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Graduate School

Dissertation and Thesis Preparation and Submission Guidelines

Thesis and Dissertation PreparationDownload

Deadlines for submission

The dissertation should be emailed to the UAMS Library Administrative Office (Ms. Libby Ingram) for approval no later than ten business days before the degree is to be granted (see Academic Calendar for for deadlines).

Submission Process

Beginning in Spring 2020, all dissertations and theses will be submitted electronically. Any documents submitted prior to the publication of this document will be accepted following prior procedures.

Development is underway to electronically sign dissertation materials using DocuSign, but until that component is configured, an email will serve as the electronic “signature” as described in the process below. Submission deadlines for all Spring 2020 degree conferral dates are listed in this document. Questions should be directed to the University Registrar at registrar@uams.edu or to the student’s academic department (contact information below).

  1. Upon completion/defense of the thesis or dissertation, the student must submit the following documents to the Library (Libby Ingram, IngramLibbyE@uams.edu) AND to the student’s academic department administrative staff (see later section for a complete listing of these contacts). The Library reviews the document(s) to verify completion and appropriate formatting based on college formatting guidelines (the student should contact her/his thesis/dissertation chair for formatting details for that academic program).
    • Electronic version of the complete thesis/dissertation in Adobe PDF format;
    • Completed E-filing form; and
    • Committee Signature Page including names of all faculty on the defense committee. This page should be submitted even if not physically signed. See additional instructions in next step.
  2. While the document is under review at the Library, the student collects required signatures from the dissertation committee if not collected at the defense, with support and assistance from her/his department administrative staff (DAS). The DAS for the Graduate School is Latrina Prince.
    • If a physical signature page was completed at the defense, the document is scanned and submitted to the Library with the dissertation/thesis. No additional faculty signatures are required for this step.
    • If no physical signature page was completed at the defense (e.g., the defense was conducted online), the student submits the blank signature page to the Library (see step 1). The student then routes an electronic copy of the thesis/dissertation toall committee members AND Latrina Prince via her/his UAMS email for “signature” collection. Each committee member must “reply-all” to the student’s email, indicating her/his approval and email “signature” for the document. The faculty email must come from either the official UAMS email account, or from the standard email account used by that faculty member. If the faculty member’s standard email account is non-UAMS, the college’s assistant/associate dean must also be included to “sign” that the non-UAMS email account is acceptable for that faculty member.
    • All “signature” emails are collected by Latrina Prince (DAS) as part of the student’s file.
  3. The student completes the Thesis/Dissertation E-Filing Form and submits to Libby Ingram and Latrina Prince.
  4. When the Library’s formatting review is complete, Libby Ingram sends an email confirmation to the student and Latrina Prince (DAS).
  5. The DAS (Latrina Prince) ensures all required documents have been received from the student and signing faculty:
    • Complete thesis or dissertation;
    • All “signature” emails received from faculty, OR the scanned, signed committee signature page;
    • Library review confirmation email; and
    • Completed student Thesis/Dissertation E-filing Form.
  6. The DAS files all documents and related emails in the department’s student file, and routes a formal email stating that the student’s thesis/dissertation is officially approved and filed with the department. The DAS attaches copies of “sign-off” emails or the scanned signature page, a copy of the Library “sign-off” and a copy of the e-filing form to the official notification email. The DAS email notification date serves as the official time/date stamp for graduation and degree conferral purposes, and is sent to the following recipients:
    • The student;
    • The Library (Libby Ingram, IngramLibbyE@uams.edu); and
    • The Office of the University Registrar (registrar@uams.edu).
  7. Library saves the e-thesis to its thesis/dissertation repository and considers this the formal filing of the document complete.

Requirements

  1. Margins
    1. All pages of text must have the following:Left: 1 1/2 inches; right: 1 inch; top: 1 inch; bottom: 1 inch
    2. Exceptions may be made, at the discretion of the major advisor, for charts, graphs, and special tables.
    3. CAUTION: A too-narrow left margin may result in loss of a portion of the table or illustration in binding.
  2. Font, spacing, page numbering
    1. 10 or 12 point font
    2. Print with black ink. Color is acceptable in illustrations, figures, etc.
    3. Double spaced (though tables may be single spaced. Talk to your major professor about formatting if you are not sure).
    4. Bibliography should be single-spaced within entries and double-spaced between entries
  3. Page numbering
    1. May be top center, top right, or bottom center. Must be consistent.
    2. Page numbering must be consecutive. Do not skip pages.
    3. Supplementary material, such as appendices, should be numbered.
    4. The abstract is not numbered.

Required arrangement of the thesis or dissertation

  1. Fly leaf (blank page)
  2. Half title (page bearing title only)(See example at end of instructions)
    1. Center 1/8 inch to the right of the center of the page
    2. Title: Begin 25 single-spaced lines from top
  3. Title page (See example at end of instructions)
    1. Center 1/8 inch to the right of the center of the page
      1. Title: Begins 12 single-spaced lines from top
      2. Statement 5 lines from last line of the title For Master of Science thesisA thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of ScienceFor Doctor of Philosophy dissertationA dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
      3. By (5 lines from last line of statement)
      4. Full name of the author (5 lines from the word “By”)
      5. Previous degree or degrees with the name of the institution and the year granted (next line down)
      6. The year in which the degree sought is to be awarded (9 lines from previous line)
      7. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (next line)
  4. Approval Sheet (See example at end of instructions)
    1. For master’s thesis: This thesis is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. (12 lines from top, 2 ½” from left side)
    2. For doctoral dissertation: This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. (12 lines from top, 2 ½” from left side)
    3. Words “Major Professor:” (4 lines below the last line)
    4. Line (3 lines from the above) needs original signature
    5. Typed name (next line)
    6. Words “Dissertation Committee:” for doctoral dissertation or “Thesis Committee:” for master’s thesis (2 lines down)
    7. Line (3 lines from the above)-needs original signature
    8. Typed name (next line)(Repeat last 2 items for each additional member of committee with 3 lines between each 2)
    9. Must show original signatures, preferably in blue ink.
  5. Acknowledgements (not required)
    1. Be sure to acknowledge any funding source.
    2. You may also want to acknowledge your committee.
  6. Table of contents with page references
  7. Body of thesis/dissertation
  8. Bibliography
  9. Vita of the author, one page (not required)
  10. Index (not required)
  11. Final fly leaf (a blank page)

Abstract (only required for dissertations)

All items associated with the abstract (described below) should be placed at the front of the dissertation prior to the items listed above. Do not number these pages.

  1. Fly sheet (blank page)
  2. Half title page (same as for dissertation)
  3. Title page (See example at end of instructions)
    1. Centered 1/8″ to the right of center
    2. Title of dissertation on line 12 (skip 11 lines)
    3. Statement 5 lines from last line of title: “Abstract of dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy”
    4. By (5 lines from last line of statement)
    5. Full name of author (5 lines below “By”)
    6. Degrees, institution granting, year (next line down)
    7. The year in which the degree sought is to be awarded (9 lines from previous line)
    8. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (next line)
  4. Approval sheet (See example at end of instructions)
    1. “This abstract is approved by:” (15 lines from top, 2 1/2 ” from left side)
    2. Line for signature (5 lines from above)
      1. Must have original signature, preferably in blue ink
    3. Typed name of major advisor (next line)
  5. Body of the abstract
    1. Center the word “Abstract” over the first page
    2. 350 words or less. If the candidate or major professor considers it advisable for the official abstract to exceed the 350 word limit, two copies of a longer version may be submitted, together with one copy of an abridgement of 350 words or less.
    3. No page numbers
  6. Fly sheet (blank page)

Publication of dissertation and abstracts

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences participates in the ProQuest Dissertations Publishing. All candidates for the PhD are required upload their dissertation to this site at the time the dissertation is submitted to the UAMS Library except in those cases in which copyright clearance cannot be obtained. When you upload your dissertation to ProQuest, you give them a non-exclusive license to distribute your dissertation and publish your abstract. You will receive an email from the Graduate School office instructing you how to log on to the ProQuest site.

The dissertation must be uploaded in PDF form, including the abstract signature page, the abstract, and the complete dissertation (including the dissertation signature page). You must also enter your abstract separately (cut and paste works) into one of the fields. Additionally, you must enter up to six key words for your dissertation. Once it is uploaded, the Graduate School office is notified and must approve.

Dissertations may be copyrighted, if desired, through ProQuest at an additional charge. The fee may be paid by credit card at the time the dissertation is uploaded. You can also copyright your work on your own through the U.S. Copyright office.

Useful resources

  1. Turabian, Kate L. Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press
  2. Campbell, William Giles. Form and Style in Thesis Writing. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company
  3. The MLA Style Sheet, PMLA
  4. Committee on Form and Style of the Conference of Biological Editors, Style Manual for Biological Journals, Washington