INTRODUCTION
Definition of a Thesis and a Dissertation.
The submission of a thesis or a dissertation is the last step in a program
leading to the award of a graduate degree. The manuscript is a scholarly
statement of the results of a long period of research and related preparation,
undertaken to fulfill partially the requirements for an advanced degree. It is
made available for public use in the University Library, microfilmed for
archival preservation and, if a dissertation, it is published by University Microfilms
International (UMI).
Purpose of these Regulations.
For the reasons above the University has established guidelines for uniformity
in the physical format of the manuscript. The intent of this manual is to
assist candidates in the preparation and typing of theses and dissertations
submitted for advanced degrees in the schools or colleges of Florida
International University (FIU).
General Guidelines for Procedure and Format.
The student’s work is carried out under the direction and supervision of their
major professor and committee members who supervise it for the intellectual
content. Before beginning work on a thesis or dissertation, candidates must
present a proposal for the approval of their major professor and committee
members. The major professor and committee members may specify certain aspects
of style, such as footnote style and placement, and the manner in which
references are cited. Candidates are
urged to consult with their major professor early in the preparation of the
manuscript regarding both the subject and the general plan of investigation as
well as style preferences. Style manuals are available for purchase at the
FIU Bookstore. As to format, the
regulations included here supersede any style manual instructions. Format includes manuscript arrangement,
organization of specific preliminary pages, spacing, typeface, margins, page
number order, page number placement, and the requirement for permission to
reproduce copyrighted material. No joint
authorship will be accepted.
Do not use theses or dissertations previously filed, nor
out-of-date FIU regulations for format examples because changes are made from
time to time, and candidates are responsible for following the requirements in
effect when the manuscript is filed.
Questions on the
preparation and filing of theses and dissertations or the completion of
academic requirements for advanced degrees should be addressed by your major
professor. After conferring with your major professor, you must come to the
Graduate School in the PC building (5th floor) to
receive a packet containing different forms and specific information about how
and when to file these forms. Doctoral
students, in particular, need to be aware of specific forms that must be filed
before advancing to candidacy. More information concerning these forms is
given in Chapter IV of this manual.
Before coming to the Graduate School, please
call for a schedule of our office hours (Tel. 305-348-2455).
Questions that arise
in the preparation of final manuscript copies, but which are not covered in
this publication, may be discussed with your major professor. Early
consultation with your major professor is particularly helpful if, after you
have read the regulations carefully, there are questions about special material
or about the need for permission to reproduce copyrighted material to be used
in your theses/dissertations.
Federal income tax
regulations may permit the deduction from taxable income of certain expenses
incurred for research and typing in the preparation of advanced degree
manuscripts. For further information, consult the nearest office of the United
States Government Internal Revenue Service or a tax advisor.
Flow
Diagram Indicating Steps in the Development and Submission of a Thesis/ Dissertation.
For a general idea on
how to proceed from the development of a thesis or dissertation topic to its
oral defense, the student should refer to the flow diagram on Appendix 1.
The Thesis or Dissertation Proposal.
Both the preliminary and the formal proposal that the student is required to
prepare have several functions and benefits. One of them is that a clear and
lucid description of a problem and a proposed method of solving it is a
learning process and helps the students avoid oversights and possible mistakes.
The proposals also help the members of the guidance committee to provide
appropriate assistance to the students in their task.
Format of the Proposal.
The proposal should explain the problem to be investigated and convince the
major professor and the committee members that the problem merits
investigation. It should show that the student has read the relevant and recent
literature on the subject and it should contain a list of materials consulted
during the preliminary stages of research.
The formal proposal
should include:
· background
information related to the research topic
· purpose
of the research
· methodology,
and
· statistics
and analysis to be used.
The formal proposal
should not exceed five (5) pages and should be attached
to the Form C -Thesis/Dissertation Committee Appointments. Form C is discussed
in Chapter IV in this Manual. Appendix 3
shows a sample of a proposal for a thesis or dissertation.
Telephones and Addresses Most Often Used on Campus. A
list of offices most used on campus with addresses and telephone numbers
appears in Appendix 21. Appendix 22 –
23 include a Graduate Student Checklist for Thesis/Dissertation Preparation.