THESIS (Plural Theses) Definition: a dissertation embodying results of original research and especially substantiating a specific view especially: one written by a candidate for an academic degree. 2a : a proposition to be proved or one advanced without proof : a hypothesis.
Since the later part of the 80’s when the Philippine Civil Service Commission revised the Qualification Standards requiring the completion of a Master’s Degree (or having passed a Bar or Board examination) for Division Head positions in the bureaucracy, there was a mass enrollment in graduate schools which sadly has given rise to a number of diploma mills.
A thesis is required for the completion of a Master’s Degree or a Dissertation for a Doctoral Degree. The same is now required, though of less exhaustive research, in undergraduate courses, which usually are written by a team or group.
Incidentally, snacks seem to have also become a part of thesis defenses, to be fair at the full instance of the candidates. A deluge of burgers and fries to speak of, litterali ad nauseam, if one has to sit in several sessions.
So far I’ve edited/read only a handful of scholarly papers worthy of commendation. Many in the undergraduate courses by information technology students came up with practical and user-friendly system innovations. The rest, the weekly assignments are far better in the University that I last attended.
I’m not uninitiated to works that have no social bearing nor universality of impression worthy to be called a dissertation. Many theses also dwell on topics on policies and procedures in his/her employment organization, usually on “degree of compliance”, that in some instances it boils down to a narration of office practices as a conclusion.
Copy paste is one ill that plague most theses, aggravated by not acknowledging the source or author. Downloaded ideas are noticeable as air turbulence aboard an aircraft, a turbulent piece of writing by the author followed by “smooth flying” copy pasted, and so on.
I see no problem of the use of the novel computer application, GRAMMARLY. But does it have the heart and intellect to express precision in thoughts sought to be conveyed?
What is irritating is the “STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM” part, although this is a universal term. But what problem is there to assume when nothing is yet researched, proven, or established? How can one conclude the existence of a problem at the very onset of the activity?
The connotation of the term “problem” creates incongruity making it innately illogical to premise a thesis on a problem, when a state of affairs, policy, or processes as the subject of study may already be substantial and responsive. An audacious conclusion of the existence of a problem without prior verification and analysis.
A thesis statement is more appropriate following the title, where the essential idea of the paper is laid out. This is more in consonance with “the gap sought to be bridged by the study”, maybe to analytically bridge the gap between the negative and positive perceptions of the matter under scrutiny.
The current fad among researchers is the “impact of the pandemic in business activities, or on the educational system”.
For a scholarly contemporary paper, why can’t research be done instead on :
1. The legitimacy of the conclusion that Covid 19 has a greater effect on the so-called “vulnerable age” based on Covid 19 positive cases, as the statistics show fewer cases among Senior Citizens viz those above 18 years old and below 60 years of age.
2. What could be the most practical and . immediate strategy in “flattening the curve” without sacrificing the economy and day to say survival of the average income earners?
3. What are the economic, social, psychological, or political effects of community quarantine?
4. A review of the statistical presentation of COVID cases. Technically a “suspect”, “one with close contact with”, or “asymptomatic” are cases. The general classification but the classification may result in misnomers in terms of “recoveries”. The question may be asked if there is no cure, why the recoveries?
Should theses and dissertation be strictly on a prescribed format, that may restrict the conveyancing of ideas as well as their understanding? Many prescribed formats are repetitive, like Chapter II already exhaustively discussed in Chapter I, which but supposed to be an overview.
The format should be reviewed and more importantly, theses and dissertation should not be for academic requirement compliance only but as an exercise of intellectual excellence
jaime e. masagca
#advocatusdiaboli
#chasinglightschasingdreams
No comments:
Post a Comment