surabaya, Indonesia. Lastly, the third participant is named as Clara, a 24 years
th
old female. In her 9 semester, she is already graduated from her bachelors’ degree of English Language and Literatures in one of public
universities in Jember, Indonesia.

Table 1. Participants Demographic Profile

Pseudo Name Gender Age Semester in University

Anna Female 23 12th Semester

Bella Female 22 10th Semester

Clara Female 24 9th Semester

Instrumentation

To illuminate the issue concerning thesis writing procrastination of Indonesian EFL undergraduate students, this study gathers verbal data
utilizing a series of semi-structured interviews (Jovchelovitch & Bauer, 2000). In this regard, the utilization of semi-structured interview can
assist us in extracting the narration from the life-experience of each research participant. In detail, the interview is conducted several times
within the time frame of 30-60 minutes to avoid the potentially occurring interview boredom (Barkhuizen et al., 2014). To bridge the spatial
gap between the research participants and researchers, each of the interview session is conducted in digital environment via Zoom Meeting
Conference and WhatsApp Video Call. Before each interview session, the researcher asks the permission toward every research participants
to video record the interview. It is in order to keep and honour research participants privacy rights. Additionally, in the interview, the
researchers make inquiries about procrastination in thesis writing following the interview guidelines adopted and adapted from previous

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studies (Rahman, 2019) which inquire about the following elements (1) thesis writing difficulties, (2) factors influencing thesis
procrastination, and (3) effects of thesis writing procrastination.

Data analysis

To analyse the verbal data concerning with the factors contributing to EFL learners thesis writing procrastination and their effects, this study
employs thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) following the analytical procedure recommended by Widodo (2014). In detail, after all the
series of interview is executed, we started to analyse the data by repeatedly and constantly listen to the recorded verbal data and further
transcribe it as a means to familiarise ourselves with the data. Next, we started to assign codes to the data and classified them based on the
themes. We defined each of the emerging themes and named them based on their definition. Afterward, we produced the interpretation based
on the result of the theme analysis. Finally, before we present the interpretation, we conduct peer debriefing and member-checking in order to
build the data credibility.

Thrustworthiness

To ensure the credibility of the interpreted data, we employ the trustworthiness method (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) using peer debriefing and
member-checking techniques. In this case, both trustworthiness techniques could aid the researchers in establishing and maximising the
credibility and trustworthiness of researchers’ interpretation of the verbal data. In doing so, during peer debriefing phase, we consult with one
fellow researcher who is experienced in English Language Teaching (ELT) research to review and evaluate the findings of our study and the
interpretation we draw from the findings. It is in order to receive constructive feedback, identify any potential biases or errors in our
interpretation of the data, and ensure our interpretation is robust and credible. As a result, he suggest to further refine the interpretation data of
Clara, so that it can slightly ease the reader to understand the results of our interpretation on Clara’s experiences. Meanwhile, in the member-
checking process, we shared the results of the interpretation with each of the participants via WhatsApp and allow them to review and provide
additional insights or clarification, ensuring the results of our interpretation accurately represented their perspectives and experiences. As a
result, all of the research participants in this study unanimously agree and contend with the results of their respective data interpretation.

Findings and Discussion

Findings
Factors contributing to thesis procrastination

This narrative inquiry study is aimed to gain comprehensive understanding of the elements contributing to thesis writing procrastination
experienced by Indonesian undergraduate EFL learners. Accordingly, the research participants involved in this study narrate their experiences
and disclose myriads of factors which legitimise their delays in thesis writing and as the study progresses, it becomes apparent that the
research participants’ narrative illustrates the intricate nature of thesis writing procrastination.

To start, an initial common theme identified through the participants’ narratives is their struggle with self-regulation, particularly in
adhering to established plans and achieving preset goals. In this regard, they confess.

“… Initially, I had a plan for my thesis writing process. I had set deadlines for different parts of the thesis, like the title

and background, and aimed to finish them by specific dates. However, due to various reasons, I was unable to meet the

goals I had set …” (Bella, February 20, 2024)

“… I set deadlines for each section … but it did not work out as planned …” (Anna, February 21, 2024)

“... When I'm working on my thesis, I set deadlines for myself … but I always end up missing them …” (Clara, February

21, 2024)

The interview excerpts reveal that Anna, Bella, and Clara initially had well-structured plans and goals for their thesis writing process.
However, it becomes evident that various internal and external factors may have impeded their ability to effectively adhere to these plans.
This indicate that research participants in this study lack the ability to regularly monitor, execute, and regulate their activities to meet the
predetermined objectives. Due to that, research participants are proned to get bad influence from any elements which inavitably hinder the
progress of their thesis writing completion.

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Building upon the answer given about research participants' failure to complete their thesis despite initially having well-
structured plans and goals for their thesis writing, we speculate that there may be certain tendencies or habits that influenced their failure to
meet their deadline. Consequently, the participants report their tendencies to procrastinate in working on their assignments during their
undergraduate years. This indicates a recurring pattern of behaviour that likely influenced their struggle to adhere timelines and fulfil
academic responsibilities promptly, as reported by the participants.

“… Usually, I do my assignment near the due date …” (Anna, February 21, 2024)

“... sometimes, I leave my assignments until the last minute…” (Bella, February 20, 2024)

“... maybe because of the habit in my undergraduate day … you know? If it is not a due date, then it is not a do day, so, I

sometimes struggle to finish my assignment near the due date …” (Clara, February 21, 2024)

Afterward, we tried to explore research participants’ struggles in thesis writing to identify specific challenges and obstacles that
may lead to academic procrastination in thesis writing. In this regard, they narrate:

“… truthfully, when I started to write my thesis, I didn’t even know how to start it … I got confused about how to write

my idea in my mind … I find it challenging to string words all together … to shape and expand the topic into academic

sentences, it is frustrating because I know what I want to say, but it's like my ability to convey my ideas falls short .…”

(Clara, February 21, 2024)

“... obstacle I have when writing my thesis is, I somtimes feel difficult to start writing. Sometimes I lack the idea and

insight … confused to deliver my idea on the paper … it hinders me from writing my thesis …” (Anna, February 21,

2024)

Based on the confession of the research participants, both Clara and Anna expressed their difficulties at the beginning of their writing process
which indicated their struggle in thesis writing. First, both narrations clearly illustrate Clara’s and Anna's inabilities to shape and expand their
thesis topics into academic writing. This indicates a lack of ideas and necessary insights for the development of their thesis. Additionally, they
also describe their confusion in articulating their idea and structuring their thoughts into meaningful writings which impedes the process of
their thesis writing. Further, in Clara’s case, her inability to translate her ideas into words leading to frustration and eventually the delayment
of her thesis writing progress.

Besides their difficulties in expressing their ideas, the research participants also describe several factors triggering academic
procrastination in thesis writing. First, Clara recounts her difficulty in concentrating on thesis writing due to external distractions such as a
noisy environment and the allurement of social media on smartphones. According to Clara’s statement, those distractors have high potential to
break her concentration in writing the thesis, and as a consequence hinder her from completing her thesis. In this regard, she states;

“... I get easily distracted by my environment, for instance when I write my thesis in a noisy area, I can easily get

distracted and stop my writing… also, smartphone and social media distract me from continuing my writing …” (Clara,

February 25, 2024)

While Clara’s statement illustrated her challenges in concentrating on her thesis, both Anna and Bella confess that the fluctuation of their
emotional state plays an important role in their thesis writing process as they stated during the interview.

"... battling with my fluctuating mood feels overwhelming … There are times when waves of sadness and anxiety hit me,

making it incredibly challenging to muster the motivation to continue working on my thesis..." (Anna, February 21, 2024)

“... I know I need to finish my thesis as soon as possible, but because of the difficulties … it feels like facing the current,

and I run out of motivation to write it sometime, so I take a break from writing …” (Bella, February 21, 2024)

According to the verbal data, both participants acknowledge their difficulties in thesis writing while shouldering negative emotions such as
anxiety, sadness, and demotivation. The emotional turmoil indicates apparent emotional distress which directly impacts both Anna’s and

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Bella’s ability to remain focused and motivated to progress their thesis writing. As a result, both of their thesis writing process are paralyzed
whenever they are grappled with emotional challenges.

Apart from emotional challenges, Bella and Anna further report challenges occurred due to their interaction with their thesis
advisors. In detail, we find that both participants experience apprehension in seeking advisor feedback. Their apprehension apparently stems
from their lack of confidence in their writing and fear of negative feedback. Further, both Bella’s and Anna’s research advisors tend to delay
in giving timely feedback and suggestions. In Bella’s case, this notion dampens her motivation leading to procrastination in her thesis writing
process. Meanwhile, for Anna, the delay in her advisor’s responses has resulted in confusion and forgetfulness about her thesis content which
eventually impeding her thesis writing progress. These findings are illustrated in the interview excerpts below.

“… I feel nervous to contact my lecturer (thesis advisor) … worried about their response and feedback … There were

times when I was highly motivated to work on my thesis, but my lecturer was not as responsive … ” (Bella, February 20,

2024)

“... Indeed, sometimes I feel reluctant to contact my lecturer (thesis advisor) … they always delay in responding to my

chat … so I sometimes forget about the content of my thesis and how to continue it … I’m confused with their feedback

about my writing … ” (Anna, February 20, 2024)

Interestingly, when we inquire whether Clara faces the same problem in her interaction with her thesis advisor, she denies it and
tells us that her thesis advisors always guide her in her thesis writing progress, as she reports in this interview excerpt.

“... no, I do not have any problem with my lecturer (research advisor) … fortunately, they (thesis advisors) help me a lot

in my thesis …” (Clara, February 25, 2024)

Effect of thesis procrastination

Further, we try to inquire about the effect of thesis procrastination on EFL undergraduate learners’ performance and well-being. Clara
provides her narration as follows;

“... Honestly, sometimes I feel worthless ... I get so down, thinking things like "Why am I so dumb? Why can't I finish

(my) thesis on time?" … stress, feeling low, and being all over the place emotionally … affect how I act every day—I

become more sensitive, easily upset, and quick to give up. It's like my brain just wants to quit, leave my thesis behind,

and call it quits altogether …” (Clara, February 25, 2024)

According to Clara’s story, thesis writing procrastination negatively impacts her emotional well-being. In this regard, Clara’s inability to
complete her thesis promptly thesis diminishes her self-worth leading to self-criticism and a negative self-image. Further, the procrastination
in her thesis also results in heightening her sensitivity, irritability, and a tendency to give up easily. This emotional turmoil has led her to
contemplate quitting her thesis writing.

Similarly, Anna also confesses her feelings of discomfort due to the postponement of her thesis. This discomfort encompasses
negative feelings such as anxiety, self-doubt, insecurity, fear of failure, anger, and frustration. According to Anna’s story, these negative
feelings are the consequence of constant inquiries from her family and friends on the progress of her thesis. Additionally, her fear of the
negative outcomes on her career development due to her incapability to promptly finish her thesis also exacerbated those feelings, as
illustrated in the narration below.

"… It's really difficult having my parents, family, and friends constantly asking about my thesis ... It makes me feel

anxious and like I'm not doing enough ... I start to overthink all the reasons why it's (thesis) not finished yet. I know it's

irrational, but I can't help it. It's so frustrating and makes me feel like a failure. I'm worried that I won't graduate on time

and that it will affect my future career ... It's just so much pressure ..." (Anna, February 21, 2024)

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Further, in Bella’s case, the external pressure and constant questions about her thesis progress lead her to disconnection and social
withdrawal. This reflects Bella’s desire to escape the pressure and scrutiny associated with her thesis writing process. In this regard, Bella
reports;

"... It's gotten to the point where I feel like isolating myself from society. I don't want to see or talk to anyone because all

they ask about is my thesis…" (Bella, February 20, 2024)

Discussions
The main objective of this narrative study is to illustrate the multifaceted aspects of thesis writing procrastination experienced by Indonesian
undergraduate EFL learners. In light of the factors contributing to Indonesian undergraduate EFL learners’ thesis procrastination, this study
found that all of the research participants in this study have lower levels of self-regulated learning capability. It is apparent from the way that
Anna, Bela, and Clara possess understanding of the importance of setting goal and planning but fail to complete on these plans may indicate a
deficiency in their metacognitive capability. Research participants lack of metacognitive capability which encompass inability to monitor,
control, and evaluate their thesis writing progress, greatly affect their writing performance. Consequently, the research participants were
unable to achieve the desired writing plans. In this regard, a recent academic literature (Teng, 2020) supported this finding by reporting that
there are possitive correlation between students metacognitive ability with their writing performance. Meanwhile, past research (Teng, 2016)
highlighted the crucial roles of metacognitive ability in the process of writing by reporting that learners with higher level of metacognitive
ability would outperform their peers in term of writing performance. As one of the important elements in self-regulated learning, students lack
of metacognitive ability could lead to self-regulated failure which possibly results in learners procrastination (Zimmerman & Risemberg,
1997). For this reason, in order to mitigate self-regulation learning failure and improve students metaconitive ability, it is recommended for
policy maker, lecturers, and thesis advisors to conduct workshop or training to enhance learners metacognitive skills (Teng, 2020).

Further, the presence of procrastination habits in their undergraduate years could also be an indicator of a cyclical pattern of
delayed academic engagement which eventually influence Indonesian undergraduate EFL learners’ tendency to spend less effort in regulating
their behaviour leading to procrastination on thesis writing. In line with this findings, Ziegler and Opdenakker (2018) reported that one of the
important elements which significantly contribute to undergraduate students’ procrastination tendency is their effortless behaviour in
regulating their effort to adhere with their academic plans and goals. Further, several prominent scholars (Klassen et al., 2008; Steel, 2007)
also argued that failure in self-regulation is one of the main elements which empower learners’ academic procrastination. In this regard,
Solomon and Rothblum (1984) asserted that poor study habits and inadequate time management skills can contribute on heightening students’
academic procrastination levels. For that particular reason, we suggest for the lecturer or thesis advisor to integrate self-regulated learning
interventions and foster a supportive learning environment in order to mitigate thesis writing procrastination.

It has been clearly stated in findings that the participants are experiencing obstacles during their thesis writing process such as
confusion on how to start writing, how to deliver their idea, and lack of insight. It is due to the participants' insufficient English language
mastery that leads them to fail in expressing their ideas in their thesis which is in line with the findings of Wahyuni and Umam (2022). In the
same vein, Boufeldja and Bouhania (2020) also reported that learners’ inadequate academic writing capabilities, critical thinking skills, and
research persistence can hinder EFL learners thesis writing progress. Consequently, Cassandra et al. (2024) suggest the need to improve EFL
learners’ writing capabilities through various academic initiatives such as writing workshops and training sessions to address the
aforementioned obstacles and support learners in their thesis writing journey.

Further, distraction also identified as another significant factor affecting the progress of Indonesian undergraduate EFL learners’
thesis writing progress in this study. The distraction encompasses EFL learners’ difficulties in concentrating particularly in noisy
environments and mobile gadget-related distractions which are currently prevalent among adolescents. Similar with the finding of this study,
Hong et al., (2021) reported that smartphone has become one of the biggest factors contributing to students’ academic procrastination.
Notably, mobile phones not only contribute to distractions but also instigate severe addictive symptoms, resulting in maladaptive cognitions,
including distraction-related cognitions. In this case, these cognitive disruptions further exacerbate addictive symptoms and increase the
likelihood of chronic procrastination during thesis writing process. On the other hand, the participants' challenges in creating a conducive
learning environment may be attributed to their limited self-regulated learning capabilities. As self-regulated learners are expected to adapt
and establish comfortable and enjoyable learning settings (Zhou & Hiver, 2022), research participants inability to create such learning
environment could indicate a deficit in self-regulated learning strategies. This aligns with the academic procrastination theory, which posits

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that procrastination may result from inadequate self-regulation skills, including the inability to effectively manage time, set goals, and adjust
learning strategies (Steel, 2007).

Furthermore, two other research participants, Anna and Bella, experienced the oscillation of negative emotions leading to anxiety
and sadness which affected their motivation in writing their thesis. These negative emotions arose primarily due to various pressure associated
with thesis writing. While some learners reportedly enjoy writing under pressure due to better results (Choi & Moran, 2009), however, the
research participants in this study did not share the same sentiments. Instead, they found thesis writing to be overwhelming thus failed to
experience the same enjoyment and inevitably fell on procrastinating behaviour. Research has shown that those negative emotions can be the
cause of academic procrastinations (Rebetez et al., 2016). This indicates that the participants of this study have unstable self-motivation and
struggle to regulate their emotions which results in self-regulation failure. In contrast, students who are stable in their self-motivation are more
likely to persist through challenging times and can take control of their learning (Wolters, 2003). For that reason, this study suggests for
educators and advisors to recognize the emotional challenges students face during thesis writing and provide the necessary support to foster
better emotional regulation and sustained motivation.

This study also found that delayed feedback from thesis advisors gives detrimental impact of on Indonesian undergraduate EFL
learners' motivation and well-being, ultimately contributing to thesis writing procrastination. The findings of this study align with Boufeldja's
and Bouhania's (2020) study reinforcing the notion that lack of thesis supervisor support and timely feedback can significantly hinder
students' thesis progress. In the context of thesis writing, feedback serves as a guiding mechanism, helping students navigate the complex
process and maintain their motivation (Hattie & Timperley, 2007). When feedback is delayed, students may inevitably experience confusion,
uncertainty, and reduced self-efficacy, which can worsen procrastination tendencies.

Concerning the effect of thesis procrastination on Indonesian undergraduate EFL learners’ well-being, this study underscores the
emotional toll that thesis writing procrastination can have on Indonesian undergraduate EFL learners. In this regard, the research participants
in this study experienced various negative emotions such as self-criticism, anxiety, fear, and anger, which commonly stem not only from their
difficulties in writing thesis but also from their procrastinating behaviour during thesis writing. Indeed, according to a previous study (Ermiati,
Widiasih, Suryati, & Murtianingsih, 2021) during thesis writing, students are susceptible to various negative emotions such as anxiety,
sadness, anger, and depression leading to various negative outcomes such as social disconnectedness and volatile emotional dysfunction.
Further, several prominent scholars (Lindner et al., 2023; Steel, 2007) reported that academic procrastination is positively associated with
negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and frustration leading to learners’ dropout intention. In the case of the current study, research
participants experienced a myriad of emotional distress and self-criticism leading to thesis procrastination in order to cope with those negative
emotions. In this regard, procrastination has been long seen as a short-term method to cope with those negative emotions, yet ultimately
worsens the situation (Solomon & Rothblum, 1984). To break this vicious cycle, it is crucial to promote strategies that help learners stay
motivated and committed to their academic goals. One such strategy is teacher-peer feedback which involves actively working on manageable
tasks and seeking support from peers or mentors when facing difficulties in thesis writing (Prompan & Piamsai, 2024). By doing so, learners
can boost their confidence and intrinsic motivation, making them more resilient to the adverse effects of procrastination.

Conclusion
The purpose of this narrative inquiry is to elucidate the complex nature of academic procrastination in thesis writing among Indonesian
undergraduate EFL learners. Based on the findings, it is clearly revealed that EFL learners’ deficiency in self-regulated learning becomes
significant contributor to the level of their thesis procrastination. Additionally, the participants' insufficient writing skills which were marked
by their difficulties in expressing coherent, clear, and concise ideas in their writing serve as another reason for the delaying factors of their
thesis writing progress. Another crucial factor which is the lack of immediate and clear feedback from thesis advisors could further
exacerbates the problem, causing even more delays in their thesis writing progress. Furthermore, habitual procrastination in thesis writing
renders the research participants vulnerable to various negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, frustration, insecurity, and self-criticism.
Those negative emotions greatly affect EFL students resulting in social disconnectedness and reduced motivation to continue working on their
thesis.

In light of these findings, this study offers pedagogical implications. First, this study provides valuable insights of factors
contributing to EFL students’ thesis writing procrastination within the field of English Language teaching. Thus, intervention strategies on
tackling thesis writing procrastination which consist of a comprehensive approach that focused on increasing students' self-regulated learning

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skills, improving writing proficiency, and ensuring consistent and constructive feedback from thesis advisors can be developed. Second, as
valuable empirical data, this study highlight importance and significant impact of EFL learners’ emotional well-being during thesis writing
progress. For this reason, educational institution should consider integrating counselling service for EFL learners to tackle with anxiety and
stress particularly during critical period of thesis writing progress. In addition, the role of thesis writing advisor play critical role in EFL
learners thesis writing progress that determine the level of EFL learners’ procrastination habit during thesis writing. In this regard, educational
institution should provide intensive training for thesis advisor on effective feedback strategy and how to support students’ motivation through
their thesis writing journey. Through this training, advisor can give valuable constructive feedback for EFL learners so that it could depress
EFL learners’ procrastination level during thesis writing. Lastly, based on the findings of this study, thesis advisor feedback frequency and
quality determine EFL learners thesis writing procrastination level. In this case, this study suggests for future study to investigate the role of
feedback on EFL learners self-regulated learning capability during thesis writing process.

While this study offers valuable insights and implications for addressing thesis writing procrastination among Indonesian
undergraduate EFL learners, it is essential to acknowledge the limitations presents in this study. First, the current study only involves three
volunteer participants. This results on the restriction of generalizability of the findings. In this regard, this study proposes for future
researchers to investigate EFL learners’ thesis writing procrastination by conducting large-scale studies with more diverse participant. Second,
this study exclusively focusses its attention on female participants. This highlights the need for further exploration on EFL male learners’
experiences in the thesis writing procrastination in order to gain insight from both genders. Additionally, while this study has contributed to
understanding the factors contributing to thesis writing procrastination, future studies should also investigate and develop intervention
strategies to effectively mitigate thesis writing procrastination among EFL learners. Lastly, the specific cultural context of Indonesian EFL
learners may limit the applicability of the findings to learners in different cultural or educational settings. In this case, this study proposes for
future study to explore how cultural factors influence thesis writing procrastination across diverse groups.

Acknowledgement

The authors extend their heartfelt appreciation to the editor(s), anonymous reviewer(s), and anonymous ELT expert for their valuable
feedback. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank the United State Embassy and American Corner Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
for their generosity in funding this research.

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