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0 - Dissertation and Thesis Handbook Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation Cratis D. Williams Graduate School August 2012

Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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Page 1: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

0 - Dissertation and Thesis Handbook

Student Handbook

For

Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

Cratis D. Williams Graduate School

August 2012

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The purpose of the dissertation and thesis is to demonstrate your competence to investigate an original research topic and to report the findings with full documentation, development, and complete tabular presentation in a manner that can be understood by both an individual knowledgeable in the topic and an individual whose advanced training is in another discipline. Selecting a subject worthy of investigation is one of the most significant aspects of graduate work. The student should choose a topic with thoughtful consideration and with the recommendation of the graduate advisor. Even though the research itself may be the most important aspect of the dissertation and thesis, the clear and effective communication of the research is of prime importance. This handbook is designed to help the student navigate the process, including scheduling the major milestones as well as formatting the manuscript.

MILESTONES AND DEADLINES FOR

THESIS AND DISSERTATION PREPARATION Milestone or Essential Step When????

Selection of Chair and appointment of Committee.

As early as possible, preferably at least two semesters before you plan to defend. Note: Chair and committee members must be graduate faculty.

Submission of Committee Approval Form and full prospectus or approved thesis topic description to the Graduate School.

Before or when you sign up for thesis or dissertation credit.

Admission to Candidacy Before enrolling in thesis or dissertation credits. Candidacy is reported on the Committee Form.

Final approval for human subjects (IRB) or animal subjects (IACUC) research if needed.

Prior to any data collection for research. You must complete the CITI training before receiving approval; see the graduate school website for access to the training.

Apply for graduation. In the first month of the final semester; late application is possible, but may mean a delay in receiving a diploma.

Submission of nearly final draft of entire manuscript to Committee At least two weeks before scheduled defense.

Email announcement of defense. At least four days before defense.

Defense and submission to Graduate School.

Defense: At least ten working days before the last class day of the semester of graduation. Submission: At least seven working days.

Review of manuscript in Graduate School.

Time needed will vary, with a max of 15 business days; manuscripts that have only minor content, grammatical or formatting errors will be approved quickly. Significant errors may cause you to graduate in a later term.

Correction and resubmission of manuscript to Graduate School. As quickly as possible.

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Notification of readiness for the binding process.

Will be communicated to you via email once the manuscript has been cleared.

Submission of final copies for binding and the electronic copy for the online repository.

As quickly as possible, but before official graduation date. Extensions into the break between terms is possible, but must be requested by the program director or committee chair. Delaying into the next term will result in graduating in the next term.

Commencement. All students are encouraged to attend the ceremony; you will be recognized and hooded individually on stage.

THE COMMITTEE

Committee Assignment and Approval Early in your academic career, you should seek advice from your department chair, graduate program director or advisor on the department procedure for setting up a Committee. Steps in the formation of the committee include:

1. Determining the content area of the proposed project. 2. Meeting with the advisor, department chairperson or program director to discuss the

feasibility of the project. 3. Appointing a Committee composed of graduate faculty, which is then approved by the Dean

of Research and Graduate Studies. You must file the Committee Membership Form with the Graduate School before registering for dissertation or thesis credit. The prospectus or a summary of approved thesis topic as well as IRB or IACUC approval must be included with the Committee Membership Form. Committee Membership The Chair must be a member of the department housing the program. The Committee composition is as follows: at least three members including the Chair. The Chair must be a member of the Graduate Faculty; the other Committee members may be Graduate Faculty members or affiliates. If the research topic is interdisciplinary, the Committee Chair may direct the student to another department for assistance in developing the topic and may suggest that a graduate faculty member from that department serve on the Committee. At most one committee member may be from another department or from a University other than Appalachian. A faculty member from another institution may be appointed to the committee, provided 1) the institution is accredited, and 2) the faculty member has a Graduate Faculty appointment at that individual’s institution. Duties of the Committee Members The Committee Chair is the student’s primary mentor, and • directs the student’s research project and submits a grade of SP (successful progress) or UP

(unsuccessful progress) at the end of each term of enrollment; • ensures that the student has complied with all federal regulations covering the use of human or

animal subjects in the research project; • assists the student by redirecting, limiting or expanding portions of the research when an

adjustment is deemed appropriate; • identifies research funding sources and writes letters of support when the student applies for

funding;

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• informs the student of all deadlines and milestones in the process, and makes sure that the student understands all University policies related to the completion of a dissertation or thesis;

• convenes regularly scheduled committee meetings so that committee members stay informed of the student’s progress;

• reads and evaluates all drafts; • obtains agreement from the committee that the final draft is ready for a defense; • schedules the defense; • chairs the defense; • makes sure that the student incorporates all revisions, corrections, and suggestions resulting from

the defense; • certifies that the final copy submitted to the Graduate School is written in correct English, is

formatted correctly according to the guidelines of this handbook, and is free of factual errors.

A Committee Member • provides ideas, suggesting additional or new avenues of research; • brings to the student’s attention all relevant announcements regarding funding, deadlines,

conference opportunities; • attends all scheduled committee meetings to keep abreast of the student’s progress and the

suggestions made by other committee members; • reads and evaluates preliminary drafts as necessary; • reads and evaluates the final draft; • participates in the defense; • assists the director in ensuring that the manuscript that is submitted to the Graduate School is

written in correct Standard Written English, is formatted correctly according to the guidelines of this handbook, and is free of factual errors.

THE PROSPECTUS A formal prospectus is the first document submitted in the course of writing a dissertation or thesis for many graduate programs. The prospectus should set forth the nature and limits of the research project and should generally include:

• An introduction to the problem; • An indication of previous research of a similar nature; • A justification of the research project; • A statement of the problem, along with any hypotheses under consideration; • An indication of methods and procedures; • A listing of relevant bibliography; • A proposed time-line for the completion of the project.

Use this bulleted list as a general guide. Be sure to discuss the prospectus development with your advisor. Most programs have specific requirements for timeline, content, and format.

The prospectus serves as the contract between you and your Committee. A copy of your prospectus or approved description of your topic should be given to each member of the Committee and to the Committee Chair, a copy should be filed with the graduate program director or department chair, and a copy, along with IRB or IACUC approval if appropriate, should be attached to the committee membership form and submitted to the Graduate School for approval.

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Prospectus Approval The prospectus approval process involves the following steps: • You and Committee Chair work together on defining a topic and determine whether the student

should seek IRB approval for human subjects research or IACUC approval for animal subjects research.

• Committee Chair arranges a meeting of the full committee at which time you present the proposal for the research or creative work. In most programs, the prospectus defense is a formal scheduled event.

• The committee approves, recommends modification, or disapproves the prospectus. (There is no limit on the number of times a student may be required to present a prospectus to the committee.)

• Once the prospectus is approved, it is recorded in the office of the director of the program. • You work with your committee chair to write the appropriate request for either IRB or IACUC

approval if necessary. Following submission of paperwork to IRB or IACUC (if required), bring your documentation packet to the Graduate School. That packet consists of the prospectus, committee form, and IRB or IACUC paperwork. If there are any unresolved issues with the materials in the packet you will be contacted via email to your Appalachian email account. If the Committee membership and prospectus or topic description are approved, you can proceed with your research and register for thesis or dissertation credits using a special course form.

RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMAN OR ANIMAL SUBJECTS Human Subjects The primary responsibility for insuring ethical treatment of human subjects is the joint responsibility of the student and the Committee Chair. All graduate students whose research requires the use of human subjects must go through the mandatory CITI training program, which is available online. The links to the training modules are available on the Graduate School website. Research involving human subjects will require the filing of a human subject clearance form with supporting documentation for review by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Copies of the guidelines for treatment of human subjects, the application forms, and the links to the training modules are available on the Research and Sponsored Programs website under Research Protections (http://www.orsp.appstate.edu). Animal Subjects Appalachian State University is committed to providing optimal care for the animals used for teaching and research. To this end, the University complies with Public Health Service policy related to the care and use of laboratory animals. All graduate students whose research requires the use of animal subjects must go through the mandatory CITI training program, which is available online. The links to the training modules are available on the Graduate School website. It is the responsibility of all researchers, both faculty and students, to have all protocols involving the use of animals reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) prior to initiating the project. Copies of the guidelines for treatment of human subjects, the application forms, and the links to the training modules are available on the Research and Sponsored Programs website under Research Protections (http://researchprotections.appstate.edu/).

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THE MANUSCRIPT The dissertation or thesis will represent the culmination of an independent research project conducted by the student and will show command of the literature and research methodology of the specialty. The manuscript should be written in English and in conformity with accepted standards for research writing in the appropriate discipline. In special cases, languages other than English may be used; the substitution is not permitted as a matter of the student’s convenience but may be allowed when the student has sufficient skill at composition and has a research topic that is especially suited to treatment of the second language. The graduate dean must approve in advance the use of a language other than English. The manuscript must meet the requirements of the most recent edition of the style manual appropriate to the discipline in which the work is being done. In addition, to meet Graduate School requirements, the manuscript must include the components listed below. You should check with the committee chair for the appropriate style manual to use. Commonly used style manuals include:

• Publications Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th Edition, American Psychological Association. http://www.apastyle.org/

• The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses and Dissertations, 7th Edition, The Modern Language Association of America. http://www.mlahandbook.org/

• A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 7th Edition, University of Chicago Press [Author: Kate L. Turabian]. http://www.press.uchicago.edu/books/turabian/manual/index.html

• The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Edition, University of Chicago Press. http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org

Consistency in all matters of style and form is the rule to follow throughout the manuscript. Don’t use dissertations or theses from earlier years as a guide! Style matters change, readers might have missed a formatting issue in an earlier manuscript, and style manuals are revised periodically; always use the latest edition available. A dissertation or thesis submitted to the Graduate School must conform to the formatting and manuscript conventions described below. When this Handbook differs from the style manual that you are using as a guide, the requirements of this Handbook supersede those of the style manual. Assistance from the Writing Center If you wish to get feedback on punctuation, grammar, or other writing style issues, help is available in the University Writing Center, housed in the Belk Library and Information Commons. Check the website [http://writingcenter.appstate.edu/] or call for an appointment at 262-3144. Be sure to tell the writing consultant which style guide you are using and take this Handbook with you to the meeting. A good sample to take with you would include a page with a table, footnotes, first page of a chapter, the bibliography, and pages showing your subheadings. Organization of the Manuscript: Front Matter The following pages should come before the main text of the manuscript. Some are optional, and some are not. In most cases, the format required for these first pages is very specific. There are examples of each at the end of this document. Get the Graduate School staff to check the format for these pages before defending! Title page. This page is required, and the format must be followed exactly. The title appears on the title page in all capital letters two inches from the top. Your name as author must be your legal name.

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Make sure that you spell your degree and the name of the University correctly. The date on the title page must be the month and year of your graduation (not your defense), i.e., the date on your diploma (e.g., May 2013, August 2013, December 2013 – Notice that there is no comma between the month and the year when the day is not listed). The title must occur consistently in every respect on not only the title page but also the abstract and approval forms. Signature page. This page is required, and the format must be followed exactly. The signature page must include the title of your dissertation or thesis exactly as it appears on the title page, and signature lines over the names of the Committee Chair, the committee members, the chairperson of the department, and the Dean of the Research and Graduate Studies. Make sure that you have spelled all names and titles correctly. Be sure to double check the format before your defense! It is best to avoid mistakes on this page in order to avoid having to get all the pages resigned. Copyright page. This page is required, and the format must be followed exactly. Dissertations and theses will be publicly available through Appalachian’s Library and online repository, and the copyright statement constitutes notice that the work is the property of the author and may not be reproduced without permission. Abstract. This is required, and the format must be followed exactly. An abstract of not more than two pages must be included with the finished manuscript. The abstract, which must adhere to the same style manual, should include the following information: statement of the problem, methodology or procedures, and conclusions or major findings. Be sure to follow the required format and structure it as in the example. Acknowledgments (optional). If you received a GSAS Research Award, a Graduate School Research Grant, the Zigli or Joyce Lawrence Awards, or any form of external funding to support your research or creative activity, you should acknowledge those sources here along with persons who were instrumental to the completion of the research. This page should be entitled “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” with a top margin of 2 inches. Dedication (optional). If you wish to dedicate the work, you may do so with a brief statement on a separate page entitled “DEDICATION” with a top margin of 2 inches. Table of contents. This is required, and the format must be followed exactly. The Table of Contents should reference the Abstract page and all subsequent pages, and should list all page-number designations, in Roman or Arabic numerals, for each major chapter/section, and subsections if required by the style manual in use. Do not list the table of contents in the table of contents. List of tables (optional). This page should be included if required by the style manual used or if the tables will not appear near where they are referenced in the text. For example, some styles require all tables to appear at the end of the document, in which case a list of tables is required. Table numbers and titles should be listed fully and exactly as they appear in the text. List of figures (optional). This page should be included if required by the style manual used or if the figures will not appear near where they are referenced in the text. For example, some styles require all figures to appear at the end of the document, in which case a list of tables is required. Table numbers and titles should be listed fully and exactly as they appear in the text. Foreword (required for theses following an alternate format). In an effort to allow ease of submission for publication, students may seek permission from the committee chair and the Graduate School for the thesis to take the form of a set of articles for submission to journals. This page is required for any

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thesis that deviates from the traditional organization as described in this Handbook. It should explain the reason for the deviation (e.g., conformance to a specific journal submission style for publication). Notes: • No deviation in pages before the foreword will be allowed. • Dissertations are required to follow the traditional organization, so a foreword is not necessary. Organization of the Manuscript: Main Body Following the front matter described above, the main body text should be presented and documented according to the conventions in the style manual used, and should be written in grammatically and mechanically correct, formal English. The text should be arranged into clearly demarcated chapters or major sections. Each chapter or major section should begin on a new page with a header margin of 2 inches on the first page. Traditional Organization Traditionally organized dissertations and theses will have the following large divisions, although the specific content and organization of each division may vary. Every chapter must be written and formatted in the same style. Chapters that have already been published in scholarly journals may be included, but citation formats must conform to the rest of the manuscript.

1. Introduction. This chapter should present an overview of the research, providing some background information designed to put the research in context within the discipline.

2. Review of the Literature; Review of Research. This chapter contains a more detailed discussion of the research or creative endeavors upon which the new work is based. In some disciplines the Introduction incorporates this review; in other disciplines the review is a separate and very substantial section. Both methods are acceptable, and you should follow the method most commonly accepted in the discipline.

3. Description of the Research; Development of Creative Work. This part of the manuscript will typically comprise several chapters, including the methodology, research strategy or development of the original work.

4. Results; Conclusion; Summary of Findings. The last part of the manuscript should contain a summary of the conclusions drawn from the work as well as an indication of possible future work in the subject. This conclusion may be an entire chapter or may be included at the end of the last chapter, but a clear indication of the findings should constitute the final text in the manuscript.

Alternate Thesis Organization The alternate form described here is to accommodate theses in which the main body of the document is one or more articles formatted for submission to a specific journal.

1. Introduction. This chapter should provide an overview of the research and the literature review if not included in the articles. If there is more than one article included in the thesis, this chapter should also describe how the research detailed in the articles is related.

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2. Article(s) Formatted for Submission. This chapter (or chapters) should include the complete text for the article(s) formatted for submission to the appropriate journal, including a reference section. Note: Each article chapter can be formatted differently if submitting to separate journals. However, there should be a separate consolidated reference section in the Back Matter that is formatted using the style chosen for the introductory chapter.

3. Results; Conclusion; Summary of Findings. Brief statement of conclusions and future

research, which may be incorporated into the article or intro chapter if more appropriate. Organization of the Manuscript: Back Matter Glossary; List of Symbols; List of Abbreviations (optional). The glossary is used to define the specialized terms used throughout the manuscript. In some disciplines, a definition section appears early in the body, e.g., in the introduction. However, other disciplines prefer a glossary at the end of the main body or in an appendix as an alternative to the list of definitions. The glossary is to be double-spaced throughout and must maintain the required margins and spacing. Endnotes (optional). Endnotes that are listed separately from bibliographic citations must conform to the most recent edition of a discipline’s style manual. Bibliography; Works Cited; References (required). The bibliographic citations must conform to the most recent edition of a discipline’s style manual. The Bibliography may be divided into two separate parts if desired: Works Cited and Works Consulted (or References Cited and References Consulted). In consultation with the Committee Chair, you should decide whether to have a single Bibliography or List of References or a Bibliography or List of References in two parts. Both are acceptable, although specific conventions vary from one discipline to the next. Appendices. The appendices are presented in the order that they are mentioned in the manuscript. A separation page can be created to precede each appendix or the title of the Appendix may appear on the first page of the Appendix. If there is more than one appendix, use upper-case letters to identify appendices (i.e., Appendix A, B, C, etc.). Examples of appendix items: Computer codes, survey instruments, IRB approval, etc. Vita (required). This page is required and should be the last page of the document. A brief biographical sketch of the author must be included in each dissertation or thesis as the last page in the document and must be listed in the Table of Contents. The sketch may include: place of birth; names of parents; marital information; educational background (schools attended, degrees earned, years in which degrees were complete, and major field of specialization); permanent mailing address; current professional status; professional experience; future professional plans. This is not a resume, but rather several paragraphs describing the author. Remember that a copy of the thesis will be available in the publicly accessible online repository Worldcat.org. The sketch should not include: items that would be an invasion of your privacy, such as your home address or highly personal details.

FORMATTING AND PRODUCING THE MANUSCRIPT All Appalachian theses and dissertations must be produced according to the following instructions, and this supercedes the disciplinary style manual.

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Paper The single copy submitted after the defense for Graduate School review should be on ordinary paper. This copy will be reviewed and marked before being returned to the student for revision (if revisions are needed). All copies submitted after you receive approval from the Graduate School for binding and processing must be on paper that is 8.5 x 11 inch, 20-pound weight, white or very light cream in color, acid-free, at least 25% cotton content (archival quality) paper. The recommended Appalachian watermark paper is available in the University Bookstore. All final copies must be free of streaks and smudges, and must be correctly aligned on each page and single sided. The exception to page size: Music Composition theses may include composition-sized paper. Margins The left margin must be at least 1.25 inches to allow for binding. The top, bottom, and right margins must be at least 1 inch. The text may not go beyond these margins, with the exception of the page numbers, which may appear within the margin allowance. Illustrations and photographic materials must conform to the margins of the paper. Graphics must be clear and legible. In order to fit large tables or figures on a paper, it may be necessary to place them broadside on the paper, rotated so that the top of the item is on the left. The margins for these pages must conform to the margin requirements. Large tables may be reduced if needed. The page number should be typed in the appropriate location after the rotation and/or reduction. Foldout pages (materials larger than 8 ½” x 11”) may be included in the manuscript. Caution should be used in folding these pages because the document is trimmed during the binding process. A fold in the right-hand side should be 1.5” from the edge. A page is not to begin or end with only one line of a paragraph. At least two lines of a paragraph should be at the end of a page or the beginning of a new page. Adherence to this widow and orphan rule may create a bottom margin that is larger than 1 inch, which is fine. Tables, Figures, Images, and Graphics Illustrations and photographic materials may be included in the manuscript and must conform to the margins of the paper. Graphics must be produced in high quality and be clear and legible. Color images and graphics are allowed where the color helps in readability.

In order to fit large tables or figures on a paper, it may be necessary to place them broadside on the paper, rotated so that the top of the item is on the left. The margins for these pages must conform to the margin requirements. Large tables may be reduced if needed. The page number should be typed in the appropriate location after the rotation and/or reduction. Font, Spacing, and Indentation

• The text throughout the body of the manuscript should be double-spaced using a reasonable sized font (10, 11 or 12) and a “serif” font face (Times New Roman, for example). Text should be black; color may be used in figures if the addition of color results in better readability of the figure.

• Use of single spacing should be used only if allowed by the style manual and only for special purposes such as blocked inset quotations, footnotes, bibliography entries, and within figures or tables of five lines or more.

• Headers for chapters should begin two inches from the top of a new page, title case in bold. • Paragraphs should be indented consistently; setting tabs is highly recommended.

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• Footnotes may be indented if desired, and if so should be indented consistently, usually in the same manner as the paragraphs.

• Bibliographic citations should begin at the left margin. Lines beyond the first for bibliographic citations should be indented consistent with the paragraph indentation.

Page Numbering The pages listed below are counted as pages i, ii, iii, and iv but no page numbers are printed on these pages.

i. Title page ii. Approval page

iii. Copyright page The pages listed below are numbered in lower-case Roman numerals typed on each page centered in the bottom margin. Numbering runs consecutively from the title page to the last page before the introduction. All Roman numerals should be positioned in the center of the page, within the bottom margin.

Abstract – should be page iv Dedication Acknowledgments Table of contents List of Tables List of Figures Foreword

Starting with the first page of the main body, all subsequent pages (including back matter) are numbered with Arabic numerals on each page. The first page of the text (typically the introduction) begins with number one (1), and the numbering runs consecutively to the end of the manuscript. The Vita / Biographical Sketch receives the last page number. All page numbers for these pages should be positioned either at the top right corner or at the bottom in the center of the page. Page numbers may be within the 1-inch margin, provided they are at least half an inch from the edge of the page. You may either number the first page of each major section/chapter or leave that number off the first page; just be consistent. Footnotes and Endnotes If you choose to use footnotes or endnotes for citations or other additional information, be sure to reference and format them consistently throughout the manuscript. Footnotes should be single spaced, and if a footnote is very long, it should be broken within a sentence and carried over to the next page. Most word processors will do this automatically. Previously Published Material Chapters that have already been published in scholarly journals may be included, if you are the primary author. If you are not the sole author of the previously published materials, all authors must grant you permission to include the work in your manuscript. You should note this permission on the copyright page. For example, “Chapter 3 (Comparison of Surface Data and Theory) was published previously and is reprinted with permission of co-authors J.W. Smith and P. Forrester.” Be sure to provide a full reference in your bibliography.

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Inclusion of Multimedia Elements If your manuscript includes multimedia elements that do not reproduce well statically on the printed page, you may include a CD or DVD with your document. Examples include interactive web pages, video files, audio files, etc. Please note that the usual copyright rules apply when including other people’s work on the CD or in your text. When bound, the CD will be placed in a holder attached to the inside back cover of the monograph, and you will need to supply a copy of the CD for each copy you wish to have bound.

Proofreading and Word processing You should produce the manuscript according to the requirements of this Handbook and the most recent edition of the appropriate style manual from the discipline. The work should represent the best research and writing of which you are capable. When you submit your dissertation or thesis to the Graduate School for approval, the readers check the manuscript for the following:

• Format as required by this Handbook • Conformity to the appropriate disciplinary style manual in all matters not addressed by

the Handbook • Correct Standard Written English • Absence of mechanical errors (misspellings, words left out, etc.) • Consistency between in-text citations and references • Consistency of formatting for all headers, page numbers, figures, tables, etc.

You are responsible for proofreading the manuscript carefully (or arranging for careful proofreading) before presenting the manuscript to the Graduate School. Grammatical and typographical errors, and poor word-processing quality must be corrected before the manuscript can receive the graduate dean’s approval. If the manuscript displays numerous errors or poor text quality, your graduation may be delayed to a later term.

THE DEFENSE Scheduling and Notification You must defend the research. Because the final draft must be submitted to the Graduate School seven working days before the last day of a semester, the defense should be scheduled to allow time to make final corrections to the manuscript before submitting it for Graduate School review. Consider the following timeline when planning the defense:

1. At least two weeks before the defense, you should submit a close-to-final draft of the entire manuscript to all committee members. The draft should be complete and in acceptable format.

2. Within one week, the committee should return the draft to the committee chair with written criticisms and statement of conditional approval. In some cases the committee will meet directly with you as a group or individually to go over comments with you.

3. If the committee recommends substantial changes, the chair will typically meet with you to decide on the best plan of action.

4. The defense should be scheduled with sufficient time before the submission deadline for you to make final corrections after the defense; if there is a general agreement among the committee members that your draft is ready, the committee chair schedules the time and place of the defense.

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5. The committee chair sends to the following a memorandum of invitation to the defense, with the abstract included (email is preferred): faculty members interested in the topic (minimally all faculty in the department), the department chair, the program coordinator, the dean of the college, the dean of the graduate school, and other graduate students in the department or program. This notification should be sent at least four working days before the defense.

6. Immediately after a successful defense, you should turn in all signed signature pages and one copy of the manuscript on plain paper for review.

If a defense is not successful, the committee confers with the student on the work to be done before another defense is attempted.

GRADUATE SCHOOL APPROVAL AND FINAL DISPOSITION OF THE THESIS OR DISSERTATION

Immediately following your successful defense, the committee and the department chair sign, in ink, all copies of the approval page for the official copies to be bound; each program sets its own required number of paper copies, with a minimum of two: one for the library and one for the academic department. All copies to be bound must have an original signature page. Following are the steps for completing the above process: 1. When all corrections are made after the defense, you take the corrected copy on plain paper and

original signed signature pages on archival quality bond to the Graduate School at least seven working days prior to the last day of regular classes.

2. The approval copy must have a cover sheet providing your contact information and must specify the style manual consulted for the manuscript (or a copy of an article or book chapter demonstrating the style used).

3. The Graduate School reads the document, notes any corrections to be made, and returns the manuscript with corrections noted back to you for revision.

4. Once any required corrections have been made, you return the corrected manuscript along with the pages noting the revisions. The Graduate School checks the corrected document. If the manuscript is in good form, the Graduate School notifies you to make final copies on archival quality bond and to prepare the PDF document for the online archive.

5. Once you have been given permission to proceed with making official copies, you will pay for having the work bound at the Student Accounts office.

6. Each official copy should be put into a separate manila envelope with the your name, department, and degree written on the outside. The cashier’s receipt for binding must be submitted as well.

7. When the copies have been turned in for binding, the Graduate School will complete the “Authorization for Information Entry on the Official Graduate Transcript.” This will notify the Registrar’s Office to enter the dissertation or thesis title on your transcript.

8. When the Graduate School receives the bound copies from the bindery, the Graduate School will distribute the two required copies as follows: Library and Department. All other copies will be mailed to the address you specify.

GRADUATION AND COMMENCEMENT When you have successfully completed all program requirements—including the dissertation or thesis—you are eligible for graduation. All students must apply for graduation during the first month of the semester in which they intend to complete program requirements and graduate. Application forms are available at the Graduate School and on the Graduate School’s web site. You must apply to

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graduate in order to trigger the checkout process, even if you are not planning on attending the ceremony. There are two commencement ceremonies: May and December. Summer and Fall graduates are recognized at the December ceremony, Spring graduates are recognized in May. Each graduate student will be introduced and hooded on stage individually. Attendance at the commencement ceremony is desirable but not required. You can purchase the commencement regalia—cap, gown, and master’s or doctoral hood, or specialist scarf—through the University Bookstore.

REFERENCES American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological

Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Modern Language Association of America. (1998). The MLA style manual and guide to scholarly

publishing (3rd ed.). New York: Author. Turabian, K. L. (1996). A manual for writers of term papers, theses, and dissertations (6th ed.).

Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Page 15: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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Thesis/Dissertation Committee Membership Form

The Committee consists of a Chair and at least two additional committee members, all members of the graduate faculty, at most one of the three may be from outside the home department/program. To: The Dean of Research and Graduate Studies We, the undersigned, agree to serve as members of the Thesis / Dissertation (please choose one) Committee of: , BANNER ID , who is approved for admission to candidacy and has developed the attached acceptable prospectus or outline entitled: Research Compliance—Check all that apply: The research involves human subjects*. IRB approval date: *any data collected from or interaction with people as subjects, including surveys, interviews, etc. The research involves experimental animals*. IACUC approval date: *any work with vertibrate animals in research or teaching The research involves international collaborations or travel. (Export controls briefing may be required.) The research involves chemicals, biological samples or agents, ionizing or non-ionizing radiation, or

nanomaterials. (Compliance reporting may be required.) Signed: Printed Name Signature of Chairperson, Thesis/Dissertation Committee Printed Name Signature of Committee Member Printed Name Signature of Committee Member Printed Name Signature of Committee Member Printed Name Signature of Committee Member I recommend the appointment of the above Thesis/Dissertation Committee.

EXAMPLE Committee

Membership Form

Page 16: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

Dissertation and Thesis Handbook - 15

Printed Name Signature - Department Chairperson Department Date Dean, Research and Graduate Studies Approval:

Submit one copy of this form with the Prospectus or description of research topic to the Graduate

School.

Page 17: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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“THEN ‘TIS THE POET’S TIME”: EMERSON, THOREAU, DOUGLASS AND THE VERBAL ASSAULT ON HARPERS FERRY

A Thesis by

JANET KEMPER BECK

Submitted to the Graduate School Appalachian State University

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS

May 2001 Department of English

EXAMPLE Title Page

Notes: Month is graduation month (May, August or December) and

there is no comma between the month

and year

or Dissertation

specific title of your degree DOCTOR OF EDUCATION

MASTER OF SCIENCE EDUCATION SPECIALIST

Etc.

Location of your program: Doctoral Program in Educational Leadership

Center for Appalachian Studies Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

etc.”

2 inches

Page 18: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

Dissertation and Thesis Handbook - 17

“THEN ‘TIS THE POET’S TIME”: EMERSON, THOREAU, DOUGLASS AND THE VERBAL ASSAULT ON HARPERS FERRY

A Thesis by

JANET KEMPER BECK May 2001

APPROVED BY:

Bruce Dick Chairperson, Thesis Committee

Grace McEntee Member, Thesis Committee

Emory Maiden

Member, Thesis Committee

Daniel Hurley Chairperson, Department of English

Edelma D. Huntley Dean, Research and Graduate Studies

EXAMPLE Signature Page

Notes: Make sure the names are spelled correctly before

getting signatures! Also note date (same rules as title page).

or “Dissertation Committee”

or “Director, Doctoral Program”

1 inch

1.25 inches

Page 19: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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Copyright by Janet Kemper Beck 2001 All Rights Reserved

EXAMPLE Copyright Page

Notes: The word “copyright” constitutes notice to the general public that this

work is the property of the person who wrote it and may not be reproduced or

used in any fashion without that person’s permission. The copyright does not have to be registered; however, registration

with the copyright office in Washington, D. C., is useful in case litigation ensues.)

Page 20: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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Foreword

The research detailed in this thesis will be submitted to The Journal of Cell Biology,

an international peer-reviewed journal owned by The Rockefeller University and published

by The Rockefeller University Press. The thesis has been prepared according to the style

guide for the Journal.

EXAMPLE Foreword

Notes: Insert a foreword whenever the format must differ from the handbook.

Please note that this deviation must be approved before submission to the Graduate School.

2 inches

1.25 inches

Page 21: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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ABSTRACT

“THEN ‘TIS THE POET’S TIME”: EMERSON, THOREAU, DOUGLASS

AND THE VERBAL ASSAULT ON HARPERS FERRY. (June 2001)

Janet Kemper Beck B.A., East Carolina University

M.Ed., University of North Carolina, Greensboro M.A., Appalachian State University

Chairperson: Bruce Dick

The text of the Abstract starts on this line with a paragraph indentation. Please write this

abstract aimed at an audience of professionals in your discipline or a related discipline who may be

unfamiliar with your specific sub-field. Avoid jargon and abbreviations. Remember that this is the

only thing many people will read when looking for information through Google scholar or World Cat.

EXAMPLE

Abstract 2 inches

1.25 inches

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Dissertation and Thesis Handbook - 21

1.25 inches

Table of Contents

Abstract ............................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................. vi List of Tables ................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures .................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1: Introduction and Literature Review .................................................................. 1 Chapter 2: Experiment 1 ................................................................................................... 13 Method ................................................................................................................. 13 Results .................................................................................................................. 15 Chapter 3: Experiment 2 ................................................................................................... 18 Method ................................................................................................................. 18 Results .................................................................................................................. 21 Chapter 4: Conclusions and Suggestions for Further Study ............................................. 25 References ......................................................................................................................... 30 Appendix A ....................................................................................................................... 33 Appendix B ....................................................................................................................... 35 Vita 40

EXAMPLE

Table of Contents

Note: To get leaders (the dots) between the section names and the page numbers in Microsoft word: Before typing, set tabs using the Format/tabs command as follows. 1. Go to the format menu and choose the Tabs... command. 2. Set the tabs for the text by typing in the tab stops. In the example above there is one level of indent at 0.5 (inches). Press set for each one you wish to use. 3. Set the location of the right tab (where the page numbers should line up) by entering the tab stop (for example 6.0), selecting right alignment and choosing the dotted ...... leader. Press set and you should see the leaders appear when you type and press the tab key. Already typed in your table of contents? That is fine; highlight the entire thing and then follow the above directions.

2 inches

Page 23: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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1.25 inches

Vita

David John Cholmondeley II was born in Florence, Italy, to David and Shelby

Cholmondeley. He graduated from Andover Academy in Massachusetts in June 1992. The

following autumn, he entered Manchester University to study History, and in June 1995 he

was awarded the Bachelor of Arts degree. In the fall of 1995, he accepted a research

assistantship in History at Appalachian State University and began study toward a Master of

Arts degree. The M.A. was awarded in June 1997. In September, 1997, Mr. Cholmondeley

commenced work toward his Ph.D. in International Trade at Georgetown University.

Mr. Cholmondeley is a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Epsilon Lambda, and

remains active in scouting as a troop leader. He resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife

and four children.

.

EXAMPLE Vita: note the

paragraph style; this is not a

resume

2 inches

Page 24: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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Table 2. Means, Standard Deviations, and t-Test Values on Dependent Measures as a Function of Participation in Extracurricular Activities Variable Activitiesa X SD t(34df) _

PSCI Score Number of Body Parts Size of DAP (mm) Ability to Balance (sec) Number of Body Parts

ECA no ECA ECA no ECA ECA no ECA ECA no ECA ECA no ECA

13.21 12.90 10.35 10.70 134.59 127.70 12.43 10.50 15.12 15.10

2.29 2.73 3.71 2.71 62.6 44.4 10.20 9.55 2.05 1.85

.32 .31 ns -.31 ns .51 ns .02 ns

aECA=Extracurricular Activities, n=26 No ECA=No Extracurricular Activities, n=10

EXAMPLE Table

1.25 inches

Page 25: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

24 - Dissertation and Thesis Handbook

Figure 2. Phase III – the moving of the knee under the barbell during the pull period (movement is shown as a progression from left to right)

EXAMPLE Figure

1.25 inches

Page 26: Student Handbook For Dissertation and Thesis Preparation

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Fi

gure

8. S

ome

exam

ples

of t

he e

xper

imen

tal c

urve

s obs

erve

d

EXAMPLE Figure in

Landscape Mode

The page number still needs to be

positioned the same as on other pages. (in MS Office, you can rotate pictures and change the text

direction for the caption)

1.25 inches