The Infinite Thesis: Introduction

Author(s): Todd Riggs

Introduction

Scenario

Motivation

Procedure

Footnote

Introduction

This is a project written in 1992 for the undergraduate course in science and engineering ethics at MIT. It discusses issues about the relationship between students and the supervisors of their dissertations that are important for understanding subtler issues about the responsible conduct of research. The report is virtually the same as the one that Todd Riggs submitted except that the names of the interviewees have been removed.

The Scenario

Student 1 has been pursuing doctoral studies in Mechanical Engineering at MIT for four and a half years, having received his M.S. elsewhere. Early in his studies he chose to do a thesis with Professor Z, a fully tenured professor, despite having heard him characterized as "a slavedriver" by fellow grad students. His thesis work was certainly challenging, but he and Professor Z developed a fairly good working relationship, and while Student 1 found Professor Z to be an exacting supervisor, he seemed by no means to be a "slave driver."

One and a half years ago, Student 1 had finished taking classes and devoted himself solely to thesis work, knowing that the complexity of the project he had undertaken would require significant amounts of time. Over a subsequent period of time, Student I had already submitted each chapter of the thesis to Professor Z for review; he suggested incremental revisions in both methods and write-up, which were carried out. The student has now essentially (in his mind) finished his thesis, having met all of the original goals he and Professor Z set forth, and submits his final draft as such. However, when he gives his final draft to Professor Z, it is basically criticized to shreds. Prof Z comments that as written it is wholly unsatisfactory, and that not only would he have to do more revision on the thesis itself, but that he would have to do additional work on his experimental apparatus and gather far more data before it could become anywhere near signable.

Student 1 feels that his thesis, as is, meets or exceeds all of the original goals of the project; he further feels that the additions that Professor Z has demanded go unreasonably beyond the original scope of the project and will require one or more years to complete. What does he do now?

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Motivation

My inspiration for and interest in this project came after an undergraduate friend of mine, one of the harder-working individuals I know, had some 'problems' with the motivational techniques used by his thesis supervisor (e.g. threatening not to sign the thesis unless it was finished by February, etc.). Although everything has been worked out by now, my friend did not need the resultant added stress, especially given that he or she had some rather difficult personal problems to deal with at the time. I determined then to do my project on the problem of the 'infinite' graduate theses at MIT. While the main focus is on the Ph.D. program in Mechanical Engineering, it is a phenomenon which is spreading to the Master's program as well. Combined with the fact that, ideally, I myself will eventually become a graduate student at MIT, I had a vested interest in doing this project.

Procedure

I first developed a scenario to present to professors in Mechanical Engineering, and questions to guide the course of the interview. Professor Whitbeck originally recommended that my first interview be with Professor Emeritus Benson (Ben) Snyder, a Course 9 professor who had conducted a study of MIT undergraduate life and work spanning the decade of the 60s. His discoveries were presented in a 1970 book, entitled The Hidden Curriculum,1 whose conclusions are quite germane to this project, even 20 years later. I was unfortunately unable to obtain an interview with Prof. Snyder, so I instead followed Prof. Kiang's recommendation and 'interviewed' The Hidden Curriculum itself, i.e. read it. I then also met with four professors in Course 2, of widely varying backgrounds and experience.

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Footnote

• 1.The Hidden Curriculum, Benson R. Snyder, (New York: Knopf, 1971)

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Todd Riggs