r tells the student
of the articles to be read or requires him to find the sources of
information for himself.

=Thesis=

The thesis may be a description of some original design, or a critical
review of some engineering construction, or an account of an
experimental investigation. The thesis differs from other subjects in
the college curriculum in that in the latter the student is expected
simply to follow the directions of the instructor, to study specified
lessons and recite thereon, to solve the problems assigned, and to
read the articles recommended; while the preparation of the thesis is
intended to develop the student's ability to do independent work.
There is comparatively little in the ordinary college curriculum to
stimulate the student's power of initiative, but in his thesis work he
is required to take the lead in devising ways and means. The power of
self-direction, the ability to invent methods of attack, the capacity
to foresee the probable results of experiments, and the ability to
interpret correctly the results of experiments is of vital importance
in the future of any engineering student. Within certain limits the
thesis is a test of the present attainments of the student and also a
prophecy of his future success. Therefore, the preparation of a thesis
is of the very highest educational possibility. Unfortunately many
students are too poorly prepared, or too lacking in ambition, or too
deficient in self-reliance and initiative to make it feasible for
them to undertake the independent work required in a thesis. Such
students should take instead work under direction. Further, it is
unfortunate that, for administrative reasons, the requirement of a
thesis for graduation is made less frequently now than formerly. The
increase in number of students has made it practically impossible to
require a thesis of all graduates, because of the difficulty of
providing adequate facilities and of supervising the work. Again, it
is difficult to administer a requirement that only part of the seniors
shall prepare a thesis. Consequently the result is that at present
only a very few undergraduate engineering students prepare theses.

=Graduate work=

All of the preceding discussion applies only to undergraduate work.
Only comparatively few engineering students take graduate work. A few
institutions have enough such students to justify, for administrative
reasons, the organization of classes in graduate work, but usual