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Brandeis University's Community Newspaper — Waltham, Mass.

Letter to the Editor #3

Published: November 11, 2005
Section: Opinions


Nowadays, every professor demands that each paper clearly state a thesis and then defend that thesis to some conclusion. This way of thinking is outdated and ineffectual. The thesis hurts intellectual development more than it helps.

First of all, adhering to a template in which you must prove a thesis stifles creativity. Many valid and interesting observations must be left out of papers because they do not directly prove or disprove a
thesis.

Secondly, what is the point of stating a conclusion at the beginning of an academic paper? The only person reading this paper is a professor, who is obligated to read to the end of the paper. If they are stuck reading the entire thing anyway, why cant they wait until the end for the conclusion?

And lastly, a thesis killed my dog.

In conclusion, there is overwhelming evidence that the thesis sucks ass. It should be eradicated from the traditions of higher education and replaced by the Stream of Consciousness model.
Leah Berkenwald