DEGREE PLANNING 101 Thesis

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DEGREE PLANNING 101 Thesis Non-Thesis Programs
Dr. Thomas Tomasi
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Completing the Degree on Schedule

• Full-time vs. part-time
• Nine (9) grad credits/semester (6 in summer)
• Assistantship requirements
• Six (6) grad credits/semester (3 in summer)
• Thesis vs. non-thesis project vs. neither
• Masters vs. Doctoral degrees.

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Typical Full-Time Time-Table

• First Semester
• Classes (8-12 credits)
• (thesis) Write thesis proposal
• (thesis) Form thesis committee
• Second Semester
• Classes (8-12 credits) (clinical hours?)
• Advisor-Approved Program of Study form (lt14
  credits)
• (thesis) committee meeting to review proposal
• (thesis) learn techniques start data collection
• (non-thesis) investigate faculty research
• (non-thesis) investigate summer internships

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Advisor-Approved Program of Study

• A contract for course completion.
• Requirements plus electives.
• Identify classes and semesters.
• Approved transfer credits
• Totals
• Signatures
• Changes
• Non-course requirements

On the Graduate College Website, select Forms
in the Current Students column
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Typical Full-Time Time-Table (2)

• Third Semester
• Classes (8-12 credits) (clinical hours?)
• (thesis) continue data collection
• (thesis) update INTRO, METHODS, REFERENCES
• (thesis) committee meeting for updates
• (non-thesis) do research project
• Fourth Semester
• Classes (6-12 credits) (clinical hours?)
• Application for Graduation form
• Comprehensive Exam (uniform or personalized)
• (thesis) Complete thesis

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Thesis Completion (final semester)

• (-14 weeks) stop collection data/information
• (-14 weeks) statistics, graphs tables
  (software?)
• (-12 weeks) 1st assembled draft to advisor
• (-10 weeks) 1st assembled draft back from advisor
• (-9 weeks) 2nd draft to advisor
• (-7 weeks) 2nd draft back to advisor
• (-6 weeks) 3rd draft to committee
• (-4 weeks) 3rd draft back from committee
• (-3 weeks) defendable draft to committee
• (-1 week) oral presentation and/or oral defense
  (if required)
• Thesis Deadline for semester (late April, late
  Nov, mid-July)

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QUESTIONS ??????
Research Project
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Before the Research

• Pick a journal for publication
• (thesis) Read our Thesis Guide for formatting
  style
• (non-thesis) Discuss format with advisor/teacher
• Determine format of references
• Write a thesis proposal using these formats
• Introduction
• Methods
• References (avoid referencing by number at this
  point)
• Get approvals (if needed)
• Human Subjects,
• Vertebrate Animals
• Bio-safety

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Thesis Guide
http//graduate.missouristate.edu

• Formatting details
• Set up as an example of format
• Lists style guides
• Template for first 10 pages are set up already
• Student Checklist

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Thesis Guide

• Some Things are Prescribed
• Format for initial pages, margins, ..
• Placement of headings, figure captions, table
  headings .
• Some Things are NOT Prescribed
• Sections or chapters of the thesis .
• Method of reference citation

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Supplemental Instruction Pages
Paste screen shot here
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After the Research

• If writing a thesis
• Re-read the Thesis Guide
• Update Introduction Methods
• Statistics, table, graphs
• Write Results Discussion
• Prepare the preliminary pages
• Prepare PowerPoint presentation (if required by
  department)

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Most Common Mistakes

• Page numbers
• Mismatch with Table of Contents
• Wrong location
• Margins
• Headings
• placement font used
• match the Table of Contents
• Text citations reference list
• Mismatch
• Inconsistent
• Tables Figures
• Signatures

Politics of the 19th Century . . . . . . .
Democrats Strengths Problems Republicans
Strengths Problems Independents Problems Eco
nomics of the 19th Century Federal State Local
Personal Conclusions References
See a problem with this outline?
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Thesis Approval Process

• Satisfy the chairperson and other members of your
  committee they sign!
• Turnitin.com (plagiarism prevention)
• Review by the Graduate College
• Review copy should be prepared to meet all
  guidelines
• Must be approved by thesis committee (signatures)
• Also submit digital copy of thesis
• Also submit checklist (journal article if
  needed)

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Final Thesis Submission

• Make final corrections as indicated by Graduate
  College make ONLY these changes
• Deadline ??
• Make copies on good paper for binding
• Obtain all signatures on final copies
• Submit to Graduate College
• Copies
• Digital file (upload on website)
• Change Z-grade form

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Z-grade Removal Form

• Obtain when picking up the review copy from
  Graduate College if Z grades are on your
  transcript
• See your transcript and fill in form
• Signature of advisor
• Return to Graduate College with final copies of
  thesis for binding.

Make sure you advisor has completed submitted
the form for completion of your comprehensive
exam (written oral if both are used)
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Grading of the Thesis

• Some programs use regular grading others use
  Pass/Not Pass
• Thesis grades are not assigned until the final
  product is complete. Since the enrollment often
  is over several semesters, a Z grade is
  assigned prior to completion

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GEN 698 Active in Research

• Zero credit course special permission form
• 75.00
• For those students with only research requirement
  to be completed
• Gives the following
• Access to library
• Opportunity to purchase a parking pass
• Access to computer services, including e-mail
• Grade is a P or N

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• 17th Annual
• Graduate InterdisciplinaryForum
• April 17, 2010

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Responsible Conduct of Research

• Fabrication of data
• Plagiarism
• Authorship of papers
• Retention of data
• Compliance with Federal Requirements
• Human Participants
• Biosafety Radiation
• Animal Use
• Export Control

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QUESTIONS ??????