I dread research papers.  

They require me to fabricate theses, and while fabrication is usually delightful, these professors want evidence. They want peer-reviewed journals and articles and documents that back up my fabrication.  

This, in turn, means that I cannot actually fabricate! If I want full points (which I do), I must wade through online sources and libraries, and read articles galore to develop an idea that actually has credibility.  

And do you know what credibility sounds like in a research paper? Dull. 

Very dull. 

Only academics normally read academic journals on a normal basis. If my hypothesis is based on their words, aren’t I just regurgitating what they’ve said? 

This is not what I aim to do, but this is what research papers feel like. 

By the end of the research, my thesis is something I find obvious and no longer care about, or something so dry and specific that I will probably never read about it again. 

So why on earth would I write a 15-page paper about it? 

The act of making the paper meet ridiculous page requirements sucks all the interest out of it. There’s only so much one can say about something, and it’s for a reason. At a certain point in a paper, I’m just wasting your time. 

It really is curious. Why do professors feel the need to make us do research papers? 

Research paper writing is for researchers. (I.E. Not me, not here.)  

And yes, I know the real reason: exposure. Writing a research paper must be a fundamental skill in the liberal arts academic world. 

They want us to build into writing lovely theses for master’s degree and then PhDs. And perhaps, a small percentage of us will go on to use these specific skills, those who are alright with being professional students. 

However, I would be perfectly fine if I didn’t write another research paper in my life. 

Apologies to all my humanities professors. 

Sincerely, 

Dimi Jordan 

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Note:

On a side note, not everything is for everyone, and this works to reveal the intent behind the talents God has given each of us. That’s the upside. 

It’s like something I read in a book once. Now that I know I don’t like it, it’s one career to cross off the list. My likes and dislikes help me narrow down God’s specific purpose for me. 

Ultimately, I’m grateful to even have the opportunity to discover my dislikes in such a privileged setting.

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What are your dislikes and likes within academia, if any? Get specific with me. What does that one teacher in 5th period require that makes you want to drop out?