Hello--I was going to let this go by, as many people have expressed my own
opinion, but one of the most recent messages struck me as a bit
uncharitable, so now I shall spout. I don't remember the exact
formulation of the original request, but it struck me as not unusual, and,
as the author later wrote, sent to just the right list. I've never had
the impression that people on this list are asking others to do work for
them, and one of the main, if not the main, purpose of this list is for
people to ask questions and for those with knowledge or opinions to reply.
What's wrong with asking about thesis/diss topics? It's certainly
better than working for years on a topic that turns out to be undoable,
which I've seen happen to several in my cohort. Certainly asking others
is not the only work that the student should be doing, but a topic that is
to be centered on contemporary problems should be run by at least some of
the people in the profession. I've also known/heard of people who spend
years looking for a "good" topic because their advisors are just too busy
to give them the required assistance. Finally, I know of at least one
major art history prof. who has a list of topics, pre-vetted for basic
doableness. He interviews prospective PhD students, and if they pass he
just goes to his list and hands them the next name or topic on the list.
As far as I know, his students have a very high completion rate, and
that's really what the M.A. thesis or PhD diss is all about.
Adrienne DeAngelis
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