Thesis-writing remains a must for students
By Qiu Quanlin (China Daily)
Updated: 2004-04-27 22:08

For some university students, preparing a thesis in order to graduate can be a major source of anxiety and frustration or the ultimate homework nightmare.

The anxiety it creates can get worse for those who are frequently interrupted in their writing by holding down a part-time job.

To avoid such interruptions or the anxiety caused by the writing, some, with a simple Internet log-on, and a few clicks of a mouse, can go to websites where papers can either be bought online or downloaded for free.

Some describe their excuse for such cheating as "unavoidable," arguing they are under pressure to find jobs before graduating and have little time to finish writing their papers.

University authorities insist that all students have to go through the thesis-writing process before graduating, however, since it proves their mettle.

Tu Yanguo, a professor of the Wuhan-based Central China Normal University, reportedly made a controversial suggestion that this assigned writing paper for students be cancelled.

"The assigned thesis requires a great deal of research, but most students are not going to conduct scientific research after graduation," he said.

Despite his suggestion, many education experts call on students to finish the writing by themselves.

The Ministry of Education reaffirmed early this month that such projects are essential for students' future individual development.

The Guangdong Provincial Education Bureau issued a document last week stressing that appraisal of theses for students in order to graduate should be strengthened.

In Guangzhou, capital city of South China's Guangdong Province, a university authority has stipulated that all students should add signed "honesty statements" at the end of their theses.

"This is to tighten regulations on thesis writing and implement strict academic discipline on students," said an official from the university, who declined to be named.

"The statement is also to let students bear in mind that they should be responsible for their behaviour, either in studies or social activities," he said.

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