Abstract: Objective To investigate the quality of graduation thesis in preventive medicine undergraduates in a medical college, and analyze the existing problems for evidences to improve the quality in writing graduation thesis. Methods Theses were sampled from six classes of undergraduates majoring preventive medicine, graduated in 2019 in a medical college. Questionnaire survey was used to investigate items included the factors affecting determination of design of the research topic, time investment, effort and professional guidance from the teachers and awareness of the plagiarism in paper writing. Results A total of 137 copies of questionnaires were distributed in the 6 graduating classes, and 131 were effectively retrieved, with a recovery rate of 95.62%. Among them, 91.60%(120/131) of the graduates considered the research topic was not innovative; 56.49%(74/131) of the graduates completed their first writing in 3-6 months; Only 20.61%(27/131) of the students thought that the advisors played important roles in the completion of their theses; 51.15%(67/131) of the students know what plagiarism is. Conclusion Quality of the topic selection design needs improving in the graduation thesis of preventive medicine undergraduates; advisors should be competent in their own study fields so that they can give professional guidance to the students in paper writing; and the school authority should attach more importance to the plagiarism in students in composing their papers in order to improve the students’ awareness of correct paper writing as well as the quality of academic papers.

Key words: Graduation thesis, Undergraduates, Medical college, Quality of thesis