Faculty & Staff | FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions: Writing Thesis/Dissertation

1. What services are available to help students with formatting a thesis/dissertation?
2. What are the deadlines for defending a dissertation ?
3. When must a thesis/dissertation be submitted for review ?
4. Are preliminary reviews (pre-checks) required?
5. How does the Office of Degree Requirements (ODR) review a thesis/dissertation ?
6. Will the student still get a degree on time if the thesis is reviewed/problems discovered after the deadline?
7. Why does ODR find more errors in theses/dissertations after a pre-check has been done?
8. Who signs a thesis/dissertation ?
9. Why must dissertations/theses be signed in black ink only?
10. We feel, or some of our faculty feel that dissertation/thesis format guidelines are too rigid, and don't really reflect the practices in our discipline. Shouldn't the student follow the discipline's practices?
11. We forgot to announce the dissertation defense. What do we do?
12. One of the members of the dissertation committee doesn't show up for the dissertation defense. What do we do?

1. What services are available to help students with formatting a thesis/dissertation?

The staff of the Office of Degree Requirements are available for questions in person and on the telephone Monday through Friday, 8:30-5:00 p.m. Typing guidelines are available in print and on the web ( http://www.umass.edu/gradschool/ . There are also workshops available through the Graduate School and OIT ( http://www.oit.umass.edu/help ).

2. What are the deadlines for defending a dissertation?

The Office of Degree Requirements must be notified in writing at least four weeks prior to the defense.

3. When must a thesis/dissertation be submitted for review?

The final thesis/dissertation must be submitted by the deadline for filing for a degree (August 31, January 15, April 30).

4. Are preliminary reviews (pre-checks) required?

No, the Office of Degree Requirements will do a preliminary review as time allows. (The process of clearing students for graduation takes precedence over preliminary reviews.)

5. How does the Office of Degree Requirements (ODR) review a thesis/dissertation?

The staff review page by page to ensure that formatting requirements in the "Typing Guidelines for Theses and Dissertations" are followed.

6. Will the student still get a degree on time if the thesis is reviewed/problems discovered after the deadline?

Yes, provided the required changes are made within the timeframe given the student.

7. Why does the ODR find more errors in theses/dissertation after a pre-check has been done?

Generally, errors found are as a result of changes that a student makes in addition to the changes in the pre-check.

8. Who signs a thesis/dissertation?

Each committee member, the committee chair, and the department head/chair. For interdisciplinary programs, the Director of the program signs instead of the department head/chair.

9. Why must dissertations/theses be signed in black ink only?

We have been told by archivists that the only ink that meets their criteria is waterproof inks (those that do not smudge when damp). Black is required because it microfilms well.

10. We feel, or some of our faculty feel, that dissertation/thesis format guidelines are too rigid, and don't really reflect the practices in our discipline. Shouldn't the student follow the discipline's practices?

The thesis/dissertation is written in fulfillment of the degree requirements of the University. Format guidelines have been developed in Spring 1998, to take into account differences among disciplines. A hard-working committee of the Graduate Council has come up with a fairly comprehensive set of guidelines which permits flexibility and reflects current practices. As a dissertation committee member, you are approving as to "style" and content. That "style" is, in part, determined by the dissertation format guidelines. If there are problems with the guidelines, those concerns should be addressed to the Graduate Council.

11. We forgot to announce the dissertation defense. What do we do?

The Graduate School requires that the Office of Degree Requirements receive a memo from the GPD announcing the dissertation defense four weeks prior to the event. The reason for this regulation is so that knowledge can be disseminated by making all graduate faculty aware of the defense so that they can attend. The defense must be announced in In the Loop . If the defense has not been held, it should be rescheduled. If it cannot be rescheduled, contact the Graduate Dean for alternatives. The defense must occur on-campus. Technically, the Graduate School can require the student to retake the defense. The Graduate Dean should be contacted.

12. One of the members of the dissertation committee doesn't show up for the dissertation defense. What do we do?

Technically, this is not a legal dissertation defense. The defense should be rescheduled.