Keith Russell said:

>>>Which leads us to the sorry state of affairs that many design students 
find themselves in. When design students say they are "practically 
finished" a thesis it often means that the design-as-object project is 
complete (in their minds) except for the literature search (called by most
students the research), the research (unknown to most students as an 
experience), the synthesis of divergent views and theories, the formation 
of
coherent ideas, the formal conceptualising of the project,  the writing up, 
the various stages of re-vision that only writing makes available, the 
subediting to style rules,  the bibliography, the title page, the multiple 
copying and the binding.<<<

I really don't recognise the conditions which Keith describes. Perhaps he 
could explain which students these are (subject, level of study) and what a 
"thesis" is within their programme. At postgraduate level we would not 
accept a piece of design work which did not have a substantial foundation 
of investigation and reflection (both in support of and through the vehicle 
of their creative work).

We make research processes a significant part of undergraduate project work 
and students are expected to present wide-ranging research work alongside 
their early concepts and as an explicit part of the process of identifying 
and developing opportunities. And I have seen good student work from 
Australia which seems to embody these same values. Of course there are 
students who are not bright enough or energetic enough to use research 
properly but I wouldn't register one of those for a PhD.

I would also suggest that, if Keith's experience of students' response to 
verbal criticism is genuinely reflected by:

"you talk critically about my toaster
and I'll kill you".

There must be a fundamental problem in the students' learning. My 
experience as a student and teacher is that students may not like criticism 
but they recognise its place in the process. Of course the spirit in which 
it is offered is extremely important.

Chris Rust ([log in to unmask])
Reader in Design
Sheffield Hallam University, uk




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