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Appendix C

A GUIDE FOR THE PREPARATION OF GRADUATE THESES

Students are to consult with their supervisors concerning the general organization of the thesis, and also about special practices or rules that may apply to scholarly writing within the specific discipline. The latter comment relates particularly to the use of footnotes, the method of indicating references, and the tabulation of bibliographic and reference materials. Style manuals are available in the University Library. Regulations concerning paper, print, duplication and binding, etc., are given below. The final copy of the thesis must adhere to these regulations. Failure to comply will result in delays in processing, and the student may incur additional expenses in producing a document acceptable to the corresponding Academic Unit and to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Careful proofreading of the thesis for spelling and grammatical errors as well as for adherence to all other standards is the responsibility of the student and supervisor.

Format
The general arrangement of the thesis is:

1. Title Page
2. Abstract (Maximum of two pages, double spaced)
3. Acknowledgement
   (Maximum of one page, double spaced in formal style, and may not include the name of the External Examiner)
    
   3.1  Post Defense Acknowledgement - Students who wish to acknowledge the External Examiner may do so as a Post Defense acknowledgement on a separate page.
4. Dedication
   (Maximum of one page, double spaced)
   Students who wish to acknowledge family members etc. may do so on a separate Dedication page.
5. Table of Contents
6. List of Tables (where applicable)
7. List of Figures (where applicable)
8. List of Plates (where applicable)
9. List of Appendices (where applicable)
   
10. List of Abbreviations, Symbols, Nomenclature (where applicable)
    
11. Body of the Thesis
    
12. List of References, Literature Cited or Bibliography
    
13. Appendices

Title Page. The Title Page must be structured as presented below. It contains the following information: the title of the thesis, the name of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, the degree and major for which the thesis is submitted, the full legal name of the author, the name of the institution and the date. In addition, a copyright claim is placed at the bottom of the page.
Please note the copyright year should be the year that the final corrected copies are submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Office.

Abstract. The Abstract length may not exceed two double spaced pages. It should include a statement or brief description of the problem, the method or procedures followed in its solution, and important conclusions or results. It is a summary of the thesis, emphasizing what has been accomplished through the student’s research efforts. Students should be sure to point out the primary elements that make the thesis worth consulting.

Acknowledgement. The Acknowledgement is to be in a formal style, must not exceed a single double spaced page and must be included with the initial copy of the thesis submitted for defense. Reference to scholarships, teaching assistantships or research awards, and other sources of financial aid contributing to the study must be stated. Please note that all funding from the FGSR office must be acknowledged as funding through The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research. Students may include a Dedication page after the Acknowledgement page.

Dedication (Optional). The Dedication page may be used to recognize the support of others who have aided indirectly in the completion of the work.

Post Defense Acknowledgements. A separate Post Defense Acknowledgements page may be included with the final corrected copy of the thesis. Students may wish to acknowledge the External Examiner or the Chair of the defense, but since these persons were not known when the draft of the thesis (defense ready) was submitted to FGSR, it is not appropriate to identify such contributors in the formal acknowledgement page.

Table of Contents. The Table of Contents lists all sections of the thesis, except for the Title Page. The text portion of the Table of Contents lists the chapters or sections of the text, and the beginning page number of each section is indicated.

If frequent reference is to be made to particular portions of the thesis, it may be convenient to subdivide the sections and indicate these subdivisions in the Table of Contents. If the chapters are subdivided, a decimal system using Arabic numerals to indicate these subdivisions is to be used. For example, 2.6 would indicate the sixth subdivision of the second chapter. If further subdivision is desirable, the same type of symbolization should be used. This system of subdivision may not be appropriate for all theses, and extensive subdivision is appropriate only for lengthy theses.

The title of each chapter or section is written in full capitals with no terminal punctuation. The title of a subdivision of a chapter or section is indented sufficiently to distinguish it from the chapter or section heading, and is to be in lowercase letters with the exception of the first letter of the first word. The same method of lettering should be continued in the body of the thesis.

List of Tables and Figures. Lists of all Tables, and of all Figures, follow the Table of Contents. Each list must include the number of the Table or Figure, the title, and the page or pages on which each appears. Only the first letter of the first word in each title is to be a capital. Each list should be numbered consecutively. If frequent reference is made to the Figures, etc., in the text, then a decimal classification, using Arabic notation, should be used. For example, Figure 5.3 would refer to the third figure in the fifth chapter.

The pages containing the Abstract through the Lists of Tables and/or Figures are numbered consecutively, using Roman numerals placed at the bottom center of the page. The titles of Tables, Figures and Illustrations must be the same in the lists as given in the text. The Title Page is not numbered.

Text. The organization of the body of the thesis should be discussed with the supervisor. The number and title of each chapter or section are presented in the same form as given in the Table of Contents, and are to be centered on the page. Similarly, the number and title of each subdivision are presented as given in the Table of Contents. The number and title of subdivisions are aligned with the main body of the text along the left-hand side of the page. As an example:

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Nature and scope of the work

The first page of the chapter or section is numbered "1", and the following pages are numbered consecutively. The number for each of these pages should be placed in the bottom centre or top right hand corner of the page. Pagination should be within the specified margins.

The Table number and title, as given in the List of Tables, are placed above each Table. The Figure's number and title, as given in the List of Figures, are placed below each Figure. The legend to a given Figure should be on the same page ; the inclusion of additional descriptive material on separate pages from the corresponding Tables and Figures is to be avoided.

A Table or Figure is to appear on a separate page (or pages) immediately before or after the page of text in which it is first mentioned. Figures may not be grouped at the end of the thesis. A page with a Table or Figure is numbered consecutively with those of the text of the thesis. If it is necessary to refer again to a Table or Figure in a subsequent part of the thesis, reference is made to the page on which it appears: for example, Figure 3 (page 54).

If mathematical equations are numerous, and are referred to frequently in the text, a decimal classification should be adopted for their numbering.

Y = ax2 + b

(5.4)

The above indicates that this is the fourth equation in Chapter 5.

Reference to the work of others within the text may be indicated in various ways. A system acceptable to the academic unit must be adopted and be consistently applied throughout the thesis. It should be a system used by a mainstream journal in the particular discipline.
If footnotes or chapter notes are desirable, the supervisor should be consulted regarding their use. Such notes should be placed at the bottom of pages; inclusion at the end of chapters, or at the end of the main body of the text immediately preceding the List of References, though not preferred, is also acceptable.

The text may end with a summary of the principal results or conclusions, or projections for future work. The student should consult the supervisor about this aspect. Inclusion of a summary does not eliminate the requirement of an abstract.

List of References. This section must list all the references cited in the text. These are to be arranged in a definite order in accordance with an existing convention. Differences exist between different fields of specialization regarding information required in a reference, the order in which this information is incorporated into the entry, and to the use of punctuation and underlining. The thesis must adhere to a style acceptable to the academic unit.

If the information referred to in the text of the thesis was obtained from an abstract, a translation, or a textbook rather than an original publication, this must be indicated in the List of References. The reference should include sufficient detail about the original source from which the information was taken to be accessed by a reader of the thesis. Wherever possible, the original source should be consulted. Subdivision of the Reference List is to be avoided. The term "Bibliography" is to be used when there are works listed that have not been referred to in the text.

Appendices. Appendices may include a wide range of material pertaining to the thesis, but which is not essential to reaching an understanding of the arguments presented and the conclusions reached. The design of various pieces of equipment, the proof of equations, the preparation of chemicals, and lengthy tabulations of observational data are examples. The student should consult with the supervisor concerning material of this type to decide if it should be housed in an appendix rather than the text, or alternatively, eliminated from the thesis entirely. Appendices are placed after the List of References. In the List of Appendices, separate identification is made as Appendix A, Appendix B, etc. The titles are included, as is the corresponding page number. The pages where the appendices appear are numbered consecutively with those for the main portion of the thesis. Tables or Figures that appear in appendices are listed in the Lists of Tables and Figures.

Ethical Clearance. All research involving human subjects must have ethical clearance from the University of Regina Research Ethics Board (REB). Students accessing the REB must be eligible. The approval form from the Ethics Board must be appended and this ethical clearance document is to be placed in the appendices. Additionally, it must be stated in the body of the text that ethical approval was received. A review by the REB may take from three to six weeks, and research may not commence until approval is received. The name of the Chair of the Research Ethics Board is available from the Office of Research Services.

Animal Research Clearance. Research involving live organisms, including all vertebrates and certain invertebrates, requires clearance from the Animal Care Committee. Queries related to the conditions of this type of research and the species to which it applies should be directed to the Chair of this committee. Contact the Office of Research Services for the name of the Committee Chair. The Animal Care Committee provides a clearance certificate and it must be referred to and included in the thesis.

Length of Thesis. The length of the text portion of the thesis varies between and within disciplines. A thesis is to be succinct and articulate, and 50-110 pages of text for a Master’s thesis and 150-300 pages for a Doctoral thesis, should suffice in most cases. It is recognized that certain research topics may result in shorter or longer theses, but Master’s theses are not to exceed 150 pages. Theses exceeding these limits will be returned for editing unless special permission has been sought and received from the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research.

Other Aspects:

1. Certification of Thesis Work
   This form (one copy) will be signed at the time of defense by the examining committee, and returned to FGSR by the Chair immediately following the defense. This form will become a permanent record in the student’s file but will not be inserted into the thesis.
   
2. Permission to use Post Graduate Thesis
   This form (two copies) will be signed at the time of defense by the student and returned to FGSR by the Chair immediately following the defense. One will be placed in the student’s file and the other will be sent to the University library, but will not be inserted into the thesis.

Please note that legal counsel for the National Library and Archives Canada have determined that original signatures, which are considered personal information, cannot be submitted with the thesis for publication, and therefore under the terms of the Canadian Privacy Act, the ‘Permission to Use Postgraduate Thesis’ and the ‘Certification of Thesis’ forms may no longer be included in the thesis.

These forms will be included in the defense documents, One original ‘Permission to Use Postgraduate Thesis’ form will remain with the student’s file in the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research Office and the other will be submitted to the University Library for their records. Students may request a copy of the ‘Permission to Use Postgraduate Thesis’ form for their own records.

The ‘Certification of Thesis’ form will be signed by the examining committee at the time of defense and returned, by the Chair, to FGSR immediately following the defense. This form will become a permanent record in the student’s file. From the signed ‘Certification of Thesis’ form the FGSR office will prepare a post defense ‘Certification of Thesis’ that will have the names of the examining committee. This form will be available to the student upon receipt of library approval and is be included in the thesis for binding.

 

GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF A THESIS

Paper. High quality white bond paper must be used throughout the thesis. The copy for the University Library is to be on 20-24 lb. weight bond, 8 1/2 x 11 paper.

Typescript, Point Size, and Print Quality. The print in the body of the thesis must be double-spaced with the exception of footnotes and long quotations, which may be single-spaced. Single-spaced quotations are to be indented. The List of References and the appendices may be single spaced depending on conventional practice.

The entire thesis must use the same font and font size throughout, possibly excluding Figures, Tables, graphs, and chapter headings. Times, Times New Roman, Arial or Courier fonts are recommended. Print should not be smaller than 12 pt. (points) or 10 cpi (characters per inch). Smaller print may be used for footnotes, graphs, formulas, and other additions to the text. The footnote/reference method, pagination, and margins are to be consistent throughout the thesis. The thesis must be printed on one side of the paper only in order to conform to a requirement of the National Library. The original copy of the thesis must be of laser-print or letter quality.

Margins. The margins are required to be 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) on the left to allow for binding, and one inch on all other margins (including page numbers). These margin requirements apply to text, tables, figures, pagination, etc. Photo-reduction is suggested for over-margin pages of Tables or Figures.

Tables, graphs, maps, etc. Graphs and other illustrations are to be placed on a separate sheet of paper situated immediately before or immediately after the page containing the text where it is discussed. Illustrations that do not fit on the standard page size are to be avoided. Maps, suitably folded, may be placed in an envelope attached to the inner side of the back cover. A large graph or map will be reproduced on microfilm as a single frame, and as a result, much of the fine detail may be difficult to discern in the microfilm version. Thus, the original copies (black ink) are to be included with the first copy of the thesis. A high quality photocopy is also acceptable.

If Figures in the body of the thesis are in color, a bracketed insertion below the Figure, or in its title, should specify "(original in color)". The B/W representation produced for microfilming may be difficult to interpret and the reader is thereby alerted to the problem and can take steps to get the color version from the University holding the original copy. Color should only be used where it is absolutely necessary.

Computer printouts included in a thesis are to be on unlined paper and the program should be written in a manner to ensure that the printout will fit on a thesis page without reduction.

Oversize pages. Oversize pages are not amenable to microfilming and photo-reduced, legible reproductions are required. It is recommended that these oversize pages be avoided. In instances that an oversize graph or other illustration must be used, it is to be folded to the size of the standard sheet. The fold must not extend to the full width of the page in order to leave room for binding.

Reproduction of Copies. Copies other than the original are to be high-quality photocopies on high-quality paper.

Procedures Prior to Defense. Once the student and supervisor are satisfied that the thesis is acceptable in form and content, the work is presented to the supervisory committee. If the committee is satisfied that the work meets the standards of the academic unit the members sign the Committee Thesis Release form.

At this point, one copy of the thesis for Master’s candidates and two copies for Doctoral candidates are to be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research office along with the following forms which are available on the FGSR website: http://www.uregina.ca/gradstudies/forms/index.shtml the Thesis Committee Release Form, the Nomination Form: External Examiner and the Checklist for the Submission of a Thesis form. (A complete c.v. or resume is to be included for all suggested externals that are not from the University of Regina).

External examiners have a minimum of two weeks to review Master’s theses and four weeks for review of doctoral theses before oral examination. Students should be aware that determining a mutually agreeable date for the examination might require additional time and should take this into consideration when planning for completion and graduation. Please allow up to four weeks for Master and six weeks for Doctoral students from the time of submission of the draft of the thesis to FGSR to the date of defense. All students must register in the semester of defense.

Binding, number of copies, etc. The thesis must not be bound prior to the oral examination, since the Examining Committee may require corrections or revisions. All corrections and revisions are to be done using the same kind of type and ink as used previously in the thesis. If the corrections and revisions require additional pages, the numbering of the pages is to be adjusted so that all pages are numbered consecutively.

As soon as possible after the thesis examination, and not later than the end of the next semester, the student must, after making any required corrections or revisions, submit two unbound copies (original and one photocopy) to the Department Head, Dean or designate for approval. The unbound copies, accompanied by a memo from the Supervisor, or External Examiner (as determined by the committee at the defense), are then submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research office. If approved by FGSR, these copies are forwarded by FGSR to the University Librarian for approval. Students are not required to submit copies to the library. Students will be notified by email once Library approval has been granted and will then be able to have the thesis bound. The University Librarian is responsible for sending one copy of the thesis to the National Library of Canada for microfilming. The other copy of the thesis will be bound by the University Library and will remain in the library.

The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research requires the student to have two copies of the thesis bound (one for the supervisor and one for the Department). Some academic units require additional copies for members of the supervisory committee, funding agencies, or the external examiner. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of the respective policies in the academic unit, and to make arrangements for binding. Currently, J.L. Perkins Bookbinder Ltd., located at 1214 Argyle St. (tel: 306.757.2216), is the only bookbinder in the city of Regina.
The title of the thesis, the name of the author, and the year must appear on the outside of the front cover. The title (or an abbreviated version of it), the surname of the author, and the year, also appear on the back edge of the cover. All recently submitted theses have had a red binding with gold lettering, and it is recommended that this practice be continued to maintain uniformity. (examples are available in the Main Library.)

Copyright and permission to copy. Only the author of the thesis can claim copyright. This is done on the title page as indicated in Figure 1. As a condition for the award of the degree, the student is required to sign a form giving permission to the University Library to make the thesis available for inspection. Permission is also given to the supervisor of the research and to the Academic Unit in which the research was done, to copy and circulate the thesis for scholarly purposes only, and to make use of material and ideas included in the thesis in the preparation of papers for publication. The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research supplies copies of the required forms at the time of the defense and places the documents on the student’s file.

Master and Ph.D. degree candidates are also required to sign a form giving the National Library of Canada permission for microfilming and to lend or sell copies of the film. The author reserves other publication rights and neither the thesis nor extensive extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's written permission. The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research supplies copies of the required forms at the time of the defense and places the documents on the student’s file.

Signatures. The Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research provides the following documents at the time of the thesis defense:

1. Report of the Examining Committee (signed by the Chair of the defense)
   
2. Committee Assessment for Post-Defense Award(s) (signed by the Chair of the defense)
   
3. Certification of Thesis Work (one copy signed by the external examiner and members of the examining committee who attend the defense)
   
4. Permission to use Postgraduate Thesis contents for scholarly purposes (two copies signed by the student)
   
5. National Library Form (signed by the student)
   
6. UMI Form (for microfilming)(completed by the student)

All of the original forms are to be returned, by the Chair, to the office of the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research immediately following the defense.

Figure 1. Sample of a thesis title page

THESIS TITLE   A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of Master of Science In Computer Science University of Regina   By Mary Anne Green Regina, Saskatchewan March, 2010   Copyright 2010: M.A. Green

(As an alternative to the copyright symbol, a statement such as the following may be used - "The author claims copyright. Use shall not be made of the material contained herein without proper acknowledgement, as indicated on the following page.")