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Do not use theses or dissertations previously filed, nor out-of-date FIU regulations for format examples because changes are made from time to time, and candidates are responsible for following the requirements in effect when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 (5^th 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.