Scopes and Dissertations
On July 10th, 1925, the so-called Scopes Monkey Trial began in Dayton, Tennessee. The trial was actually concerned with a misdemeanor offense resulting in a $100 fine. However, the fallout from this trial changed the world by firmly establishing the concepts of separation of church and state, freedom of speech, and academic freedom. This notion of changing the world with your dissertation is exactly what you should NOT do…
I love talking with doctoral students everyday. Each student has their own unique passions and desires. The all want to change the world in some important way.
Some want to pass their knowledge and experience on to the next generation.
Some want to motivate others to reach for their dreams.
Some want to innovate policies that affect their families, communities, churches, and places of work.
How do you want to change the world? What impact do you envision yourself having after you graduate?
Whatever it is, it’s imperative that you not confuse your dissertation with your life’s work. You have the rest of your life to do your life’s work. Your job as a student is to develop a simple dissertation with a beginning, middle, and end. Get in, get out, and graduate!
So, you can thank the Scopes Monkey Trial for ensuring that you have the right to pursue your academic passions. Just don’t exercise that right via your dissertation.
