How Much Help Is Too Much?
The Department of Chemistry at Anywhere University (AU) has
established a number of requirements for the Ph.D. degree,
including successfully completing several courses, engaging in
original research and publishing the results, and passing a number
of cumulative exams. These exams are given three times a semester
and cover the four major areas of chemistry. In order to meet the
requirement, students must pass exams in more than one area. It is
the department's policy that the topic and the identity of the
faculty member preparing the exam remain secret until exam
time.
Part 1
James is a graduate student who is just completing his second
year in the AU chemistry program. When he first enrolled in the
program, the requirements for completing the Ph.D. were explained
to him.
James decided to join the research group of Dr. Brown, a senior
member of the department and chose a project that Brown said would
produce results and not be difficult. Although James did not like
the project, he began the experiments and continued them on Brown's
assurances of results.
Now two years into his graduate career, James has completed the
required courses for his degree, but has failed to pass a single
cumulative exam. Seeing that one of his students is in trouble,
Brown decides to aid James on the exams. As a faculty member Brown
knows who will be giving the upcoming exams. Brown begins to
suggest to James exactly which articles and books would be helpful
in preparing for the exam, a clear violation of departmental
procedure. Over the next year James is able to score well on all of
the exams he takes and completes his requirement. Although many of
the departmental faculty and students are aware of this situation,
no one challenges Brown.
Discussion Questions:
- What are advisers' responsibilities when they see that students
are struggling? What are the responsibilities of the student? The
department?
- How much help should Brown (or any professor) provide? What
determines the appropriate level of help when a student is
struggling?
- When faculty or students are considering complaining about
unfair or unequal treatment, what issues should be considered in
determining a course of action? Are any issues specific to the
faculty? the students?
Part 2
Three more years pass, and James is finishing his fifth year in
the program. James has put in long hours and worked hard, but his
experiments have failed to yield reproducible results. Brown and
James meet to discuss his impending graduation. During the meeting
Brown reminds James that he needs to publish in order to complete
the departmental requirements. As the meeting progresses, James
indicates his lack of interest in continuing the project. Brown
concludes that it is time that James finished and moved out of the
lab, but he realizes that James cannot graduate without assistance.
Therefore Brown decides that he will add James's name to a paper
that he (Brown) is writing based on data collected by an
undergraduate. Although James has not contributed in any way to
this research, he agrees to the plan.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the criteria for authorship?
- Is James's effort in a failing project sufficient reason to
include him on the manuscript? Why or why not?
- Brown encouraged James to begin the project initially. What is
his responsibility when the project fails to yield reproducible
results?
Part 3
Once the article is published, James begins to write his
dissertation. Although the literature portion of the dissertation
is his own, the research chapters are simple expansions of the
paper to which his name was added and which he has studied
thoroughly. At his defense, James makes his presentation and is
asked to leave the room while the committee discusses his
accomplishments. During this discussion, the members of the
dissertation committee conclude that James has not completed the
minimum requirements for the degree (i.e., conducting and
publishing original research). However, many of the committee
members are friends of Brown. With some lobbying, the committee
decides to award the degree to James.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the dissertation committee's responsibilities? Did
James's committee fulfill these responsibilities?
- What are the expectations of a person with a Ph.D.? Does James
meet these expectations?
- What are the consequences, if any, of awarding James the
Ph.D.?
- What alternatives are/were available to the dissertation
committee?
Part 4
After his graduation, ABC Chemicals hired James to work on drug
discovery. While James was interviewed like every other candidate,
the strength of his recommendations secured him the position. After
only six months, however, it was clear that James was incapable of
completing even the simplest research tasks. He has cost the
company time and resources by failing to complete his experiments.
One of ABC Chemicals' senior scientists, Dr. Georges, is a former
student at Anywhere University. Georges decides to call his former
adviser; after a brief conversation, he learns the story of James's
graduate training. Incensed that AU would award James a Ph.D.,
Georges immediately calls the department chair as well as the dean
of the graduate school threatening to inform the American Chemical
Society (ACS) if some action is not taken. Fearing a loss of
certification, the dean sends a memo to the chair indicating that
he should "take care of the problem."
Discussion Questions:
- Should James's Ph.D. be revoked? Can it be revoked? Would
revocation of his degree undermine the assumption that the faculty
will be fair and impartial in their evaluation of students?
- What, if any, action should be taken against Brown? the other
sources of James's letters of recommendation?
- Should the journal to which the paper was submitted be alerted
that James's name was added to the paper inappropriately?
- Should the ACS be alerted to this incident, or should Georges
wait until he hears from the chair about what will be done? What
criteria could be used to determine his course of action?
- What alternatives are/were available to Georges?
- Should ABC Chemicals develop a new company policy to ensure
that recently hired employees are competent?