Talk:Thesis committee

The use of a gender neutral "their" used in the singular is simply poor grammar. Most style manuals suggest using either her or his. While a bit cumbersome, one could write "his/her" or "his or her" etc.

For example: Each student meets with her advisor once per month. Each student meets with his advisor once per month. Each student meets with his/her advisor once per month. Each student meets with his or her advisor once per month.

Never:

• Each student meets with their advisor once per month.

While “their” is indeed gender neutral, it is also decidedly plural and never singular.

Ascuola 02:20, 4 Mar 2005 (UTC)

Thanks for pointing that out. Prescriptivists find it important (and I'll support whatever is in the Wikipedia MoS). I disagree with your view that the first two examples are acceptable, unless a specific sex is being described. "Incorrect" grammar (especially minor) is preferable to ideological bias in contemporary writing. Ideally, of course, both should be avoided. The wording seems to have now settled on a mutually satisfactory form. The JPS 02:53, 4 Mar 2005 (UTC)

US bias

I've added {{globalize/USA}} to this article, as it has a clear US bias. In the United Kingdom, the system is markedly different, e.g. there is always an examiner from outside the candidate's own institution. --RFBailey 09:15, 6 March 2007 (UTC)