[basil]

This young lady is fortunate, indeed, to have you as her father and role model. Tell her to stay the course, and she will win in the end--regardless of what grade she is given on this exercise. If I were she, I would also point out that the whole assignment is skewed toward the conclusion at which they are hoping the students will arrive.

[Jeff Head]

Yes, great "critical thinking" exercise isn't it.

Here's the thesis, now go manufacture/find data to support it.

As opposed to here's the data, what does it tell you ... and support your findings/thesis in fact.