Review Report on the PhD Thesis of Marjan Masoodi „Metacognitive Awareness in University Studies: The Comparative Study of Lithuanian and Iranian Cases“

The Thesis, titled “Metacognitive Awareness in University Studies: The Comparative Study of Lithuanian and Iranian Cases”, comprises 145 pages, an Appendix with 14 pages, a summary of the Thesis in English, followed by a section detailing dissemination of research findings in academic journals and conferences, and a Curriculum Vitae, which cover altogether 39 pages, and a similar section in Lithuanian, covering also 39 pages. The Thesis ends with an abstract written in both English and Lithuanian. This structure is coherent and flows logically from chapter to chapter. The main body of the Thesis consists of an introduction, four chapters and a conclusion. In the introduction, the relevance, significance and originality of the research are highlighted and discussed in a satisfactory manner; the scientific problem, the aims and objectives framing the study are presented clearly, as well as the methodology employed. The introduction also underlines some limitations of the study. The candidate recognizes that the characteristics of the sample make it difficult for results to be generalized, and acknowledges the restrictions associated with the use of self-report questionnaires. Good suggestions are also made as to how the research could serve as the basis for further investigations. This is an exercise of intellectual honesty which is highly commended and, from my perspective, should be a prerequisite of any PhD candidate.