Potential factors in protesting against RA Doctoral Programs

Although unspoken, it appears that a possible factor in certain posters' vehement protestations against RA doctoral programs may be due to the rigorous scholarship requirement intrinsic to producing a viable dissertation. In effect, it is conceivable that these protestations may be compensatory in nature and in actuality may conceal a great deal of apprehension re: the entire dissertation process in addition to the structured course requirements of these RA programs.

I am not noting this impression in an effort to negate, embarrass or condemn others who may have these underlying feelings. There is no doubt that the entire dissertation process heightens many individuals' fears and anxiety of potential failure. However, it is important to broach this subject in order to understand rather than to overreact to those who may experience such trepidation but who may not express these anxieties overtly.

 

This is the issue where anyone selects any degree from any institution because it appears to be an easier road. This may be through:

* selecting an accredited Masters that 'appears' to have a heavy requirement, whereas it is repackaged undergraduate units;
* selecting a less than wonderful school that does not 'insist' on quality to the same degree that a top RA/accredited school would;
* selecting a RA/accredited school with a lesser reputation arising from lower/more variable standards.

In any event, it does get back to what we are prepared to accept as individuals, and what our personal true assessment of quality is. We have a lot of discussion on another thread here about someone's South African degree - is it of doctoral quality, and/or is it of the doctoral quality expected from the degree? Maybe the real issue there is what was the cadidate prepared to accept as a requirement - not taking sides either way in that debate.

Where ever I have my degree from, I should, if I am a true scholar, have no hesitation in defending it if I have NO doubts as to the degree of rigour involved. Maybe the true test, is what I demand from myself and the standards that I set for myself, irrespective of what i am studying and where I am studying.

These comments are NOT put in a pro-anti RA/accredited conext.

 

Then there is always the point that what is "heavy" to one person is easy to another.

I personnally do not find research and writing hard, but raterh enjoy it (working on my second book, and have 15 technical articles published). And feel no need to demonstrate my knoweldge in general engineering topics. So I have an application in to a doctoral program that has a slightly greater emphasis on research and writing over classes.

Hopefully will here soon! Application has gonme through the Graduate School is now at the department level, of course they just finished finals and are between semesters.

 

But your typing is not too good is it? "Rather", "knowledge" and "gone" are mispelled. If you are going to emphasize "heavy" should you not also emphasize "easy." And, did you use the incorrect "here" where you should of used "hear." Could "just finished finals" and "are between semesters" be a little redundant? We must be careful when we are tempted to impress with our superiority!

 

????

Howard, you may wish to enlighten us dickhead engineers as to why you don't consider your second sentence to be in the form of a question ... and commencing a sentence with 'BUT' used to show up your unfortunate zip code

Peter French
DipProdEng MIIE
Australia

 

Don't be a Grammarian; it's the first step toward becoming a Nitpick.

 

spelling and grammar

Many people use forums in a conversational manner.

If one was to spend a half-hour proof-reading and grammar and spell-checking every post, they could officially be classified as anal retentive and by social convention would be required to kill themselves.

 

Howard,

In the future, please comment on the *topic* rather than on the poster's grammar and syntax. While your post is relatively polite, it does focus on the individual rather the topic he's discussing, and all that does is make the other person defensive.

If you wish to make such comments in the future, I'd appreciate it if you'd do so via email. Thanks