Too Much Help Is Not Enough
Part 1
Jill Johnson, a master's student, is preparing her thesis when
one of her committee members is hospitalized. She approaches Dr.
Wood, a tenure track professor who is new to the department, and
asks if he would be willing to serve on her thesis committee. Wood
indicates interest and asks about the timeline involved. Johnson
reports that her thesis adviser Dr. Morris, a tenured professor who
is the department chair, is hoping to stick to the originally
planned meeting date for her prospectus meeting, which is in four
days. Wood states that he will be attending a conference for the
next three days and reminds Johnson that the department's policy
requires that committee members have the manuscript at least two
weeks in advance of a prospectus meeting. Johnson indicates that
she would be willing to move the meeting date and they walk down
the hallway to Morris's office.
Upon hearing the dilemma, Morris asks Johnson to leave her
office. Morris explains that she will let Johnson know what is
decided. Wood indicates that he will not be able to give the
manuscript his full attention before the Friday meeting date.
Morris tells him that she has thoroughly assisted Johnson in
writing the manuscript and that the paper would not take more than
30 minutes for him to read. When Wood insists that he will not be
able to give a 60-page paper his full attention before Friday,
Morris replies that Johnson really won't need much input. She
states that Johnson really just requires a third committee member
to sign off for approval of the project.
Discussion Questions:
- How do the professional interests of Wood and Morris affect
their actions and reactions in dealing with this situation?
- What are the professional obligations of Wood? Morris?
- Discuss possible concerns for Johnson, the student.
- What might Wood's next move be?
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Part 2
Wood insists on delaying the meeting until early the next week
so that he will have time to read the manuscript thoroughly. The
committee assembles for Johnson's thesis prospectus meeting. It is
common practice for all committee members to review the paper's
contents prior to the meeting and then make suggestions or
revisions during the meeting. The committee discusses
recommendations with the student and then either approves or
disapproves the study. If the committee approves Johnson's study,
it gives her the green light to spend the next semester or two
working on the project.
Wood arrives at the meeting with a clear understanding of the
study's methodology based on the well-written prospectus. Following
Johnson's oral presentation, the committee members ask questions of
her. Wood begins by asking questions to get an idea of Johnson's
general knowledge of the methods she proposed to use. When Johnson
is unable to answer, Morris jumps in with a response.
Wood is concerned that, despite having written clearly about her
study, Johnson appears unable to answer even basic questions about
her protocol. Dr. Story, the outside committee member and a close
friend of Morris's, also poses some basic questions to Johnson, and
she responds in a similar fumbling, unsure manner. Morris is quick
to interject answers each time Johnson is asked a question.
It is soon apparent that the study is truly Morris's and that
Johnson cannot provide even basic explanations for the methodology
or for the study itself. When the painfully long meeting ends,
Morris and Story are ready to indicate in writing that the student
can proceed. Wood is not convinced that Johnson has adequate
knowledge of the study methods or the analysis to be used.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the benefits of allowing Johnson to proceed? for the
student? for Wood? for the committee?
- Could anyone else potentially benefit?
- What are the potential repercussions in allowing Johnson to
proceed? for the student? for Wood? for the committee?
- Could anyone else potentially be harmed?
- Do you think Wood should sign off on Johnson's prospectus and
allow her to proceed?
- How much assistance is it appropriate for an adviser to give a
student who is preparing a thesis?
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