Master of Science
Guide to the Preparation of Theses
(including Journal Format Theses)

Some text adapted from the Graduate School's Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Specialist Projects

Printable Version

Introduction

To obtain a Master's degree (thesis option) from the Department of Biological Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University, you must ‘master' (or at least begin to master) many things. For example, you've had to become familiar with the primary literature in your area of research, write a proposal, learn the techniques and procedures necessary to carry out your research, develop some familiarity with statistical procedures, and learn the basics of scientific writing. Now, finally, you must master the Thesis Format! To assist you, the Graduate School has prepared a Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Specialist Projects. This guide will be essential as you prepare your thesis, and can be obtained either from the Graduate School (Jones 414) or the department's graduate program coordinator.

The Graduate School Guide provides some flexibility concerning thesis formats. In the hope of enlightening you concerning THE format preferred by the faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences, we provide you with this guide. Much of what is contained in this guide is adapted from the Graduate School's guide. However, this guide also provides specific guidelines for writing a thesis in journal format.

Why write a journal format thesis? Primarily because, once your thesis is completed, such a format will make it easier to generate a manuscript (or manuscripts) suitable for submission for publication in a journal in your field of interest. And, publications can be most important - particularly if you plan to pursue a Ph.D. or obtain a position where raises and promotions depend, at least in part, on your ability to generate publications.

This Departmental Guide (DG) should be used in conjunction with the Graduate School Guide (GSG). While the DG provides sufficient information to correctly format your thesis, the GSG goes into greater detail and also includes examples that may be very helpful. You should, of course, feel free to contact the Graduate School (specifically, Bethany Miller at 622-1744), the graduate program coordinator, your advisor, or committee members if you have questions about formatting your thesis. Good luck!

Thesis - Elements and Style

Preliminary Pages

The sequence and numbering scheme for preliminary pages is provided in Figure 1 (page 7) of the Graduate School's Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Specialist Projects. In addition, examples of these preliminary pages are provided in the Appendix of the Graduate School Guide.

1. Approval Sheet - The name used on approval sheets and title page must be that under which the student is registered at EKU. Approval sheets may be photocopies, however, signatures of committee members must be original. Black ink is recommended for the original signatures. Approval sheets are not numbered, nor are they counted in the numbering sequence.
2. Statement of Permission to Use - This allows the library to provide copies of a thesis without securing further permission from the author. This statement page is not assigned a page number.
3. Title Page - This page is assigned roman numeral ‘i' (however, the number does NOT appear on the page). The date used is the month and year of commencement. The student's name must appear as he/she is registered at EKU.
4. Copyright Page - This page is included only if the thesis is being formally copyrighted with the U.S. Government Copyright Form TX (see The Graduate School's Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Specialist Projects for details).
5. Dedication Page - If the student wishes to dedicate the thesis, the dedication statement is included at this point.
6. Acknowledgments - This page is to thank those who helped in the process of obtaining the graduate degree (and, specifically, those who helped with the thesis work). Acknowledgment of funding that supported the thesis work is included in this section.
7. Abstract - This section should include (1) a short statement of background information leading up to a statement of the objective(s) of the study, and (2) a concise summary of the results, discussion, and conclusions.
8. Table of Contents - Chapter titles, Literature Cited, the Appendix (or Appendices), and Vita must be included in the Table of Contents. The page number given for the Appendix should be that assigned to the separation sheet preceding that section. It is not necessary to include all levels of headings in the Table of Contents, but inclusion must be consistent. Preliminary pages with Roman numerals are NOT included in the Table of Contents (the Table of Contents starts with page 1).
9. List of Tables & List of Figures - If there are five or more tables or figures, a list of Tables and/or Figures must be included. There must be a separate list for tables and figures. Any tables or figures appearing in the Appendix should also be included on the lists. All titles must be entered in the lists worded exactly as on the Table or Figure.

Text

The manuscript should be divided into chapters, with each chapter number consecutively (using Arabic not Roman numerals) and beginning on a new page. Chapters to be included in a non-journal style thesis are: Introduction, Methods and Materials, Results, Discussion, and Literature Cited. Chapters included in a journal style thesis are: Introduction (if more than one manuscript is included in the thesis), Literature Review (optional, but may be required by some committees), Primary manuscript(s) [chapter title(s) is(are) the title(s) of the manuscript(s)], and Literature Cited.

Within chapters, any logical system of subdivisions (or subheadings) is permissible, but the scheme must be consistent throughout the thesis. The appearance of subheadings must vary for each level of subdivision in a consistent manner. If there is insufficient space for the subheading and at least two lines of text at the bottom of a page, the subheading should begin on the next page. First and second level subheadings should be preceded by an extra space to indicate to the reader a major shift in subject.

References

In non-journal format theses, references should be cited using the author-date method, e.g., (Smith 1998). In journal format theses, references should be cited in the format required by the journal whose guidelines you are following.

Tables and Figures

Titles. Each table & figure must be numbered independently. The title appears at the top of the table and at the bottom of the figure. Figures containing parts must be given a general title, after which the figure may be broken down into the various parts (A, B, etc.). The format for titles must be consistent for all tables and figures.

Numbering. For non-journal format theses, tables and figures should be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis (including the Appendix) using Arabic numerals. For journal format theses consisting of multiple chapters (i.e., multiple manuscripts), tables and figures should be numbered consecutively within chapters (using Arabic numerals), with the first number designating the chapter (e.g., 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, etc., and 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, etc.). Tables and figures in the Appendix should be numbered as A-1, A-2, A-3, etc. For journal format theses with multiple chapters and appendices, tables and figures should be numbered consecutively with a letter prefix designating the specific appendix (e.g., A-1, A-2, A-3, etc., and B-1, B-2, B-3, etc.). Placement of Tables and Figures in the thesis. For non-journal format theses, each table or figure must immediately follow the page on which it is first mentioned and all tables and figures must be referred to by number (e.g., Table 1, Figure 2, etc.). When more than one table or figure is introduced on a page of text, each follows in the order mentioned. It is recommended that tables and figures be assigned pages separate from the text (to avoid problems in shifting during revision).

A table or figure less than one-half page in length (about 4 inches) may be incorporated into the text, provided the following criteria are met:

• Must be in numerical order
• Is separated from the text by extra space (about ½ inch)
• Is not continued onto a following page
• Follows its specific mention in the text

If tables and figures are integrated into the text, they should be placed either at the top or bottom of a page. For example, a mention on the upper half of a page of text would mean that the bottom half of that page would be reserved for the table or figure, and a mention in the bottom half of a page would place the table or figure at the top of the next page. There should always be a balance of no less than one-half page of text and no more than one-half page of table or figure. If multiple tables or figures are mentioned together on a page, they may be placed on pages together, provided there is at least ½ inch between each.

For journal format theses for which the guidelines to authors request that tables and figures be included at the end of the manuscript, tables and figures may be included in an appendix. If this is done, this fact should be stated in a footnote in the body of the text attached to the first mention of a table or figure (and need not be repeated thereafter). Tables and figures included in the appendix should be numbered as described above. Horizontal tables and figures. To accomodate large tables or figures, it may be necessary to place them horizontally on a page. The margin at the binding edge must still be 1 ˝ inches, and all other margins at least 1 inch. The placement of the page number must be consistent with the rest of the thesis. The table or figure and its caption should be placed so they can be read when the thesis is turned 90 degrees clockwise.

Tables - font. The font used for the text must also be used for tables. The size of the type may differ (depending on the ‘fit' of information within the margins).

Tables - required components. The use of lines in tables helps the reader distinguish the various parts of the table. Vertical lines are accepted but not required (but, for journal format theses, keep in mind that most journals will not accept vertical lines in tables). However, tables should contain at least three horizontal lines (see Table 4 on pages 17 & 18 of the Graduate School guide):

1. Opening line - after the table title and before the columnar headings
2. Columnar heading closing line - closes off the headings from the main body of the table
3. Table closing line - signals that the data are complete. Anything appearing below the closing line is footnote material

Tables must have at least two columns with headings at the top — brief indications of the material in the columns. The headings appearing between the table opening line and the column heading closing line must apply to the entire column down to the table closing line. Subcolumnar heads (headings that appear below the column heading closing line, cut across the columns of the table, and apply to all the tabular material lying below it) may also be used.

Continued tables. Tables may be continued on as many pages as necessary, provided the columnar headings with the columnar block remain the same. The columnar block is repeated for each page. The table title is not repeated, but continuation pages are indicated with the designation: Table (continued). Tables too large to fit within margins may be reduced.

Table footnotes. Footnotes to tables may include such information as (1) source notes, (2) notes to specific parts of the table indicated by superscripts (letters for tables consisting of numbers; numerals for tables consisting of words; symbols if letters or numbers might be mistaken for exponents), and (3) notes on level of probability (e.g., using asterisks to indicate level of probability within tables - a single asterisk for the lowest level of probability, two for the next higher, and so on).

Figures - font. Because figures are considered illustrations, letters and numerals that are part of a figure can be any font (as long as they are legible). However, the figure title and page number must be in the same font as the rest of the thesis.

Figures - legends. Explanatory material for figures should generally be placed within the figure. If necessary, such material can be placed after the period following the title. For a journal format thesis, determine if your journal has specific guidelines for figures and figure legends.

Continued figures. A figure containing several related parts too large to be included on one page may be continued onto other pages. The first page contains the figure number and complete title, and subsequent pages contain the remainder of the figure and the designation: Figure (continued).

Figure footnotes. Figure footnotes should be avoided. If necessary, footnotes should be placed below the figure title (but not separated by a dividing line).

Literature Cited

Theses must include a list of references referred to in the text. For non-journal format theses, consult with your advisor to determine the appropriate format. For a journal format thesis, consult the journal's guidelines.

Appendix

An appendix (or appendices), if included, is preceded by a numbered page with the designation centered vertically and horizontally between the margins. Original data and supplementary materials are usually placed in the appendix. In journal format theses, all tables and figures may be placed in an appendix (if such placement is appropriate for a particular journal's guidelines).

Vita

Inclusion of a vita is optional. If included, the vita is written in narrative form and contains appropriate personal, academic, and professional information about the author. It is the last item in the thesis and appears with no preceding separation page.

Thesis - Formatting

Font Text is normally most readable in 10 - 12 point font, so these sizes are highly recommended. Other sizes may occasionally be used in the text (e.g., for emphasis or for chapter titles or sub-headings). Various font types are acceptable. However, font types typically used for theses would include Times New Roman, Courier, and Arial.

The font type selected for the thesis must be used in the:

• Preliminary pages (including approval sheets)


• Text


• Tables


• Figure titles (text within figures may be a different type)


• Page numbers, including appendix page numbers

It is recommended that a laser printer be used to produce the final master copy of the thesis.

Spacing

Text must be double-spaced. Single spacing is acceptable for quoted material and for tables. When extra space is needed (e.g., above headings and between chapter number and title), an additional ‘enter' is added, doubling the white space. Paragraph indentations should be uniform throughout the thesis.

Widows/Orphans

Widows/orphans are single lines/words of text separated from paragraphs at the bottom or top of a page. Widows/orphans should be avoided. In addition (and this is not clearly stated in the Graduate School Guide), each page must have at least four lines of text (i.e., if a page at the end of a chapter has only 2 or 3 lines of text at the top of the page and nothing else, make adjustments to ensure that there are at least 4 lines).

Margins

The left margin must be no less than 1 ˝ inches; the right, top and bottom margins no less than 1 inch. All tables and figures and page numbers must fit within these margins.

All text must be left justified (or ragged-right).

Pagination

The sequencing and pagination of the various parts of a thesis are provided in Figure 1 (on page 7) of the Graduate School's Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Specialist Projects. Small Roman numerals are used to number all pages preceding the text. Although the preliminary paging begins with the title page, no number appears on that page. Therefore, the following page is page ii. Beginning with the first page of the text, all pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the manuscript, including the Literature Cited, Appendix, and Vita, with Arabic numerals. Page numbers may be positioned at the bottom of the page centered between the margins, or in the right hand corner, but must be consistent throughout the thesis. Numbers may be included on separation sheets (e.g., Appendix) or may be suppressed (if suppressed, the pages are still, of course, assigned numbers in the Table of Contents).

Paper and Duplication

The two official copies of the thesis submitted to the Graduate School must be copied on (at least) 50% cotton, 20-pound weight, white paper. The same brand of paper must be used throughout both copies and for the approval pages. The copies should be produced from a master copy that was produced using, preferably, a laser printer on plain white paper.

Because students submitting theses must often make revisions after Graduate School review, the Graduate School will accept one copy of a thesis on draft paper before final submission. Although on draft paper, a thesis must be approved by the student's committee before the Graduate School will review it. In addition, the signature/approval pages accompanying the thesis must be on official cotton paper. After the thesis has been reviewed and, if necessary, revisions made, the student must provide the Graduate School with two copies of the thesis on cotton paper.

Preview

Students may have their thesis reviewed prior to the deadline for submission to the Graduate School. Students, by appointment only, can have the formatting and structure of the thesis reviewed as late as two weeks before the final submission date. A thesis reviewed prior to the final submission date does not have to be in its final form (or on official paper). The Graduate School will make no recommendations toward content, and although the Graduate School suggests that theses be approved by the student's committee before early review, it is not necessary. Students may call 622-1744 to schedule appointments. Please be aware that a thesis reviewed early may still require revisions or corrections after the final submission date.

Final Submission to the Graduate School

Two copies of the thesis on required paper, accompanied by the required forms and signatures, must be submitted. These two copies will be hard-bound and placed in the Library under arrangements made by the Graduate School.

Submission to the Department of Biological Sciences

One copy of the thesis on required paper must also be submitted to the Department of Biological Sciences. This copy will be hard-bound (under arrangements made by the department) and kept in the department's archives

.

Student Copies

Students may also submit additional personal copies to the Library for binding (at their own expense).

Thesis in the Form of a Journal Article

A thesis may be in the form of a manuscript submitted or about to be submitted to a professional journal (with the choice of journal determined by the student in consultation with his/her advisor and committee). If more than one manuscript is included, they must be integrated into a unified presentation, which may be accomplished through an introductory chapter that might contain, for example, a literature review of the type typically not found in professional journals. Additionally, one or more connecting chapters might be used to expand on the methods used or the theoretical implications of the findings presented in the individual articles. A uniform style of headings, reference citations, and literature cited format (in compliance with the Graduate School's guidelines) must be adopted, even though individual articles may have been prepared for submission to different journals. Each manuscript should be listed as an individual chapter within the thesis. If such chapter divisions are used, one literature cited section, including all references from the various manuscripts, should be presented at the end of the text (EKU Graduate School requirement). Pages must be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis.

Procedure for producing a journal-format thesis

With the approval of your advisor and committee, you may include manuscripts published in, accepted by, or submitted to, and/or prepared for submission to scholarly journals. You must be the primary author of the paper(s) (i.e., the person principally involved in the data selection or collection, the data analysis or interpretation, and the writing). If you choose this option, you must follow the usual requirements for margins, pagination, and other mechanics as specified in the EKU Guide to the Preparation of Theses and Specialist Projects (The Graduate School, 1998).

How will the thesis format of the manuscript(s) differ from the one(s) submitted to the journal? If more than one manuscript is to be included, you will format each as a separate chapter in the thesis. Write the manuscript(s) for submission to the journal and then reformat it as described below.

• Do not include a separate manuscript cover and/or title page. (Include any information normally on the title page of a manuscript on the first page of the chapter, either as a subtitle or as footnotes.)


• If your thesis includes one manuscript, the title of that manuscript will also be the title of your thesis. If more than one manuscript is included, your thesis title should convey in a concise manner the content of the entire thesis, and the title of each manuscript should serve as a main chapter heading.


• If the manuscript(s) has(have) multiple authors, include statements describing the co-authors' roles in the research and/or preparation of the manuscript in the Acknowledgment section of the thesis.


• Format the headings within the paper as required by the journal, with each section of the paper (including acknowledgments and literature cited) indicated with a sub-heading.


• Number tables and figures as in the manuscript sent to the journal and, depending on the journal's format, insert them either as you discuss them in the text, or at the end of the manuscript (in an appendix), after the references.


• Even if your manuscripts have been prepared for journals with different requirements, each chapter in your thesis must have the same heading and/or table/figure style (EKU Graduate School requirement).

What must I include in addition to the manuscript(s)? In addition to your manuscript(s), your thesis (at the discretion of your committee) may include a literature review and, if your thesis includes more than one manuscript, general introduction and conclusion chapters. You may also include additional chapters and/or appendices.

General Introduction. Since each thesis should be organized as a single, complete document, a thesis including multiple manuscripts should begin with a general introduction in which you state the research problem and address the background and significance of the research topic.

Literature Review. A component of most theses is an extensive discussion of previous work on the subject. Because many journals do not encourage in-depth literature review sections within articles, you will probably have to include a literature review either as part of the introduction or as a separate chapter.

General Conclusions. For theses including multiple manuscripts, a general conclusion chapter can include a discussion of the results as they apply to the larger problem detailed in the general introduction. You may also include suggestions for additional research in this chapter.

Additional Material. You may include additional details on back-ground, methods, and procedures: 1) as a separate chapter within your thesis, or 2) as an appendix to the thesis.

Where do I place the references and how should I format them?

1. At the end of each chapter in which they are cited (e.g., literature review and each manuscript), and


2. in a comprehensive listing at the end of the thesis. The reference style you use will correspond to the style used by the journal for which that manuscript was prepared. If manuscripts are to be submitted to journals with different styles, you must select and use just one style (i.e., the style used must be consistent throughout the thesis) (EKU Graduate School requirement).

What must I do to include already-published papers in my thesis? If you are including in your thesis a manuscript for which you have already assigned copyright to a publisher, you must obtain written permission from the publisher(s). Submit a copy of the approval form or letter to the Graduate Office at or before the time of Final Submission of your thesis.

Master's Checklist

Format

       All pages 8 1/2 x 11 inches, one side only, on archival paper

       Font size of text consistent, either 10 CPI or 12 CPI

       Margins after photocopying at least 1 1/2 inches on left; at least one inch on all other sides

       No "orphans" or "widows"

Preliminary Pages

       Small Roman numerals used to number

       Arranged in proper order

Copyright

       If included, notice of copyright on page immediately after title page

Abstract

       Double-spaced

       Same typeface as rest of thesis

       Proper heading format

Text

       Each chapter begins on a new page

       Sections within chapters do not begin on new pages (unless occurs naturally)

       All pages numbered consecutively

Tables and Figures

       Figure and table numbering either continuous throughout thesis or by chapter

       Table headings placed at top of tables

       Figure captions placed at bottom of figures

       All lettering clear and legible

Copying and Binding

       Two copies on archival paper to the Graduate School; one copy to the Department

       At least three signature pages submitted to Graduate School (two for Graduate School copies & one for the department's copy) for the Dean's signature. Additional signature pages may be submitted for additional copies of the thesis.

       Each copy is properly collated

       Each copy is sharp and clean

Grade for Thesis Work

       Remind your advisor to submit Change of Grade Forms for BIO 891