A Thesis Model
In general, the thesis consists of three parts:
Front Matter
Text
Back Matter
Front Matter
Front Matter is arranged in the order shown below. The first three pages (Title, Copyright, and Committee Signature) are not numbered. The remaining front matter pages are numbered in lower-case Roman.
Title Page
Copyright Page (optional)
Committee Signature Page
Dedication (optional)
Epigraph (optional)
Acknowledgements
Preface (optional)
Abstract
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Title Page
The title appears in capital letters and each line is centered. The author's name is the student's name as it appears in the registrar's records at the time of graduation. It appears in upper and lower case with no reference to academic or other degrees or titles.
The thesis supervisor entry includes the name of the person who supervised the thesis. Include the academic title (but not academic degrees) of the faculty member (e.g. Professor Clappen Patschen). See Title Page.
Copyright Page
Copyright registration of the thesis is optional and according to the U.S. Copyright Web site (see url below), by U.S. law, written works are automatically copyrighted upon being written. The following statements are basics concerning U.S. copyright:
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From the time a work created is in fixed form, copyright protection exists and the copyright immediately becomes the property of the author who created the work.
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Copyright is secured automatically when the work is created, i.e., when the work is fixed in a copy or phonorecord for the first time.
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Copyright registration (a legal formality that publicly records the basic facts of the particular copyright) is not a condition of copyright protection.
Copyright registration is secured with the Library of Congress, U.S. Copyright Office, 101 Independence Avenue S.E., Washington, D.C. 20559-6000. Forms are available at http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ1.html#wccc
An example of the copyright entry is:
Copyright by
ELVIN BISHOP
1995
All Rights Reserved
Committee Signature Page
Thesis committee members sign at least four Committee Signature Pages (provided by the candidate on the same weight paper as that of the final bound copies of the thesis) following the thesis defense. Dark, black ink, is used so that the signatures can be reproduced and microfilmed.
These signature pages are released to the candidate by the supervisor after all final revisions are made, they are included in the hardbound copies submitted to the University of St. Thomas.
Dedication
The dedication is brief and centered on the pages, single-spaced. No heading is necessary.
Epigraph
The epigraph is centered on its own pages, single-spaced. The source of a quotation used as an epigraph is given below the epigraph and is aligned to end with it at the right margin. Bibliographic information is usually limited to author's name and title of the work.
Acknowledgements
This section begins with the title ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS centered in all capital letters 2 inches down from the top of the page. The text begins on the fourth line below the heading and is double-spaced.
The text is limited to thanks for, or recognition of, special assistance, but it may also include recognition of permissions granted to the author to use published or copyrighted material.
Preface
Some thesis topics warrant a further explanation and introduction to help readers understand the background of a research topic, or the background of why or how an author formulated the idea.
Abstract
The abstract is a 350-word (or less) summary of the study. The title is centered two inches down from the top of the page in capital letters. The student's name is placed one-half inch below the title. University of St. Thomas and the year of the thesis is centered on the next line. One-half inch below the title of the institution and the year the thesis is completed is the line for Thesis Supervisor followed by the candidate's name.
The abstract begins with the problem statement and sub-problems or research questions, followed by the procedures used to investigate the problem, results of the study, and salient conclusions and implications. The abstract is presented to the thesis committee with the final draft of the thesis prior to the defense, and becomes a part of the bound thesis.
To assist in the compilation of abstracts from completed theses, students are required to submit a copy of the abstract by e-mail attachment to the Graduate Programs in Music Education program coordinator.
Table of Contents
The heading TABLE OF CONTENTS in capiatl letters is centered without punctuation two inches down from the top of the first page only, neither a continuation notice nor any part of the heading appears on subsequent pages. The listing of titles begins at the left margin on the fourth line below the heading.
All titles in the thesis following - but not preceding - the Table of Contents are included in this listing. The titles of major divisions that follow the Table of Contents (list of tables, list of figures, chapters, appendices, and references) and at least first-order subheadings must be included in the table of contents.
List of Tables and List of Figures
The heading LIST OF TABLES and LIST OF FIGURES, appears in capital letters centered on the page two inches down from the top of the page on the first page only, neither a continuation notice nor any part of the heading appears on subsequent pages. The listing begins on the fourth line below the heading at the left margin. If the thesis contains tables and figures, the listing of each begins on a new page.
Text
Each chapter of the thesis is a major division and is captioned. Each major division begins on a new page, but subdivisions must always follow one another immediately without gaps in the text.
Major division headings are centered in capital letters two inches from the top of the page and the text begins on the fourth line below the last line of the heading. In the text, the heading generally consists of a chapter designation, a number in Arabic numerals, which is usually preceded by the word CHAPTER, the chapter number, and a descriptinve title.
The text may be organized according to the following generic outline. Please note that each thesis is an original work. As such, the following is intended only as a guide. Individual studies will deviate from this summary (expecially non-quantitative and non-qualitative studies), depending on the design of the project.
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Introduction and Rationale
Statement of the Problem (Statement or Research Question form)
Sub-problems or Research Questions
Assumptions
Delimitations (state the boundaries around which the study is structured)
Definition of Terms
Purpose of Study
CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Through discussion of extensive library research, this chapter points to why the present study is being proposed by summarizing the current literature (research and other writings) related to the thesis topic. Broadly, in identifying what has been done in the selected field, this section, in turn, implies what hasn't been done, and indicates a need for the proposed study. More specifically, the review of related literature supplies information to more accurately describe the problem, and to aid in developing the research design, selecting the setting, and appropriate terminology. The Review of Literature chapter concludes with a final section: Need for the Study.
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
Introduction explaining the organization of the chapter
Research Design (as appropriate to the particular study describing):
CHAPTER IV: RESULTS
Introduction explaining the organization of the chapter
Presentation of the data
Data analysis and interpretation
CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Restatement of the research problem and sub-problems or research questions
Summary
Discussion
Conclusion (including implications)
Recommendations for further research
Back Matter
Back Matter includes the Appendices and the References/ Bibliography/ Works Consulted, the latter of which is the last section of the thesis. Pages are numbered in Arabic numerals that continue the series begun on page 1 of the text.
Appendices
Examples of material that may be appropriate for appendices include explanations helpful to a reader but too long for inclusion in footnotes or the text, texts of original documents such as letters, questionnaires, listing of material, original data, and computer programs. The heading consists of the word APPENDIX followed by the appendix designation (a letter or number), followed by the descriptive title. If there is only one appendix, the letter (or number) is omitted and the word APPENDIX, with or without a descriptive title, constitutes the heading. Depending upon the appropriateness with regard to length, these sections may be captioned throughout the thesis.
Ethics Statement
Provide a sample of the letter a participant signs to indicate a willingness to take part in the research.
Institutional Review Board Approval
The UST Institutional Review Board must approve all reserach using human subjects before data are collected. IRB approval must accompany the submitted proposal.
References/Bibliography/Works Consulted
According to the particular study and to the reference contents, this section is titled:
References (if listing only works cited in the study)
Bibliography (if listing all appropriate references as agreed on with the theis supervisor)
Works Consulted (if listing all references consulted)
All theses that make use of other sources either by direct quotation or by reference must have a reference listing of these sources at the end. The title, REFERENCES, or BIBLIOGRAPHY, or WORKS CONSULTED appears in capital letters two inches from the top of the first page of the section; neither a continuation notice nor any part of the heading appears on subsequent pages. the listing begins four lines (a double double-space) below. References are the last item in the thesis.
The referencing system must correctly and consistently follow established practices of the discipline as found in the Turabian or the Chicago Manual. Only one system of referencing is to be used throughout, culminating in a single reference list. Individual entries are to be single-spaced, with double spacing between items.
Footnotes may be used and placed at the bottom of the page. A footnote must appear in its entirety at the bottom of the page on which it is referenced. Individual notes are to be single-spaced with double spacing between notes.
