Olmos López, Bárbara PamelaOlmos López, Bárbara Pamela; 0000-0002-1211-1985Marín Alonso, Lizbeth Patricia2026-07-132026-07-132026-01https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12371/33417"This qualitative research explores how the MA students write their theses in English as an Additional Language (EAL). Additionally, it explores how the students construct their writer identities and how this construction is influenced by their selected research topics. The research is based on Ivanič's (1998) autobiographical-self component as it focuses on how students' individual experiences, professional aspirations, and educational contexts influence their writing. The research took place in an English Language Teaching master's program at a public university located in central Mexico. The participants of the study include three thesis supervisors and ten master's students. The data was gathered from students' reflective journal entries and semistructured interviews involving both students and supervisors. Thematic analysis was used to analyze this data. The results indicate that choosing a topic is not a static choice but an evolving and negotiated process. While recommendations from supervisors significantly contributed to developing and fine-tuning research topics, students' choices were primarily influenced by personal and professional interests. These elements were intricately linked to how students perceived themselves as academic authors and how they shaped their identities as writers. The research indicates that writing in EAL introduces an extra layer of complexity, since students must fulfill linguistic requirements in addition to academic norms and institutional standards. In conclusion, the research emphasizes the strong connection between topic choice and author identity, providing valuable insights for thesis guidance and academic writing approaches in EAL environments".pdfengHUMANIDADES Y CIENCIAS DE LA CONDUCTALingüística--Lenguaje--Composición--Aspectos especiales--Redacción académicaFilología y lengua inglesas--Inglés moderno--Lenguaje--Estilo--Estudio y enseñanzaEscritura académica--Estudio y enseñanza (Superior)--MéxicoInglés--Inglés escrito--EvaluaciónRedacción de escritos técnicosTesis de maestríaopenAccess