Abstract

In supervising the theses of graduate students, academic advisors are faced with ethical issues when giving guidance on conceptual frameworks, content, structure, as well as tone and style. In particular, in areas where the written text forms a substantive part of the research, permeable boundaries have developed between the authorship of the student and the implemented suggestions of the supervisor. But how can we as supervisors know when we have crossed these boundaries? When is it legitimate to intervene, and when not? When does academic guidance become imposition? Because theses are primarily about conveying information and demonstrating knowledge, my central claim is that different kinds of knowledge warrant different levels of intervention. I argue that strong intervention is appropriate in propositional knowledge (e.g. in reporting research facts and empirical evidence), that clear guidance and structured exercises are appropriate for procedural knowledge (e.g. how to structure sound arguments, construct substantiated interpretations and write varied and interesting sentences), but that in practical wisdom, there is space only for gentle suggestions and prodding questions