Manuscript Requirements

Completed Dissertation Manuscript

The dissertation manuscript typically consists of 5 chapters.

Chapters one and two commonly are the same as what was prepared for the proposal however, depending on the feedback you receive from your committee at the time of the Preliminary Oral and also the amount of time that has transpired, you may be making changes/additions to those chapters.

Your methods chapter (chapter 3) will be modified to reflect the methods you used in your study rather than a proposed set of methods. Chapter 4 in the final manuscript presents the results and findings of your research. Chapter 5 presents the overall study with emphasis on the study conclusions along with implications and recommendations.

Guidelines for Chapter 4 (Findings) and Chapter 5 (Conclusions, Implications & Recommendations)

• Chapter 4 includes Findings/Results for ALL data gathered

  • Narrative content associated with graphics (tables and figures)

  • Interpretation of results to create key findings that answer your research questions

• Chapter 5 includes your study Conclusions, Implications and Recommendations

  • Summarized description of your study including problem, theoretical framework, methods and key findings

  • Study conclusions

  • Implications for practice and scholarship

  • Study limitations

  • Recommendations for practice and for future research

  • Closing comments

 Chapter 4 and 5 Suggested Outline.docx

Abstract

The abstract is prepared by the candidate for inclusion in the dissertation and for official Final Oral announcement. The abstract should contain a statement of the problem or issue studied the research objectives and/or questions, the research methodology employed, and a summary of the results and conclusions.

The abstract can be no more than 350 words. Every word and number within the abstract must be counted as one word. All numbers within the abstract should be represented as numerals unless they begin a sentence. The first sentence of the first paragraph is not indented (flush left). The title of the abstract and supporting information contained on the abstract page are not included in the 350-word count. The heading, ABSTRACT, should be centered in all capital letters.

Full Study Manuscript

The Graduate School of Education and Psychology requires the use of American Psychological Association (APA) style and formatting guidelines. Where there is a conflict between specific GSEP style guidelines and specifications by APA, the GSEP guidelines will supersede. 

Dissertation Format Requirements Manual 2020 - contains detailed information regarding manuscript format requirements for GSEP doctoral dissertation.

General Guidelines for Dissertation Research and Manuscript- provides minimum page and citation requirements for your final dissertation manuscript

Sample dissertation preliminary pages (ie: Title page; abstract; acknowledgments etc.) are available on the student services dissertation support site .