Theses & Dissertations

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Thesis & Dissertation Content and Format

Students who are enrolled in an MS Plan A (Thesis) or PhD degree program are required to complete an independent research project.

A thesis (MS) or dissertation (PhD) consists of several chapters that are combined into a single document. There is a prescribed overall format for this document that must follow the specification of the Graduate Division.

The following outline provides general information about the structure and content of this document.

Title Page
Signature Page
Tables of Contents, Tables, Figures and Appendices
Literature Review (a short review of the literature that pertains to your research)
Manuscripts that are intended for publication
Research summary (if there are multiple manuscripts, this summary is intended to tie them all together)
Appendices (data and other materials that support and document your research but which are not necessarily intended for publication)

The Botany Department maintains files of previous theses and dissertations. These often provide guidance if you are unfamiliar with the general structure of such documents. More recent documents are better models than those produced years ago (when there were very different rules regarding the structure).

You should carefully review the Graduate Division standards as early in the documentation process as possible.

Workflow

Overview

The final stage in your research consists of three basic steps

Completion of a written thesis or dissertation
A public seminar in which you present the results of your research
A defense of your research in the presence of your Permanent Committee

Usually, the public seminar is immediately followed by the defense. The final approval of the written thesis or dissertation (indicated by obtaining you committee's signatures) may take place at the end of this defense or may be delayed pending revisions.

Deadlines

Important deadlines are established by the Graduate Division and posted in the on-line academic calendar.

Procedure

Student

Establish a date and time for your public seminar and defense. This should be as early in the semester as possible. Note the deadlines established by the Graduate Division. The time should match the usual schedule (e.g., on the half hour MWF).
Confirm the date and time with your Advisor and Permanent Committee.
Notify the Graduate Program Secretary and Graduate Chair about the date and time.
Work with your Advisor to make sure that you have an outstanding talk prepared for your public seminar.
Prepare an announcement of your public seminar and post it appropriately.
Secure approval from your Advisor to distribute your thesis or dissertation draft to the rest of the committee. This should reach your committee at least 2 weeks prior to your defense.
Present your public seminar.
Hold your defense with your committee (this is usually immediately after the public seminar).

Committee

Complete Form III and forward it to the Graduate Chair.
Sign the Signature Page in the thesis or dissertation and return it to the student if it is complete and satisfactory.
Return comments about the thesis or dissertation to the student and establish a plan for revisions, including who will require further detailed review of the written document.

Graduate Chair

Endorse Form III and forward to the Graduate Division.

Student

Complete your thesis or dissertation, if necessary, by incorporating committee comments.
Redistribute your thesis or dissertation for any further approvals as required by your committee.
If you don't already have the signatures, obtain them from all committee members.
File final version with Graduate Division