Graduate School Guide: Thesis and Dissertation Services

Welcome

If you are visiting this page, this means you have chosen to complete a thesis or dissertation as part of the requirements of your degree. Although this may sometimes seem like an overwhelming prospect, the Graduate School and Thesis and Dissertation Services (TDS) are here to help you. Please visit this page provided by TDS to help you understand the thesis or dissertation process and review the resources provided to help you in writing and successfully completing your document.

TDS conducts a format-only review of the proposal and final documents. The Graduate School provides a template and formatting guide to help you prepare your document according to its formatting requirements.

The style guide you will follow when drafting your document is determined by your department and/or advisor. It is your responsibility, with the help of your advisor, to draft, revise, and edit your document according to your chosen style guide.

About TDS

Thesis and Dissertation Services (TDS) is a unit of the Graduate School that develops supportive services for graduate students completing a thesis or dissertation. TDS processes, reviews, and approves proposals and completed theses and dissertations by reviewing adherence to the Graduate School’s formatting requirements.

Reviewing Theses and Dissertations

The Graduate School/TDS conducts a format-only review of all proposal, dissertation, and thesis documents submitted to TDS for Graduate School approval. The department or the advisor, based on the field of study and/or type of study being conducted, will determine what style guide a student should follow when drafting the thesis or dissertation. Students, with the help of their advisors, will be responsible for adherence to their chosen style guide.

Students should begin drafting their document using the applicable Graduate School template. Templates can be found on the TDS/Resources for Writing web page under the Graduate School Templates and Guides bar. The Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide provides additional instructions and details for formatting the document.

Please note, whenever there are differences in format and layout between the template and/or the Thesis and Dissertation Guide and your chosen style guide, the Graduate School formatting guidelines overrule.

Graduation Reminders

Graduating dissertation and thesis students must complete all dissertation- and thesis-related requirements by the Friday before commencement to remain eligible for graduation. The dissertation- and thesis-related requirements include:

  • Receive dissertation or thesis approval from the Graduate School (students and advisors will be notified via an email from TDS)
  • Pay all student fees (including the TDS processing fee of $63 for thesis students, $73 for dissertation students)
  • Upload the final document to ProQuest

Students who do not complete the above requirements by the deadline may be removed from the graduation list.

Research Requirements

Review the Research Integrity and Compliance requirements before beginning to collect data.

Students conducting studies that do not require research compliance approval (IRB, IACUC or IBC) may begin data collection after:

  • Successfully defending their proposal
  • Completing RCR training (completed through CITI)
  • Receiving approval from their advisor and committee to do so

Students conducting studies that do require research compliance approval (IRB, IACUC or IBC) may begin data collection after:

  • Successfully defending their proposal
  • Receiving approval from the appropriate compliance committee
  • Completing RCR (completed through CITI)
  • Receiving approval from their advisor and committee to do so

Dissertation Process

The following is a step-by-step outline of the dissertation process. Review these PDFs to help you through the dissertation process and to track your progress.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the steps, please contact Thesis and Dissertation Services in the Graduate School at [email protected] or 903.886.5968.

1: Register for 718 and Form Your Committee

The 718 course is a three semester credit hour dissertation course students take to receive credit for their dissertation. Students must be registered in 718 to receive dissertation-related services, such as those provided by the doctoral advisory committee and by Thesis and Dissertation Services (TDS) of the Graduate School. Students must remain enrolled in a 718 course each fall and spring semester until the dissertation is completed. Students must be enrolled in a summer 718 course if they intend to hold a defense, submit a proposal or final document for approval, or receive any other university services during the summer semester. The minimum number of semester credit hours of 718 the student is required to take will vary by program, so students are encouraged to review their degree plans to ensure all requirements are met.

After registering for your first 718 course, work with your dissertation advisor to form your doctoral advisory committee. Your committee must have at least two members (including your dissertation advisor/chair) from your department and one member from outside of your department; the out-of-department member must have applicable knowledge and/or expertise in the area of your study. Students with an approved minor must have a minor advisor serve on the committee as well. If the minor advisor is from outside of your department, he or she may count as your out-of-department committee member. For all University requirements regarding doctoral advisory committees please see University Procedure 11.99.99.R0.19.

Once the committee is agreed upon, complete the digital Dissertation Committee Selection form. The form will automatically route to your advisor/committee members and the department head before being received by TDS for Graduate School approval. When your committee is approved, you and your advisor will receive an email advising you of the approval and providing you and your advisor with a copy of the approved committee form. At this point, you may move forward in the dissertation process.

Form

Guides

Policies

2: Prepare for the Proposal Defense

Work with your committee to prepare for your proposal for defense. Dissertation students are required to schedule the proposal defense through the Graduate School, so as soon as you and your advisor determine you are ready, work with your committee to schedule a date, time, and location (or mode, e.g., Zoom) to hold the proposal defense. Once a date is agreed upon, complete the digital Schedule Form for the Dissertation Proposal Defense and submit the form with a copy of your current proposal document. A copy of your proposal is required in order to provide the Graduate Representative assigned to attend your proposal defense.

Once the form is submitted, it will route automatically to your advisor/committee members and the department head before being received by the Graduate School. The form must be received in the Graduate School by the 20th of the month prior to the month of your scheduled defense, so please submit the form in enough time to allow the form to move through the approval process–no less than 3-5 days prior to the deadline. For example, for a defense in March, submit the form no less than five days before February 20th.

Regarding Data Collection

If you and your advisor determine your study requires research committee approval (i.e., IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval), do not begin data collection until your advisor receives the applicable approval letter from the appropriate research compliance reviewing body.

Note: The research compliance approval letter is not the same as Graduate School proposal approval.

If you and your advisor determine your study does not require research committee approval (i.e., IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval), you may, with your advisor’s permission, begin data collection. However, all dissertation students are required to complete research compliance training through CITI first.

If you are unsure about whether your study requires approval from IRB, IACUC, or IBC, review the research compliance websites noted below and check with your advisor.

Note: You do not need Graduate School’s proposal approval to begin data collection.

Form

Research Compliance Training Information

Helpful Links

3: Submit Proposal to TDS/Graduate School

After successfully defending your proposal, make all changes suggested by your committee. Once all changes have been made to your proposal document, with your advisor’s permission, complete and submit the digital Dissertation Proposal Submission form and upload the required documents. The form will route automatically to your advisor, committee members, the department head, and the dean of the college before being received by TDS in the Graduate School. Documents to include with your proposal submission are as follows:

  1. Dissertation proposal in Word format
  2. Current iThenticate report (your advisor will provide you with a copy)
  3. CITI training reports (RCR plus additional trainings as required by the Office of Sponsored Programs’ Research Compliance division)
  4. IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval letter (as applicable; a copy to be provided to you by your advisor)*

*If your study requires research compliance committee approval, your advisor will receive an approval letter from the applicable research compliance committee. Provide a copy of this approval letter with your proposal submission.

An email from TDS will be sent to your LeoMail email confirming receipt and verifying completeness of your submission. Proposals submitted past the deadline will be processed for the following semester.

Note: Deadlines that say “Last day for Graduate School to receive” require that the document make it to the Graduate School queue by the deadline. This means that the form must be submitted by the student and have routed through all required approvals in order to be received by the Grad School. Please allow adequate time for approval when submitting this document.

For questions regarding the submission process, please see the Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure all materials are received by the appropriate deadline.

You are required to receive proposal approval from the Graduate School/TDS at least one semester prior to the semester in which you plan to graduate. You cannot submit your final dissertation in the same semester in which you receive proposal approval.

The TDS Review

TDS conducts a one-time review of your proposal document. It is reviewed for conformity to the applicable Graduate School’s template and to the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. With the help of your advisor, you will be responsible for adherence to your chosen style guide (APA, MLA, Turabian, etc.). Once the format review is complete, you and your advisor will receive an approval email from TDS/Graduate School containing a Reviewer’s Checklist with formatting corrections to make and to apply when drafting your final document. Please keep a copy of all emails concerning your submission and the related approval for your records.

Form

Templates and Guides

Relevant Links

4: Prepare for the Final Defense

Following proposal approval, continue to collect data, analyze your data, and write your final dissertation chapters. Please work closely with your advisor to ensure you are progressing with your dissertation in a timely manner. Also, stay aware of all Graduate School deadlines that are relevant to you and your plan for graduation.

You are required to schedule the final defense through the Graduate School, so as soon as you and your advisor determine you are ready, work with your committee to schedule a date, time, and location (or mode, e.g., Zoom) to hold the final defense. Once a date is agreed upon, complete and submit the digital form Final Dissertation Defense Schedule Form. The form will route automatically to your advisor/committee members and the department head before being received by the Graduate School. The schedule form must be received in the Graduate School by the 20th of the month prior to the month of your scheduled defense, so please submit the form in enough time to allow the form to move through the approval process, no less than 3-5 days prior to the deadline. For example, for a defense in March, submit the form no less than five days before February 20th.

Form

Relevant Links

5: Submit Final Dissertation to TDS/Graduate School

At least one semester after receiving Graduate School approval of your proposal document and after successfully defending your final dissertation, you may move forward with the dissertation process. With your advisor’s permission, you will complete and submit the Final Dissertation Submission Form and upload the required documents. The form will route automatically to your advisor/committee members, the department head, and the dean of the college before being received by TDS in the Graduate School. Documents to include with your final dissertation submission are as follows:

  1. Final dissertation in Word format
  2. Current iThenticate report (your advisor will provide you with a copy)
  3. Dissertation Information Sheet (provided in an informational email from the Graduate School after scheduling your final defense)
  4. Survey of Earned Doctorates (for PhD students; a link will be provided in an informational email from the Graduate School after scheduling your final defense)

Once your submission is received by TDS, you and your advisor will receive an email from TDS confirming receipt and verifying completeness of your submission. Final submissions received past the deadline will be processed for the following semester.

Note: Deadlines that say “Last day for Graduate School to receive” require that the document make it to the Graduate School queue by the deadline. This means that the form must be submitted by the student and have routed through all required approvals in order to be received by the Grad School. Please allow adequate time for approval when submitting this document.

For questions regarding the submission process, please see the Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure all materials are received by the appropriate deadline.

The TDS Review

TDS will conduct format-only reviews of your final document until your document conforms to the Graduate School’s formatting requirements as set forth in the applicable template and further detailed in the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. Keep in mind that dissertations that do not adhere to Graduate School formatting requirements will require additional revisions and, therefore, may take longer to receive approval. If the needed revisions are not made in a timely manner, your graduation eligibility may be impacted.When your final document receives Graduate School approval, you and your advisor will receive an approval email from TDS with a Reviewer’s Checklist with final corrections to make to your document.

When your final document has been approved by TDS and it has been converted to a PDF, TDS will provide you with instructions for uploading your PDF to ProQuest. Please keep a copy of all emails concerning your submissions and the related approvals for your records.

To be cleared for graduation, you must have uploaded your document to ProQuest and paid all Graduate School fees ($40 graduation fee and $73 thesis/dissertation processing fee).

Form

Template and Guides

Relevant Links

6: Graduation and the Graduation Ceremony

The graduation application opens in myLeo at the start of the semester. After submitting your application, the Graduate School will be in communication with you throughout the semester regarding your graduation eligibility. Uploading to ProQuest and paying all Graduate School student fees are requirements for graduation. The Graduate School charges a thesis/dissertation processing fee of $73, and the total ProQuest fees are $75 copyright fee and $30 for one copy of dissertation for your advisor. If you order a personal copy(ies), the ProQuest amount will be more. After uploading to ProQuest, TDS will provide you with an email confirming upload to ProQuest and advising you if there is a Graduate School student fee balance.

Make sure these steps are completed prior to the graduation ceremony. As the graduation ceremony approaches, the Graduate School will be in contact with you with information related to the graduation ceremony.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Thesis Process

The following is a step-by-step outline of the thesis process. Review these PDFs to help you through the dissertation process and to track your progress.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the steps, please contact Thesis and Dissertation Services in the Graduate School at [email protected] or 903.886.5968.

1: Form Your Thesis Committee

The first step in the thesis process is to form a thesis advisory committee. To form your thesis advisory committee, work with your department and thesis advisor to select your thesis advisory committee members. Your committee must have at least three members made up of your advisor and two departmental members. With departmental permission, one of the members may be from a different department (who has applicable knowledge and/or expertise). For all University requirements regarding thesis advisory committees please see University Procedure 11.99.99.R0.06.

Once the makeup of the committee is agreed upon, complete and submit the digital Thesis Committee Selection form. The form will automatically route to your advisor/committee members and department head for approvals before being received by TDS for Graduate School approval. When your committee is approved, you and your advisor will receive an email advising you of the approval and providing you and your advisor with a copy of the approved committee form. At this point, you may move forward in the thesis process.

Form

Guides

Policies

2: Prepare for the Proposal Defense

Work with your committee to prepare your proposal for defense. The proposal defense process is established by each department without any oversight by the Graduate School. Once you have successfully defended your proposal, make all changes recommended by your committee.

Regarding Data Collection

If you and your advisor determine your study requires research committee approval (i.e., IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval), do not begin data collection until your advisor receives the applicable approval letter from the appropriate research compliance reviewing body. The research compliance approval letter is not the same as Graduate School proposal approval.

If you and your advisor determine your study does not require research committee approval (i.e., IRB, IACUC, or IBC approval), you may, with your advisor’s permission, begin data collection. However, all thesis students must complete research compliance training through CITI first.

If you are unsure about whether your study requires approval from IRB, IACUC, or IBC, review the research compliance websites noted below and check with your advisor.

You do not need Graduate School’s proposal approval to begin data collection.

Research Compliance Training and Information

Helpful Links

3: Submit Proposal to TDS

After successfully defending your proposal, make all changes suggested by your committee. Once all changes have been made to your proposal document, with your advisor’s permission, complete and submit the Thesis Proposal Submission Form and upload all required documents. The submitted form will route automatically to your advisor/committee members, the department head, and college dean before being received by TDS in the Graduate School. Documents to include with your proposal submission are as follows.

  1. Thesis proposal document in Word format (or PDF if using LaTex)
  2. Current iThenticate similarity report (provided by your advisor)
  3. CITI training reports (RCR plus additional training as required by the Office of Sponsored Programs’ Research Compliance division)
  4. IRB, IACUC, IBC approval letter*

*If your study requires research compliance committee approval, your advisor will receive the approval letter from the applicable research compliance committee. Provide a copy of this approval letter with your proposal submission.

An email to your LeoMail email will be sent to you by TDS confirming receipt and verifying completeness of your submission. Proposals submitted past the deadline will be processed for the following semester.

Note: Deadlines that say “Last day for Graduate School to receive” require that the document make it to the Graduate School queue by the deadline. This means that the form must be submitted by the student and have routed through all required approvals in order to be received by the Grad School. Please allow adequate time for approval when submitting this document.

Please see the Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide for assistance when preparing to submit your proposal documents. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure all materials are received by the appropriate deadline.

You are required to receive proposal approval from the Graduate School/TDS at least one semester prior to the semester in which you plan to graduate. You cannot submit your final thesis in the same semester in which you receive proposal approval.

The TDS Review

TDS conducts a one-time review of your proposal document. It is reviewed for conformity to the applicable Graduate School’s template and to the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. With the help of your advisor, you will be responsible for adherence to your chosen style guide (APA, MLA, Turabian etc.). Once the format review is complete, you and your advisor will receive an approval email from TDS/Graduate School containing a Reviewer’s Checklist with formatting corrections to make and to apply when drafting your final document. Please keep a copy of all emails concerning your submission and the related approval for your records.

Form

Templates and Guides

Relevant Links

4: Prepare for the Final Defense

Following thesis proposal approval, continue to collect data, analyze data, and write your final thesis chapters. Please work closely with your advisor to ensure you are progressing with your thesis in a timely manner. Also, be aware of the deadlines that are relevant to you and your plan for graduation.

Once you and your advisor determine you are ready, work with your committee to schedule a date, time, and location or mode (e.g., Zoom) to hold the final thesis defense. When a date and time are set, complete and submit the digital Notification Form for the Final Thesis Defense. This form must be be received by TDS no less than 7 days prior to the scheduled defense date. Please submit the form 3-5 days prior to the 7-day deadline to ensure timely receipt by TDS. If this form is not submitted, the remaining submission process will not work properly.

Form

Relevant Links

5: Submit Final Thesis to TDS

At least one semester after receiving Graduate School approval of your proposal document and after successfully defending your final thesis, you may move forward with the thesis process. With your advisor’s permission, complete and submit the digital Final Thesis Submission Form and upload all required documents. The submitted form will route automatically to your advisor/committee members, the department head, and college dean before being received by TDS in the Graduate School. Documents to include with your final thesis submission are as follows.

  • Final thesis document in Word format (or PDF if using LaTex)
  • Current iThenticate similarity report (your advisor will provide you with a copy)

Once your submission is received by TDS, you and your advisor will receive an email from TDS confirming receipt and verifying completeness of your submission. Final thesis documents submitted past the deadline will be processed for the following semester.

NOTE: Deadlines that say “Last day for Graduate School to receive” require that the document make it to the Graduate School queue by the deadline. This means that the form must be submitted by the student and have routed through all required approvals in order to be received by the Grad School. Please allow adequate time for approval when submitting this document.

Please see the Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide for assistance when preparing to submit your proposal documents. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure all materials are received by the appropriate deadline.

For questions regarding the submission process, please see the Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide. Ultimately, it is your responsibility to ensure all materials are received by the appropriate deadline.

The TDS Review

TDS will conduct reviews of your final document until your document conforms to the Graduate School’s formatting requirements. Keep in mind that documents that do not follow Graduate School formatting requirements will require additional revisions and, therefore, may take longer to receive approval. If the needed revisions are not made in a timely manner, your graduation eligibility may be impacted.

When your final document receives Graduate School approval, you and your advisor will receive an approval email from TDS and a Reviewer’s Checklist with final corrections to make to your document. When your final document has been approved by TDS and converted to a PDF, TDS will provide you with instructions for uploading your PDF to ProQuest. Please keep a copy of all emails concerning your submission and the related approvals for your records.

To be cleared for graduation, you must have uploaded your document to ProQuest and paid all Graduate School fees ($40 graduation fee and $63 thesis/dissertation processing fee).

Form

Template and Guides

Relevant Links

6: Graduation and the Graduation Ceremony

The graduation application opens in myLeo at the start of the semester. After submitting your application, the Graduate School will be in communication with you throughout the semester regarding your graduation eligibility. Uploading to ProQuest and paying all Graduate School student fees are required before you can be cleared for graduation. The Graduate School charges a thesis/dissertation processing fee of $63 when a complete final thesis submission is received. ProQuest fees include $75 copyright fee and $30 for one copy of the thesis to go to your advisor. You may purchase additional copies of your thesis at your own expense.

Make sure these steps are completed prior to the graduation ceremony. After you receive confirmation from the Graduate School/TDS that all thesis-related requirements have been met, you are free to prepare for the graduation ceremony. Make sure you are at the Field House at the required time and that you are wearing your graduation regalia.

CONGRATULATIONS!

Graduate School Templates and Guides

When drafting your document, you must follow one of the Graduate School’s approved templates and the Graduate School’s Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide. When submitting your proposal or final document, you must follow the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide. Please work with your advisor and your department to determine which of the templates listed below you should use when drafting your document. The templates and guides are made available to assist you in organizing and formatting your manuscript according to Graduate School formatting requirements.

Templates

Thesis/Dissertation Template (standard template)
LaTex Template (in a .zip file; used by some science departments)
Example of LaTex template finished document
Biology Thesis Guidelines and Template
Biology Template (for copying)

Guides

Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide
Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide
Thesis and Dissertations (a guide provided through the Velma K. Waters Library research guides)

The Graduate School reviews proposals and final papers to ensure they adhere to the Graduate School’s formatting requirements as set out in the templates available and in the Thesis Formatting Guide and the Dissertation Formatting Guide.

For questions or concerns regarding formatting, please contact 903.886.5968 or [email protected]

Commonly Used Style Guides

Below is a list of style guides (with edition, if available) TDS consults when there is a question about style in a proposal, thesis, or dissertation. This is not a complete list of style guides, so if your department/program uses a different style guide, you may submit a copy along with your submission. The style guide you use will depend on your subject matter, field of study, and, most importantly, what you and your advisor decide is most appropriate for your document. The guides are offered as a resource for you to review and edit your own paper. The responsibility for making the document comply with your style’s guidelines and formatting lies with you, the student.

APA Style (7th edition)

MLA Style (9th edition)

Chicago Style (17th edition)

Turabian Style

AAS/ApJ Style

ACS Style (2020)

IEEE Style (2020)

AIP/APS (4th edition)

American Mathematical Society (AMS)

Journal of Wildlife Management (2011)

Journal of Animal Science

iThenticate

iThenticate is a licensed program that is available only to faculty and some administrators and staff. The software compares the uploaded file against >7052 billion web pages and 74 million content items from leading academic publications. When the iThenticate comparison process is complete, a “similarity score” is generated. The purpose of this software program is to screen written material for originality and to check for instances of plagiarism in submitted documents. Your advisor will review the results of your document’s iThenticate report with you to discuss ways to reduce the amount of similarity found in your document. The Graduate School allows for up to 12% similarity in reports submitted to TDS. If all efforts to reduce the score to 12% or less are unsuccessful, the student's advisor must submit to TDS via email an explanation for the high score (e.g., terminology, formulas, etc.). The Dean of the Graduate School will review the report and either provide recommendations to improve the score or accept the paper as submitted.

The Office of Academic Technology creates and maintains iThenticate licensed accounts on behalf of faculty. All faculty supervising thesis and dissertation students can obtain access to iThenticate by obtaining a license through the Office of Academic Technology. Once you have been granted access, click the following link for access to the iThenticate website.

Note: Printable Instructions for iThenticate.

Preparing a Document for iThenticate

Before uploading a student's document to iThenticate, remove the following pages and save as a new document.

  1. Preliminary pages (title page, signature page, copyright page, abstract page, acknowledgements, table of contents, list of tables, and list of figures)
  2. References
  3. Appendices
  4. Vita

Setting Exclusion Criteria

Set your iThenticate account to apply the following criteria automatically. To apply these criteria, do the following:

  1. Log in to your iThenticate account.
  2. Click the Settings tab (click the tab located in the Documents pane).
  3. Check the following boxes: Exclude Small Matches (enter 9 for the word count), and
    1. Exclude quotes
    2. Exclude bibliography
    3. Exclude Phrases

Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Update Settings.”

Running a Report

Follow the steps below to run a report:

  1. Log in to iThenticate.
  2. Click “Upload a File” (located in the task pane on the right side of the screen),
  3. Type in the student's name and whether the document is a proposal, thesis, or dissertation,
  4. Select the file to upload, and
  5. Click “Submit”

Saving the Report as a PDF

Follow the steps below to save the report as a PDF.

  1. After the report is processed and a similarity score is generated, click the score under the Documents tab.
  2. The report will open in a new tab. To save the report as a PDF, click on the small printer icon in the bottom left corner of the screen.
  3. Depending on your browser, the PDF report may automatically open in a new tab or it may appear as a download. Once the PDF is open in a new tab, save the PDF to your computer.

Sharing a Folder with TDS

iThenticate has a sharing feature that allows TDS access to iThenticate reports run by the advisor. If you would like to share your folder with TDS, follow the steps below.

  1. Log in to your iThenticate account.
  2. Click the Sharing tab
  3. iThenticate should populate a list of all faculty and staff with an iThenticate account associated with the university. Scroll down until you see my name (Karin Thomas) and check the box next to my name.
  4. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page and click the blue button that says “Update Sharing.”

Following these steps will give TDS access to all iThenticate reports you run for your students. If you run multiple reports for the same student, TDS will use the most recent version of the iThenticate report unless otherwise notified.

Accessing Your iThenticate Account

Most graduate faculty should have an iThenticate account set up already. If you are unsure of whether or not you have an account or if you cannot access your account, please contact the Office of Academic Technology. This office manages the University's accounts with iThenticate.
Contact information is below:
Office of Academic Technology
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 877.325.7778

Additional Resources

The iThenticate website houses a large collection of training resources. Also, see the helpful video tutorial on Plagiarism under the TDS/Zoom and YouTube Presentations.

If you have any questions, please contact Thesis and Dissertation Services, 903.886.5968.

TDS Resources

Writing Resources

  • Scribendi – This is a website providing proofreading and editing services. The Graduate School does not recommend the editing services Scribendi provides; we do not have any experience with this company in that regard. However, the site provides many wonderful articles and podcasts on writing, including articles and podcasts specifically for ESL students.
  • Grammarly
  • Formatting in Word 2010 – A hyperlink to 2010 Word tutorial
  • Formatting in Word (prior to 2007) – A resource for articles on various Word tips and techniques. Most of the articles were written for Word versions before Word 2007 was released but some articles are newer. It is maintained by volunteers.
  • Word formatting for a Mac – A resource devoted to the Mac user who wishes to learn how to use or troubleshoot Mac Word.

Student Video Resources

Thesis

The videos help students understand the formatting and template requirements of the Graduate School and the submission process that must be followed.

Dissertation

The videos help students understand the formatting and template requirements of the Graduate School and the submission process that must be followed.

Faculty Video Resource

The video helps faculty understand how the submission process must be completed.

Below are YouTube videos being provided by permission from Dr. Brad Swanson, Director of Graduate Studies at Central Michigan University.

Copyright Explained

Plagiarism Explained

Graduate School Research Librarian

The Graduate School provides students access to a university librarian who is available to provide specialized one-on-one research assistance tailored to your advanced academic needs. For research guidance and research resources a research guide is available on the Waters Library website under Research Guides. The name of the guide is Research Resources for Graduate Students.

Fatemeh (Mahta) Kholoosi Raftar, Research and Instruction Librarian, can help with the following topics:

  • Resource Exploration
    • Learn about the university library’s collections and databases using advanced search techniques to locate the most pertinent scholarly materials for your topic.
  • Database Mastery
    • How to navigate complex databases effectively, ensuring you are accessing the most current and relevant research available.
  • Citation Management
    • Understand and master citation styles such as APA, MLA, or Chicago by utilizing citation management tools to effortlessly organize your references.
  • Research Organization
    • How to organize your research materials and data, making it easier for you to manage and reference as you write.

You may contact Fatemeh at email: [email protected] or by phone: 903.468.6047.

Deadlines For Thesis and Dissertation Submissions

Scheduling a Defense

Notification Form for the Final Thesis Defense must be submitted and with TDS no later than 7 days prior to the date of defense.

Schedule Form for the Proposal Defense and Schedule Form for the Final Defense must be submitted and with the Graduate School no later than the 20th of the month before the date of the defense.

Submission Deadlines

NOTE: Deadlines that say “Last day TDS will accept” require that the document make it to the Graduate School/TDS queue by the deadline. This means that forms must be submitted by students and have routed through all required approvals in order to be received by TDS. Please allow adequate time for approval when submitting forms/documents.

Fall Submission Deadlines

The 4th Friday in October is the last day to defend a final dissertation for fall graduation.

The 1st Friday in November is the last day TDS will accept final thesis and dissertation submissions for fall graduation.

The 4th Friday in November (adjusted as needed for the Thanksgiving holiday) is the last day TDS will accept thesis or dissertation proposals for Fall approval.

Spring Submission Deadlines

The 4th Friday in March is the last day to defend a final dissertation for spring graduation.

The 1st Friday in April is the last day TDS will accept final thesis and dissertation submissions for spring graduation.

The 4th Friday in April is the last day TDS will accept submission of thesis or dissertation proposals for Spring approval.

Summer Submission Deadlines

The 3rd Friday in June is the last day to defend a final dissertation for summer graduation.

The 4th Friday in June is the last day TDS will accept final thesis & dissertation submissions for summer graduation.

The 4th Friday in July is the last day TDS will accept submission of thesis or dissertation proposals for Summer approval.

For questions concerning theses and dissertations, please contact TDS at 903.886.5968 or by email at [email protected].

Thesis and Dissertation Important Dates

Deadlines that say “Last day TDS will accept” require that the document make it to the Graduate School/TDS queue by the deadline. This means that the form must be submitted by the student and have routed through all required approvals in order to be received by TDS. Please allow adequate time for approval when submitting this document.

Spring 2026

  • January 12, 2026 – First day of Spring 2026 term
  • March 27, 2026 – The last day to hold a final dissertation defense for Spring 2026 graduates
  • April 3, 2026 – The last day TDS will accept final thesis or dissertation submissions for Spring 2026 graduation
  • April 17, 2026 – Deadline to submit master’s/specialist comprehensive examination reports for Spring 2026
  • April 24, 2026 – The last day TDS will accept thesis or dissertation proposal submissions for Spring 2026 approval
  • May 8, 2026 – Graduation ceremony for graduate students

Summer 2026

  • June 1, 2026 – First day of Summer I term
    July 6, 2026 – First day of Summer II term
  • June 19, 2026 – The last day to defend a final dissertation for Summer 2026 graduation
  • TBD – Deadline to submit master's/specialist comprehensive examination reports for Summer 2026
  • Friday, July 24, 2026 – The last day TDS will accept thesis or dissertation proposal submissions for Summer 2026 approval
  • August 9, 2026 – Graduation ceremony for graduate students

Fall 2026

  • August 24, 2026 – First day of Spring 2026 term
  • October 23, 2026 – The last day to hold a final dissertation defense for Fall 2026 graduates
  • November 6, 2026 – The last day TDS will accept final thesis or dissertation submissions for Fall 2026 graduation
  • TBD – Deadline to submit master's/specialist comprehensive examination reports for Fall 2026
  • November 25, 2026 – The last day TDS will accept thesis or dissertation proposal submissions for Fall 2026 approval (NOTE: Early due date due to Thanksgiving holiday)
  • December 11, 2026 – Graduation ceremony for graduate students

Note: Schedule forms for dissertation defenses (proposal and final) are due in the Graduate School the 20 of the month prior to the defense date (if the 20th of the month falls on a weekend or university holiday, the deadline is the working day prior to the 20th).

Important Note: Notification Form for the Final Thesis Defense is due with TDS at least 7 days prior to the scheduled defense date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Thesis and Dissertation Process

What steps are involved in completing a thesis or dissertation?

On its web pages, Thesis and Dissertation Services (TDS) provides detailed information on and the necessary links to forms for completing the thesis or dissertation process. You may access this information through short links: thesis for information on the thesis process or dissertation for information on the dissertation process. To help you keep track of your progress and to keep up with important deadlines, TDS provides a printable thesis checklist or dissertation checklist. 

Deadlines

What are the deadlines for submitting my proposal, thesis or dissertation to the Graduate School?

Deadlines are an important part of the thesis and dissertation process. Graduate School deadlines are put in place to keep you on track with your thesis or dissertation. Specific deadlines are posted on the right side of the TDS/Thesis web page and the TDS/Dissertation web page. For a general explanation of deadlines important to the thesis/dissertation process, visit the TDS/Deadlines web page.

Formatting

How should my proposal, thesis or dissertation be formatted?

Your proposal, thesis, and dissertation should follow the Graduate School’s thesis/dissertation template and the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guide, which together provide detailed instruction and guidance as to what TDS expects the proposal to look like when it reviews your document. You should also work with your advisor to make sure your proposal document adheres to the style guide you are using (APA, MLA, ACS, etc.). Your proposal will not be approved unless it is formatted according to the Graduate School formatting requirements. 

Submitting

How do I submit my proposal, thesis or dissertation?

Your proposal, thesis, or dissertation and all related forms must be submitted via the digital forms found on the individual web page for thesis or dissertation. Forms for the proposal, thesis, and dissertation process are found under items 1 through 5 on the TDS/Thesis web page and the TDS/Dissertation web page. Click on an item number to open up a description of what is required for that step in the process; the related form(s) can be found below that text. Forms can also be found on the Graduate School's web page for Forms & Guidelines.

What happens after I submit my proposal, thesis, or dissertation for review?

TDS reviews your paper for adherence to the Graduate School’s formatting requirements, as set forth in the applicable template and formatting guide. It is your responsibility, along with the guidance of your advisor and committee, to adhere to the requirements of your chosen style guide. The proposal document is reviewed once, and the final thesis or dissertation is reviewed as many times as needed to ensure the document meets the Graduate School's formatting requirements. TDS approvals and requests for revisions are communicated via your LeoMail email.

What is involved in the submission process?

The Graduate School recently moved to a digital forms process. Consult the Thesis and Dissertation Submission Guide for instructions for using the digital forms process, as well as helpful information about the thesis and dissertation processes.

Research Compliance Training

Whom do I contact regarding questions about research compliance training modules?

Please contact Research Integrity and Compliance at [email protected] or 903.886.5766.

Why do I need to complete research training modules?

All faculty, staff, and students of East Texas A&M University are expected to uphold the highest standards of research conduct and strictly adhere to all federal, state, and local regulations involving research. To ensure integrity and compliance in research, all faculty, staff, and students involved in research activities must successfully complete training in Responsible Conduct in Research. Additional training is required for individuals whose research involves animal care and use (IACUC), biosafety, export control (IBC), or human subjects (IRB).

How do I complete the required research compliance training modules?

The modules are taken online through the Collaborative Institutional Training Institute (CITI) website. You may visit the Research Compliance web page for further information.

When should I begin the training modules?

You should begin the training modules early in your program. You must have completed your research compliance training modules by the time you submit your proposal to TDS.

Do I have to apply for research committee compliance approval?

If your research involves animal care and use, biosafety, export control, or human subjects, you are required to work with your advisor to apply for research compliance approval. Your advisor submits the required application and will receive the related approval letter from the applicable research committee. Please visit the Research Compliance web page for more information.

When should I submit my application for research compliance approval?

It is recommended that you and your advisor be prepared to submit your compliance approval application at the time of your proposal defense. However, keep in mind that your committee may request changes to your proposal, and sometimes these changes are significant. For this reason, you must first have committee approval of your proposal before submitting for research compliance approval. Once you have defended your proposal and gained approval by your committee, your advisor will submit your application for committee approval.

Whom do I contact regarding questions about research compliance approval?

Please contact the Office of Sponsored Programs: [email protected] or 903.886.5766.

Collecting Data

When can I begin collecting data for my study?

Students conducting studies not involving human subjects, animal subjects, or biological agents may begin collecting data after completing RCR training through CITI and after their advisor has granted them permission to do so.

Students conducting studies involving human subjects, animal subjects, or biological agents are required to seek and receive approval from the applicable institutional safety committee (IRB, IACUC, or IBC). Approval from the research committee is required prior to beginning data collection. You do not need proposal approval from TDS/Graduate School before collecting data.

Scheduling

Dissertation: Proposal Defense

When do I schedule my dissertation proposal defense?

Dissertation proposal defenses are scheduled through the Graduate School (Dayla Burgin). The schedule form must be received in the Graduate School by the 20th of the month prior to the month you defend your proposal before your committee. Please remain aware of the various deadlines involved with submitting your schedule form, defending your proposal, and then submitting your proposal to TDS.

How do I schedule my dissertation proposal defense?

Schedule your dissertation proposal defense with the Graduate School by completing and submitting the digital form, Schedule Form for the Dissertation Proposal Defense. The Graduate School/Dayla Burgin must receive the completed and fully approved form by the 20th of the month prior to the month of your scheduled proposal defense.

Dissertation: Final Defense

When do I schedule my final dissertation defense?

You must schedule your final dissertation defense through the Graduate School (Dayla Burgin) by the 20th of the month prior to the month you defend your final dissertation in front of your committee. Please remain aware of the various deadlines involved when submitting your schedule form, defending your dissertation, and then submitting your final dissertation to TDS. You must have proposal approval at least one semester prior to defending your final dissertation.

How do I schedule my final dissertation defense?

Schedule your dissertation defense with the Graduate School by completing and submitting the digital form, Final Dissertation Defense Schedule Form. The Graduate School/Dayla Burgin must receive the completed and fully approved form by the 20th of the month prior to the month of your scheduled final defense. You must have proposal approval at least one semester prior to defending your final dissertation.

Thesis: Final Defense

When and how do I schedule my final thesis defense?

You will work with your committee to set a date for your final thesis defense. Once set, you will complete the digital form, Notification Form for Final Thesis Defense. TDS must receive the completed and fully approved form no fewer than seven (7) days prior to the date of your defense.

Comprehensive Exams

As a master's student completing a thesis, am I still required to complete a comprehensive exam?

Yes, all master's students are required to complete a comprehensive exam covering all the work within their master's degree. The comprehensive exam is independent of the thesis defense and final thesis.

Copyrighting

Do I have to copyright my thesis or dissertation with the U.S. Copyright Office to be protected?

No. In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration.”

Why should I register my work if copyright protection is automatic?

Registration is recommended for a number of reasons. Many choose to register their works because they wish to have the facts of their copyright on the public record and have a certificate of registration. Registered works may be eligible for statutory damages and attorney’s fees in successful litigation. Finally, if registration occurs within five years of publication, it is considered prima facie evidence in a court of law. See Circular 1, Copyright Basics, section “Copyright Registration” and Circular 38b, Highlights of Copyright Amendments Contained in the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA), on non-U.S. works.

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