As a master's thesis or doctoral student, completing a thesis or dissertation is a required milestone for your degree completion. This guide offers detailed information on accepted formats, university specifications, formatting guidelines, templates, format checking and the final submission process.

Understanding Theses and Dissertations

Completing your graduate thesis or dissertation marks the culmination of your graduate degree program. It represents the peak of your achievements at the university, showcasing your research methodology, subject knowledge, and scholarly insights. A dissertation is mandatory for all doctoral programs, while a thesis is optional for some master's programs. Your work must be written on a topic approved by your graduate advisory committee and include the results of original and significant investigation. The writing must be your own and contribute to the growing body of knowledge in your field.

To ensure focus, narrow your study so that your writing stays within the objectives of your original theme. However, your thesis or dissertation should be more detailed and potentially longer than most journal articles, as you will need to review all data and literature in your area extensively, thus establishing yourself as an expert in your field.

Thesis or Dissertation? Differentiating Between Graduate Research Projects

The main contrast between a thesis and a dissertation lies in their associated academic levels and the depth of research involved. Typically, a thesis is prepared for a master's degree and is more focused and concise. Conversely, a dissertation, required for a doctoral degree, involves comprehensive research aiming to make a substantial contribution through original findings.

Accepted Formats for Theses and Dissertations

Traditional Format

A single, cohesive document that flows logically from the introduction to the conclusion, presenting all research as one continuous narrative. Commonly used for detailed and extensive studies that are best presented in a unified manner.

Publication Option (Paper-Based) Format

The publication option is allowed when at least one or more product of the thesis/dissertation is prepared with the objective of publication in a manner consistent with the peer-reviewed process within the discipline.

The section portion of each thesis/dissertation must include an introduction, a conclusion, and, if applicable, references, which are distinct from the content of the product prepared for publication. If any product intended for publication is retracted, the separate section of the thesis/dissertation should stand alone, providing the reader with a comprehensive overview of your research.

Choosing the right format depends on the nature of your research and the guidelines of your department and advisory committee.

Copyright

Copyright is an intangible right granted to you as the author of your thesis or dissertation. It gives you the exclusive privilege to make copies of, publish, or sell your work. This protection lasts for your lifetime plus an additional 70 years, unless you transfer these rights via a written agreement or your work is classified as "work-for-hire."

Your thesis or dissertation gains copyright protection automatically once it is fixed in a tangible form, such as a digital file (like a word processing document or PDF) or a printed page. Publication or registration is not required to secure copyright under the law. The copyright immediately belongs to you, unless it falls under the "work-for-hire" category or ownership has been transferred by written agreement.

Submitting your approved thesis or dissertation to Curtis Laws Wilson Library results in its publication. As such, you grant Missouri S&T a limited, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to reproduce your work, in whole or in part, in electronic form for posting in Scholars' Mine, our institutional repository. This makes your work freely accessible to the public. Note that this does not transfer ownership of the copyright to the university; you retain that ownership. The university requires this to support the dissemination of intellectual ideas and discoveries.

It is advisable to include a copyright notice in your thesis or dissertation, regardless of whether you register the copyright. This notice helps establish your ownership of the work and protects you, as the copyright holder, from claims of innocent infringement or unintentional violation of copyright.

Using Copyrighted Materials

If you use materials belonging to others in your thesis or dissertation, beyond brief excerpts, you must obtain written permission from the copyright owner. Publishers hold the copyright for materials they publish, even if you are an author of the material. This applies to books, journals, and other media such as music, images, or software.

Your request for permission should clearly state your intention to preserve and publish your thesis or dissertation through ProQuest, including selling single copies for scholarly purposes. Additionally, permission is needed for electronic submission to Curtis Laws Wilson Library's Scholars' Mine, where it will be publicly accessible.

You are responsible for securing permissions and paying any fees before using copyrighted materials. It's advisable to include copies of these permissions in the appendix of your thesis or dissertation.

Including Your Own Previously Published Material

Certain academic programs at Missouri S&T allow you to incorporate articles or other materials that you have previously published, that are accepted (or submitted, in press, or under review) for publication, or that have been publicly presented into your thesis or dissertation. This option is known as the "publication option." Here are the guidelines that apply in such cases:

• If the material is co-authored, approval from your thesis or dissertation advisor is required for its inclusion.
• If the material is copyrighted (even if you are the sole author but the copyright is held by the publisher), you must adhere to the conditions outlined for using copyrighted materials. If uncertain about the copyright status, review the copyright transfer agreement signed with the publisher and seek guidance from the scholarly communications librarian. Furthermore, any included material must comply with all formatting guidelines.

Registering Copyright

You can register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office at the Library of Congress. While copyright registration is not required for protection, it offers significant benefits in case of copyright infringement claims. You can register at any time during the copyright's lifespan, but registering within three months of publication provides additional advantages.

For detailed registration information, visit the U.S. Copyright Office website or consult the scholarly communications librarian.

There are two primary methods to register your copyright:

• You can request ProQuest to handle the application process when you submit your thesis or dissertation. This service involves preparing and submitting the application on your behalf, including payment of the application fee, depositing required copies of the manuscript, and mailing you the certificate of registration from the Library of Congress.
• Alternatively, you can directly register your copyright through the U.S. Copyright Office website, which also requires a filing fee.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism involves using another author's words or ideas without acknowledging the source, which is considered a serious offense of academic dishonesty by the university. Whether intentional or unintentional, any information taken from another source in your paper, regardless of length, must be either quoted and cited or paraphrased and cited. Direct quotations must be enclosed in quotation marks to indicate they are not your original words. Even if you are not using the publication option for your thesis or dissertation, if you include content from a previously published paper, you must cite it and list it in your references. Common knowledge facts do not require citation.

To help prevent plagiarism, the Graduate Education recommends that students use iThenticate before submitting their final document. iThenticate compares documents against internet sources and generates a similarity report highlighting any matching content. This helps students ensure they have appropriately quoted, paraphrased, summarized, and cited external sources. Documents uploaded to iThenticate remain private and secure, accessible only to the uploader, ensuring its suitability for theses and dissertations.