INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF THESIS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION To The Master of Science Degree Candidate The submission of your master’s thesis is the last step in the program leading to the award of your degree. Your thesis manuscript is the results of an extended period of research and the culminating experience in your program of study. Your thesis will be made available for public use in the Dacus Library. This document contains the guidelines for writing a thesis. The purpose of the document is to provide students with answers to questions that are frequently asked about the preparation of a thesis at Winthrop University. The guidelines for the Department of Health and Physical Education are congruent with the University guidelines for thesis preparation. Composition of the Thesis Committee There are three members of the committee. The chair of the committee must be a full time faculty member in the Department of Health and Physical Education with a terminal degree. The other two committee members should be members of Winthrop University Graduate Faculty. In special circumstances, one or more members may be from outside bodies if those prospective members bring substantial expertise or experience to the committee. In such case, inclusion of the committee member would require the approval of the Chair of the thesis committee, the Chair of the student’s Department, and the Dean of the College. However, the majority of the members must be full-time, Winthrop Graduate Faculty members. Registration Requirement: A student is required to be registered for one of the following courses during the semester in which the degree is conferred: PHED 695,696, or GSTC 600. Style Manual The Department of Health and Physical Education require thesis projects to be completed using the American Psychological Association Style Manual (5th edition). The only exception to this rule will be students completing historical studies in the discipline. Students using historical research methodology will use the Chicago Style Manual. Preparation of Final Manuscript Manuscripts must be prepared using a computer with a high-quality printer, which produces “letter quality” printing. The type font should be clearly legible and in a size 12 font. The type should be consistent throughout the thesis or research project, except Chepkos Page 1 3/13/2009 for special or unusual needs in connection with tables and figures. All copies must be completely legible. Paper All copies must be typed, printed, or produced by offset, or other process which closely resembles original typing, on white bond stationary of at least twenty pound weight and fifty percent rag content, or acid free paper (grade A-1)) of archival quality. Paper must be standard size, 8-1/2 x 11 inches, white, and unpunched. Only one side of the paper may be used. Photocopying can be arranged with Printing Services, and photographic work can be arranged with the University photographer, both at the student’s expense. Adequate time must be allowed for these services. To have Printing Services produce copies, the student must deliver an approved, but unsigned copy. (Electronic versions on disks are also an option.) Printing services will give the student an estimate based on the document presented and the number of copies requested. The student must take the estimate to the Cashier’s Office and pay for the copying. After paying the estimated cost, the student should return to Printing Services, show the receipt and leave the thesis. Spacing Use double spacing throughout except in footnotes, indented quotations set off from the text, reference entries of more than one line, and materials such as captions or table and appendices of data. The single page abstract will be single spaced. Margins The left-hand margin must never be less than one and one-half inches. The right hand margin must not be less than one inch. Top and bottom margins must be at least one and one-half inches measured from copy of the edge. Page numbers count as copy from the edge, therefore the page number must be one and one-half inches from the top with text beginning below the page number. Page numbers must follow APA format and must be no less than one inch from the side edge of the paper. In general, all pages of the text must have the eight and one-half inch edge of the paper at the top of the page. It may be necessary to place some pictures and tables landscape (i.e., lengthwise) on the paper. When this is done, the top of the table figure should be on the binding edge side. Except for prefatory matter (i.e., table of contents, dedication), numbered with lower-case Roman numerals, thesis should be numbered consecutively beginning with Arabic number 2. All pages except the title page and abstract page are numbered. This includes full page photographs, charts and graphs, the references, and appendices. For the preliminary pages, use small Roman numerals (ii,iii, etc.). Page i is the title page, but the page number is not printed on this page. The Table of Contents follows the Title page and is numbered with the page number(s) displayed. The abstract follows and is numbered, but the page number(s) will not be displayed. Chepkos Page 2 3/13/2009 The first item on the Table of Contents list will be the Abstract unless you have a List of Figures or Table of Illustration. The abstract is numbered, but the page number(s) will not be displayed. This will be followed by any dedication or acknowledgment section you may wish to include. This is numbered in the small Roman series, with the page numbers displayed. The remainder of the thesis is numbered with Arabic numerals (1, 2, etc.). Examples are provided in an appendix in this document. Format The following order should be observed: 1. Approval sheet. A sample approval sheet is provided in an appendix. The titles on the approval sheet and on the title page of the thesis must be identical. The approval sheet is to be placed before the title page and should not be assigned a number. The date on the approval sheet should be the month and year in which the student expects to graduate. Title page. All theses submitted to the Department must contain a title page in the exact form found in the appendix. Preface and/or acknowledgements. Although it is not required, an acknowledgement may be used if the student wishes. When this page is included, it should be concise. Table of contents. List of tables. (Be sure to put in page number of tables.) List of illustrations. (Be sure to put in page number of illustrations.) The thesis shall consist of the following chapters: a. Chapter One 1. Introduction 2. Statement of the Problem 3. Significance of the Study 4. Delimitations 5. Limitations 6. Definition of Terms b. Chapter Two – Review of Literature 1. Thesis projects must include a minimum of a 30 page review of literature. 2. All reviews of the related literature must include the following: aa. Well-defined divisions within the chapter with subheadings. bb. A summary at the end of the review provide the reader with an overview of the related literature. c. Chapter Three - Procedures 1. Selection of subjects 2. Description of Instrument a. Validity b. Reliability 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Chepkos Page 3 3/13/2009 8. 9. 10. 11. 3. Data Collection 4. Analysis of Data d. Chapter Four – Data Analysis 1. Statistical Package Used 2. Tables, graphs and results e. Chapter Five – Summary, Discussion, and Recommendation 1. Summary of Findings 2. Discussion 3. Recommendations Appendices Bibliography. Abstract title page. Abstract (students will be required to list thesis in Masters Abstracts). Advisory Committee Upon consultation with the student, the Department Chair will name a chair for the student’s thesis Advisory Committee. The chair of the Advisory Committee will be a full time faculty member with expertise in the student’s research topic area. The student and Chair of the Advisory Committee will consult with the Department Chair on two additional members for the Advisory Committee. The additional members of the Advisory Committee may include full time faculty members from other departments. The form requesting an appointment of a thesis committee is included in the appendix. Proposal Meeting Once the Thesis Advising Committee has been named, the student will develop a thesis proposal under the guidance of the committee chair and the other two members of the committee. The thesis proposal consists of the first three chapters of the thesis. Before any data can be collected, the student presents the proposal to the full committee for their comments and completes an Institutional Review Board Form (IRB) for the use of human subjects. All projects involving the use of human subjects must be approved by the Institutional Review Board. The IRB form is to be completed with the supervision of the Thesis Committee. No data can be collected until the IRB committee has approved the study and use of human subjects. All forms, sample informed consent letters, and a section on frequently asked questions can be found at winthrop.edu/spar/Human%20Subjects.htm. Appendix B has all information included in the hard copy of the thesis procedures guidelines concerning the IRB approval process. Hard copies of the Thesis Guidelines are available in the Departmental Office. Once the full committee approves the thesis proposal and the study has been approved by the IRB committee, the student can begin collecting data. Chepkos Page 4 3/13/2009 Oral Defense of the Thesis Students completing the thesis process must participate in an oral defense of their thesis. The defense will consist of a power point presentation on the thesis topic and the results of the study. The oral presentation will be not less than 15 minutes and no longer than 25 minutes. At the end of the presentation, the student will answer questions from the advisory committee concerning the thesis. Interested faculty members and students will be invited to the presentation phase of the defense. Only members of the Advisory committee will participate in the question and answer portion of the defense. The form requesting a time and place for the oral defense of the thesis is attached to this document. The PowerPoint presentation should begin with slides that provide an overview of the research literature on the topic of the student’s research study. These slides should answer the question, what has the research literature documented about my research topic. Only the most important studies linked directly to the student’s research topic should be included in the PowerPoint presentation. These slides should briefly summarize the method used in each study, the results of the study, and any discussion that was important in the formulation of the student’s research question. The next section of the PowerPoint presentation should state the research question, provide either a directional or null hypothesis, document the methodologies used in the study, report the findings, and end with a discussion of those findings. All results of the student’s research should relate back to the review of literature in the discussion portion of the slide presentation. Number of Thesis Copies Four copies of the thesis must be presented to the Graduate Studies Office. All copies must be bound. The first and second copies are for the Dacus Library, the third copy is for the Department, and the fourth is for the advisor. Should the student desire a personal copy, a fifth copy will be needed. All copies can be bound through printing services on campus at the expense of the student. Time Limitations for Thesis The four copies of the thesis presented for use by the University must be approved in final form by the student’s advisory committee, Chair of Health and Physical Education, and the Dean of the College of Education. The approved copy should be submitted to the Graduate Studies Office at least two weeks prior to the final exam period. This approval is shown by the signatures entered on the approval sheet found at the front of the thesis. Signatures are to be secured by the thesis advisor. All copies must have an original approval page. The following schedule should be adhered to: WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FINAL EXAM PERIOD 12 wks Present a complete, typed, preliminary draft to advisor. Chepkos Page 5 3/13/2009 10 wks 8 wks Present final preliminary draft to Advisory committee members. Advisory Committee members return draft with suggestions to student. Oral defense of thesis is scheduled. Revisions completed and approved by advisor. Oral defense of thesis Final approved typed copy will be returned to advisor and submitted to the Dean of the College of Education for approval. Submit four copies of thesis to Graduate Studies Office. 7 wks. 6 wks 5 wks 4 wks 2 wks Any modifications suggested by members of the advisory committee should be included in the final copy of the thesis. The student should make sure the thesis advisor has submitted a grade, or change of grade form, if required, to the Graduate Studies Office. Binding and Distribution of Thesis Copies After the thesis has been approved by the committee members, the student’s thesis advisor, and the Dean of the College of Education, the student should secure a receipt for binding fees from the Cashier’s office located in Tillman Hall. (Thesis binding fee information is available in the Graduate Studies Office. An additional charge may be added if the thesis is unusually long.) Thesis binding fee information is available in the Graduate Studies Office. The unbound copies should then be picked up, boxed and submitted to the Graduate Studies Office, accompanied by a copy of the receipt for the binding fee and a statement bearing the current mailing address and phone number of the student. The Graduate Studies Office will distribute the bound copies. Thesis Project Procedures As soon as the student has decided on a topic, an Advisory committee chair and two other committee members will be appointed by the Department Chair. The Department Chair will provide written notification to the student, committee members, and the Graduate School Coordinator of the thesis committee appointment. In conjunction with the Advisory committee, the student will develop a thesis proposal. The proposal will consist of the first three chapters of the thesis. This will include a minimum of a 30 page review of literature. The student will make an oral presentation of the thesis proposal to the thesis committee. After the presentation of the proposal, the following steps should be followed: 1. The thesis committee members formally approve the proposal and/or provide corrections or redirection for the student. Chepkos Page 6 3/13/2009 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. If the study requires the use of human subjects, the student submits to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) an application to conduct a study using Human Subjects. No data can be collected until permission of the IRB has been granted. Upon receipt of thesis committee approval and IRB approval, the student begins to collect data. Student should remain in close contact with members of the thesis committee throughout the data collection process. From the initial thesis committee meeting, the student should assume responsibility to proceed with the work on the thesis and to seek advice from thesis committee members as necessary. Upon completion of the data collection, the student should follow closely the advice of the thesis committee members in preparing written drafts. Thesis committee members will evaluate the completed research for quality, completeness, and correctness. The entire committee should meet with the student at least one time before the scheduled defense of the thesis. Once the committee determines that the student is ready for the thesis defense, the thesis committee chairperson requests that the Department Chair schedules a time and place for the defense. The defense can be no sooner than seven days from the time the Department Chair is notified and the defense is scheduled. The Department Chair will issue via email a College wide invitation to the defense. The invitation will include the student’s name, title of the thesis, and the time and place of the defense. The student is responsible for requesting and scheduling use of necessary computer or audiovisual equipment to be used in the presentation. Following the thesis defense, the thesis committee chair will make provisions to assure final committee corrections have been made and a final copy has been submitted to the Department Chair. The Department Chair must approve the thesis for style, content, and design. If revisions are prescribed, the student and advisor will be notified. The final copy is submitted to the Graduate Office. Upon final approval, the student prepares copies of the thesis in accordance with the instructions for binding and copying listed in this document. In addition, the advisor will obtained all the necessary signatures for the Approval page. Chepkos Page 7 3/13/2009