SMD Epidemiology Guide Thesis Supplement

Purpose of this document

This document provides a summary of the expectations for the written content of a thesis; that is, it provides a guide for how a thesis should be structured for writing, and for the content that comprises a well written thesis.

This document is meant to be a supplement to the general guidelines of the University of Rochester for preparation of a thesis (THE PREPARATION OF DOCTORAL THESES: A MANUAL FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS), which can be found at the website: http://www.rochester.edu/Theses/ThesesManual.pdf, and which governs all theses at this university. Rather, the guidelines described here are meant to be a guide for the written content of the thesis.

Overview of thesis contents

A thesis is a description and interpretation of the research conducted by the candidate that qualifies him/her for the degree of PhD.

It is written for non-specialized scientists (not for the mentor!). Specifically, every member of the thesis examination committee, including faculty from other science departments, have to be able to read and understand everything that is included in the text without consulting secondary sources. Specialist terms need to be explained or avoided. Non-standard techniques have to be explained.

It is written in English with correct spelling and grammar. It is not the job of the committee to proof-read the text. Having the text of the thesis corrected and edited for clarity by a second person (mentor or otherwise) is acceptable and highly recommended. A committee member can refuse to accept a thesis with excessive grammatical or graphical errors.

There is no formal minimum or maximum length. The thesis has to give an in depth account of the background and scientific question addressed, as well as a detailed description of the study design and methodology , that is typically more specific than the published literature on the same work. Independent and original thought is welcome. An alliteration of published fact(oid)s with tangential relevance to the research topic (just to fill up pages) should be avoided.

Sections of the Thesis

Title Page

Abstract

• Must be a maximum of 350 words.
• Should contain no references, and no undefined non-standard abbreviations.

Acknowledgements

My boss rocks….. but I am glad to be out of here.. and I love my mother

Foreword

Although the thesis document can contain experimental data not generated by the candidate (for example those supplied by a collaborator or technician, if they are critical for the scientific argument), all such contributions must be specified in the foreword.

Glossary

A table explaining non-standard abbreviations and terms.

curriculum vitae

Short academic history and list of papers published by the candidate. Date of birth and dates of earlier degrees are no longer included.

Organization of the Thesis

Introductory Chapter

The introduction outlines the background of the field, and should set the stage for formulating the scientific question/problem addressed in the experimental part of the thesis. The introduction should tell a story with the candidate's own thoughts, to frame the question to be addressed in the thesis and should not summarize all the papers that the candidate has read.

The last paragraphs of the introduction should explicitly state the questions to be addressed in the thesis, or the set of specific aims, and the organization of the thesis.

Background & Significance Chapter

This Chapter should outline the relevant background of the field. While expansive details of all published works should be avoided, this chapter should summarize all pertinent scientific literature that contributes to the development and design of and justification for the dissertation research. Often the last part of this Chapter includes a summary section that places the previous work in context of the significance of the current study.

Methods Chapter

The candidate is encouraged to organize all of the materials (surveys, data collection instruments, etc.) and methods into a single chapter. The Methods section should include a very detailed and specific description of the study design, data collection instruments, subject recruitment plans, data collection methods, data management and planned analysis. Anticipated Research Subjects protection plans should also be included.

Results Chapter

The Results chapter should be organized by Specific Aim and should include a complete description of the characteristics of the acquired study sample and detailed description of all statistical analyses supplemented by appropriate tables and figures.

Figures and Legends

Each figure should be clear and self-explanatory. It should be possible to gain at least a superficial understanding of the displayed experiments without reading the text or figure legends.

Each legend should have a title that conveys the conclusion of the presented experiments or data. If there are multiple panels (A, B, etc.), each of these should also have a title. The body of each legend should explain all items included in the figure.

Figures can be placed on separate pages, or can be embedded in the text as text boxes.

Discussion Chapter

Each thesis should also include a final chapter in which the candidate tries to tie up his thesis and add any overall perspectives. This chapter should include a summary of the major findings and discoveries, without regurgitation of the results section. This section of the chapter might also address questions such as: What does it mean? Why is it relevant? How does it add to/extend existing knowledge? What general conclusions and principles (beyond the immediate field of study) may arise from this research? What were the study methodology problems, ambiguities, alternative explanations? What next?

For example, the candidate might recapitulate the state of the field at the outset of the thesis, summarize the major results of the thesis, explain the status of the field as a result of the thesis work, explain current gaps in our knowledge of the field, raise questions that arise as a result of the thesis, or speculate on likely future directions of the field. A very brief summary at the end of this Chapter should incorporate the overall conclusions of the study and perspective as to next steps.

References

All references in the thesis should include a full set of authors (for ten or less authors), the complete title of the work, and the volume, and page numbers (and editor and publishers as necessary). If using reference management software, the references should be checked manually for completeness and accuracy.

Supplements, Appendices

This part of the thesis is not a requirement, but can be highly useful for including data that does not easily fit within the main part of the thesis. Examples include movies, genomic data sets, PCR primer sets, and crystallographic coordinates or even supporting preliminary data.