Tu Thesis Dissertation Guidelines 2018

TOWSON UNIVERSITY
OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING
THESES
AND
DISSERTATIONS
Updated MAY 2015

Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I: The Thesis/Dissertation Manual ........................................................................... 1
Section II: Roles and Responsibility ....................................................................................... 2

Student .................................................................................. 2
Chairperson of the Committee ............................................. 3
Committee Members ............................................................ 5
Section III: Preparing the Master’s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation ..................................... 7

Procedural Steps ................................................................... 7
Publishing with ProQuest ….................................................11
Section IV: Formatting the Manuscript and Arrangement of Pages ................................... 12

Manuscript Preparation ...................................................... 12
Arrangement of Pages ......................................................... 15
Section V: Discipline Styles .................................................................................................. 19

Reminders ........................................................................... 20
Section VI: Electronic Dissemination ................................................................................... 21

About ETDs .......................................................................... 21
History of Theses and Dissertations .................................... 21
Library Workflow ................................................................. 22
Intellectual Property and Copyright .................................... 22
Open Access ........................................................................ 23
Embargoes ........................................................................... 24
Appendix A: Forms .............................................................................................................. 25

Thesis Committee Approval Form ....................................... 26
Dissertation Committee Approval Form ............................. 27
Thesis/Dissertation Announcement Form .......................... 28
Thesis/Dissertation Format Review Form ........................... 29
Thesis Approval Page .......................................................... 30
Dissertation Approval Page ................................................. 31
Internet Release Form ......................................................... 32
Appendix B: Sample Pages .................................................................................................. 33

Thesis Title Page .................................................................. 34
Dissertation Title Page ........................................................ 35
Copyright Page .................................................................... 36
Curriculum Vita .................................................................... 37
ii
Appendix C: Administrative Procedures ............................................................................. 38

Projects ................................................................................ 38
Theses and Dissertations ..................................................... 38
Thesis and Dissertation Grading ......................................... 39
Appendix D: Timetable of Deadlines ................................................................................... 41
Appendix E: End of Program Checklist ................................................................................ 42

Master’s Degree Students ................................................... 42
Doctoral Students ................................................................ 43
Commencement Ceremony ................................................ 44
iii
Overview of the Thesis and Dissertation Manual
This manual provides guidelines for the processes and procedures graduate students are
to follow to complete their master’s thesis or doctoral thesis or dissertation. The manual
includes Towson University requirements related to:
 Section I ‐ The Purpose of Theses and Dissertations
 Section II ‐ Roles and Responsibilities of The Student, and Thesis/Dissertation
Chairperson and Committee Members
 Section III ‐ Thesis and Dissertation Preparation
 Section IV ‐ Manuscript Formatting, Typing, Printing and Organization
Requirements
 Section V ‐ Disciplinary Style
 Section VI ‐ Electronic Dissemination.
These guidelines are consistent with the policies of Towson University. Students also are
to confer with their thesis or dissertation chairperson for the requirements of their
graduate program and academic discipline that are in addition to those described in this
manual.
Some graduate programs require students to complete other written projects for which
portions of these guidelines may apply. Students are to confer with their project advisor
regarding project requirements. Other programs may not require a major written
project, but rather additional coursework, internships, recitals, and exhibitions for
completion of the graduate degree.
Although it is helpful to review published theses or dissertations for content, graduate

students should not use the published works as a guide for their manuscript preparation.
Professional association guidelines for thesis and dissertation manuscript preparation
such as those published by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the Modern
Language Association (MLA) are modified periodically. Therefore, it is imperative that
students be very familiar with and adhere to current rules and requirements as stipulated
in this manual and those required by their specific discipline.
Students should read this manual and discipline specific guidelines thoroughly and
completely, follow directions, and ask questions if they are in doubt about specific
procedures, rules and manuscript requirements. Students are to seek guidance from
their committee chairperson and committee members regarding manuscript
requirements. Students also may contact the Office of Graduate Studies for additional
guidance.
iv
Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines 1
SECTION I
Purpose of Theses and Dissertations
Typically, the research work for a master’s degree is referred to as a thesis and the work
for a doctorate is referred to as a dissertation in this manual. Because the Doctor of
Audiology is a clinical doctorate, the research work associated with it is considered a
thesis, as determined by the Department of Audiology, Speech, Language Pathology, and
Deaf Studies.
Master’s and doctoral theses contribute to the field of knowledge of the student’s
discipline even if the basic idea for the research is an expansion of existing research. In
the thesis, the student must demonstrate the ability to clearly define a worthwhile
problem, conduct thorough investigation, organize and logically present data, and draw
defensible conclusions. In the visual and performing arts, the thesis may take the form of
recitals, concerts, art exhibitions, compositions, or other creative endeavors. Originality
is expected, though replication studies or follow‐up research studies are acceptable at the
master's level. The doctoral dissertation represents a more substantial and scholarly
project than the thesis. In addition to satisfying the criteria for the thesis, the dissertation
also is to reflect original research, adhere to scholarly rigor of the doctoral student’s
discipline, and provide a positive contribution to society or the discipline.
The Towson University guidelines for theses and dissertations described in the following
sections are minimum expectations. Individual departments and graduate programs may
specify additional policies and guidelines that are more rigorous as to the scope and level
of work necessary to complete the thesis or dissertation.
Eligibility to Initiate the Dissertation
Prior to initiating the dissertation, students are to (a) satisfy all of their doctoral
program’s prerequisite requirements, (b) demonstrate knowledge of research methods
commensurate with common research practices of their discipline and the research focus
of their dissertation, (c) demonstrate the ability to write in a scholarly manner consistent
with the expectations of their discipline, and (d) fulfill their program’s requirements for
advancement to candidacy. Examples of program prerequisites include the completion of
designated courses and projects, currency in discipline’s licensure and certification
requirements, and presentation of scholarly work at conference or in a professional
journal. Demonstration of knowledge of research methods includes successful completion
of graduate coursework related to research and active participation in research projects.
All students are expected to have completed at least two research courses or actively
participated in two research projects prior to initiating the dissertation. Demonstration of
scholarly writing may be accomplished through submission of written course
assignments, comprehensive assessments, journal articles, or other forms of program
approved written work. Characteristics of scholarly writing include adherence to English
rules of grammar, sentence, paragraph structure; logical and integrated organization of

ideas; critical analysis and synthesis of theories, concepts, and data; and substantiation of
conclusions with evidence. Students who struggle with scholarly writing are to seek
professional assistance with writing, and demonstrate competency to the program’s
graduate committee to advance to candidacy. Examples of requirements for
advancement to candidacy include successful completion of oral and written
examinations and assessments, completion of a project and scholarly report, and
submission of an article(s) to a juried journal.
The purpose of the candidacy is for the student to demonstrate broad scholarly
knowledge of the discipline and specific scholarly knowledge related to the dissertation.
The student is permitted a maximum of three attempts to satisfy candidacy
requirements. After three unsuccessful attempts, the student will be terminated from the
doctoral program.
Program Responsibilities Related to the Dissertation Process

Programs are to have established procedures for evaluating the student’s eligibility for
candidacy that include a review by a committee and an appeal process. The review
committee is to be comprised of at least two faculty members who hold graduate faculty
status and who have current expertise related to the candidacy requirements. One
member may be the student’s potential dissertation chairperson. The student appeal
process is to include steps consistent with the academic appeal procedures for course
assignments, program dismissal, and academic integrity outlined in the Towson University
Graduate Catalog.
Doctoral programs and departments may have policies and procedures regarding
advancement to candidacy and eligibility to initiate the dissertation that are more
rigorous than those of the University. In such situations, students are to abide by both
sets of policies and procedures. Printed or electronic copies of these policies and
procedures are to be available to the doctoral students.
SECTION II
Roles and Responsibilities
Student
Graduate students bear primary responsibility for their thesis or dissertation from the
inception of the idea through to the preparation of the final document. They are to
maintain ongoing contact with their thesis/dissertation chairperson and committee
members, and adhere to established expectations and guidelines throughout each step of
the process.
Students are exclusively responsible for the substantive content of their thesis or
dissertation. Although they may seek guidance from their committee chairperson and
committee members for assistance with requirements established for any sponsored
research, students are primarily responsible for completing the required IRB training, and
understanding and abiding by requirements for ethical research. If in doubt, students
also should consult with the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research [410‐704‐2236;
[email protected]; http://www.towson.edu/ours/].
Students also are responsible for thoroughly proofreading all submitted copies and for
correcting all content and writing errors, including typographic, formatting, spelling,
grammar, and syntax errors. Some academic programs allow students to procure the
services of an editor to assist with writing and correcting writing errors. Students are to
submit a copy of their final thesis or dissertation to the committee chairperson and
committee members for approval. The committee chairperson and committee members
are responsible for determining whether the finished version meets required standards of
the discipline for research methods, content, and writing style. Once approved, the
student is to submit the thesis or dissertation to the Office of Graduate Studies for final
approval of formatting
Chairperson of the Committee

The chairperson of the thesis or dissertation committee assumes major responsibility for
working directly with the student throughout all phases of the thesis or dissertation. The
chairperson must hold appointment as a full graduate faculty member, have earned a
doctoral or terminal degree that is equivalent to or higher than the degree the student is
seeking, and demonstrate current expertise related to the student’s thesis or dissertation
topic. Appointment as full graduate faculty requires approval by the Graduate Studies
Committee, based on evidence of the faculty member’s continued active research and
professional productivity and designation as a full time tenured or tenure track assistant,
associate or full professor at Towson University. Though the student may request a
particular faculty member to serve as thesis or dissertation chair, the program director,
department chair and dean of Graduate Studies must approve the appointment. Other
teaching, advising, scholarship and service responsibilities limit the number of theses or
dissertations a faculty member can chair in an academic year; the number requires the
approval by the department chair and dean of the academic college as part of the faculty
member’s annual workload agreement. Approval of and changes to the chairperson
position must be granted by the program director, department chairperson, and the dean
of Graduate Studies. Students who request a change in their chairperson must do so in
writing and provide a rationale and documentation to substantiate the request. The
documentation is to include evidence of addressing issues of concern with the
dissertation chairperson that led to the request, if relevant. Approval first must be
obtained by the program director, then the department chairperson, then the Dean of
Graduate Studies. Programs also may require approval by or consultation with their
Doctoral Committee. Any request for change in chairperson may impact the timeline and
delay completing the comprehensive assessment, thesis or dissertation.
A chairperson who retires from Towson University prior to the student’s completion of
the thesis/dissertation may continue to serve in that role for a maximum of three years, if
he/she:
 Holds full graduate faculty status at the time of retirement
 Demonstrates continued active research/professional productivity during
retirement
 Is requested by the student to continue to serve in that role
 Receives approval from the program director, department chairperson, and dean
of Graduate Studies.
Alternatively, a chairperson who retires or resigns from Towson University prior to the
student’s completion of the thesis/dissertation may serve as a thesis/dissertation
committee member if he/she:
 Meets the criteria for committee membership as stated below
 Is requested by the student to serve in that role
 Receives approval from the program director/department chairperson and dean
of Graduate Studies.
The chairperson is the student's main consultant, advisor and advocate, and is to hold
regularly scheduled meetings with the student throughout the thesis/dissertation
process. The chairperson counsels the student regarding the potential membership of
the thesis/dissertation committee with the goal of maximizing available faculty expertise
related to the research question. It is incumbent on the student and the chairperson to
assure that all content and methodological expertise needed for the research is present
on the committee.
The chairperson challenges the student to anticipate theoretical, practical and

methodological complications that are likely to be encountered. The chairperson guides
the student through the analysis of the research topic and research questions to
determine ways of addressing theoretical and methodological problems. The student is
expected to submit drafts of the research proposal and the developing manuscript on a
regular basis to the chairperson for feedback and approval. The chairperson is expected
to provide timely and specific feedback on the drafts. Students and chairpersons are to
discuss and agree upon expectations for timely submission of and feedback on drafts. The
quality of the research is a direct reflection of standards established by the discipline and
enforced by the chairperson. When meeting with another member of the
thesis/dissertation committee, the student is to include the chairperson, or is to discuss
the results of the meeting with the chairperson soon afterwards. This procedure will
protect the student from inconsistent guidance and incompatible recommendations. If
the student receives contradictory information, the chairperson is to take steps to resolve
the inconsistencies, and assumes responsibility for the final decision.
The chairperson conducts the proposal and defense meetings. The chairperson may
identify a thesis/dissertation committee member or other designated faculty member to
oversee the defense process to assure it is consistent with Department/College/
University requirements. The chairperson is to check the department’s/program’s
expectations and procedures for the defense of thesis and dissertation, and make sure all
procedures are followed by the committee members and the student. General
expectations and procedures are to be discussed with the student prior to a defense
meeting. Typically, the student is asked to present the contents of the written proposal,
thesis, or dissertation to the committee, followed by questions from committee
members. Although defense meetings typically are open to the campus community, the
committee chairperson or other designated faculty member should make it clear at the
outset of the meeting if and when questions to the candidate will be accepted from the
audience. The student is to obtain special permission from the committee chairperson
the program director or department chairperson, and the dean of Graduate Studies for a
closed proposal or thesis/dissertation defense.
In some cases, a graduate student's research work may contain information that may be
identified as proprietary in nature or relevant to patent applications. This information
will be made available to committee members only and discussed in the defense meeting
as part of a closed session between the candidate and the committee. When the
discussion moves to other aspects of the project, the meeting will be re‐opened to the
campus community. The committee chairperson, in consultation with relevant
committee members and the student are responsible for determining if some portion of
the defense discussion should be closed. The chairperson also is responsible for
overseeing this process during the defense meeting.
Proposal defense and thesis/dissertation defense meetings are to exemplify the highest
level of professional and ethical conduct at all times. For doctoral students completion of
the dissertation reflects the highest scholarly achievement. Thus, as a symbol of Towson
University’s commitment to scholarly excellence, the Dean of Graduate Studies or a
faculty member of the Graduate Studies Committee is to be invited by the doctoral
student and the dissertation chairperson to attend the dissertation defense.
Thesis and Dissertation Committee Members

Thesis/Dissertation Committee members are responsible for thorough review of the
research document. At least two committee members in addition to the chairperson are
required for the thesis committee. At least three committee members in addition to the
chairperson are required for the dissertation committee. One dissertation committee
member is to be external to the student’s program of study. This committee member can
be a faculty member in another department of the University or can be an expert who is
external to the University. Other committee members may be added by the student and
the chairperson for their content or methodological assistance. Usually, a committee will
have no more than six members.
All members of the committee must hold appointment as full or associate graduate
faculty, and possess expertise related to an aspect of the thesis/dissertation topic, or
research methodology. Appointment as a full graduate faculty requires approval by the
Graduate Studies Committee, based on evidence of the faculty member’s continued
active research and professional productivity and designation as assistant, associate or
full professor at Towson University. Appointment as Associate Graduate Faculty requires
approval by the Graduate Studies Committee based on evidence of: (a) 5 years or more
work experience in the related field; (b) a master’s degree or higher in a related field; (c)
and research, artistry, expertise or productivity at the local, national or international
level. In addition to Towson faculty, thesis and dissertation committee members may
include retired faculty, faculty who resign from Towson University, or experts in the field
from off campus. In determining committee membership, faculty from other
departments may be considered, especially for interdisciplinary breadth or special
expertise or experience.
Approval of and changes to the committee membership must be granted by the program
director, department chairperson, and the dean of Graduate Studies. A committee
member who retires or resigns from Towson University prior to the completion of the
thesis or dissertation may continue to serve on the committee if
 requested by the student to do so and
 receives approval from the program director, the department chairperson, and
the dean of the Graduate Studies Office
If the program requires that at least one committee member in addition to the
chairperson be a member of the program or the University, then another faculty member
needs to be appointed to replace the faculty member who retired or resigned.
Each committee member is to be fully familiar with the content of the proposal, thesis,
or dissertation prior to the defense meeting and be prepared to discuss the research and
any related concerns during the defense. When asked to be a member of a student's
thesis or dissertation committee, the faculty member should inquire into the student's
and the chairperson’s expectations. The committee member should be willing to provide
the student with the necessary time and support. Committee members are to resolve
conflicts of values and professional opinions, theoretical and methodological differences
directly with one another prior to the proposal or thesis/dissertation defense so that the
student has clear guidelines as to what is expected. If the committee members cannot do
so, the committee chairperson is to intercede. The chairperson also may seek approval
from the program director and department chair to have the committee member step
down from the committee.
SECTION III
Preparing the Thesis or Dissertation
Procedural Steps
The process begins with the student requesting a faculty member to serve as
thesis/dissertation chairperson. The student is to abide by the academic program or
department policies regarding procedures for determining which faculty member will
serve as a thesis or dissertation chairperson. (See Section II: Roles and Responsibilities in
this manual for more information on determining the thesis/dissertation chairperson).
The chairperson and the student then meet to discuss the focus of the research and
identify additional committee expertise needed to assist the student in completing the
thesis/dissertation. The student is to abide by the academic program or department
policies regarding procedures for determining the thesis or dissertation committee
members. (See Section II: Roles and Responsibilities in this manual for more information
on determining the composition of the Thesis or Dissertation Committee.)
The student next obtains a copy of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee Approval Form,
acquires the necessary signatures, and submits the completed form to the Office of
Graduate Studies for approval before formally initiating the thesis/dissertation [See
Appendix A for forms]. The dean of the Office of Graduate Studies verifies that all
committee members hold graduate faculty status and meet the qualifications for serving
on a thesis/dissertation committee, then signs and forwards a copy of the form to the
program director and committee chairperson.
The student then obtains a special permit form from the graduate program director or
department chairperson to register for the thesis or dissertation course. The student is to
abide by the academic program and department policies and procedures for the number
of thesis or dissertation units to register in each fall, spring, minimester, and/or summer
term. Usually students completing a master’s thesis register for a six‐unit 897 course or a
three‐unit 898 course spread over two academic terms. Students working on a doctoral
dissertation usually register for a 997 or 998 course, though the number and arrangement
of the units varies among programs. In some programs, it is possible for students to
register for all thesis or dissertation units in one term, though this usually is not advisable.
Those students who attempt to complete all required units in one term must be very
attentive to the various deadlines for completion and submission of the thesis project.
Students always should consult with their thesis/dissertation chairperson regarding which
academic term(s) to register for thesis/dissertation units and the number of units to take.
The student next develops the thesis/dissertation proposal. The student is to maintain
ongoing contact with the thesis/dissertation chairperson and the committee members
during the development of the proposal and to abide by the academic program or
department guidelines for its content and scope. Some programs and departments
require a formal oral defense of a thesis proposal, though this is not a requirement of the
Office of Graduate Studies. Doctoral dissertation proposals require a formal oral defense.
Approval of the thesis or dissertation proposal by the chairperson and committee
members is necessary for the student to proceed with the thesis or dissertation research.
The student is to confer with and receive approval from the chairperson and the
committee members for a proposed timeframe for completing the thesis or dissertation.
The dean of the Office of Graduate Studies does not need to approve the thesis or
dissertation proposal.
The student must seek and obtain written approval from the Towson University
Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the Protection of Human Subjects prior to conducting
research that involves the use of human subjects. Students must seek and obtain
approval from Towson University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
prior to conducting research that involves the use of animals. Students can contact the
Office of Sponsored Programs and Research at (10)704‐2236 or at [email protected].
Guidelines and applications for approval of research involving human subjects and
animals are available at http://grad.towson.edu/ours/. Students are to allow ample time
for submission to and review by IRB or IACUC of their research proposal. Depending on
the type of research, the IRB or IACUC review process may take from one to many
months. IRB and IACUC approval also may be required by external institutions for those
research projects involving other agencies and institutions. Students are to include a
copy of the Towson and external IRB or IACUC approval form as an appendix to their
thesis/dissertation.
Once granted approval to implement the thesis or dissertation research, the student is to
meet regularly with the committee chairperson. During these meetings, the student and
chairperson are to discuss the progress of and findings from the research, review written
drafts of the thesis/dissertation, and assess the progress toward completion of all
thesis/dissertation requirements. The chairperson may direct the student to discuss the
research findings and to submit drafts of the thesis/ dissertation to the other committee
members for their feedback during this time period. The student typically need to submit
multiple drafts of the thesis/dissertation to the chairperson and the committee members
for review and feedback prior to the final draft.
Students are to abide by all deadlines established by the Office of Graduate Studies for
review and submission of the final thesis/dissertation and by the Towson University
Graduation Office for formal submission of an intention to graduate [See Appendix D].
Students are to abide by department and program deadlines for review and submission of
the thesis/dissertation, if these deadlines are earlier than those stated by the Office of
Graduate Studies.
 Once it is approved by the committee chairperson, the student is to distribute the

final draft of the thesis or dissertation to the committee members for review at
least seven weeks prior to the official end of the academic term (final exam week)
in which the student intends to graduate. The committee chairperson may decide
if this is to be a paper or an electronic version. At the time of distribution, the
student is to meet with the committee chairperson to establish a date and time
for the oral defense of the thesis/dissertation. The oral defense is to occur at least
four weeks before the end of the academic term.
 The student is to complete and submit a copy of the Thesis/Dissertation Defense

Announcement form to the Office of Graduate Studies at least 10 working days
prior to the defense date. [See Appendix A]. The Office of Graduate Studies or
the administrative assistant to the dean of the student’s academic college will
post defense announcements on the T3 (Towson Tigers Today). Thesis and
dissertation defenses are open to all members of the Towson University academic
community, and to guests invited by the student. The student is to obtain special
permission from the committee chairperson and the program director or
department chairperson for a closed thesis and dissertation defense.
 Prior to the oral defense, the student is to prepare one copy of the
Thesis/Dissertation Approval page [See Appendix A]. The Thesis/Dissertation
Approval page is to conform to the thesis/dissertation guidelines in terms of font,
margins, location of page number, and type of paper. If the manuscript requires
little or no revision, the committee chairperson and the committee members sign
the Thesis/Dissertation Approval page at the end of the defense, signifying their
approval. If the manuscript requires revisions, the student is to make them prior
to obtaining the signature of the chairperson and the committee members on the
Thesis/Dissertation approval page [see below]. The student is take special care to
make sure the signature page is in the correct format. If it is discovered to be
wrong, it will be necessary to obtain the committee members signatures once
again on the correct form. The student is to submit the signed approval page to
the Office of Graduate Studies. A copy will later be inserted into the electronic
copy of the thesis or dissertation once the dean of Graduate Studies signs it.
 Within two days following a successful defense, the student should meet with the
committee chairperson to discuss necessary modifications specified by the
committee during the oral defense.
 The student is to make necessary modifications to the thesis/dissertation and

submit it to the committee chairperson for final review. When submitting the
modified document, the student also is to provide the committee chairperson
with a copy of the Office of Graduate Studies Thesis/Dissertation Format Review
for review and signature [See Appendix A]. The student is to submit the revised
thesis/dissertation to the committee chairperson and committee members at
least 15 working days before the last day of the term. This will allow the
chairperson and committee members 5 working days for final check of content,
formatting, typing and page numbering prior to last possible day the student has
to submit all materials to the Office of Graduate Studies. A student who exceeds
these deadlines or whose work continues to require additional revisions may need
to postpone graduation to the following academic term.
 The student is to submit the final approved thesis/dissertation, signed

Thesis/Dissertation Approval Page, Thesis/Dissertation Format Review Page and
the Internet Release Page in electronic form to the Office of Graduate Studies at
[email protected] at least 10 working days prior to the official end of the
term in which the student intends to graduate. The electronic copy of the
thesis/dissertation is to be in a version compatible with Microsoft Word; the
electronic copy should not be a PDF at this time. The Office of Graduate Studies
evaluates an electronic copy of thesis/dissertation, after it has been approved by
the committee, to ensure compliance with the procedural and formatting
requirements stipulated in this manual. Theses or dissertations that do not follow
the guidelines will need to be corrected by the student before receiving final
approval from the Office of Graduate Studies.
 Once the thesis/dissertation is approved, the student is to send an electronic

Word version, PDF version, the approval forms, the IRB approval forms, the
consent and assent forms, the internet release form, the research and CV
questions to the Office of Graduate Studies. Scanned versions of pages that
contain signatures are acceptable. The Office of Graduate Studies will forward the
electronic copy to Cook Library [See Section VI for more details]. Students are
welcome to produce paper copies and have them bound for themselves, their
committee chairperson, committee members and others. Neither the Office of
Graduate Studies nor Cook Library requires a hard bound copy. Students may
request binding of personal copies on a paper of their choice through Cook Library
for a nominal fee. Even though paper copies are not being submitted, the
formatting requirements of a paper copy must be followed. Doctoral students
also may contact ProQuest to have their dissertations submitted to University
Microfilm Incorporated, a database of nearly all dissertations from American
universities.
Students are expected to maintain continuous registration in a thesis/dissertation course

(or continuum) each academic term until they successfully complete all of the
requirements of the thesis/dissertation. This also includes summer and minimester for
those students who are working with their chairperson or committee members on their
thesis/dissertation during these terms.
If the thesis or dissertation is not completed in the term(s) for which all required units
have been earned, the student must register and pay for one unit of 899 Thesis
Continuum or 999 Dissertation Continuum each proceeding term until it is completed.
Students are to consult with their committee chairperson to determine if and when they
should register for Continuum units. Continuum courses are graded as Satisfactory (S) or
unsatisfactory (U). In‐progress (IP) grades are not given for continuum courses.
Students also must abide by the time limit for degree completion of their graduate
program. This time limit includes all coursework, transfer courses, and thesis/dissertation
completion (defense inclusive). Terminal master’s degrees (MFA) and doctoral programs
have a ten year time limit. All other graduate programs have a seven year time limit.
Students should review their Graduate Program Handbook and consult with their
committee chairperson to identify which time limit applies to their program.
Publishing with ProQuest
Towson University supports doctoral students publishing their thesis/ dissertation

through ProQuest UMI as it allows international dissemination. This is in addition to the
dissemination of your thesis/dissertation that occurs through Cook Library. Towson has
an account that students can use to submit dissertations for free. Students can also pay
additional fees for such options as copyright protection. You are not required to pay these
fees, it is your choice.
ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Publishing is the world's only comprehensive service for

publishing, archiving, and disseminating graduate research. By publishing with
ProQuest/UMI, you ensure your dissertation or thesis gains the widest possible audience.
The UMI ETD Administrator system helps manage the electronic submission of
dissertations and theses that your university plans to publish with us. It simplifies the
submission process for students and graduate administrators alike by moving all steps
online and eliminating the need to box and ship paper copies of each dissertation or
thesis.
To access Towson’s account to ProQuest UMI, please click on the link below. It provides
information as to how to submit your dissertation through Towson University. The word
or pdf version you submitted to Graduate Studies and to Cook Library should contain all
of the information you need to submit your document to ProQuest UMI.
http://www.etdadmin.com/cgi‐bin/school?siteId=555
SECTION IV
Formatting the Manuscript and Arrangement of Pages
The general format requirements presented in this manual supersede all other
requirements stipulated in previous editions of Towson University manuals. Students are
to refer to the style manual preferred by the academic department or program for
matters not specified in this manual. Some programs/departments may prefer that
students follow a format and style required by the journal, monograph, book or other
type of publication where they will submit their thesis or dissertation for publication.
Students are to consult with their committee chairperson regarding the appropriate
format and style to follow and are to use it consistently throughout the manuscript.
Students are to inform the Office of Graduate Studies of any changes from the standard
format and the reasons for such changes.
Type and Fonts

Because it is possible that the manuscripts will be reduced to microfilm or other small
versions, type and fonts must be large enough and clear enough to retain their integrity
during the reduction process. Typeface and font size should be uniform throughout the
document. Students should use a serif type face and 12 point font. Times Roman
typeface size is preferred in APA publications. A sans serif typeface may be used for
figures. Compressed typeface should not be used.
As much as possible, students are to use word processing techniques for any special
symbols, lines, boxes, or other printing. If there are any lines or symbols that cannot be
produced using word processing symbols, students are to insert them on a hard‐copy
page with black ink that has adequate photographic reproduction quality. Students are to
use a ruler for any drawn lines and a fine‐point pen for symbols inserted in the printed
text. The size of the written symbols is to be proportional to the printed characters. If
any of these manual methods are used, the page must be scanned and added to the
electronic document. Students are required to use black colored font unless there is a
particular justification for using colored font.
All paragraphs must contain at least two sentences. There also must be at least two
sentences of text between each heading level.
Margins
Students are to use consistent margins throughout the manuscript. The left margin is to
be at least 1‐½ inches to allow for any possible future binding. There is to be one inch
above the top of the letters in the first line of type, and at least three‐quarters of an inch
above the top of the page number. The right and bottom margins are to be at least one
inch.
Students are to adjust the text so as not to leave less than two isolated lines at the top of
a new page or above the bottom margin except for the final page of a chapter, a table, or
an illustration. All headings must be followed by at least two lines of text at the bottom
of the page.
Page Numbers and Numbering
Preliminary pages. (See Arrangement of the Thesis and Dissertation below).

Preliminary pages should be arranged in the following sequence using lowercase Roman
numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) centered above the bottom margin. Count the title page as
page one but do not print a page number.
 Title page
 Approval page
 Acknowledgement page (optional)
 Abstract page
 Table of Contents
 List of Tables and number and the title of the tables (if two or more tables are
included)
 List of Figures and the numbers and titles of the figures (if two or more figures
are included)
Text. Beginning with the first page of the text and continuing to the end of the
manuscript number pages in sequence with Arabic numerals, starting with 1. Count all
pages and number them. Do not insert numbers such as "106a" or leave uncounted
pages.
Position page numbers uniformly at the top of the page, flush with the right margin.
Some style manuals also require students to use a running head. Students are to consult
with their thesis/dissertation chairperson regarding the use of a running head.
Even if a page has text/table/graph/diagram filling the page and printed sideways (for
landscape orientation), the page number should still be in the same position and
alignment as on a regular page. This may require manually typing or positioning the page
number. It may be necessary to scan any unusual page to insert it into the electronic text.
Line Spacing
Double‐space the heading and main body of the text. Double‐space, not quadruple‐
space, between main headings and subheadings and between headings or subheadings
and text. Single‐space within footnotes and endnotes.
Headings and Subheadings

 Format headings and subheadings consistently throughout the manuscript
 Arrange headings that are over 3 1/2 inches long in inverted pyramids with the
longest line at the top
 Do not hyphenate words at the ends of lines
 Use the same font size for headings as used in the body of the text
 Place chapter titles below chapter numbers
 Double space, not quadruple space, after the last line of the title before
beginning the text
 Double space between all heading and subheading levels
 Some style manuals give specific instructions for headings; others give none. In
the latter case, useful guidelines can be found in Turabian's A Manual for
Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations.
Tables and Figures

 Number all tables and figures with Arabic numerals in the order in which they
are first mentioned in text, regardless of whether a more detailed discussion of
the table or figure occurs later in the paper.
 Use double spacing as appropriate for tables and figures.
 Place each table and figure on a separate page within or at the end of the text.
Label each table and figure by its number and title.
References Cited in the Text

 Arrange notes or other methods of reference citation in a definite and
consistent order and style according to the discipline style approved by the
academic program/department. If unsure, consult the thesis/dissertation
chairperson.
 Place footnotes at the bottom of the page within the designated margins.
Footnotes should be separated from the text with a horizontal line 2 inches long.
Allow sufficient space during typing so that an entire footnote can be placed on
the page on which it begins. Word processing programs, like Microsoft Word
automatically perform this function.
 Endnotes should be placed at the end of each chapter, not at the end of the
manuscript. They may be labeled endnotes, chapter notes or simply notes.
Begin them at the top margin of a new page with a heading typed in the same
manner as other subheadings in the manuscript.
 Whether using footnotes or endnotes, single‐space the notes themselves and
double‐space between them.
Arrangement of the Thesis/Dissertation

Every manuscript is composed of three parts: a). Preliminary Pages, b). Text Pages, and c).
Supplemental Pages.
Preliminary Pages
The preliminary pages are arranged in the following order and include the title page,
approval page, acknowledgement page (optional), abstract, and table of contents. The
preliminary pages also include the list of tables, list of figures, and list of symbols, if
applicable. These pages are numbered using lower case Roman Numerals (ii, iii, etc.) that
are placed at the bottom center of the page.
Title page. The title page includes the following information. The information is
centered and spaced evenly. The title page is not numbered, but is considered page i. A
sample of a title page is provided in Appendix B of this manual.
 Title of the study
 Name of the author,
 The phrase "A thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS" (or "OF SCIENCE," "OF EDUCATION," as appropriate, or
“A dissertation in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of
DOCTOR of ____” as appropriate),
 Full name of the department to which it is submitted
 Name and address of Towson University
 Date of expected graduation (month and year), not the date of the defense
Approval page. The approval page contains the signature of the committee
chairperson and the committee member, and indicates that the thesis/dissertation meets
the standards of the academic program, the department, and the discipline. [See
Appendix B for a sample of the Thesis/Dissertation Approval page].
Acknowledgement page. The acknowledgement page contains a brief statement of

appreciation for or recognition of special assistance, guidance, or support provided to the
students during the thesis/dissertation process. The word Acknowledgments is centered
without punctuation two inches from the top of the page. Text begins two lines below
this heading and is double‐spaced.
Abstract. The abstract should provide the reader with an overview of the problem,
methodology, and conclusion in concise, specific, and informative language. The abstract
text for a master’s thesis must adhere to a strict 150‐word and a one page limit.
Abstracts for doctoral work may be up to 350 words in length and may extend beyond
one page. The heading Abstract is centered without punctuation two inches from the top
of the page. Two lines below this heading the title appears as written on the title page.
The author's name is centered and placed two lines below the title. The text of the
abstract begins two lines below the author's name and is double‐spaced.
Table of contents. Tables of contents may be brief and include only chapter
headings, or may be detailed and include one or more levels of subheadings. The
wordings of headings in the table of contents must correspond exactly to the wording of
those headings in the text. No preceding material is listed, but any preliminary pages that
follow the Table of Contents should be listed. All items of the main text and
supplementary end material should be listed. Each main heading should be left justified.
Sub‐headings may be indented. Corresponding page numbers should align with the
headings and be right justified. The heading Table of Contents is centered without
punctuation two inches from the top of the page.
List of tables. This section is required if there are two or more tables in the
manuscript. The heading List of Tables is centered without punctuation two inches from
the top of the page. The list of tables uses either the captions exactly as they appear
above the tables in the text or the first sentence of lengthy, multi‐sentence captions. If
the first sentence is used, it must be an informative statement about the subject matter
contained in the table. The List of Tables should give a page number on the right side of
the page for each item.
List of figures. This section is required if there are two or more figures in the
manuscript. The heading List of Figures is centered without punctuation two inches from
the top of the page. The list of figures uses the captions exactly as they appear below the
figures or the first sentence of lengthy, multi‐sentence captions. If the first sentence is
used, it must be an informative statement about the subject matter contained in the
figure. The List of Figures should give a page number on the right side of the page for
each item.
Keys to symbols, abbreviations, or nomenclature. If used, the layout is up to the

discretion of the student in consultation with the thesis/dissertation chairperson. The
symbols, abbreviations, and nomenclature are to be consistent with those specified by
the academic discipline and style manual.
Text Pages
Page numbering restarts on the first page of texts. Arabic numerals (1, 2, and 3) are used
and placed in the upper right corner of the page. Some style manuals require a running
head on each page to the left of the page number.
Headings. Theses/dissertations need to be carefully organized to reflect a logical

development of the research project. Many, but not all, theses and dissertations are
organized into five distinct chapters. Often the major sections of the work are:
 Introduction
 Literature Review
 Methods and Materials
 Results
 Discussion
Also, each chapter or major section may be divided into second, third, fourth, and fifth
level sub‐headings to emphasize specific aspects of the research. Chapters or major
sections are to begin on a new page.
Spacing and indentation of text, series, and block quotations. The text is double‐
spaced and a new paragraph begins five spaces from the left margin. Use only left‐only
justified margins. Numbered, lettered, or bulleted series are indented from the left
margin. Block quotations also are indented from the left margin.
Footnotes and endnotes. The format and style of documentation of sources varies
among disciplines. The format/style used also may be one that is required by the journal,
monograph, book or other type of publication to which the dissertation/thesis is
submitted. Students are to use the chosen format consistently throughout the
thesis/dissertation. Even if references are inserted as endnotes, they still must be
included in the bibliography at the end of the work. Students should consult with their
committee chairperson to identify a style appropriate to be used consistently throughout
the manuscript.
SUPPLEMENTAL PAGES
Arabic numerals are used to number supplemental pages. The numbering continues from
the main text pages. The page number and running head, if applicable, are placed in the
upper right corner of the page.
Appendices. Appendices are used for supplementary illustrative materials such as

research or survey instruments, original data, extended tables or charts, mathematical
derivations, computer programs, or quotations too lengthy for inclusion in the text or not
immediately essential to an understanding of the text. IRB or IACUC approval letters to
use human or animal subjects, Informed Consent forms, Informed Assent forms, and
survey forms used in the research process also are placed in the appendices. Students
must include the signed IRB or IACUC, copies of the informed consent/informed assent
forms, copies of research questions, surveys and other research forms in the appendices
if they were a part of the thesis/dissertation. Student is also to include a curriculum vita.
Appendices follow the last page of the text. Introduce the appendix with a consecutively
numbered page on which the word Appendix (or Appendices) is centered without
punctuation. Each appendix should be labeled, either at the top or on a proceeding blank
page, as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. The sequence of the appendices follows the order
where they were first introduced in the main body of the text. Each appendix needs to be
labeled and named in the main body of the text for it to be included in the appendix
section.
In the main Table of Contents, include Appendix or Appendices, with the page number of
the first page of the appendix section. If there are several appendices, each should be
listed and labeled in the Table of Contents, indented, under the listing of Appendices,
with its appropriate page number.
Bibliography (List of References, or Citations, or List of Sources). The last section of

the thesis or dissertation is the bibliography. Since nearly all theses and dissertations
make use of other works, either in direct quotation or by reference, this section typically
is required. The format/style used is to conform to the requirements of the student’s
academic discipline or the journal, monograph, book or other type of publication where
the student i intends to publish the work. Each citation listed in the text must be included
in the bibliography. The minimum requirements usually are that the referencing system
and bibliography be consistent throughout the manuscript, that they are clear, and that
they fully agree with each other. All work cited in the text must be included in the
bibliography. Some word processing systems provide features that assist with formatting
of citations and references.
Curriculum vita. This page is to be one to two pages, single‐spaced, and contain a
brief account of the author’s academic credentials, work experience, professional
memberships and contributions to the discipline, in the form of professional
presentations and published manuscripts [See sample in Appendix B].
Need help drafting a CV?
http://www.towson.edu/careercenter/medialibrary/documents/curriculum_vitae.pdf
Blank white page. At the end of the thesis/dissertation, there should be one blank
white page. This page should not be numbered.
SECTION V
Discipline Styles
A significant aspect of the educational development of many graduate students is to

become knowledgeable about the writing style appropriate to their discipline or form of
research selected. Therefore, the appropriate writing style and format for the thesis or
dissertation is determined by the discipline standards to which the profession subscribes.
The organization of the content of a thesis or dissertation should conform to the
publication manual or guide most commonly used in the discipline, one that best
accommodates the nature of the research and/or the format/style required by the
journal, monograph, book or other type of publication to which the student will submit
the thesis or dissertation. The chosen format is to be used consistently throughout the
document. If a department/program does not stipulate any specific style manual,
Turabian's Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations may be used.
The current edition of any style manual must be used in all cases. The student should
consult with the committee chairperson to confirm the writing style to be used. If the
style manual differs from these Guidelines, the style of the manual may be followed, but
a note to this effect should alert the staff member who will check the format.
Just a few final reminders before you turn in your final document…..
Did you….
____consistently use the appropriate style stipulated by the Program/Department?
____check to be sure pages are numbered appropriately, sequentially and located on the
page as instructed in the guidelines?
____verify page numbering for chapters/major headings in the Table of Contents is

consistent with pages in the document?
____make appropriate margin adjustments for each page as instructed in this

manual?
____ follow margin guidelines consistently for footnotes, tables, figures, illustrations and
photographs?
____ use the correct font size?
____ follow the line spacing guidelines identified in this manual?
____ check for and correct typing and grammatical errors?
____ label and title all tables and figures, include in preliminary section
____ arrange the preliminary pages of the manuscript as instructed in this manual?
____ include the following as part of your dissertation/thesis: signed IRB; copies of
informed assent and consent forms; copies of research questions; survey
instruments; or other research tools.
____ Curriculum Vita
____ make all the corrections stipulated by your committee?
____ obtained committee signatures for all required pages (thesis/dissertation approval
form, format review form, internet release form? (scanned versions are acceptable)
____ check to be sure all required paperwork for thesis/dissertation completion

and graduation have been completed and submitted?
____ pay all outstanding fees to the university?

Section VI Electronic Dissemination
Accession Record
ETD Program Statement
Purpose of this Document
This document describes the Library’s role in receiving, storing, and providing access to
electronic versions of theses and dissertations (ETDs) as part of its digital collections
program. It is not intended as a replacement for Office of Graduate Studies (OGS)
guidelines for the preparation of theses and dissertations. Students who are preparing a
thesis or dissertation should follow the guidelines set forth by the OGS document
“Guidelines for preparing theses and dissertations.” Students should not use password
protection when submitting PDF versions of their dissertation. Password protection may
prevent us from being able to view the document with some future version of the
Acrobat PDF reader.
About ETDs
Honors theses, master’s theses, and doctoral theses or dissertations prepared by students
at Towson University are enduring records of a student’s research and findings conducted
in partial fulfillment toward an academic degree. Electronic format of theses and
dissertations supports the Library’s continued efforts to preserve these works while
providing authors with ready access to their scholarly work. Through the Library’s digital
collection of ETDs authors will be able to share stable and perpetually accessible URLs
pointing to their work with current or future employees or colleagues, or include them in
such documents as resumes, curriculum vita, or future applications for additional
continued education. ETDs are administered through the Library’s Special Collections and
Archives department (SCA).
History of Theses and Dissertations at the Albert S. Cook Library

In the past, and prior to July 1, 2010, the Library received two print copies of theses or
dissertations, one for the general collection and one for SCA, and the Library paid to have
them bound by a third party vendor. When the Library took receipt of these documents
for binding they had been vetted and approved by a committee within the student’s
academic department and reviewed for formatting compliance by the OGS. When newly
bound copies of theses and dissertations were returned to the Library from the bindery,
the Library added them to the cataloging work flow. When cataloging was complete a
circulating copy was shelved in the stacks for check out and a non‐circulating copy was
sent to SCA to be permanently retained and preserved.
Early in 2010 the Library consulted with OGS regarding the possibility of implementing the
electronic‐only submission of theses and dissertations. The move was proposed to
streamline Library work flows and to increase access to student research. The OGS
agreed to the change in submissions and the Library discontinued binding print copies of
theses and dissertations.
Beginning July 1, 2010 the Library officially implemented electronic submissions in the
PDF format of final copies of theses and dissertations. All ETD manuscripts received were
previously vetted by the student’s thesis committee and the OGS. The Library also
received from OGS copies of each ETD author’s signed Thesis/Dissertation Committee
Approval Forms and Internet Release Form.
Although the Library is no longer paying to bind print theses and dissertations students
may still request binding of personal copies on a paper of their choice through the Library
for a nominal fee. Requests for binding of personal print copies of theses and
dissertations may be directed to the Albert S. Cook Library Technical Services department.
Library Workflow for Receipt and Processing of ETDs

The following is an outline detailing the Library workflow for receipt and processing of
ETDs following the conclusion of fall, spring, and summer semesters during which theses
and dissertations are completed by students at Towson University.
 SCA receives PDF versions of ETDs, signed Thesis/Dissertation Committee Approval
Forms, and Internet Release Forms from OGS.
 SCA imports each ETD and its corresponding Committee Approval Form into the
Library’s digital collection. At this time the full text of the ETD is freely available on
the web*.
 SCA notifies the Library’s Technical Services department that ETDs are ready for
cataloging.
 Technical Services collects descriptive data about each ETD to create a unique catalog
record for inclusion in the Library’s online catalog. Each record includes the URL
pointing to the ETD in the library’s digital collection.
 Technical Services notifies SCA that cataloging is complete.
 SCA creates a duplicate data record to accompany the ETD within the library’s digital
collections.
*Note: If SCA has not received a signed Internet Release Form from the ETD author the
Library will still create a catalog record with a URL that points to the ETD but access to the
full text will be restricted to the author or to Library staff for administrative purposes
only. The ETD can be made available to the public at any time provided that the author
indicates the desire to do so by submitting a signed Internet Release Form to OGS or SCA.
Intellectual Property and Copyright

Copyright protection is granted automatically under current U.S. law to “original works of
authorship…fixed in any tangible medium of expression.” Copyright notices (e.g., ©2011
John H. Jones) are not required to appear on copies of the work and the copyright does
not need to be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office for the work to be protected,
although there are practical advantages to both notice and registration (for more
information, see www.copyright.gov/help/faq).
Under the Towson University Policy on Intellectual Property, students retain copyright of
their own original work, such as term papers, theses, and dissertations, subject to certain
exceptions. The Library must receive from the OGS an Internet release form signed by
the student. The release form grants Towson University a non‐exclusive right to
reproduce and distribute the thesis or dissertation and abstract in electronic format; it
does not transfer any copyright rights in the work, except for the permission described in
the release form.
Students who have incorporated the copyrighted work of others into their thesis or
dissertation are responsible for ensuring that their use of this material is lawful, whether
the material was included under a written grant of permission by the copyright owner or
whether the student’s use of the work was covered by one of the statutory limitations on
copyright, such as fair use (for more information, see the Towson University Guidelines
for Use of Materials Protected by Copyright).
Open Access
Although copyright law is intended to protect copyrightable works, so that authors can
profit from their creativity, academic works are generally measured less by the profit they
generate and more by the scholarly impact they have within their field of study. Authors
of academic works may benefit more by widespread dissemination of their works without
regard to monetary profit.
The Open Access thesis/dissertation submission option provides students with a stable
and perpetually accessible means of disseminating their original scholarship. As part of
the Library’s digital collections, the thesis or dissertation is assigned a persistent URL,
which students can then include on their CV or resume. Further, since the library’s digital
collections are indexed by the major search engines and since they include additional
descriptors, like assigned subject headings, for each thesis or dissertation, they are more
discoverable than works posted to an author’s personal Web page. Finally, most
academic journal and book publishers are now well‐accustomed to prior deposit of theses
and dissertations in online institutional repositories or digital collections and do not
consider this a disqualification to subsequent publication. Note, however, that students
who anticipate submitting their work to commercial trade publishers, or those whose
thesis consists of creative/expressive work like fiction, poetry, or drama, may instead
want to consider the Temporary Embargo option. For more information about the
benefits of open access to scholarly research, see
www.arl.org/sparc/greaterreach/index.shtml.
Embargoes
Although there are many benefits to open access, students may wish to place a
temporary embargo on their ETD, thereby restricting access to its content in order to
avoid future problems that may arise if they wish to publish their research in a journal or
as a book with a publisher. If a student has placed an embargo on their ETD, the Library
will make the catalog records available in the catalog and the digital collection while
restricting access to the PDF until the embargo has expired.
When submitting ETDs to SCA it is recommended that the Internet Release Form used by
OGS make provisions for students to indicate whether or not they desire a temporary
embargo which limits access to the ETD for a specific period of time. At the time that a
temporary embargo has expired SCA will make the ETD freely available unless an
extension is requested in writing by the student.
In keeping with standard practices SCA proposes the following options in relation to
embargoes on access to ETDs:
 Open Access. No embargo is requested, catalog data and electronic thesis or dissertation
is freely available. The student grants to Towson University the non‐exclusive right to
reproduce and distribute their thesis or dissertation, in whole or in part, and its abstract,
in whole or in part, in electronic format over the World Wide Web. In granting this
limited permission, the student does not surrender intellectual property rights, except for
the non‐exclusive limited permission.
 Temporary Embargo with Limited Access. An embargo for a specific period of time (such
as 1 to 5 years) that allows limited access under certain conditions. Catalog data will be
freely available but access to the electronic version is restricted to Cook Library staff
members for the purpose of administering or maintaining electronic ETD files, to fulfilling
requests for Interlibrary Loan (ILL), or to in‐person use within the Special Collections
department in the Towson University Albert S. Cook Library.
 Temporary Embargo. An embargo for a specific period of time (such as 1 or 5 years), or
an embargo set to expire on a specific date. A temporary embargo can be extended at
the written request of the author. Catalog records will be freely available but access to
the PDF will be prohibited to anyone other than Cook Library staff members for the
purpose of administering or maintaining electronic ETD files or catalog records until the
temporary embargo expires. The PDF will not be made available in response to ILL
requests unless permission is granted by the author.
 Permanent Embargo. An embargo which restricts access to an ETD permanently and
indefinitely unless the author requests that the embargo be removed. Catalog records
will be freely available but access to the PDF will be prohibited permanently and
indefinitely unless the author releases the embargo. The PDF will not be made available
in response to ILL requests unless written permission is granted by the author.
APPENDIX A: Forms
Thesis Committee Approval Form
Dissertation Committee Approval Form
Thesis/Dissertation Defense Announcement Form
Thesis/Dissertation Format Review Form
Thesis Approval Page
Dissertation Approval
Internet Release Form

TOWSON UNIVERSITY
THESIS COMMITTEE APPROVAL FORM
Student’s Name
________________________________________________________________
Chairperson, Thesis Committee
_________________________________________________________________
Signature Typed name
Member __________________________________________________________
Member __________________________________________________________
Member____________________________________________________
Note: Please attach a description of the affiliation and credentials of any non‐Towson
University members of the Committee, and the members’ curriculum vita.
Approved by
Graduate Program Director____________________________________________

Signature Date
Department Chairperson
___________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Dean of Graduate Studies
____________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Note: It is the responsibility of the student to obtain all signatures before beginning the
proposal.
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
DISSERTATION COMMITTEE APPROVAL FORM
Student’s Name
__________________________________________________________________
Chairperson, Thesis Committee
__________________________________________________________________
Member __________________________________________________________
Member __________________________________________________________
Member____________________________________________________
Note: Please attach a description of the affiliation and credentials of any non‐Towson
University members of the Committee, and the members’ curriculum vita.
Approved by
Graduate Program Director
____________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Department Chairperson
____________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Dean of Graduate Studies
_____________________________________________________________________
Signature Date
Note: It is the responsibility of the student to obtain all signatures before beginning the
proposal.
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
Thesis/Dissertation Defense Announcement Form
Student’s Name __________________________________________________________
Department/Program: _____________________________________________________
Chairperson, Thesis/Dissertation Committee ___________________________________
Check One: Thesis Dissertation
Committee Chairperson’s phone: ___________________ e‐mail_________________
Title of Thesis/Dissertation: _________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Date of Defense:
_______________________________________________________________________
Time of Defense:
_______________________________________________________________________
Location:
Submit electronically to executive administrative assistant in your college or to the

Office of Graduate Studies ([email protected]) for publication on
Towson Tiger Today (T3).
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
THESIS/DISSERTATION FORMAT REVIEW
To: Dean of Graduate Studies

From: (Student Name) _______________________________ Phone: _______________
E‐mail:___________________________________________________________________
Enclosed is a draft of my thesis/dissertation. This work was defended successfully on

(Date) ____________. The format of this draft has been approved by my Committee
Chairperson. I am now asking for final approval of the format from the Office of Graduate
Studies. After making any corrections the Office of Graduate Studies requires:
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Areas to be Reviewed by the Office of Graduate Studies
1. Correct ordering of the preliminary pages, text,

and appendices Yes: ____ No: ____
2. Appropriate margin spacing in text Yes: ____ No: ____
3. Correct positioning of page numbers Yes: ____ No: ____
4. Correct page numbering in Table of Contents Yes: ____ No: ____
5. Correct font style and size Yes: ____ No: ____
6. Correct line spacing in text Yes: ____ No: ____
Areas Reviewed by the Committee Chairperson
1. Accuracy of content, research methods, and findings Yes: ____ No: ____
2. Adherence to professional standards and English rules
of grammar for writing Yes: ____ No: ____
3. Appropriate reference style used in text Yes: ____ No: ____
4. Accuracy and completeness of appendices, references,
and citations Yes: ____ No: ____
2. Correct table formatting and labeling Yes: ____ No: ____
3. Correct figure formatting and labeling Yes: ____ No: ____
4. Correct reference style in bibliography Yes: ____ No: ____
5. Correct headers and chapter titles Yes: ____ No: ____
Committee
I confirm that I have thoroughly reviewed and approve the student’s work for accuracy
and completeness of content and formatting.
Chairperson Signature _____________________________________ Date: ____________
Chairperson’s phone number: ___________ Chairperson’s e‐mail address: ___________

TOWSON UNIVERSITY
THESIS APPROVAL PAGE
This is to certify that the thesis prepared by [INSERT Student’s Name] ________________
____________________________________ entitled [INSERT Title of Thesis]___________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
has been approved by the thesis committee as satisfactorily completing the thesis
requirements for the degree _ [INSERT Type of Degree] ___________________________
DOCTOR OF SCIENCE in IT
(for example, Master of Science)
__________________________________________________ __________
Chairperson, Thesis Committee Signature Type Name Date
__________________________________________________ __________
Committee Member Signature Type Name Date
___________________________________________________ _________
___________________________________________________ ____________
____________________________________________________ __________
_____________________________________________________ _________
Dean of Graduate Studies Type Name Date
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
DISSERTATION APPROVAL PAGE
This is to certify that the thesis prepared by [INSERT Student’s Name] ________________
____________________________________ entitled [INSERT Title of Thesis] ___________
_________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
has been approved by the thesis committee as satisfactorily completing the dissertation
requirements for the degree_ [INSERT Type of Degree] ____________________________
(for example, Doctor of Science)
____________________________________________________ _______
Chairperson, Dissertation Committee Signature Type Name Date
__________________________________________________ __________
___________________________________________________ _________
___________________________________________________ ____________
____________________________________________________ __________
_____________________________________________________ _________
Dean of Graduate Studies Type Name Date
Internet Release Form for Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs)

Student Name: __________________________________ TU ID _____________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________
Phone: ________________________________ e‐Mail _______________________
Program: _________________________________
DOCTOR OF SCIENCE in IT
Title of Thesis/Dissertation/Project _________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Advisor: ____________________________________________________________________
In consideration of the mutual promises and considerations herein, and of Towson University’s digitizing
and disseminating the Work, I hereby grant to Towson University the perpetual, non‐exclusive right to
reproduce and distribute the Work, in whole or in part, and my abstract, in whole or in part, in electronic
format over the World Wide Web, subject the access restrictions indicated below. I represent and warrant
to Towson University that the Work and the abstract are my original work, do not infringe or violate any
rights of others, and that I make these grants as the sole owner of the rights to the Work and abstract. The
copyright in the Work, and in the digitized version of the Work prepared by the University, are and shall be
owned by me, subject to the access restrictions indicated below.
Access restrictions (indicate one):
Open Access. No embargo is requested, catalog data and electronic thesis or dissertation is freely
available.
Temporary Embargo with Limited Access. Expires on (MM‐DD‐YYYY): ___________.
Catalog data will be freely available but access to the electronic thesis or dissertation is restricted to Cook
Library staff members for the purpose of administering or maintaining electronic ETD files, to fulfilling
requests for Interlibrary Loan (ILL), or to in‐person use within the Special Collections department in the
Towson University Albert S. Cook Library.
Temporary Embargo. Expires on (MM‐DD‐YYYY): . Catalog data will
be freely available but access to the electronic thesis or dissertation is limited to Cook Library staff
members for the purpose of administering or maintaining electronic ETD files only. The PDF will not be
made available in response to ILL requests unless permission is granted by the author. Reasonable written
requests to extend the embargo expiration date will be granted.
Permanent Embargo. Catalog data will be freely available but access to the electronic thesis or
dissertation is permanently and indefinitely restricted until or unless I submit a written request to Special
Collections and Archives to change the access restrictions and/or make it freely available. Only Cook Library
staff members may access the electronic thesis or dissertation for administrative purposes.
Student Signature _______________________________________________ Date ___________

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
___ This work does not relate to potential patented work
___ This work relates to potential patented work. Access to the electronic thesis or dissertation is
permanently and indefinitely restricted until or unless a written request is submitted to Special Collections
and Archives to change the access restrictions and/or make it freely available.
Faculty Advisor Signature _______________________________________________ Date ___________

APPENDIX B: Sample Pages
Thesis Title Page
Dissertation Title Page
Copyright Page (for either Thesis or Dissertation)
Curriculum Vita
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
(TITLE OF THESIS TYPED IN CAPITAL LETTERS) (LINE 11)
(DOUBLE SPACED AND CENTERED)
by (LINE 24)
(Student’s Name)
A thesis
Presented to the faculty of
Towson University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Master of (Arts) (Science) (Education)
Department of _____
Towson University
Towson, Maryland 21252
(Month, Year of Graduation)

TOWSON UNIVERSITY
(TITLE OF DISSERTATION TYPED IN CAPITAL LETTERS) (LINE 11)
(DOUBLE SPACED AND CENTERED)
by (LINE 24)
(Student’s Name)
A Dissertation
Presented to the faculty of
Towson University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree
Doctor of (Audiology) (Science) (Education)
Department of ______
Towson University
Towson, Maryland 21252
(Month, Year of Graduation)

© 2011 By John H. Jones

All Rights Reserved
NOTE: This page should only be included in a thesis or dissertation that is to be

copyrighted.
CURRICULUM VITA
NAME:
PERMANENT ADDRESS:
PROGRAM OF STUDY:
DEGREE AND DATE TO BE CONFERRED: e.g., Master of Arts., 2009
Secondary education: (name of school, city, state and graduation date:
Collegiate institutions attended Dates Degree Date of Degree

(NOTE: Include Towson University degree for which thesis/dissertation is submitted.)
Major:
Minor(s), if applicable:
Professional publications: (list publications chronologically in proper style)
Professional positions held: (include present or immediately prospective position; include

addresses)
APPENDIX C: Administrative Procedures
Projects
In all Departments, the course number 880 (and, if necessary, 881 and 882) is the number
for projects. If a student cannot finish the project work in one term, he/she should
register for Project Continuum, one credit, with course number 885 in the next term.
Usually 885 should be repeated only with special permission. Setting up courses for
projects and project continua is entirely within the department, with course term files like
any other courses.
If a project is not completed at the end of the project course, the grade of "IP" (In
Progress) will be given. Do not give "I" (Incomplete) since that will automatically change
to "F" after one term. At the end of the project work a letter grade is given for the
project course and S (satisfactory) for the project continuum.
Theses and Dissertations

Thesis course numbers are the same in all departments. 897 is a six‐credit course for
thesis. It is used if the entire thesis work is expected to be done in one term. If the work
is to be spread over two terms, the student should take 898 for three units and then take
898/998 again in the next term (normally the two terms of 898/998 should be
consecutive; if that is not the case, the program director should inform the Office of
Graduate Studies of the gap with an explanation.
Dissertations are numbered 997/998. The number of units for a dissertation varies
among doctoral programs and usually ranges between 12 and 24 units.
Students who do not complete their thesis or dissertation within the stated timeframe
and units must register for 899 Thesis Continuum or Dissertation continuum (999). The
thesis or dissertation chairperson enters a grade of IP (in progress) for the thesis or
dissertation course. Continuum courses are one unit per term. This registration can be
repeated as many terms as necessary within the limits stated by the program. The
student must have continuous registration until the work is approved. Students also
must register for summer if the seeking guidance from the thesis chairperson or
committee members during that timeframe. In particular, the student must be registered
in the term of graduation
The student’s thesis and dissertation committees should be setup and approved before
the student registers for thesis/dissertation course. The thesis or dissertation committee
approval form must be submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for the Dean's
approval and signature before the student registers for a thesis/dissertation or
thesis/dissertation continuum course. After thesis or dissertation committee is approved,
the department, in consultation with the thesis/dissertation chairperson sets up the
courses. Departments should prepare separate course term files, with different section
numbers, for each thesis and dissertation student. On the Course Term File, thesis or
dissertation chairperson is listed as the primary instructor. The course term file should be
submitted to the Office of the Registrar, as occurs for other courses. If the thesis or
dissertation course has been set up correctly, only the thesis or dissertation chairperson
will have access to the grade roster and be able to submit grades.
At the end of the thesis or dissertation work, the student will present an oral defense to
the committee. Oral defenses are open to the university community. The committee
may require the student to make corrections or additions to the thesis or dissertation.
Once the committee has approved the thesis/dissertation, the student will submit an
electronic draft to [email protected] in the Office of Graduate Studies, the
approval form signed by the members of the thesis committee, and the Format Review
and Internet release forms. The student should make sure that the format of the
signature pages is correct before getting signatures. The Office of Graduate Studies then
will check the thesis/dissertation for technical details (margins, page numbering, etc.).
The student will need to make corrections to technical details identified by the Office of
Graduate Studies. After making the corrections, the student will submit an electronic
version of the final version to [email protected] as an attachment in Word or PDF
format. The Graduate Studies dean then will sign the approval page. The Office of
Graduate Studies will notify the thesis/dissertation chairperson and the Graduation Office
when the Graduate Studies dean signs the approval form. The thesis/dissertation will be
forwarded to the Library for archival and access, with the students permission via the
Internet Release form. After approval of the thesis/dissertation, the grade for all thesis
and thesis continuum courses is given by the thesis advisor.
Thesis and Dissertation Grading

It is the responsibility of the instructor to post the grade on PeopleSoft when the students
complete their thesis or dissertation.
1. Students who successfully complete thesis or dissertation courses (usually 897,
898, 997, or 998) will receive a grade of S (Satisfactory)
2. Students who are making progress towards completing the thesis or dissertation,
but have remaining work to complete will receive a grade of IP (In Progress).
3. Once a student receives a grade of IP, the student has two options: register for
thesis or dissertation continuum course (usually an 899/999) or register for
additional thesis or dissertation units (usually 897 or 997).
a. Students who have fulfilled all of their thesis/dissertation course unit
requirements but have not completed their thesis/dissertation register for
thesis or dissertation continuum courses. These students will receive a
grade of S, if they demonstrate satisfactory work for the continuum, but do
not complete all of the work required for the thesis or dissertation.
b. Students who register for thesis or dissertation continuum courses will
receive a grade of U, if they demonstrate unsatisfactory work and do not
complete all of the work required for the thesis or dissertation.
c. Students have not fulfilled all of the course unit requirements for the
thesis/dissertation will continue to register for thesis or dissertation
courses until they do so. They will continue to receive a grade of IP, if they
are making satisfactory progress, but do not complete all of the work
required for the thesis or dissertation.
4. For any student who has received a grade of IP, the faculty member will submit
one change of grade form or send an email on via Towson University email
account to the Registrar’s Office when the student has successfully completed the
thesis or dissertation. The change of grade form/email will indicate a grade of S
for the thesis or dissertation course (897, 898, 997 or 998)
The Office of Graduate Studies will monitor the thesis/dissertation format and will be the
final office notifying the Graduation Office that a student is eligible to graduate. That is,
students will be eligible to graduate only after they complete 1) the course requirements
for the thesis or dissertation as indicated by the grade posted by the instructor and 2) the
thesis/dissertation formatting and submission requirements for the Office of Graduate
Studies as outlined in the Towson University Graduate Thesis Guidelines.
http://grad.towson.edu/academic/thesis/index.asp.
APPENDIX D: Office of Graduate Studies Timetable of Deadlines for Finishing

Thesis/Dissertation Work 1,2,3
Fall term Spring term Summer term

(tentative)
Thesis draft to Oct 31 April 2 June 19
advisor
Announcement Form Nov 6 April 9 June 26
to Grad Studies
Office
Oral defense Nov 20 April 22 July 10
Post Oral defense Nov 26 April 24 July 10
meeting
Final Corrections to Nov 26 April 30 July 17
Committee Members
Final Committee Dec 4 May 6 July 22
Approval
Committee Dec 4 May 6 July 22
signatures
Approved draft to Dec 5 May 7 July 24
Grad Studies Office
Format corrections Dec 5‐12 May 7‐14 July 25‐29
Final submission to Dec 12 May 14 July 31
Grad Studies Office
Submission of grade Dec 18 May 20 August 7
by Committee
Chairperson
1
Students are encouraged to submit their work earlier, as these dates reflect the latest
deadlines for submission.
2
Students are to abide by program or department guidelines if they are earlier than those
required by the Office of Graduate Studies.
3
All thesis/dissertation submissions to the Office of Graduate Studies must be submitted
electronically as an attachment in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. The
Thesis/Dissertation Approval page with signatures of all committee members, Internet
Release and Format Review forms must have the original signatures. The student should
make sure the forms are formatted correctly; otherwise the signatures might have to be
obtained again. The approval page and forms with original signatures can be scanned and
emailed to [email protected] or faxed to 410.704.3129. Electronic signatures are
not accepted by USM. The Office of Graduate Studies staff will notify the student of any
necessary format corrections via email. The corrections should be made before sending
the final version—again, electronically.
APPENDIX E: End of Program Checklist
Master’s Degree Students
___ Submit an application for Graduation at the start of the term in which you expect to
graduate. If you do not graduate in that term, you must reapply for graduation in
the following term). The application can be done online at
http://grad.towson.edu/graduation/apply.asp.
___ Check your program sheet to confirm that you have completed all the required
courses successfully (without any Incompletes, no more than two C grades, no
more than three 500‐level courses) as well as any special assignments such as
internships, clinical, etc.
___ Satisfy requirements within your Department/Program for writing and defending.
___ Follow the Thesis/Dissertation Guidelines

(http://grad.towson.edu/academic/thesis/index.asp) carefully, and submit an
electronic draft to Office of Graduate Studies review of the format and the
clearance of the thesis.
___ After clearance of the draft copy, submit to the Office of Graduate Studies:
___ a final electronic copy1 of your thesis and all supporting documentation.
___ (optional) If you wish to have bound copies of your thesis, contact the Albert
S. Cook Library’s Technical Services Department at 410.704.2461. Inform the
Library of the number of copies you want bound. The Library will charge a
nominal fee for these services.
___ Sign Internet Release form (page 32) if you wish to allow your work to be published
on the Internet. Print, sign and submit this form to the Office of Graduate
Studies.
1
Keep in mind that Microsoft Word for Mac checks and formats pages differently than
the Windows version.
Doctoral Students
___ Submit an application for Graduation at the start of the term in which you expect to
graduate. (If you do not graduate in that term, you must reapply for graduation in
the following term). The application can be done by using the online at
http://grad.towson.edu/graduation/apply.asp.
___ Satisfy requirements within your Department/Program for writing and defending.
___ Follow the Dissertation Guidelines

(http://grad.towson.edu/academic/thesis/index.asp) carefully, and submit an
electronic draft to Office of Graduate Studies for review of the format and the
clearance of the dissertation/project.
___ After clearance of the draft copy, submit to the Office of Graduate Studies:
___ a final electronic copy1 of your thesis/dissertation and all supporting

documentation
___ (optional) If you wish to have bound copies of your dissertation, contact the
Albert S. Cook Library’s Technical Services Department at 410.704.2461. Inform
the Library of the number of copies you want bound. The Library will charge a
nominal fee for these services.
___ Sign Internet Release form (page 32) if you wish to allow your work to be published
on the Internet. Print, sign and submit this form to the Office of Graduate Studies.
___ Complete Survey of Earned Doctorates at, https://:sed.norc.org/survey.
1
Keep in mind that Microsoft Word for Mac checks and formats pages differently
than the Windows version.
Commencement Ceremony
___ Order your gown and hood from the University Store. For more information about
preparation for commencement, check the University’s commencement website:
http://wwwnew.towson.edu/commencement/.
Doctoral Students Graduation Information
___ Attend the rehearsal of the hooding ceremony, to be announced by the Graduate
Dean.
___ Wear your cap and gown, but carry your hood, to the Commencement ceremony.
(The hood will be placed over your head as part of the ceremony).
___ Celebrate! Congratulations! (and get used to being called “Doctor”)

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TOWSON UNIVERSITY

OFFICE OF GRADUATE STUDIES

GUIDELINES FOR PREPARING

Updated MAY 2015

Section I: The Thesis/Dissertation Manual ........................................................................... 1

Section II: Roles and Responsibility ....................................................................................... 2

Section III: Preparing the Master’s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation ..................................... 7

Section IV: Formatting the Manuscript and Arrangement of Pages ................................... 12

Section V: Discipline Styles .................................................................................................. 19

Section VI: Electronic Dissemination ................................................................................... 21

Appendix A: Forms .............................................................................................................. 25

Appendix B: Sample Pages .................................................................................................. 33

Appendix C: Administrative Procedures ............................................................................. 38

Appendix D: Timetable of Deadlines ................................................................................... 41

Appendix E: End of Program Checklist ................................................................................ 42

Overview of the Thesis and Dissertation Manual

Although it is helpful to review published theses or dissertations for content, graduate

Purpose of Theses and Dissertations

Eligibility to Initiate the Dissertation

rules of grammar, sentence, paragraph structure; logical and integrated organization of

Program Responsibilities Related to the Dissertation Process

Roles and Responsibilities

Chairperson of the Committee

The chairperson challenges the student to anticipate theoretical, practical and

Thesis and Dissertation Committee Members

Preparing the Thesis or Dissertation

 Once it is approved by the committee chairperson, the student is to distribute the

 The student is to complete and submit a copy of the Thesis/Dissertation Defense

 The student is to make necessary modifications to the thesis/dissertation and

 The student is to submit the final approved thesis/dissertation, signed

 Once the thesis/dissertation is approved, the student is to send an electronic

Students are expected to maintain continuous registration in a thesis/dissertation course

Publishing with ProQuest

Towson University supports doctoral students publishing their thesis/ dissertation

ProQuest/UMI Dissertation Publishing is the world's only comprehensive service for

Formatting the Manuscript and Arrangement of Pages

Type and Fonts

Page Numbers and Numbering

Preliminary pages. (See Arrangement of the Thesis and Dissertation below).

Headings and Subheadings

Tables and Figures

References Cited in the Text

Arrangement of the Thesis/Dissertation

Acknowledgement page. The acknowledgement page contains a brief statement of

Keys to symbols, abbreviations, or nomenclature. If used, the layout is up to the

Headings. Theses/dissertations need to be carefully organized to reflect a logical

Appendices. Appendices are used for supplementary illustrative materials such as

Bibliography (List of References, or Citations, or List of Sources). The last section of

Need help drafting a CV?

A significant aspect of the educational development of many graduate students is to

____verify page numbering for chapters/major headings in the Table of Contents is

____make appropriate margin adjustments for each page as instructed in this

____ use the correct font size?

____ follow the line spacing guidelines identified in this manual?

____ check for and correct typing and grammatical errors?

____ Curriculum Vita

____ make all the corrections stipulated by your committee?

____ check to be sure all required paperwork for thesis/dissertation completion

____ pay all outstanding fees to the university?

Section VI Electronic Dissemination

History of Theses and Dissertations at the Albert S. Cook Library

Library Workflow for Receipt and Processing of ETDs

Intellectual Property and Copyright

Committee Chairperson’s phone: ___ e‐mail_

Chairperson’s phone number: _ Chairperson’s e‐mail address: _

__________________________ entitled [INSERT Title of Thesis]_

__________________________ entitled [INSERT Title of Thesis] _

Student Signature _____________________________________ Date _

Faculty Advisor Signature _____________________________________ Date _