Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines
Formatting of your dissertation or thesis is one of the key steps to completing your degree.
Navigating the Thesis and Dissertation Process
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Complete the Thesis/Dissertation Format Review Workshop
All graduate students who intend to complete a thesis or dissertation are required to attend the in-person workshop or watch the online view version of the workshop.
If you would like to view the Thesis/Dissertation Review Webinar please log into the Graduate Student Round-up site through http://planofstudy.okstate.edu/ and select “Thesis/Dissertation Webinar” from the menu.
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Prepare your documents
Students should format their thesis or dissertation to follow the guidelines contained within the model document. Use of the “template” is an option for students who find it helpful. If their document (from any source) matches the formatting in either the model document or the template, it will be acceptable.
The following components must be formatted to be uniform with the model template:
- Title Page
- Committee Page
- Acknowledgements
- Abstract
- Table of Contents
- List of Tables
- List of Figures
- Chapters
- Top Margins
- Pagination (Roman and Arabic Numerals)
- References
- Appendices
- Vita
All theses and dissertations, regardless of their source document (MS Word, LaTeX, Mac Pages, Google Docs or another Open Source document) must match the uniform guidelines contained within the model documents.
- Templates for MS-Word
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Templates for LaTeX
Thank you to the Math department for sharing this LaTeX template. The components are in the zip file, be sure to read the INSTRUCTIONS .txt file first.
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Submit your documents for review
When you are ready to submit your documents, complete the Oral Defense and Document Approval Form.
You will get the link to deposit your thesis or dissertation after we receive the thesis/dissertation Document Approval form. If you are a Doctoral student, you will be asked to complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates after the Oral Defense form has been completed.
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Make any necessary adjustments
The Graduate College must approve your document before your file is sent to the Registrar for a graduation check. You will receive an email if you need to make corrections or if your document has been accepted. If you have not received an email within two weeks, please contact us.
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What is the deadline to submit my documents?
All deadlines can be found on the Academic Calendar.
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Is there a template available?
Yes, MS Word and LaTeX templates are available for download.
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Do I have to include a Vita? Where should I put it?
Yes, you need to include a vita. It should be only 1 page and placed right after the appendices. The Vita will not have a page number.
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What completion date should I use on the title page and abstract?
You should use the month and year your degree will be conferred. For example, December 2012 for Fall graduation, May 2012 for Spring graduation, and July 2012 for Summer graduation.
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Do I have to include my IRB approval letter?
Yes, this information must be included. It should be included as an appendix.
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Can I have an acknowledgement page?
Yes, but the mandatory disclaimer must be included in the footer.
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How do I convert my document to a PDF?
As part of the submission process, UMI will convert your document to a PDF for you to upload. If you have any issues with the conversion or with the UMI site, you can always contact the UMI support staff.
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Do I need to submit a paper copy to the Graduate College?
No.
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Is there a fee to submit online?
There are no fees to submit online.