Journal of Experimental Medicine
Journal of Molecular Biology
*APA: American Psychological Association Publication Manual
*MLA: Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
Submit theses and dissertations to the Graduate School via the ProQuest submission site.
ALL REVISIONS ARE DUE BY THE DEADLINE DATE! NO EXCEPTIONS!
For Questions / Concerns, please contact:
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
Published on September 21, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.
When starting your thesis or dissertation process, one of the first requirements is a research proposal or a prospectus. It describes what or who you want to examine, delving into why, when, where, and how you will do so, stemming from your research question and a relevant topic .
The proposal or prospectus stage is crucial for the development of your research. It helps you choose a type of research to pursue, as well as whether to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.
You can download our templates in the format of your choice below.
Download Word template Download Google Docs template
Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes
What should your proposal contain, dissertation question examples, what should your proposal look like, dissertation prospectus examples, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about proposals.
Prior to jumping into the research for your thesis or dissertation, you first need to develop your research proposal and have it approved by your supervisor. It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives .
Depending on your department’s requirements, there may be a defense component involved, where you present your research plan in prospectus format to your committee for their approval.
Your proposal should answer the following questions:
Ultimately, your proposal should persuade your supervisor or committee that your proposed project is worth pursuing.
Strong research kicks off with a solid research question , and dissertations are no exception to this.
Dissertation research questions should be:
An easy rule of thumb is that your proposal will usually resemble a (much) shorter version of your thesis or dissertation. While of course it won’t include the results section , discussion section , or conclusion , it serves as a “mini” version or roadmap for what you eventually seek to write.
Be sure to include:
The length of your proposal varies quite a bit depending on your discipline and type of work you’re conducting. While a thesis proposal is often only 3-7 pages long, a prospectus for your dissertation is usually much longer, with more detailed analysis. Dissertation proposals can be up to 25-30 pages in length.
Writing a proposal or prospectus can be a challenge, but we’ve compiled some examples for you to get your started.
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example
If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
Research bias
(AI) Tools
The research methods you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your research question .
A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.
Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:
A well-planned research design helps ensure that your methods match your research aims, that you collect high-quality data, and that you use the right kind of analysis to answer your questions, utilizing credible sources . This allows you to draw valid , trustworthy conclusions.
The priorities of a research design can vary depending on the field, but you usually have to specify:
A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.
It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.
Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.
Formulating a main research question can be a difficult task. Overall, your question should contribute to solving the problem that you have defined in your problem statement .
However, it should also fulfill criteria in three main areas:
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
George, T. (2023, July 18). How to Write a Dissertation or Thesis Proposal. Scribbr. Retrieved August 5, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/thesis-dissertation-proposal/
Other students also liked, a step-by-step guide to the writing process, 10 research question examples to guide your research project, dissertation & thesis outline | example & free templates, what is your plagiarism score.
College of graduate studies, thesis and dissertation guidelines.
By the end of this process, you will have a complete thesis or dissertation manuscript published! Students complete a thesis or dissertation in tandem with their thesis/dissertation advisory committee and the College of Graduate Studies. Use this website to help guide you through the process of completing your manuscript and making your way to graduation.
If you have questions about this process, refer to the University Style Guide above or contact Thesis / Dissertation Communications , in the College of Graduate Studies, for assistance.
Your graduate advisor and the College of Graduate Studies want to see you succeed. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to them. Understanding and feeling comfortable with the thesis/dissertation process is crucial in completing it successfully. Note: The t imeline of this process is determined by you, the student, and your advisory committee.
Below are the general steps you will follow from beginning the process to graduation:
Each department has their own rules and regulations for how your advisory committee should be created and/or how your thesis or dissertation will be organized. Some committees will have a chair assigned by the department; others will allow you to choose your own committee chair. Some departments require four committee readers, while others require only two. Speak with your graduate advisor to determine how to begin this process correctly through your department. Your advisory committee members will know how to organize your thesis or dissertation within the regulations of the subject and department.
Once you have your advisory committee formed, you will complete the Advisory Committee Form. This will formally establish your advisory committee with the College of Graduate Studies. If there are changes in your advisory committee, a Change in Advisory Committee Form needs to be completed.
Now it is time to begin your proposal. The proposal is a written document, determined with your advisory committee, and may include: the topic of your thesis or dissertation, the method you will use to determine your research, etc. Your advisory committee will have the specific departmental knowledge necessary to assist you in writing this proposal properly. Once you have completed this document, you will need to follow the approval process; this may look different for each department.
After you have received approval for your proposal, it is time to begin your research and write your thesis/dissertation. You and your advisory committee will work closely throughout the writing process. Stay in contact with these individuals; ask them any questions or concerns you have about writing your thesis/dissertation to ensure that you understand how your thesis/dissertation should flow within your subject matter and department’s preferences. If you are writing a thesis, your advisory committee will know the next steps in your approval process. If you are writing a dissertation, it is time to prepare for your defense.
The Intent to Graduate Form should be completed during the first two weeks of your last semester before graduation. This will allow the College of Graduate Studies the time it takes to prepare you for graduation. You will not graduate without completing this form. Timing of this form in your specific process may vary. If you are writing a thesis, your next steps in this list will be outlined in the “Approval Page” step below. If you are writing a dissertation, continue your defense preparation.
The Dissertation Defense Announcement Request will be completed by your advisory committee chair. This form will state when and where your defense will take place. An email will be sent out to the university regarding this announcement. This form must be completed two weeks prior to the student’s defense date.
Now that you are prepared to defend your dissertation, your announcement will be sent, and your defense will be presented. Who and how many individuals you allow at your defense will be determined by you, your advisory committee, and any regulations in your department policy.
After a student successfully defends their dissertation, the advisory committee may request simple changes to their dissertation. Once these corrections have been made, it is time to complete the necessary paperwork.
Having a completed Thesis/Dissertation Approval Page on file means that you, your entire advisory committee, and the program director agree you have successfully completed your thesis/dissertation. Once your thesis has been approved or your dissertation has been successfully defended, you will begin the Approval Page. It will move by email, receiving the necessary signatures required to complete the form. Be sure to enter your program director and advisory committee’s names and emails correctly into the form. If they are not correct, your form will not be sent to the next person and will sit incomplete. If this happens, email [email protected] with the accurate information so your form can be corrected. Note: Your advisory committee on file with the College of Graduate Studies must match the individuals on your Approval Page. If these individuals do not match, you will need to complete the Change in Advisory Committee Form.
The deadline for this step may be found on the Academic Calendar .
ProQuest is the submission and publishing software the university uses for theses and dissertations. Instructions on how to submit your thesis/dissertation to ProQuest along with the submission portal are listed at the top of this page. Email [email protected] with any questions concerning your ProQuest submission. The deadline for a thesis/dissertation submission is located in the College of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar . This is a hard deadline for graduation. Any extensions must be approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Any email requesting an extension must come from your committee chair or program director, and must include the timeline and plan of completion by the requested date. Any extensions at or after commencement will be denied.
You may have completed a publishing agreement with the ProQuest company when you finalized your submission. However, the College of Graduate Studies has a Publishing Agreement that must also be completed. We cannot publish your thesis/dissertation until we have this form on file.
Doctoral Students Only. Each student who completes a dissertation should complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates through the National Science Foundation (NSF). You my learn more about NSF here .
Once you submit your thesis/dissertation to ProQuest, the Editor for the College of Graduate Studies completes a review of your submission, looking for any necessary revisions such as a bibliography or formatting edit. After the Editor completes his review, approves of your submission, and the College of Graduate Studies has your complete paperwork file, your thesis/dissertation will be sent for publishing. Any questions about your file and its completion should be directed to our editor at [email protected]
Now that you have completed your file and the editor has sent your thesis/dissertation for publishing, you are ready for graduation!
Note: Your DegreeWorks will not update immediately as grades have not been posted.
Below is a quicklink checklist for all Thesis and Dissertation forms, in the order of submission. All forms must be received by the College of Graduate Studies before a degree is awarded.
If you have questions regarding a specific form, refer to the dropdown above. If your question is not answered above, please contact Thesis/Dissertation Communications in the College of Graduate Studies.
Theses and Dissertations are submitted for publishing through the ProQuest system. You may find more information regarding your ProQuest submission here or in the University Style Guide at the top of this page. Please keep in mind that theses and dissertations are processed in the order in which they are received. Uploading your ProQuest submission as soon as possible will allow time for any issues or questions that may arise.
Theses and dissertations may be submitted at any time during the semester of graduation up to the deadline. However, there is a hard deadline for ProQuest submissions. Deadlines for each semester may be found on the Academic Calendar . Any extensions must be approved by the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Any emails requesting an extension must come from your committee chair or program director, and must include the timeline and plan of completion by the requested date. Any extensions at or after commencement will be denied. Students who submit papers after the deadline will not have their diplomas conferred until the following semester.
Note : If a student has already completed an Intent to Graduate form and needs to delay their graduation for any reason, a Request to Withdraw Intent to Graduate Form may be filed and a new Intent to Graduate Form completed for the semester in which they plan to graduate.
All theses must be prepared according to both the University of Ghana format requirements and School/College documentation or reference formats. School/College formats must be deposited with the School of Graduate Studies. Where there is a conflict between the Departmental style and the University Style, the latter must be satisfied. Students must consult the University and School/College manuals for details.
school/college formats shall apply to:.
There are four submission windows (periods) in each academic year. These are:
- Middle of June to July ending
- The last two weeks in October
- The first two weeks in December
- The last two weeks in March.
The current open window is August 15 - October 31, 2023. for softbound submission and it is via the new UG Tracking System.
University format requirements shall consist of the following sections:.
Preliminary Information
Substantive Section
Bibliography and Appendices
The result of the thesis/dissertation and course work (where applicable) is published after the School of Graduate Studies has received the final copy of the thesis/dissertation.
The final (hard-bound) copy of thesis/dissertation is bound using the following colour scheme:
MA/MSc degrees | Dissertation/Long Essay/Projects | Wine |
MPhil | Thesis | Green |
PhD/MD/DPhil | Thesis/Set of Publications | Dark Blue |
Click here for more information .
Three hard copies and a soft copy (on CD) are submitted to the department/institute/centre. The unit then submits one hard copy and the soft copy together with a cover letter to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). Upon receipt, SGS checks whether the student has passed all courses and met the required number of credits for graduation. When the student is cleared the result is published. That is, a written communication is sent to the department and all stakeholders that the student has met all the requirement for graduation.
i) Title Page
The title page shall consist of the following which should be centered.
ii) Declaration
A candidate submitting a thesis for a Doctoral degree shall make a declaration to the effect that the thesis is his/her own work produced from research under supervision.
Signature Page:
The declaration page shall be signed by the following:
iv. Abstract: Every candidate shall present a short abstract of his/her dissertation or thesis of a maximum of four (4) pages (double-spaced).
v. Dedication (Optional)
vi. Acknowledgement: (1-page maximum)
vi. Table of Contents: A well-aligned presentation of preliminary information, chapters with subsections, bibliography, and appendices of the thesis with relevant page numbers indicated.
vii. List of Figures/Maps: A list of figures and maps with their relevant designated numbering and relevant pages at which they are located.
viii. List of Tables: A list of tables with their relevant designated numbering and relevant pages at which they are located.
ix. List of Abbreviations: A list of relevant abbreviations and their full rendering occurring in the thesis.
i. Chapter Structure: A thesis must consist of substantive Chapters including an introduction, intervening chapters, and a concluding chapter as determined by the Faculty format which has been deposited with the School of Graduate Studies.
ii. Reference Style: The reference style shall follow the School/College format.
iii. Thesis Size: A thesis submitted for a Ph.D. degree shall normally be between 50,000 to 60,000 words excluding bibliography, figures, tables, photographs, and appendices.
i. The bibliography should be placed at the end of the thesis and not after each chapter.
ii. The order of arrangement of the bibliography and appendices should follow the prescribed departmental format.
iii. The candidate may submit, as a subsidiary matter in support of his or her candidature, any printed contributions to the advancement of his/her subject, which he or she may have published independently or jointly, or any other supporting material. In the event of a candidate presenting material from joint work, he or she shall be required to state fully his or her own contribution.
Presentation Format
i. Four typed or printed copies of the dissertation or thesis, using standard A4 paper, shall be submitted to the School of Graduate Studies through the Head of Department for examination.
ii. Typed thesis should be on only one side of the paper.
iii. Margins: When bound all margins of the thesis should be 2.54 cm (1 inch).
iv. Font Type & Size: Theses should be typed in New Times Roman Font Size 12.
v. Chapter headings should be in New Times Roman Font Size 14 Bold.
vi. Font sizes for indented citations, graphs, figures, and tables should not be lower than New Times Roman font size 10.
vii. Page Numbers: Page numbers should be centred at the bottom of the page throughout the thesis.
viii. The preliminary pages should be numbered with Roman numerals.
ix. Page numbering in Arabic numerals should run through the entire thesis.
Examination Copy
A thesis submitted for examination should be bound in soft manila card cover (green or light blue).
After the thesis has been approved, it must be bound in standard form Art vellum or cloth; overcast; edges uncut. The four (4) final copies of a thesis that has been accepted for the award of a Doctoral degree shall be distributed as follows:
Two (2) copies shall be sent to the School of Graduate Studies, one of which shall be deposited in the Balme Library and the other kept by the School;
The remaining two (2) copies shall be retained by the candidate’s Head of Department, one of which shall be kept in the Departmental Library and the other given to the candidate.
Labeling of Final Copy
Front Cover: The front cover of the final copy should be lettered boldly in gold (0.5.-1.25cm) with the Title, Author, and Date (Month and Year).
Spine: The spine of the thesis should be lettered boldly up back in gold (0.5 to 1.25cm) with the degree, year, and name, before the award of the Degree is published by the Registrar.
Binding Colour
The colour scheme for a Ph.D. thesis shall be Dark Blue.
PDF Version
A PDF version of the final thesis should be submitted with the hard copies to the School of Graduate Studies.
Download the Progress Report Form for:
IMAGES
COMMENTS
help with writing/formatting your dissertation, please email . [email protected] . or call (973)- 655-7442 for more information on how to schedule a writing consultation at the CWE. For doctoral students, the Center for Writing Excellence offers the following writing resources: • Writing Your Thesis, Prospectus, or Dissertation • APA 7 th
Every PhD candidate in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences is required to successfully complete and submit a dissertation to qualify for degree conferral. This document provides information on how to submit your dissertation, requirements for dissertation formatting, and your dissertation publishing and distribution options.
When preparing the dissertation for submission, students must meet the following minimum formatting requirements. The Registrar's Office will review the dissertation for compliance and these formatting elements and will contact the student to confirm acceptance or to request revision. The Harvard Griffin GSAS resource on dissertation ...
A dissertation is a long-form piece of academic writing based on original research conducted by you. It is usually submitted as the final step in order to finish a PhD program. Your dissertation is probably the longest piece of writing you've ever completed. It requires solid research, writing, and analysis skills, and it can be intimidating ...
Formatting Guide. The PhD Dissertation Formatting Guide (updated Spring 2023) is the source of all formatting requirements and guidelines for PhD Dissertations. Make sure to follow the guide when writing your dissertation. Double check your formatting with the PhD Dissertation Formatting Checklist before submission. LaTeX Template. The University provides a standard LaTeX template that ...
This article collects a list of undergraduate, master's, and PhD theses and dissertations that have won prizes for their high-quality research. Note As you read the examples below, bear in mind that all universities have their own guidelines for writing theses and dissertations. The requirements for length, format, and structure often vary by ...
Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
The dissertation is a requirement of the Ph.D. degree. Formatting Requirement and Standards. The Graduate School sets the minimum format for your thesis or dissertation, while you, your special committee, and your advisor/chair decide upon the content and length. Grammar, punctuation, spelling, and other mechanical issues are your sole ...
Most dissertations are 100 to 300 pages in length. All dissertations should be divided into appropriate sections, and long dissertations may need chapters, main divisions, and subdivisions. Page and Text Requirements Page Size. 8½ x 11 inches, unless a musical score is included; Margins. At least 1 inch for all margins; Spacing. Body of text ...
Revised on February 20, 2019. The layout requirements for a dissertation are often determined by your supervisor or department. However, there are certain guidelines that are common to almost every program, such as including page numbers and a table of contents. If you are writing a paper in the MLA citation style, you can use our MLA format guide.
Footnotes. Format footnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines: Footnotes must be placed at the bottom of the page separated from the text by a solid line one to two inches long. Begin at the left page margin, directly below the solid line. Single-space footnotes that are more than one line long.
Dear Candidate, Dear Candidate, Congratulations on reaching a major milestone in your pursuit of a doctoral degree. As you prepare for the next challenging stage of your degree work, The Dissertation Handbook will be a helpful resource. You are now embarking on the final and, in many ways, the most exciting stage of your degree work.
Generally speaking, a dissertation's purpose is to prove that you have the expertise necessary to fulfill your doctoral-degree requirements by showing depth of knowledge and independent thinking. Form. The form of a dissertation may vary by discipline. Be sure to follow the specific guidelines of your department.
The Graduate School recommends Campus Copy for procuring bound copies of theses and dissertations. You may contact them directly at 615-936-4544, or online at Printing Services. Manuscript Preparation. These guidelines provide students at Vanderbilt University with essential information about how to prepare and submit theses and dissertations ...
A sample abstract page pdf is available here - refer to the sample page as you read through the format requirements for the abstract.; Do not use bold. Only one abstract is permitted. The heading " Abstract " is in all capital letters, centered one inch from the top of the page. Three blank lines (single-spaced) must be between the " Abstract " heading and your title.
dissertation—that is,precursor of what is to come, with each element being more fully developed and explained fu. ther along in the book.For each key element, explain reason for inclusion, quality markers, and fr. OVERVIEWFRONT MATTERFollowing is a road map that briefly outlines the contents of. an enti.
However, both dissertations and theses are expected to meet the same standard of originality, approaching a new area of study and contributing significantly to the universal body of knowledge (Athanasou et al., 2012). Originality is a key issue in both dissertation and thesis development and writing (Bailey, 2014; Ferguson, 2009). The ideas, the
The bottom line is that how to structure a PhD thesis often depends on your university and department guidelines. But, let's take a look at a general PhD thesis format. We'll look at the main sections, and how to connect them to each other. We'll also examine different hints and tips for each of the sections.
On this page: Student Responsibility General Format Page Layout Text Requirements Figures and Tables Parts of the Document Pretext Pages Body of Text Bibliography Appendix Final Requirements Congratulations! You have arrived at an important step in the pursuit of your graduate degree—the writing of your thesis or dissertation. Your scholarly publication reflects the results of your research ...
Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Published on June 7, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on November 21, 2023. A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process.It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to ...
Consult the Guidelines for Dissertation, Doctoral Project and Thesis Writers before beginning your thesis or dissertation. Download a template to assist with formatting your work. The templates are unlocked and can be edited (links to the template can be found in the "Submission Procedures" sections below).
UCI Libraries maintains the following templates to assist in formatting your graduate manuscript. If you are formatting your manuscript in Microsoft Word, feel free to download and use the template. If you would like to see what your manuscript should look like, PDFs have been provided.
Guidelines for Formatting Theses, Dissertations, and DMA Documents is intended to help graduate students present the results of their research in the form of a scholarly document. Before beginning to write a master's thesis, PhD dissertation, or DMA document, students should read the relevant sections of the Graduate School Handbook, section ...
As an associate dean in the Graduate School at Virginia Tech, I am involved in student support and mentorship, curriculum design and programme governance. These experiences continually remind me that the dissertation process can feel overwhelming, fraught and exceptionally challenging. Resource collection: Advice for surviving your PhD dissertation
The Graduate Council is on record as saying a successful thesis or dissertation usually represents the most extensive and intensive scholarly work the student has performed to date. Completing the thesis or dissertation will lead the student up to the cutting edge of research (however defined by the discipline) conducted at that time in his or ...
If you are in a thesis degree program, you must present and defend your thesis to graduate. On this page, you'll find a step-by-step guide to correctly formatting and submitting your thesis as well as applying to graduate. ... Step 1: Format Your Thesis. Your thesis submission must meet the proper formatting requirements, or it may be ...
When starting your thesis or dissertation process, one of the first requirements is a research proposal or a prospectus. It describes what or who you want to examine, delving into why, when, where, and how you will do so, stemming from your research question and a relevant topic. The proposal or prospectus stage is crucial for the development ...
Instructions on how to submit your thesis/dissertation to ProQuest along with the submission portal are listed at the top of this page. Email [email protected] with any questions concerning your ProQuest submission. The deadline for a thesis/dissertation submission is located in the College of Graduate Studies Academic Calendar. This is a hard ...
A thesis submitted for examination should be bound in soft manila card cover (green or light blue). Final Copy. After the thesis has been approved, it must be bound in standard form Art vellum or cloth; overcast; edges uncut. The four (4) final copies of a thesis that has been accepted for the award of a Doctoral degree shall be distributed as ...