Graduate Thesis Guidelines

Introduction

The Graduate Thesis Guidelines includes requirements for the thesis chair, committee members, and student. Requirements in this document supersede requirements in the academic units.

Thesis Student, Chair, and Committee Responsibilities
Style Manuals
Organization of the Thesis
General Instructions for Preparing the Thesis
Thesis Submission
Policy for Addressing Allegations of Misconduct in Scientific and Scholarly Research
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Sample Title Page
Sample Approval Page
Checklist for Thesis Students
Typing Guide Sheet

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Thesis Student, Chair, and Committee Responsibilities

• The thesis committee will be composed of a chair (the major professor) with full or associate graduate faculty status and a minimum of two additional committee members with graduate faculty status.
  
• The chair of the thesis committee has the responsibility to supervise the research, direct the writing, and ultimately, with the committee, approve the thesis in its final form. The chair assures that the thesis meets scholarly standards in content before distributing it to the other members of the thesis committee. The chair assists the dean of the School of Graduate Studies in assuring that the form of the thesis is correct.
  
• The chair of the thesis committee will advise the student regarding registration for the thesis. Students must register for additional thesis hours each semester after the required minimum credit hours are met until a grade is earned. The grade of IP, or in progress, will be reported until the thesis is completed. The grade of S, or satisfactory or U, or unsatisfactory, will be reported upon conclusion of the thesis.
  
• The student must submit a thesis prospectus form to the School of Graduate Studies prior to starting the thesis.
  
• The thesis student should schedule an appointment with the dean of graduate studies to review the form of the thesis. The form review of the thesis should be scheduled after the content is in draft form and has been reviewed on a preliminary basis by the committee.
  
• An off-campus (outside) committee member may serve in addition to the chair (the major professor) and two committee members, if approved by the dean of graduate studies.
  
• The chair of the thesis committee has the responsibility to inform the thesis student of institutional policies and procedures as they relate to the use of human subjects for research purposes. Pertinent information from Armstrong Atlantic's Institutional Review Board (IRB) is included in this document. IRB information and applications may be obtained from the School of Graduate Studies. The IRB approval notification must be included in the appendix.
  
• The thesis committee is responsible for determining that the thesis is written in acceptable English, that it manifests an appropriate scholarly style, and that it meets the approved format.
• When the committee members are satisfied with the scope and quality of the thesis, they will sign the approval page. Signatures must be in black ink on all approval pages.
  
• The signatures of the thesis chair and the thesis committee members on the approval pages signify academic unit acceptance of the final document. Approval by the dean of graduate studies signifies the official approval of Armstrong Atlantic State University.

Style Manuals

Each degree program has an approved style manual. Students must adhere to the style designated by the academic unit in which they are studying. The approved style manuals are listed below:

A Manual for Writers of Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Kate L. Turabian. (Latest edition)

• Master of Arts ­ History

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. American Psychological Association. (Latest edition)

• Master of Public Health
• Master of Science in Nursing
• Master of Science ­ Criminal Justice
• Master of Science in Physical Therapy
• Master of Science in Sports Medicine

Manual of Style of the American Association. American Medical Association. (Latest edition)

• Master of Science in Physical Therapy

Organization of the Thesis

The thesis must be assembled as follows with one blank sheet of paper placed at the beginning and one blank page placed at the end of the thesis.

Preliminary Pages
(lower case Roman numerals)

1. Abstract (Optional: not counted nor numbered)
2. Title Page (page i is assigned but not typed)
3. Copyright Page* (optional: page ii is assigned but not typed)
4. Approval Page (page ii or iii is assigned but not typed)
5. Dedication Page (optional: this page and pages hereafter carry typed lower case Roman numerals)
6. Acknowledgements (optional)
7. Table of Contents (if more than one page in length, the second page should begin on top line without use of indications such as "Table of Contents Continued")
8. List of Tables (if applicable)
9. List of Figures (if applicable)

Text

1. Introduction (if applicable), Chapter I (or Section I) through last page of thesis
2. Bibliography, References, or Works Cited (according to style manual)
3. Appendix or Appendices (optional)

Separation pages between text, references, and appendix are not necessary

* Copyright information is available from the Grants Office.

General Instructions for Preparing the Thesis

1. Type face: The size of the type should be one of the standard typewriter sizes (pica or elite) or, if produced from a word processor, it should be a twelve point font. Do not use a compressed typeface or any settings on your word processor that would decrease the spacing between letters or words. Unusual types of smaller or larger size, or extremely bold type are not acceptable. Italics of the same size may be used in lieu of underscoring.
2. Layout and style: In order to be photocopied, the thesis must be printed in black ink on white paper. The entire text of the thesis must use the same typeface. This includes tables and figure captions. Any appropriate typeface may be used for lettering within figures and for documents reproduced in appendices.
3. Print quality: The type on paper must be dark, clear, and readable. In order to be acceptable, a printer must print letters that appear fully formed. That is, if a dot matrix printer is used, the dots of which the letters are composed must be invisible, and there must not be visible gaps in the curved or diagonal parts of letters. (Twenty-four pin printers and inkjet printers are acceptable.)
4. Right-justified typing: (with a smooth right margin) is strongly discouraged because the uneven word spacing interfaces with readability. Care should be taken regarding incorrect hyphenation automatically generated by computer programs.
5. Paper: Type the thesis or print it on one side of standard-sized (8 1/2 X 11 in.) [22 X 28 cm], heavy white bond paper (at least twenty pound bond). Do not use onionskin or erasable paper.
6. Photocopies: Photocopies of a submitted thesis are acceptable if the quality of the photocopy is clean and clear.
7. Preliminary pages: The title page and approval page must conform to the style of the sample pages contained in this document.
8. Margins: Margins on all copies must be uniform. The first page of each chapter, table of contents, list of tables, acknowledgments, bibliography, etc., must have margins of two inches at the top, one and one-half inches at the left, and one inch at the right and bottom. All other pages have a one inch margin at the top, a one and one-half inch margin at the left, and one inch at the right and bottom. Page numbers cannot extend into margins.
9. Pagination: Each page of the thesis must be assigned a number. All pages with a two-inch top margin (see #8 above) must have the page number at the bottom of the page on the X shown on the typing guide sheet. There must be a double space between the last line of type and the page number at the bottom of the page. All pages with a one-inch margin at the top must have a page number at the top of the page on the X shown on the right margin of the typing guide sheet. There must be a double space between the page number and the first line of type.
10. Spacing: Double-spacing should be used in typing the thesis, except in those places where conventional usage calls for single spacing (footnote, indented quotations, large tables, bibliography or list of references, table and figure captions). Double-spacing means leaving one full-size line blank between each line of type on the page. Footnotes and bibliographical entries are separated by double spacing.
11. Paragraphs: The beginning of a paragraph at the bottom of a page must contain at least two lines of type. Likewise, a paragraph concluding at the top of a page must contain a minimum of two lines. To comply with this requirement, it may be necessary to end a page one type line short of the margin. No extra space should be added between paragraphs at any time.
12. Heading and subheadings: Centered headings that appear on pages with the two-inch margin must be uniform throughout in style. Subdivisions within a chapter (section) do not begin on a new page unless the preceding page is filled.
13. Hyphenation: Excessive division of words on the right margin should be avoided. No more than three successive lines may end in a hyphen. Never divide the last word of a page.
14. Tables and figures: Tables must be typed in the same typeface as the text of the thesis. Figure captions, likewise, must be typed in the typeface of the text. The number and title of a table should comply in form with the style manual and be placed above the table. If the table is to be reduced, the table title should also be reduced. The number and caption of a figure should be placed below the figure. If the figure is to be reduced, the caption and figure number should be typed after reduction. A table or figure may be embedded in the text or placed on a separate page following the text where it is first cited. If the table or figure is to be placed on a separate page, no extra space should be left at the bottom of the preceding text page, i.e., the text should run continuously. Illustrations, tables, and figures must not be larger than the space within the margins on the typing guide sheet. Maps, tables, etc., which are larger than the ordinary page, must be reduced or folded to fall within the margins in such a way that they will not be sheared in trimming and binding. The page number for reduced pages must be typed after reduction.
15. Bibliography, references, or works cited: The form of the entries should follow the policy of the style manual. If an entry needs to be split between two pages, there must be at least two lines of the entry on each page.

Thesis Submission

1. Deadlines for submitting the thesis are published in the academic calendar for the School of Graduate Studies in the graduate catalog. Contact the School of Graduate Studies if there are questions.
2. An appointment must be made with the dean of graduate studies to review the completed thesis before additional copies are made. This step will save both time and money if corrections are required.
3. After the approval, the student must schedule a final meeting with the dean of graduate studies to submit four copies of the thesis. After the dean of graduate studies signs the approval pages, the student will transmit the thesis copies to Lane Library for binding. There will be no charge to the student for binding the required copies. Thesis should be submitted to Beatrice Taylor in Lane Library. The thesis binding takes approximately six to eight weeks. Two copies of the thesis will be placed in Lane Library at Armstrong Atlantic State University. The student's academic unit and chair (major professor) will each receive one copy. The student may submit additional copies for binding at a cost of $8.95 per copy. The cost for additional copies should be paid to Beatrice Taylor in Lane Library at the time copies are submitted.
4. The Lane Library will distribute the library copies of the bound thesis. The School of Graduate Studies will distribute copies to the academic units and personal copies to the student, if ordered. The student must pick up personal thesis copies in the School of Graduate Studies or make arrangements for them to be mailed. The School of Graduate Studies must have an accurate address and telephone number where the student may be reached.
5. Reminder: Committee members must sign all approval pages in black ink. Copies are not acceptable.

Policy for Addressing Allegations of Misconduct
in Scientific and Scholarly Research

Armstrong Atlantic State University has embraced the principle that honesty is an essential component of scholarly activity. Principal investigators and others in positions of responsibility for the conduct of research and scholarly activity are expected to exercise reasonable supervision of those under their direction to ensure the integrity of the research or scholarly activity being conducted.

The university assumes primary responsibility for investigating and resolving allegations of scientific and scholarly misconduct by its campus community.

This responsibility holds regardless of whether the activity involved was funded by external agencies. Assumption of this responsibility is consistent with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 45 CFR 689, though in some cases federal reporting requirements also pertain.

Definition of Misconduct in Scientific and Scholarly Research

For the purposes of these procedures, misconduct in scholarly research is defined as:

• Fabrication, falsification, plagiarism, or other practices that seriously deviate from those that are commonly accepted within the scholarly community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research. It does not include honest error or honest differences in interpretations or judgments of data.
  
• Retaliation of any kind against a person who reported or provided information about suspected alleged misconduct and who has not acted in bad faith. (National Science Foundation Dear Colleague Letter, August 16, 1991)

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

The IRB is a federally-mandated board which monitors the use of human subjects in research. IRB "approval" means that the IRB rules that the potential risks to human subjects are, in its opinion, acceptable. It does not mean that a project has departmental or institutional approval, and the proper procedures for obtaining such approval should be followed. Send protocols, complete with the appropriate forms to Grace Fleming, Coordinator of Graduate Faculty Services, in the School of Graduate Studies. Forms and information are available from the School of Graduate Studies.

IRB Training Presentation

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Sample Title Page

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL
AUTONOMY AND ORGANIZATION COMMITMENT IN HOME
ONCOLOGY AND HOSPITAL ONCOLOGY NURSES
BY
MARY JUDITH ALLEN

 

 

 

A Thesis submitted to the Faculty
of the School of Graduate Studies
at Armstrong Atlantic State University
in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements of the Degree
Master of Science in Nursing

 

 

 

Savannah, Georgia
2007

 

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Sample Approval Page

COMPROMISED NEUTRALITY: AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY

IN THE BRAZILIAN NAVAL REVOLT OF 1893-94

BY

JESSE THOMPSON

 

______________________________________
Michael T. Jones, Ph.D., Chair

______________________________________
Betty R. McDonald, Ph.D.

______________________________________
Scott W. Davis, Ph.D.

______________________________________
Robert L. Lee, Ed.D.

 

Approved:                         

_____________________________________         ______________
Michael E. Price, Ed.D.                                                       Date
Assistant Vice President for Graduate Studies and Sponsored Programs.

(Co-chairs may appear on the approval page)

 

 

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Checklist for Thesis Students

• The student will attend the IRB Workshop.
  
• The student will meet with the chair of the thesis committee to select committee members, to review thesis proposal, and to determine if the research requires the review of the IRB. If a review is required, the form, procedure for applying, and meeting dates of the committee should be discussed.
  
• The student will finalize the appointment of the thesis committee members.
  
• The thesis prospectus form is submitted to the School of Graduate Studies.
  
• The student will provide the thesis proposal to committee members.
  
• The student will review the Thesis Guidelines and style manual appropriate for the academic unit.
  
• The chair will advise the student of the review and approval process that is used in the academic unit. This may involve meetings with the committee or a similar review process.
  
• The chair is responsible for supervising the research and directing the writing. The chair assures that the thesis meets scholarly standards in content before distributing it to the committee members.
  
• The chair will advise the student regarding registration for the thesis.
  
• The committee members review drafts of the thesis.
  
• The student provides a draft of the thesis to the dean of graduate studies to review for form.
  
• The student schedules the thesis defense.
  
• The approval pages are signed by the committee members after the student satisfactorily defends the thesis.
  
• The student provides the committee-approved thesis to the dean of graduate studies for final review.
  
• The student, after the final review by the dean of graduate studies, submits four copies to the School of Graduate Studies.
  
• The dean of graduate studies signs all approval pages.
  
• The student submits the thesis documents to Lane Library for binding.
  
• The chair submits the grade for completing the thesis course(s).
  
• The bound thesis documents are returned to campus for distribution.

 

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Typing Guidesheet