FAQ about theses/dissertations
This FAQ is intended to supplement the information contained in the Rush University Guide for Masters' Theses and Doctoral Dissertations, (hereafter referred to as the RU Guide) available on the Library's Homepage: http://www.lib.rush.edu/library/ Click on Library Services and scroll down to "Graduate Student Resources." If you have any questions not answered by either resource please email Christine_Frank@rush.edu
Questions:
- Are there specific formats I must use for any material in my thesis or dissertation?
- Are there required formats for other parts of my thesis/dissertation?
- What about format for the references?
- Where do I put tables, figures, and other non-textual materials in my thesis/dissertation: in the text or in the appendices?
- How should I title my appendices?
- I've checked and I can't find information on font size required for my thesis/dissertation. I have a figure that takes up the entire page. Because the thesis/dissertation will be microfilmed, I'm concerned that using a size 10 font will not be acceptable.
- May I use previously published tables, figures, or other material in my thesis/dissertation?
- How do I cite a previously published, copyrighted table, figure, survey instrument I plan to include or adapt to use in my thesis/dissertation?
- Will an e-mail to the publisher meet the requirement for a letter authorizing use of copyrighted material?
- I would like to use graphs and tables in my dissertation that I included in articles I submitted to journals for publication. The material has not been accepted yet for publication. May I include those graphs without written permission from the publishers? What if it is published in the future? Will I need written permission at that point?
- May I include work (figures, tables, survey instruments, articles that I have published previously that I want to use as chapters, etc.) in my thesis/dissertation?
- What if my advisor gave me the material (or my department is using the material) I plan to use and include in my thesis/dissertation?
- The material I want to use and include in my paper came from the National Institutes of Health. Do I need to get permission to use it and include it?
- I am having difficulty reaching the publishers. If I change a little bit the graphs/pictures I plan to include, do I still need the publisher's permission (as long as I properly cite the papers)?
- Is there any paperwork I have to do to turn in the final copy of my thesis/dissertation to the Director of the Library?
Answers:
- Are there specific formats I must use for any material in my thesis or dissertation?
Yes, your title page, approval page and abstract must be in the format that is in the RU Guide.
- Are there required formats
for other parts of my thesis/dissertation?
Yes, the College of Nursing and the Department
of Communications Disorders requires students
to use the American Psychological Association's
Publication Manual (See
Note at end) to guide the formatting
of their papers. The Department of Clinical
Nutrition requires their students to use
the Journal of the American Dietetic Association
format. Other departments in the College
of Health Sciences and the Graduate College
do not have specific formal requirements
for format. Those students should select
a style manual from the list on p. 8 of
the RU Guide.
- What about format for the references?
First, your references must be complete. You generally may not use the format required by journals in your field. Some basic science journals require very abbreviated references because of space constraints. Use one of the guides mentioned in #2.
Second, journal titles must either be written out or abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) format for abbreviations. To find accepted abbreviations see the Library's online catalog, RushCAT on the Library's Homepage. Search for "List of Serials indexed for online users". There is an online version and also a print version available in the Library.
- Where do I put tables, figures, and other non-textual materials in my thesis/dissertation: in the text or in the appendices?
Normally tables and figures go in the text of your dissertation as close as possible to your first mention of them. Survey instruments, long tabular data sheets, software programs and other such materials go in the appendices.
- How should I title my appendices?
Each appendix should be labeled either Appendix A, etc. or 1, etc. Each should have a title also. Then, in your Table of Contents list each Appendix letter or number, title and page number.
- I've checked and I can't find information on font size required for my thesis/dissertation. I have a figure that takes up the entire page. Because the thesis/dissertation will be microfilmed, I'm concerned that using a size 10 font will not be acceptable.
There are no formal requirements. Generally for written work the #12 font is standard. However, for detailed tables a #10 font size is adequate.
- May I use previously published
tables, figures, or other material in my thesis/dissertation?
Yes, if you get written permission from
the publisher. You will have to ask for
permission to use (or adapt) the material
AND permission for ProQuest Information
and Learning Company to reproduce the material
on demand. Generally, the publisher will
give permission without charge for use in
a dissertation or thesis. Occasionally they
may charge you for the use. You will have
to hand in a copy of the written permission
when you turn in the final copy of your
thesis/dissertation.
See also
- How do I cite a previously published, copyrighted table, figure, survey instrument I plan to include or adapt to use in my thesis/dissertation?
After the legend for a table or figure or other material, you will first type out the entire reference and then the statement: Used (or Adapted) with permission of the publisher. There is an example of correctly citing a previously published table or figure, or survey instrument, etc. on p. 184 of the 5th edition of the APA's Publication Manual. However, INSTEAD of permission from the author, you almost always get permission from the publisher. (See #7 above) The publisher, not the author, almost always owns the copyright.
- Will an e-mail to the publisher meet the requirement for a letter authorizing use of copyrighted material?
Yes, see #7 above for more information.
- I would like to use graphs and tables in my dissertation that I included in articles I submitted to journals for publication. The material has not been accepted yet for publication. May I include those graphs without written permission from the publishers? What if it is published in the future? Will I need written permission at that point?
As long as the information in your dissertation has not been accepted for publication at the time you turn in the final copy you can use it without permission. You still own the copyright on your work until you turn it over to the publisher when you sign their publication acceptance letter. Once it is published and you want to use that information again, yes, you will have to get permission to use it.
- May I include work (figures, tables, survey instruments, articles that I have published previously that I want to use as chapters, etc.) in my thesis/dissertation?
Generally yes. However, you no longer
own the materials if you have already published
them. You must get permission from the publisher.
See #7 above. At the beginning
of the chapters you have already published
as articles you must give the full citation
of the publication and include the statement
"Used (or Adapted) with permission from
the publisher."
- What if my advisor gave me the material (or my department is using the material) I plan to use and include in my thesis/dissertation?
If your advisor authored the material AND it has not been published anywhere, then you must get a written letter of permission from your advisor. See #7 and #8 for more information. If your department is using an instrument, you may use it. However, before you may include it in your thesis/dissertation, you must find out where it came from and get permission from the author if unpublished or the publisher if it was published.
- The material I want to use and include in my paper came from the National Institutes of Health. Do I need to get permission to use it and include it?
NO. If the material was published by any local, state or the U.S. Government, you do not need to get permission to use it. It is "in the public domain". There is no copyright on it. However, you must still cite it as mentioned in #8.
- I am having difficulty reaching the publishers. If I change a little bit the graphs/pictures I plan to include, do I still need the publisher's permission (as long as I properly cite the papers)?
Yes, you still need permission even if you adapt the graphs/pictures. See #7 and #8 above. You may call the Reference Desk in the Library at 312-942-5952 and ask for the publisher's fax number and email address as well as phone number.
- Is there any paperwork I have
to do to turn in the final copy of my thesis/dissertation
to the Director of the Library?
Yes, the information is contained in the FAQ titled: "Submitting the Final Copy of Your Thesis or Dissertation" and is on the Library's Homepage.
Note: The APA's Publication Manual was written for scholars submitting articles to APA journals, not as a thesis or dissertation guide. Therefore, there are several places that graduate students should not conform to its requirements:
- place your tables and figures in the text of the paper, not at the end,
- single-space within each reference and double-space between each reference, rather than double-spacing throughout,
- do not use a running head.
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