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Master's Thesis Procedures

Effective 04/18/05

  • Master’s Thesis Procedures
    • Purpose of a Master’s Thesis
      • The writing of a thesis is a highly valued academic exercise and traditionally regarded as the culminating activity in a master’s degree program. The procedures that follow will guide students in pursuing this option.
        • Students may earn up to six hours of graduate credit for writing a thesis by enrolling in 700 and 701 courses sequentially. Continuous enrollment for an additional 1 hour is possible with the approval of the Committee Chair. Due to the demanding nature of research and writing, all these hours will be offered only in the traditional 16-week format.
        • Students should carefully plan their time to ensure that they develop a workable proposal, conduct the research, write the thesis and get it approved by the Committee in a timely manner. A copy of the completed thesis should be submitted to the major advisor no later than six weeks prior to the date of commencement. The Graduate School should receive a copy for final approval no later than three weeks prior to the day on which the degree is to be conferred.
    • Thesis Committee
      • Candidates should consult their major advisor in constituting a Committee and clarify the role of the Committee members in the research and writing process. The primary responsibility for directing the thesis resides with the major advisor. The Committee should consist of a minimum of three approved graduate faculty including the major advisor in the discipline area. It is advisable to include additional faculty member(s) from outside the discipline because faculty external to the discipline can bring fresh perspectives or provide valuable assistance in the conduct of research.
    • Enrollment in 700 (3 credit hours)
      • The candidate must register for a 700-level course in order to begin the process of developing a thesis proposal. The registration allows the student to receive advice from a member of the faculty and to utilize University facilities in preparation for the thesis. While enrolled for this course, the student is expected to actively work on developing a formal proposal related to an area of research interest under the direction of a faculty member who will be the major advisor or the Committee Chair.
      • At minimum, the research proposal should identify the problem, clarify the thesis statement, select an appropriate research methodology (including the data gathering instruments and data analysis techniques) and provide an effective overview of the scholarly literature. The following general outline may be helpful in developing a proposal.
        • Key concepts and definition of the project. Concisely and clearly state what the project intends to accomplish. What are the basic questions to be explored?
        • Significance of the study. Why should the scientific community be interested in this study? What contribution will it make to the discipline, the profession and the society?
        • Review of relevant literature. How does your research relate to the work of others? Where are the gaps in literature? What do you hope to add to the literature?
        • Methodology. How do you plan to approach the subject? What is your methodology and what instruments or procedures will you use to gather the data/information that you would need to address the questions? What is the justification for the use of this methodology? Do you have the resources to conduct the study, such as access to people, data, archives, collections, time, etc.?
        • Plan of work and timetable. Present a realistic timetable including specific dates by which you plan to complete specific facets of the research. It would help you and the Committee to decide if you can realistically complete the project.
        • Bibliography. Present a working bibliography that includes scholarly books and articles. Naturally, you will revise and expand this bibliography as you continue with your project.
    • Proposal Defense and Submitting the proposal to the Graduate School
      • When the proposal is ready for defense, the student must work with the Chair in setting a date for the proposal defense. The defense must be conducted at least a semester prior to graduation and the proposal must be submitted to the Graduate School once it is approved by the Chair and all members of the Committee (see Appendix C).
    • Human Subjects Protection and IRB review
      • In preparing the thesis proposal, students must be aware that any research that involves human subjects must be approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University in order to assure compliance with applicable federal regulations and University policies. The proposal must be reviewed and approved by the IRB according to the University procedure. Failure to gain the IRB approval will result in denial of the proposal. It is a violation of the procedures to contact human subjects prior to the IRB approval of the proposal. It is highly recommended that the IRB approval be received prior to the proposal defense to avoid the need for substantial revisions based on the IRB review.
    • Enrollment in 701 (3 credit hours)
      • Following the approval of the thesis proposal, students may enroll in 701 and begin data gathering. Data may be collected using qualitative, quantitative, participatory, documentary, or action research methodologies as may be appropriate. The writing of the thesis may then begin with the guidance of the Committee Chair. Students are encouraged to consult the Chair regularly to ensure that they receive timely and useful feedback throughout the research and writing.
    • Thesis Defense
      • An oral defense of the thesis must be satisfactorily completed and approved by the Committee and the result of the defense must be submitted to the Graduate School three weeks prior to graduation (see Appendix C). Thesis defense is open to the University community.
    • Enrollment in 799 (1 credit hour)
      • When additional time is needed to complete the thesis work, enrollment in 799 is permitted in consultation with the Chair.
    • Style and Format
      • Style: The writing of the thesis should consistently follow the style manual approved by the department/school. Recommended style manuals for some disciplines are given below. Always consult the latest edition of the manual. You may wish to peruse the style used in a refereed journal in the discipline for clarification since a thesis is expected to be written in such a way as to be publishable in a professional journal in the discipline.

        Examples:

        Education American Psychological
        Association. Publication Manual, latest version
        published by the Association.

        Humanities MLA Handbook for Writers of
        Research Papers        , latest version.

        Social Sciences Chicago Manual of Style.
        Chicago: University of Chicago Press, latest version.

      • Font and Type: The text of the thesis must be 12-point in a standard font such as Times New Roman.
      • Margins: The margins for each page shall be as follows: Left margin, one and one half inch; all other margins, one inch.
      • Spacing: For the body of the text, use a space and half or double-spacing. Spacing of footnotes, long quotes, bibliography, figures, tables and appendices should follow the style manual you are using.
      • Abstract: Every thesis must include an abstract that summarizes the content of the thesis in no more than 350 words. Abstract may be single or double spaced. (See attached example for suggested format.)
      • Footnotes/Endnotes: Footnotes can be placed at the bottom of the page or at the end of the chapter, depending on the manuscript style you are using. Do not footnote the title page. Footnotes can be single-spaced. Use footnotes judiciously. They are used to elucidate an idea without interrupting the movement of thought in the main body of the text.
      • Assembly of Materials: Assembly of materials in the manuscript will be in the following order:
        • Blank sheet
        • Title Page (do not number)
        • Signature Page (Roman numeral ii)
        • Copyright Page (if desired)
        • Abstract
        • Acknowledgements (if applicable)
        • Table of Contents
        • List of Tables (if applicable)
        • List of Figures (if applicable)
        • Text/chapters (begin Arabic numbering)
        • Literature cited (may be titled Bibliography, References, or Literature Cited)
        • Appendices (if applicable)
        • Permission to copy (if applicable)
        • Vita
        • Blank Sheet
        • (Please see Appendix C for example.)
      • Numbering of Pages: The two blank pages are not numbered; all other pages of the manuscript must be numbered. All preliminary pages are numbered with small Roman numerals beginning with the title page, but the number does not appear on the title page. The signature page is given page number “ii.” The body of the manuscript beginning with Chapter 1 through appendices, and bibliography and vita are to be numbered consecutively with Arabic numbers. The first page of each major division of the manuscript (such as the Table of Contents, Acknowledgments, Bibliography, etc.) and the first page of each chapter must be numbered in the center of the bottom of the page, one line below the one-inch margin. Number all other pages at the top, right-hand side.
      • Format of Title page, etc. The format of the title page, signature sheet, abstract and vita shall follow the guides attached to this procedure.
      • Copyright. If a copyright page is used, it will be numbered number “iii.” Center “Copyright@year” as shown below:

        Copyright 2004
        John T. Goodfellow
        ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

        Registering your thesis for copyright is not required, but you may wish to do so. The Director of the Library will assist you in this process. To register for copyright, send the three pieces of information mentioned below to:

        Register of Copyright
        Copyright Office
        Library of Congress
        101 Independence Avenue, S. E
        Washington, D.C., 20559-600

        • A completed application form.
        • A $30.00 payment to “Register of Copyrights.” (Please check the fee as it may change). The fee is non-refundable.
        • One non-returnable copy of the work to be registered.
      • Your registration becomes effective on the day the completed application and other required items are received by the Copyright Office. You can expect to receive a certificate of registration in 4-5 months. For additional information, please consult:

        http://www.copyright.gov/reg.html
    • Charts, Graphs, Figures, Photographs, Diagrams. All such items must be clear, clean and relevant. If photographs or pictures are used, use of black-and-white copies is preferable to color unless color photographs are necessary. When color photographs or other pictorial items are used, all copies of the thesis must contain original color photographs or pictorial items.
  • Frequently Asked Questions (see Appendix C)
  • Thesis Proposal Form (see Appendix C)
  • Sample Abstract (see Appendix C)
  • Sample Title Page (see Appendix C)
  • Sample Vita (see Appendix C)
  • Checklist for Thesis Students (see Appendix C)
  • Submission of Thesis
    • Only theses that have the approval pages properly endorsed by the Chair and the Committee members will be accepted by the Graduate School. Before the manuscript is bound, a complete copy must be submitted to the Graduate School, five weeks before commencement, for scrutiny and approval. The manuscript must be accompanied by:
      • a. Four signature pages on 100 percent cotton bond, minimum 20lb. paper with each page signed by the Chair and Committee members. No photocopied signatures will be accepted.
      • b. Binding and copyright fees if applicable.

        The Director of the Library will handle binding and copyright.

    • Corrections: Corrections offered by the Graduate School or its representative must be made before the Dean can approve the thesis. After making the corrections, make the final four copies on a good grade of bond paper. Check each copy for order and copy quality before submitting them to the Graduate School. Four copies are required to be bound and they will be distributed as follows: One copy for your department/school; one copy for your major advisor; one copy for the University library; one copy for you. If you wish to have additional bound copies, please make arrangements for binding through the Graduate School. The library copy will be placed on the open library shelves and it will be accessible to the public.

Contact for Interpretation: Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies

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