THESIS MANUAL

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Published by

Office of Graduate Studies

McCarthy Hall, Room 103

General: (714) 278-2618

Thesis Reader: (714) 278-3592

Rev. Fall 2004

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

Introduction...... 3

Annual Thesis Award...... 3

University Regulations...... 3

Research Subjects Approval...... 4

Library Resources…...... 4

Order of Completion of Thesis...... 5

Thesis Committee...... 5

Style Manuals...... 5

Thesis Typists...... 6

Approval Signatures...... 6

University Thesis Reader...... 6

Binding, Microfilming and Copyright...... 7

Award of Degree...... 7

Deposit of Thesis to Bookstore...... 7

Deadlines...... 7

FORMAT GUIDELINES

Paper...... 8

Typeface...... 8

Word Processors...... 8

Software...... 9

Hardware...... 9

Special Cautions...... 9

Margins...... 9

Spacing...... 10

Order of Parts...... 10

Pagination...... 10

Subheadings...... 10

Abstract...... 10

Title and Approval Page...... 11

Footnotes and Bibliography...... 11

Illustrations, Figures and Tables...... 11

Proofreading...... 12

Questions...... 12

APPENDICES

Appendix 1Thesis Review Checklist...... 14

Appendix 2Font Examples...... 15

Appendix 3Thesis Margin Guidesheet...... 16

Appendix 4Sample Title and Approval Page...... 17

Appendix 5Table of Contents Sample...... 19

Appendix 6Headings and Pagination Samples...... 22

Appendix 7Divider Page Example...... 25

Appendix 8Sample Paper Stock...... 26

GENERAL INFORMATION

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INTRODUCTION

This manual has been developed to assist the student in preparation of a thesis or a project, as applicable. Included is general information regarding all-university policies and procedures, format guidelines, sample pages, and a thesis checklist. It is the students’ responsibility to make certain that the requirements are met. The manual will answer the most commonly asked questions about the thesis preparation and format and will provide instructions on each step of the thesis process at CSU Fullerton.

Theses from the library or departmental offices should not be used as examples of correct format.Students should also be careful to follow the style manual adopted by their academic department (see section under “Style Manual”).

Since this manual cannot cover all situations and problems which may arise in the preparation of the manuscript, the student should discuss any particular problem with the chair of his/her thesis committee. If necessary, feel free to consult the Graduate Studies Office, which is the official campus authority for reviewing and approving theses regarding form and style.

ANNUAL THESIS AWARD

An award of $1,000 along with an engraved plaque will be given each year to the student whose thesis represents the highest standard of scholarly accomplishments as determined by a panel of judges chosen from emeriti professors. Interested students should contact the Graduate Studies Office or their graduate program adviser for further information on eligibility and deadlines. Finalists from each college may also be recommended for Honorable Mention by the judges; these students will receive a certificate of Honorable Mention along with a $100 cash award.

UNIVERSITY REGULATIONS

When a thesis is required, the library will be provided with an approved original in the approved binding, and an acceptable microfilm of it. An abstract accompanies the thesis and will be published in the University Microfilms International Publications. Interested scholars can then order copies of various theses through the journal.

An approved copy of the thesis may also be required by the student’s academic department. Students should check with their graduate program adviser as to whether a copy is needed by the department as part of the requirements for graduation.

When a project is required, some record of the project, or the project itself, is filed in the academic unit (e.g. Music), and in some cases, the Library.

Title to theses (and projects when treated as theses) passes to the university upon their acceptance by the evaluating faculty.

Variations from procedures and regulations should be referred to the Graduate Studies Office for approval.

University regulations apply to all theses and to projects which are pre-determined by the academic department to be treated as theses. Each section of the thesis will be checked by the university thesis reader for conformity to these requirements. A “Thesis Review Checklist” is included in Appendix 1 for use by the student prior to review by the thesis reader.

RESEARCH SUBJECTS APPROVAL

If your master’s thesis (or research project) involves human participants or animal subjects, you are required to obtain the proper approval for their use based on federal regulations and University policy. For your graduate work to be approved by the University, you must have the appropriate approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), depending on your subjects, on file in the Regulatory Compliance Office before your research may begin.

If you plan to use human participants or animal subjects in your research and have not started the IRB or IACUC application process, you can find valuable information and the forms you will need at Rules and Regulations. If you have further questions, please contact the Office of Grants and Contracts in MH-112.

Students who have been approved to use human participants or animal subjects must also check out with IRB or IACUC when their research is complete.

LIBRARY RESOURCES

The CSUF Library offers many helpful resources, workshops and services to assist you in your research. The Library Guide for Graduate Students can be

found at:

graduatestudents/.

Reference librarians will work one-on-one with individuals requesting research assistance on a specific research assignment, topic, or thesis. Research consultation sessions last one hour and can be requested on-line at:

Other helpful “How to” information on the Library Guide website includes:

  • Getting books/articles CSUF does not own.
  • Using ingenta document delivery.
  • Trying Link+
  • Finding a CSUF Thesis
  • Evaluating websites
  • Checking out materials
  • Browsing newly cataloged materials
  • Recommending purchases for the library (books, journals, etc.)

ORDER FOR COMPLETION OF THESIS

  1. Review and approval by department, approval signatures for title page.
  1. Research Subjects Approval.
  1. Submission to University Thesis Reader for initial review.
  1. Return to student for editing changes.
  1. Student completes changes from initial review.
  1. Student makes appointment with University Thesis Reader/Graduate Studies Office to review changes.

7. Student prints thesis in final format on bond paper.

  1. Submission to bookstore for binding and microfilming.
  1. Bookstore notifies Graduate Studies office that thesis has been received
  1. Bookstore sends bound thesis to library.

THESIS COMMITTEE

The thesis committee is composed of a minimum of three faculty members who supervise and approve the thesis. It is possible for a qualified person who is not a regular university faculty member to serve as a visiting examiner and join in the approval of the thesis. This person serves as the fourth member of the committee.

STYLE MANUALS

In addition to the university format guidelines, each academic unit may select a supplementary style manual to be followed in matters of documentation and bibliography. Students should consult their academic program adviser or thesis committee chair concerning the style manual preferred by their department.

If an academic unit does not recommend a specific style manual, the student should refer to A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertation (Fifth Edition), by Kate L. Turabian, or The Chicago Manual of Style, published by the University of Chicago. Please become familiar with the style guide used; do not rely on the thesis typist for its interpretation.

If the supplementary style manual presents regulations which conflict with the all-university format guidelines published in this handbook, the regulations stated in this handbook take precedence.

Some graduate programs require style manuals or guides designed for journal articles. Although these are helpful for

abbreviations, tables and footnoting, students should be aware of the difference between a thesis and an article and make appropriate adaptations. If a particular journal style is used for reference in the thesis, please submit a copy of its style guidelines and reference format along with the thesis so the thesis reader can check for compliance with format.

THESIS TYPISTS

The student makes all necessary arrangements for the typing of the thesis. A list of thesis typists is available in the Graduate Studies Office. The University Career Development & Counseling Center also maintains a listing of students and others who have indicated their availability for typing assignments. An experienced typist is strongly recommended; the university does not endorse individual typists.

APPROVAL SIGNATURES

When the final draft is completed, the student obtains signatures on the approval page of all of the members of the committee.

If there is a disagreement within the committee concerning the acceptability of the thesis, the approving signatures of the majority of the committee will be sufficient. Nonavailability of one member of the committee is not an adequate reason for acceptance of signatures by less than the full committee.No changes or additions in content will be allowed after the final signatures have been obtained.

The students should arrange for a minimum of three original title pages to be signed by the committee members. One original is submitted to the bookstore with the thesis or project; other originals may be used for the student’s personal copy or departmental copy, if required.

UNIVERSITY THESIS READER

The thesis is ready for initial review by the University Thesis Reader after the faculty has given approval (by signature) and the thesis has been typed in its final form. One unbound copy of the thesis, including the original approval page, is taken to the Graduate Studies Office for review by the thesis reader for conformity to all university format guidelines. The thesis submitted to the Graduate Studies Office for correction may be photocopied or printed on plain, unlined, white paper; however, the title/approval page should be on the correct paper stock. After the initial review of the thesis, the thesis reader will return the thesis to the student for changes.

A Thesis Approval Form (available in the Graduate Studies Office) should be completed when the thesis is submitted for review. Please indicate on the Thesis Approval Form any supplementary style manual issued in preparing the thesis. If applicable, a completion letter for human or animal research from the IRB or IACUC must also be submitted at this time. The student will be notified of any revisions or corrections which need to be made.

Once corrections are made, the student makes an appointment for a final review

of the initial edit of the thesis with the thesis reader or Graduate Studies Office and prints the paper on the correct paper stock. Once the corrections are checked and final approval is given by the thesis reader on the Thesis Approval Form, the thesis and approval form are then taken to the University Bookstore for microfilming and binding.

BINDING,MICROFILMING AND COPYRIGHT

The fee for binding and microfilming the thesis is paid at the University Bookstore Copy Center. An agreement form is completed in the bookstore for University Microfilms International Publishing (UMI) to publish the abstract in Masters Abstracts, and prepare a microfilm negative. UMI sells microfilm, photocopies and papers in electronic format to interested scholars. Arrangements for copyrighting are also possible through UMI.

Once submitted and receipted, the student may not withdraw the thesis from the bookstore and/or library.

The bookstore sends the approved thesis

(including original approval page) to UMI for filming and publication of the abstract. Once the thesis is returned by UMI, the bookstore sends it for binding.

The thesis submitted for the Pollak Library must be bound by the professional bindery used by the bookstore. However, students who need additional bound copies (for their department, committed members, or personal use) may have those extra copies bound by the Oral History department in the library or by a local copy service.

AWARD OF THE DEGREE

The grade for the thesis is reported in the usual manner to the registrar by the appropriate faculty. The bookstore notifies the Graduate Studies Office that the approved thesis been deposited, the fees paid, and the agreement for microfilming and publication of the abstract completed by the student.

DEPOSIT OF THE THESIS IN THE LIBRARY

When the thesis is returned by the bindery, the bound copy is deposited in the library by the bookstore. One set of the slides or separately mounted illustrative material is housed with the bound copy.

DEADLINES

Adequate time should be allowed for typing, reading and approval by the adviser, the committee members and the university thesis reader. Theses are reviewed in the order in which they are received by the Graduate Studies Office. The final version of the thesis should be submitted to the department for approval at least six weeks prior to the last day of classes of the appropriate semester.

Normally, the deadline for submission to the university thesis reader is two weeks prior to the last day of classes. Please check the graduate studies website at for all official deadlines. The Graduate Studies Office must receive notification from the

bookstore that the thesis has been received for binding and microfilming by the official graduation date for each semester.

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FORMAT GUIDELINES

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PAPER

Paper should be 8 ½ ” x 11 ” white, minimum 20-pound weight with a 25%-100% rag or cotton content. This higher quality paper assures durability and permanence to the thesis kept on file in the library.

Paper containing rag or cotton content shows a watermark when held up to the light. Standard paper used for Xerox machines or computer printers does not use rag or cotton in its manufacture and is not acceptable for theses submitted to the bookstore. Initial review by thesis reader does not require cotton paper. Only the final version requires cotton paper. Appendix 8 is an example of watermarked cotton paper.

When the student wishes to submit a thesis on a larger size paper (e.g. a misc. score) or special paper (e.g. a map), the Graduate Studies Office should be consulted in advance of preparation.

When additional copies are required by the student’s department before the degree may be granted, the student should consult with the department graduate program adviser concerning the paper required for the department copy and the deadline the department copy is due.

TYPEFACE

Students should be certain the final thesis copy is printed using a 10 pt. or 12 pt. font. See Appendix 2 for samples of acceptable computer-printed fonts. If uncertain about a typeface, check

Appendix 2 or bring a sample to the Graduate Studies Office.

The typeface and font size must be consistent throughout the thesis. However, if a type font different from the text is used for computer-generated graphics in figures and illustrations, the font must conform to the same quality standards as required for the text.

Printing must be on one side of the paper only. The final copy must be free from marks between lines, smudges, or corrections with liquid corrector. All symbols, maps, graphs, diagrams and other forms must be printed or drawn with black ink.

Avoid using fancy typefaces, bolding, and justified margins. Bolding is not acceptable due to microfilming problems.

Whenever using underline in the paper, e.g., a heading, a subheading or reference work title, always use a continuous underscore – do not underscore each word individually. Use of italics in lieu of underline is acceptable, except in subheadings.

WORD PROCESSORS

Not all word processing software and hardware is suitable for thesis or project preparation. It is crucial that students determine in advance if a particular package is appropriate to your needs.

SOFTWARE

The software should be capable of these formatting functions:

  • Adjustable page and line length
  • Superscripting for footnote numbers
  • Adjustable indentation
  • Single, double, and triple spacing at will
  • Variable page number position (upper-right and bottom center)

HARDWARE

The printer must be able to produce a clear, dark image that will photocopy and microfilm well. It must be able to perform all the software functions listed above and must be able to permit both capital and lower letters. The latter with “true ascenders and descenders.” (Notice how “y,” “b,” and “p” dip below the line and all capitals plus lower-case “h,” “b,” “1,” etc. extend upward.).

Printers must be laser printers. Inkjet/DeskJet printers are not acceptable for archives.

SPECIAL CAUTIONS

Certain computer functions can backfire and create disasters in a document. Following are some cautions:

  • Avoid use of the global-or universal-replace functions unless you can say “yes” or “no” to each replacement.
  • Make at least one backup copy of the documents after each session at the keyboard and store it separately from the original. Preserve and retain on disk the final of each draft in case you need to go back to it at a future time. Be sure to keep exact paper records of what file is what and where it is located. Do not erase any of your files or discard any paper copies until the final copies have been approved and deposited in the bookstore.
  • Be very careful in reformatting and repaginating your document. One extra line accidentally left at the bottom of a page will mean that the entire remainder of the chapter will have to be reformatted to correct this one error.
  • Using a word processor simplifies proofreading from draft to draft, as errors should not creep into text, which has not been altered. At the same, read each draft carefully prior to submission. Reformatting can yield unexpected results, and a careless finger can cause a sentence, paragraph, or page to be deleted inadvertenently.

MARGINS