REQUIRED AND OPTIONAL SECTIONS OF A THESIS OR DISSERTATION

Generally, a thesis or dissertation consists of four major parts: the abstract, the preliminaries, the text and the reference materials. Some theses and dissertations also include appendices. Table 1 contains a list of all of the major and minor parts and the order of placement within the body of the thesis or dissertation.

Table 1. Status and usual order of placement of the parts of a thesis.

  	Parts of a Thesis				Status

	  I) Abstract..................................	Required

	 II) Preliminaries
	     a)	Title Page ............................	Required
	     b) Dedication.............................	Optional
	     c) Biography..............................	Required
	     d) Acknowledgements....................... Optional
	     e)	Table of Contents...................... Required
	     f)	List of Tables......................... Required
	     g)	List of Figures........................	Required
	     h)	List of Symbols or Abbreviations.......	Optional

	III) Text...................................... Required

	 IV) Reference Materials.......................	Required

	  V) Appendices................................	Optional

The parts to be included in any given thesis or dissertation should be determined by mutual agreement between the student and his/her advisory committee. Each major and minor part of the thesis or dissertation is described briefly below.

ABSTRACT (Required)

·        THIS IS THE FIRST PAGE OF A THESIS OR DISSERTATION

·        The abstract's purpose is to present the most important findings and methods of the thesis or dissertation research, thus providing a basis for readers to determine their interest in reading the full text. For these reasons it is important that the abstract be as explicit as possible about major findings and methods used.

·        Page Header: ABSTRACT

·        Abstract Header is single-spaced.  View Example for Header format.

1. All Capital Letters-- Last name (comma) first name (period)

2. Title of work (period) (THE TITLE HERE MUST EXACTLY MATCH THE TITLE ON YOUR TITLE PAGE.)

3. Put in parentheses (Under the direction of ____.) Insert the name of your chair

·        Double space between Abstract header and text of Abstract

·        NO PAGE NUMBERS ON ABSTRACT

·        Limited to 600 words maximum

·        WORD LIMIT FOR PhDs is 350 for the one photocopy that is attached to Doctoral Dissertation Agreement Form (the 350 word limit includes header, title, and every word on the page) - NOTE: For many, a reduced abstract is created just for this purpose, and the regular abstract is used for the original work.

See the Example Abstract

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TITLE PAGE (Required)

·        THIS IS THE SECOND PAGE OF A THESIS OR DISSERTATION
***Note Thesis for master and a Dissertation for doctoral***

·        In choosing a title, the author should try to include key words that accurately identify the unique or special aspects of the study and that distinguish it from other work; therefore, the use of such expressions as "A Study of" should be avoided. Clear titling is especially important for indexing and informational purposes. The title submitted on the final copies of the thesis or dissertation does not have to match the title submitted on the student's Plan of Graduate Work.

·        Use the required format—view our examples

·        No page numbers-- The title page is never numbered but is considered to be the first page of the preliminaries

·        Make sure the title exactly matches that on the abstract, but no period after it

·       Title Page will be signed by all committee members

                    * Exception: for Doctoral candidates, the Graduate School Representative does not sign it

·        MAKE SURE THE DEGREE PROGRAM IS LISTED, NOT THE DEPARTMENT OR CONCENTRATION. See Programs for an complete listing of the programs as they should appear on the title page.

·        The individual members of the advisory committee must indicated by adding their names beneath the individual signature lines on which each will sign;

·        The committee chair or co-chairs should be identified by adding "Chair of Advisory Committee" or "Co-chair of Advisory Committee" beneath the name under the signature line(s) on which each will sign

·        NOTE: For electronic submission, only one originally signed title page is required, but the student may wish to have more pages signed at the defense to insert into bound copies.

See Master Example Title Page

See Doctoral Example Title Page

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DEDICATION (Optional), BIOGRAPHY (Required) AND ACKNOWLEDGMENTS (Optional)

These sections are personal to the student and may contain any appropriate information which the student may wish to share with the reader. There are no length requirements or limitations. The dedication and acknowledgments are optional, but the  biography is required. These sections should appear in the order listed as shown in "Parts of a Thesis". 

·        Dedication thanks one person or a small group that had the greatest influence

·        If included, it must be page number ii (this must be roman number two and in lower case only)

·        Double space/Space and a half—spacing matches remainder of document

·       This is the only place where there can be foreign language. If there is foreign language, there must be an English translation located on the page. English translation is required

See Example of Dedication.

·        Must be page number ii or iii if it follows a dedication (this must be in lower case roman numerals)

·        Double space/Space and a half—spacing matches remainder of document

See Example of Biography.

·        This is where you can thank everyone and anyone that had an influence on your education, life, etc

·        Must be page number to follow biography in lower case roman numerals

·        Double space/Space and a half—spacing matches remainder of document

See Example of Acknowledgements.

TABLE OF CONTENTS (Required)

·        Must be page number in lower case roman numerals

·        This must include all that follows it in the work, but nothing that proceeds it, and not a listing for itself.

·        All of the headings and subheadings exactly as they appear in the body of the thesis.

·        Must include a bibliography or references

·        Must include appendices if they are included in the work

·        First entries will normally be List of Tables, List of Figures (if there are any tables or figures in the work)

·        Each listing must have periods or a line connecting the text to the page numbers

·        The page numbers required to be in an exact straight line

See Table of Contents Example.

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LIST OF TABLES AND LIST OF FIGURES (Required)

• If there are any tables or figures appearing in the thesis or dissertation, lists of these are required.  There will be a separate list for each included immediately after the Table of Contents
•  These would be the first listings listed in the Table of Contents
•  Each list includes the page numbers on which the tables and figures can be found.
• The descriptive titles in these lists must be identical with those in the text, but only the descriptive titles (not the explanatory notes) should be included.
•  Each list appears on a separate page
•  Each listing must have periods or a line connecting the text to the page numbers
• The page numbers required to be in an exact straight line
• Page number in lowercase roman numerals following sequential order

See Example of List of Tables.

See Example of List of Figures.

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LIST OF SYMBOLS, ABBREVIATIONS OR NOMENCLATURE (Optional)

·        When many abbreviations and/or symbols are used, a separate List of Symbols, List of Abbreviations or Nomenclature with appropriate definitions should be included for the sake of clarity. Such lists should be included following the List of Tables and List of Figures. When abbreviations or other symbols are used, they should be uniform throughout the thesis or dissertation and consistent with the recommendations of the style manual, journal or book which is used as a model in preparing the thesis or dissertation. It is not required to have these.

·        If included, must be listed in Table of Contents

·        Page numbers in lower case roman numerals, to follow in sequence from the pages preceding

·        Each list on a separate page

·        Each listing must have periods or a line connecting the text to the page numbers

·        The page numbers required to be in an exact straight line

TEXT (Required)

Immediately following these items, the body of work will begin.  It may be with the introduction or chapter 1.  Whatever it is, the page number will be 1, Arabic.

General Organization

The organization and format of the text should be appropriate to the nature and scope of the research reported. Generally, the text includes an introduction or preface and occasionally both, a clear statement of objectives, an appropriate review of previous research, a description of the materials and methods used in the thesis or dissertation research, a record of results obtained, interpretive discussion of results in the light of other research, and a summary of the significant findings of the study. Recommendations for future research should be included.

Use of the Decimal System as an Organizational Tool

For theses and dissertations of great complexity involving extensive cross referencing and multiple subheadings, a decimal type of organization is suggested. If the decimal system is used for major and minor divisions of the thesis, it must also be used throughout the entire thesis or dissertation, including the list of references and the appendices. It must also be used for numbering equations, tables and figures. Once a suitable system of subdivision is selected, it should be followed consistently throughout the thesis; combinations of the decimal and the conventional or non-decimal systems are not acceptable. (See examples in Table of Contents and List of Tables sections.)

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LIST OF REFERENCES, LITERATURE CITED OR BIBLIOGRAPHY (Required)

The thesis or dissertation should contain appropriate documentation--that is, references to original literature relevant to the research presented in the thesis or dissertation. In the humanities and the social sciences, this documentation is achieved through footnotes or endnotes which, in most instances, refer to what is called a bibliography; in the sciences, engineering and technology, documentation in the text may be by author's name or by number and refers to a list of what are called literature citations.

·        Required to be listed in Table of Contents

·        May be done at the end of each chapter, or at the end of the work

                      There are possible formats for these:

1.      Listed alphabetically

2.      Listed in sequential order as the appear in the text

3. Required to be in the format of the style guide you are using

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APPENDICES (Optional)

·        Appendix Introduction page is required if there is an appendix--a page labeled "Appendix" or "Appendices" centered on the page with nothing else on the page but the page number.

• Appendix Introduction Page Example

·        Must all be numbered, in sequential order following the other pages of text

The appendices should be used for whatever material the student or the advisory committee believes should be included but would not be appropriate in the text of the thesis or dissertation. Such materials can include:

• the original data obtained in the thesis or dissertation research, including computer programs and printouts, surveys, correspondence and so forth;
• detailed outlines of procedures which go beyond the general descriptions of method and approach presented in the text of the thesis or dissertation;
• a particularly extensive review of literature and other information that may be useful to future scholars who may wish to delve more deeply into the thesis or dissertation research topic.

Appendices are often used as a repository for these kinds of information when the main body of the text is prepared in the form of manuscripts suitable for publication.

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