The following document is intended as a guide to assist students in preparing the Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper for submission to the College of Graduate Studies.
Students preparing either their Thesis or Alternate Plan paper are encouraged to work very closely with their advisor and other examining committee members at all stages of development. All work must meet acceptable standards of quality in both content and form, before being approved by the student's examining committee and the Graduate Dean.
The information in these guidelines is not meant to exclude other possibilities for Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper content. The student should defer to the particular discipline for the specific nature of research in that discipline.
A. Thesis
The Thesis is an extensive original research paper that should result in a significant contribution to new knowledge in the field; the exact nature of original research may vary by discipline.
One type of Thesis demonstrates the student's ability to conceive and develop a research problem; to couch it theoretically; to develop alternative methods for testing logically generated hypotheses; to gather, compile and statistically analyze data; to make rational decisions regarding the resolution of the research problem and to make recommendations for future research. Ordinarily, the Thesis is oriented toward original research, data gathering with statistical analysis, theory testing and theory building.
Another type of Thesis may involve original "critical" work on a particular topic: historical period, literary work, etc. Creative projects are also common: novel, collection of short stories, art portfolio, musical composition, theatrical direction, etc.
Under certain circumstances, extensive use of library materials or secondary research (e.g. secondary analysis of existing data) may meet the research requirement for the Thesis.
Any Thesis that is not text/paper based (for example, an art portfolio or a computer software project), should be accompanied by at least ten pages of material where the student evaluates the process and outcome of the project: influences, methodology, program notes etc. - whatever is appropriate to the discipline.
All Thesis projects require a Thesis Proposal. If data collection is part of the Thesis, this proposal must be approved before any data collection is started. (See Section II.) Students should work closely with their advisor in preparing the Thesis Proposal. The proposal requires acceptance and endorsement by the student's thesis (evaluating) committee and the Graduate Dean. Please note: If the Thesis Proposal is not approved before data collection is started, or if the research process is substantially different from an approved proposal and there are ethical concerns about the research, the completed Thesis may be rejected.
B. Alternate PIan Paper
Ordinarily, the Alternate Plan Paper is oriented toward the use of secondary research. Writing this paper should enhance the student's knowledge and ability to integrate ideas.
In a typical Alternate Plan Paper, related literature examining the breadth and length of the problem is critically reviewed and evaluated to provide a thorough, extensive, academic orientation to a problem. The selection, discussion and evaluation of the available literature on the topic provide the background for the student to summarize and draw relatively sound conclusions, to develop alternative recommendations for the solution to the research problem, to suggest strengths and weaknesses of the available data, and to indicate directions for future research.
In addition, a portfolio of materials (e.g. materials assembled for use in a classroom) may be accepted in fulfillment of the Alternate Plan Paper requirement. This requirement also may be satisfied by restricted original research, a research paper, a collection of research papers, an individual creation, or by a paper accepted for publication in a juried professional journal.
An extended internship which has been specifically approved by the academic unit involved and the Graduate Dean also may be accepted for the Alternate Plan Paper requirement. In such cases, a thorough analytical account of the internship experience, one which evaluates the academic and practical impact of that experience on the Individual, shall constitute the Alternate Plan Paper.
Research for the Alternate Plan Paper also may resemble, but be less extensive than that for a Thesis. However, the research should be more significant in quality and greater in quantity than that for the standard graduate term paper. Finally, individual programs may have a specific requirement for an alternate plan paper - one not covered in any of the above scenarios.
The length of the Alternate Plan Paper will obviously vary according to topic and/or the availability of previous research in the area. Typically, an Alternate Plan Paper contains at least 26 pages of evaluative material. If the Alternate Plan assignment is not text/paper based, the project materials should be accompanied by at least ten pages where the student evaluates the process and outcome of the project.
In the final analysis, it is the responsibility of the individual professor who supervises the writing, the student's major adviser, and the student's examining committee to require projects of acceptable quality and sufficient scope. Students should work closely with their advisor at all stages of the development of the Alternate Plan Paper.
An Alternate Plan Paper does not require that a proposal be accepted and endorsed by the Graduate Dean; however, students need approval for all
Alternate Plan Paper projects from their advisor and, if required, an examining committee. In addition, students preparing an Alternate Plan Paper, in lieu of a Thesis, must complete an additional 4 semester credits of coursework,
The Thesis proposal includes an item requiring the researcher to specify whether or not the research involves human participants. If it does, the project must be reviewed by the Institution Review Board (IRE). A Human Participants Review Form and other IRE materials must be completed and attached to the Thesis Proposal Form. Occasionally, Alternate Plan Papers may include research or data collection involving human participants; in such cases, a Human Participants Review Form and appropriate materials must be completed; these, along with a clear explanation of proposed project, must be approved by the students advisor/examining committee and submitted to the College of Graduate Studies for IRE assessment.
A Human Participants Review Form is available at the departmental offices and at the College of Graduate Studies Office. Students should allow extra time for review and approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRE). All researchers are expected to be sensitive to and minimize the potential for physical, social and psychological risks to human participants.
Voluntary Participation and Informed Consent are essential. If a Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper involves the use of animals, an appropriate protocol must be approved by the MSU institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Students should allow extra time for this review. For more information, please consult the chair of the Biology Department. Graduate students should review the Code of Ethics and/or Standards of Conduct developed by the professional organizations in their respective disciplines. Please note: Violations of recognized research ethics may result in the rejection of a completed Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper.
A. Style Manuals
Format and Style
The academic unit involved should recommend the style manual to be followed. Students should familiarize themselves with the appropriate manual of style before they begin writing their paper. The most common style manuals are as follows:
Form and Style: Research Papers, Reports, Theses, by CaroI Slade, William
Campbell, and Stephen Ballou (9th Edition. Boston: Houghton MiMin. 1994)
A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, by Kate
L. Turabian (6th Edition Chicago: University of Chicago Press. 1996)
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (4th
Edition Washington, DC: APA. 1994)
MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, by Joseph Gibaldi (4th Edition. New York: MLA 1995)
Specific programs may have other approved manuals, particularly adapted to the accepted writing and referencing style for that academic discipline. Check the internet for updated versions of all styles. For best results, use original style manuals, not versions of the above found in style manual surveys.
Whatever style is used, that style must be maintained consistently throughout the paper.
Do not use the formatting, typestyle or printing guidelines of your style manual. These guidelines have been established by the College of Graduate
Studies and details are in the sections that follow.
B. Margins and Spacing
Margins at the left of the page must be one and one half inches. Margins at the right, top and bottom of the page must be one inch. The page numbers should be one inch from the top and one inch from the right side of the paper. Arabic numerals should be used without enclosures (parentheses or dashes) for paginating the main body, bibliography and appendix. Typing of the body of the paper begins a double space below the page number. Small Roman numerals are used to number the table of contents, list of tables and List of figures (see attached samples).
The initial page of each major division of the paper (e.g. table of contents, list of tables, list of figures, bibliography, new chapter, etc.) begins on a new page. The heading is centered 1.5 inches from the top of the page. For example, the chapter number (e.g. Chapter I) is centered 1.5 inches from the top of the paper and the chapter title is centered three spaces below it. The typing of the body of the paper begins three spaces below the chapter title; the main text of the paper is double-spaced. (See attached sample.)
If a numbered footnoting style is used, each number must be one half space above the first line of the note; the note and its number must be in the same typescript as the rest of the paper.
If a discrepancy regarding margins or page numbers between a specific manual of style and the guidelines established by the College of Graduate Studies, the student should follow the margins and page number placement specified by the College of Graduate Studies.
Type Size and Style
No particular typescript is required. Recommended is a 12 point print size and a font that is clear and easy to read. The same font and print size must be used throughout the paper. No paper will be accepted by the College of Graduate Studies if more than one font or print size has been used. Typing must be on one side of the paper only. Text must be double-spaced, except in the case of indented and separated long quotations (over five lines), footnotes and tables.
D. Symbols and Non-Standard Characters
Non-standard characters will be allowed when using certain formulas or equations. If in doubt, please get approval from the College of Graduate Studies before the final copy is printed. If inked insertions (symbols, irregular lines, etc.) are necessary, they must be done with India ink or a black, fine felt tip pen.
E. Tables and Figures
Large tables may be reduced in size by using small type or photo reduction. Generally, figures are drawn on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper. Large figures may be drawn, if necessary, and folded to measure not more than 7 by 10 inches, with a sufficient margin on the left to allow binding.
F. Paper Specifications and Printing
The report should be printed on opaque, white, acid-free, twenty-pound paper of at least twenty-five percent rag content. Laser printers are required. No dot matrix printers should be used. Copies may be reproduced (e.g. photocopied) by other processes, if the copies are legible, permanent and on the same kind of paper as the original copy. Copies on standard photocopy paper will not be accepted.
The paper must be submitted unbound with no punch holes or other mutilations. No corrections with pen or pencil are acceptable. Four copies, including the original of the Thesis, must be submitted by the due date for the semester the student plans to graduate. Four copies of an Alternate Plan Paper are required if written for the advisor, five if written for a professor other than the advisor. Please check with the College of Graduate Studies for Thesis and Alternate Plan Paper due dates.
G. Title Page
The title page of an Alternate Plan Paper or Thesis shall contain the following information: complete statement of title, identifying legend, date of graduation and name of student. (See attached samples.)
H. Abstract of Thesis
An abstract of a Thesis is required. It shall be inserted in the Thesis immediately preceding the table of contents. It does not require a page number and it is not counted when numbering the other pages of the thesis. The abstract shall be no more than 150 words in length and shall include the following: title of thesis, name of author, degree program involved, name of University, location of the University, year, statement of problem, procedure (methods employed) and findings (conclusions). On the initiative of the student, a copy of the thesis abstract may be submitted for inclusion in University Microfilms International at Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Attached is a sample of abstracts presented only as a suggested guide.)
I. Signature Pages
Each copy of the Thesis and Alternate Plan Paper shall include an endorsement/acceptance page bearing the date of approval; this page appears immediately after title page. For the Thesis and some Alternate Plan Papers, this page includes the signatures of the student's examining committee members. For some Alternate Plan Papers, this page includes only the signature of the professor teaching the course for which the paper was written. The names of the faculty members shall be printed below their signature lines. (See attached sample.) One copy of the paper must contain original signature(s): the other copies may be photocopies. (See Section TV.)
J. Audiovisual and Computer Components
In some cases, the entire Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper may be an audiovisual or computer project. In such cases, as indicated in the beginning of these guidelines, the project must be accompanied by at least ten pages where the student evaluates the intent, process and outcome of the work. In other cases, a Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper may only have audiovisual or computer components. In either case, care must be taken to preserve and describe these materials for archiving. All audiovisual or computer-related components of an Alternate Plan Paper or Thesis must be described thoroughly in written form or made available in black and white archival form (e.g. photograph, drawings, diagram, computer hard copy, Cttc.) and included in the bound copy. This documentation may be placed in the body of the text or in an appendix - whichever is more appropriate. It~ this material is in the appendix, it may be in smaller type and single spaced, unlike the body of the Alternate Plan Paper or Thesis. It is the responsibility of the student and the student's advisor to consult with library staff regarding the best way to prepare audiovisual and computer components for archiving. audiovisual and computer materials. See sections below for suggestions regarding the submission of specific Computer Programs: Include a summary description of the program, as well as its purpose, development and use. Video: Include a script or a detailed written description of the content of the video - e.g., a scene by scene description that clarifies the scene's relationship to the total program.
Include "representative" black and white archival stills or drawings or other images that indicate clearly the style, quality, and intent of the video, and preserve key images of the program. See library staff for most recent information on kinds of video and preservation qualities available for each. Photographs: Photographs should be black and white archival quality on 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper, and bound directly into the alternate plan paper or thesis. Computer-generated images printed on archival quality paper may be used. If color photographs are used, also include black and white archival quality photographs or computer-generated images of the same subjects. Color Slides: Color slides may be used if original (not copy) slides are inserted in pages of plastic "pockets" and bound into the alternate plan paper or thesis. Black and white archival quality photographs or computer-generated images of some (or all) of the color images also should be included along with the text that explains the project. Sound Recordings: A written transcript of an interview or other spoken recording must be prepared and submitted as part of the Alternate Plan Paper or Thesis. Cassette tapes must be of the highest quality currently available. Music may be submitted on cassette tapes or music compact discs. The CD should be placed in a pocket in the Alternate Plan Paper or Thesis. Consult faculty in the Music Department about converting tapes to CD's using a computer.
A. Thesis
A minimum of three semester-hour credits and a maximum of six semester-hour credits may be earned by a student following the Thesis plan in a Master's Degree program. A Specialist Degree student may earn four semester-hour thesis credits. Students under the Thesis Plan enroll in 699 for thesis credits.
A final oral comprehensive examination, often referred to as a thesis defense, must be successfully completed. The examining committee and the student set the date, time and place for this examination. All members of the examining committee should be given copies of the thesis with sufficient time prior to the oral examination to review the paper. Only if the candidate passes the oral examination and if the paper meets acceptable standards of quality should the committee sign the endorsement/acceptance page of the thesis.
Only if the candidate has met all degree requirements to the satisfaction of the committee should they sign the Recommendation for Awarding the Degree form.
B. Alternate Plan Paper
A minimum of one semester-hour credit and a maximum of two semester-hour credits may be earned by a student completing the Alternate Plan through the discipline's 694 course number. (Some academic units may have other course numbers for this requirement.) Students successfully completing an Alternate Plan Paper following this plan will have an endorsement/acceptance page signed by the appropriate evaluator(s).
In some cases, the Alternate Plan Paper is completed in conjunction with a regularly scheduled course, internship or practice, as an integral requirement of the course. One or two papers may be required by the academic
unit for the Alternate Plan Paper; Each paper must be evaluated, approved and the endorsement/acceptance sheet signed by the instructor or supervisor of the class /internship /practicum for which the paper is written. When an oral examination is required, an additional endorsement/acceptance sheet must be signed by members of the student's examining committee. Specific departments/programs also may have additional evaluation requirements for these paper(s).
If an oral examination is required, all members of the student's examining committee should be given copies of the Alternate Plan Paper with sufficient time prior to the oral examination to review the paper. If the paper meets the acceptable standards of quality, the committee members will sign the endorsement/acceptance page of the paper.
Only if the candidate has met all degree requirements to the satisfaction of the committee should they sign the Recommendation for Awarding the Degree form.
Following the oral examination and/or approval of the examining committee, the original and copies (total of four for the Thesis; four for the APP if written for the advisor and five for the APP if written for another professor) are delivered to the College of Graduate Studies for review and binding. Check with the College of Graduate Studies for current binding fee costs and deadlines for submitting papers to their office. The payment for binding shall accompany the Alternate Plan Paper/Thesis copies when they are submitted to the College of Graduate Studies.
All papers are reviewed by the College of Graduate Studies where the manuscript is checked to make sure that margins, paper, typing, printing and neatness meet requirements, and that all College of Graduate Studies rules and procedures have been followed by the student. Visual quality must meet acceptable standards. It is the student's responsibility to proofread and examine all copies of the paper carefully before submitting them to the College of Graduate Studies. All submitted materials must meet the approved manual of style for the student's program.
Once all of these conditions have been met, the paper must be accepted and approved by the Graduate Dean. Binding is arranged by the College of Graduate Studies. When binding is completed, the College of Graduate Studies will distribute copies as follows:
Each Master Thesis is then bound in maroon, while the Specialist Thesis is bound in green. The Alternate Plan Paper is bound in navy blue.
A list of names of typists who have indicated an interest in typing Alternate Plan Papers/Theses is available in the College of Graduate Studies. For further information concerning the Alternate Plan Paper or Thesis, the student should contact the College of Graduate Studies at 507-389-2321, or check the website. Revised July 1998 & February 1999. Subject to further revision.
COMPLETE TITLE
OF
THESIS
by
AUTHOR'S NAME
A THESIS SUBMITTED
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
NAME OF DEGREE
IN
NAME OF PROGRAM
NAME OF OPTION, IF APPLICABLE
MINNESOTA STATE UNNERSITY, MANKATO
MANKATO, MINNESOTA
DECEMBER, 2003
SAMPLE
COMPLETE TITLE
OF
ALTERNATE PLAN PAPER
by
AUTHOR'S NAME
AN ALTERNATE PLAN PAPER SUBMITTED
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
NAME OF DEGREE
IN
NAME OF PROGRAM
NAME OF OPTION, IF APPLICABLE
MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY, MANKATO
MANKATO, MINNESOTA
DECEMBER, 1998
Sample
Date
This thesis paper has been examined and approved.
Examining Committee:
(Name typed below line), Chairperson
(Name typed below line)
(Name typed below line)
SAMPLE
Date
This report is submitted as part of the required work in the course (specify department name, course number, credit and course title) at Minnesota State University, Mankato, and has been supervised, examined and accepted by the Professor.
Under the Alternate Plan for the (specify degree, i.e. Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Business Administration) degree, this report is offered in lieu of a thesis.
(If the research involves the use of human participants the following language shall be added). The report involves the use of human participants and the appropriate approval for this research has been obtained.
(Name typed below line), Professor
(This sample applied to an APP written for a professor when only the
professor's signature is required by the department/program.)
SAMPLE
Date
This alternate plan paper has been examined and approved.
Examining Committee:
(Name typed below line), Chairperson
(Name typed below line)
(Name typed below line)
(This is the sample for the additional endorsement form to be used when an oral examination is required or the only endorsement form when the department/program requires examining committee approval of the alternate plan paper.)
