Dissertation and Thesis Format Guide:
Instructions for Preparation and Submission
Graduate Division
Graduate Academic Affairs
2023/2024
Last revised 10/23/2023
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Table of Contents
OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS!.........................................................................................!4!
GRADUATION OVERVIEW!.................................................................................................!4!
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USE OF YOUR DISSERTATION/THESIS!........................................................................!6!
DISSERTATION & THESIS FILING OVERVIEW!........................................................!7!
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PREPARING THE DOCUMENT!......................................................................................!13!
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Margins-11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-RT!
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FORMAT OF THE DISSERTATION/THESIS!..............................................................!16!
Preliminary Pages: Overview-111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-R9!
Title Page-1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-R9!
Copyright Page-111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-RI!
Signature Approval Page-11111111111111111111111111111111 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-RM!
Acknowledgments and/or Dedication-11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-RM!
Abstract-11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-YS!
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Appendices-1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111-YR!
SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL FORMAT!..................................................................................!22!
COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE!...........................................................................................!23!
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POST GRADUATION DISSERTATION/THESIS SUBMISSION SURVEY!.........!24!
NEED HELP?!..........................................................................................................................!25!
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APPENDICIES!........................................................................................................................!26!
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF
THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS
As a graduate student, not only are you required to follow the guidelines and
specifications established by your department and committee for the completion of your
thesis or dissertation, but you must also comply with the requirements of the Graduate
Council concerning the physical format of your manuscript as established in these
instructions. We do not recommend using dissertations or theses on file in the
University Libraries or in your academic department as a guide for formatting
because the manuscript requirements have changed over the years.
Before beginning work on a thesis or dissertation, you must receive approval of the
proposed subject matter from the faculty committee in charge of your program. Your
committee has responsibility for both the content and written style of the manuscript.
You must receive approval in both areas. Style, including footnote and bibliographic
form is at the discretion of your committee, so long as consistency is maintained
throughout the manuscript. For assistance in resolving questions concerning style, you
and your committee may consult established manuals of style (such as the Chicago
Manual of Style, Elements of Style by Strunk and White, or the MLA Style Sheet) or
manuals of style specific to your area of expertise (such as the American Psychological
Association Manual). Using these style guides will help you but be careful; Graduate
Division regulations outlined in this guide may differ slightly.
GRADUATION OVERVIEW
You must be either a registered student or on filing fee status during the quarter you
graduate. To file during the summer months free of charge, you must have been
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enrolled or on filing fee status during every quarter of the previous academic year.
If you were not, (i.e., were on leave of absence, on ready to enroll status, or withdrawn
for one or more quarters) you must be enrolled in and pay for two units of directed
research (course number 299) in the 10-week Summer Session. You may use filing fee
during the Summer, if necessary, and if you have not used it previously. Note: filing fee
status may only be used once.
Master's candidates must file an application for candidacy no later than the first day
of the quarter in which they plan to graduate. This application is found in the R’Grad
application which is found in the authorized applications menu in R’Web.
Dates for filing the thesis or dissertation with the Graduate Division are announced
each quarter on the Graduate Division website – https://graduate.ucr.edu/graduation-
procedures. It is your responsibility to know these dates. The deadline for filing with the
Graduate Division is always 12:00pm (Noon) on the last business day of the quarter.
This deadline is strictly observed. We ask that you complete a format review of the
manuscript with the Graduate Academic Affairs Office at least two weeks prior to filing.
This will alert you to any problems in the formatting, which may need correction prior to
filing. Instructions for the format review and a checklist of are items to complete for
graduation are found at https://graduate.ucr.edu/dissertation-and-thesis-submission.
Dissertation/Thesis Filing
The format review and final version of the dissertation or thesis must be uploaded to
ProQuest via http://www.etdadmin.com/ucr. Details on this process can be found in the
Dissertation/Thesis filing overview section later in this guide.
Doctoral candidates are responsible for ensuring the completed and signed Final
Defense PhD and the Signature Approval Page (Dissertation or Thesis) is received by
the Graduate Division. Both must be submitted via R’Grad no later than 12:00pm (Noon)
on the posted deadline date.
Doctoral candidates are also asked to complete a National Opinion Research Center
(NORC) Survey of Earned Doctorates and a Graduate Division Doctoral Exit Survey.
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The links to these surveys are found at https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources under
PhD Dissertation Paperwork.
Master's candidates who are held for a final defense must file paperwork indicating
that they have passed that defense (Final Defense Master’s). The Signature Approval
Page (Dissertation/Thesis) is also due at the time of filing. Both must be submitted via
R’Grad no later than 12:00pm (Noon) on the posted deadline.
When all is filed, please accept our warm congratulations on the attainment of your
advanced degree.
USE OF YOUR DISSERTATION/THESIS
The University Library is granted full discretion in the use of your manuscript for
research purposes.
Since the function of a thesis or dissertation is to make your research available to
other scholars, it is the policy of the University of California to encourage the distribution
of all theses and dissertations. Digital copies of all UCR theses and dissertations (ETDs)
will be routed to the UCR Library. The UCR Library will preserve and make accessible
to the public all theses and dissertations in accordance with Library policies and best
practices. Such access includes but is not limited to online access to the public through
platforms such eScholarship, the University of California’s open access institutional
repository. If a student chooses to delay the release of the dissertation in ProQuest, the
Library will provide access to the electronically submitted dissertation only after the
embargo period concludes.
In addition to the UCR Library’s use, each student completes an agreement with
ProQuest allowing specific rights of reproduction. ProQuest reproduces the documents
and offers them for purchase to allow wide distribution of your research results.
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DISSERTATION & THESIS FILING OVERVIEW
ProQuest ETD Website – http://www.etdadmin.com/ucr
All dissertations and theses are submitted online through the ProQuest ETD website.
The format review/rough draft and final version of your document will be uploaded to
this website. Email attachments, digital files, and paper copies brought into the Graduate
Academic Affairs office cannot be accepted.
You will be asked to create an account and fill out several screens of information
when logging onto this site. Please read the instructions and make use of the Resources
and Guidelines tab on the ProQuest site if necessary. Below is some general information
regarding the website that corresponds to the links you will see in the left side menu.
PQ Publishing Options
On this screen there is a choice between Traditional and Open Access Publishing.
Traditional publishing has no additional cost; Open Access currently costs $95. Please
read the information describing the different options.
It is worth noting that all UCR theses and dissertations are published to eScholarship
which is the University of California’s open access institutional repository. This increases
the availability and dissemination of the work.
This screen also includes options to limit or widen the availability of the manuscript
in ProQuest. Please think about what is best for your situation as no adjustments can be
made to these choices after the format review.
Select Publishing Options – Search Engines
If you choose to limit access to search engines, that will only be applied to the
ProQuest document. All UCR documents available in eScholarship will be accessible to
major search engines.
Access Options for Delaying the Release of Your Work (aka Embargo)
If you choose to delay the release of your work to ProQuest, you will have the option
of 6 months, 1 year, or 2 years. The choice to delay the release of the document to
ProQuest is yours to make. The longest delay UCR will currently allow is 5 years. If
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you wish to request the 5-year delay, please make a note to the administrator in the Notes
section. Each request will be reviewed, and additional justification may be required. The
UCR Library will honor the delayed release time you choose in the ProQuest publishing
options and will not make the document available until the embargo period is over.
Most students opt to give broad reach to their work immediately rather than choosing
an embargo. Reasons students have chosen to embargo the manuscript include:
It is based on data that will be used for other/future publications of a research
group, and the research group wishes the manuscript embargoed until these other
works are published. If you think this situation applies to you, discuss it with your
research group and advisor.
The student plans on obtaining a patent based on work in the manuscript.
The student is under grant or contract obligations that forbid publication in these
circumstances.
The student plans on, or already has a contract to publish the manuscript with a
publisher who requires that the work not be published elsewhere. Generally,
theses and dissertations require revision and editing prior to publication to such an
extent that publishing this original version is not necessarily an obstacle to a later
publishing contract.
IR Publishing Options
This is a delayed release request specific to the UC institutional repository (IR),
eScholarship. The delayed release time-period you choose here will be honored by
eScholarship. The document will not be available on that website until the time has
elapsed. The same policies outlined in the section above apply to this delay.
University Agreement
This screen informs you what will happen to your document after publication. You
must confirm that you have read and understand this information before continuing the
submission. For more information, please see the section earlier in this guide titled “Use
of your Dissertation/Thesis.”
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Creative Commons
This is optional. This screen gives you the opportunity to apply a Creative Commons
(CC) License to your dissertation or thesis. Creative Commons Licenses inform others of
how they can use your work. CC Licenses are useful for authors who want their work to
be easily shared and built upon. You may choose from 6 different Creative Commons
Licenses or elect not to use one. If you need assistance in selecting the appropriate
Creative Commons License, the CC website has a tool to help you at
http://creativecommons.org/choose/.
The Creative Commons License selected will apply to your document at the UCR
Library and in eScholarship. ProQuest’s use of your work is governed by the ProQuest
Publishing Agreement.
If you have chosen to delay the release of your document, it will not be available until
after the embargo period ends. Selecting a Creative Commons License will not change
this. Please see the Creative Commons website (http://creativecommons.org/) for
additional information on CC Licenses.
Copyright Permission (in PDF submission screen)
If you are using any material in your document that is copyrighted by someone else,
upload the permission in this section. For more information about when copyright
permission is required, please see the section of this guide entitled “Copyright and Fair
Use.”
Register U.S. Copyright
This is optional. You do not have to file for copyright through ProQuest. You can do
it on your own or not at all. Registering your work with the Library of Congress gives
you additional recourse under the law if someone uses your work without permission.
The copyright page may be included in the document even if you do not register and your
work is copyrighted even if you do not register. See the later section in this guide titled
“Copyright and Fair Use” for more information. ProQuest currently charges $75 to file
for copyright on your behalf.
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Order Copies
This is also optional. You are not obligated to order printed copies from ProQuest.
There are other options for printed copies, such as Printing and Reprographics on campus
or your neighborhood copy shop. If you do order printed copies from ProQuest, keep in
mind it may take a few months before they arrive. ProQuest does not begin processing
your order until the documents are uploaded from campus. That is done in a batch about
6-8 weeks after the end of the quarter.
If you choose not to order copies through ProQuest at the time you submit your
document for format review, you will have another opportunity later using an order form
provided by ProQuest. This order form is included in an email once your document is
complete. If you decide you no longer want the copies you ordered originally, you will
need to withdraw your entire submission and start over.
Pricing ranges from $31 to $62 per copy depending on the type (soft or hardcover)
and the number of copies ordered.
Submit
This is a critical step. Please do not be concerned that you are submitting directly to
ProQuest - you are not. Only the Graduate Academic Affairs staff can submit your
document to the publisher. Completing this step sends the staff an email and allows us to
review your submission.
Format Review
The format review for the dissertation is submitted as a pdf file to
http://www.etdadmin.com/ucr at least two weeks prior to the final filing deadline. Please
complete the entire online process and make sure all the required boxes on the left side of
the screen are checked. Only then will you be permitted to submit your document for
format review. Once you click submit, the Graduate Academic Affairs (GAA) staff will
be notified, and your document will be reviewed. You will receive an email from GAA
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staff through ProQuest outlining any changes required for the final submission. The
email will also include additional instructions for completing the final filing.
Do not be concerned that this rough version of the document will be submitted to the
publisher. Only GAA staff will submit the final, approved version of the dissertation.
Submission of the Final Version
Once the corrections are made to the document, it must be re-submitted to ProQuest
at http://www.etdadmin.com/ucr. Choose the “revise” option when logging back into the
ETD site. The required forms and the final version of the dissertation must be submitted
to Graduate Academic Affairs by 12:00pm (Noon) on the posted deadline. Remember to
click the submit button to ensure that your document is submitted to Graduate Academic
Affairs on or before the deadline.
The University of California contracts with ProQuest to produce copies and online
posting of all its dissertations to ensure their availability to the public and their indexing
in Dissertation Abstracts International. The dissertation posted on eScholarship is the
same file as uploaded to ProQuest.
Required Additional Paperwork
For those completing a PhD, the following forms must be filed in addition to
uploading your dissertation. These forms are available on the Graduate Division website
at https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources.
Signature Approval Page (Dissertation or Thesis)
Final Defense PhD
NORC Survey of Earned Doctorates
Graduate Division Doctoral Exit Survey
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If you are a master's candidate you must file the following forms in addition to
uploading your thesis:
Signature Approval Page (Dissertation or Thesis)
Final Defense Master’s (if your department requires a defense – check your
degree audit in your R’Web menu to verify)
After your manuscript has been approved and all required paperwork has been
submitted, you will receive an email through ProQuest that your submission has been
accepted.
Final Transcript and Diploma
The official transcript with the degree posted on it will be available approximately
4 weeks after the conferral date. It will not be generated for you automatically. Official
transcripts can be ordered through R’Web or by contacting the Registrar’s Office.
Transcript information can be found at https://registrar.ucr.edu/grades-records/request-
transcript. An unofficial copy of your transcript may be downloaded through your
Student Profile on R’Web.
Approximately 2 months after your official degree conferral date (not necessarily the
date you file), the Registrar may have your diploma ready. The Registrar will mail your
diploma to you using your Permanent Address on file in R’Web. Diploma information
can be found at https://registrar.ucr.edu/graduation-guide/diplomas.
You will have access to R’Web after graduation and you should always keep your
contact information updated with the Registrar through R’Web. You will be able to use
your R’Mail account indefinitely after graduation.
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PREPARING THE DOCUMENT
Typeface/Font Size
The type size used should be 10, 11 or 12-point overall and should remain consistent
throughout the document. A notable exception to this rule is tables and figures. In tables
and figures, the type may be slightly smaller.
All print should be black, and the characters consistently clear and dense. Use the
same typeface throughout the document. Confirm that the typeface of your page
numbers matches the text. Do not use script or italics as the main type face; use it only as
necessary for book titles, Latin nomenclature, etc. Hyperlink text may be blue if you
prefer.
Margins
The margins of one and one-half (1.5”) inches on the top and left, one inch (1”) on
the bottom and right must be observed on each page. Tables, charts, maps, illustrations
as well as appendices must adhere to these same margin requirements.
The choice of whether to justify the right-hand margin is up to students and their
committees. We suggest that you use right-justified margins only if your software
program does this well and does not leave large gaps in the text or separate punctuation
from text characters.
Spacing
The text must be double-spaced, except for the following that will ordinarily be
single-spaced:
¨ Captions
¨ Footnotes
¨ Long quotations (those of more than three lines)
¨ Bibliography entries of more than one line
¨ Some material in tables and appendices (text in appendices should still be double-
spaced)
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Note that the acknowledgements and/or dedication section, if included in your
manuscript, must be double-spaced.
The text must be arranged so that gaps or white spaces within major sections are
minimal. The only blank space should appear at the end of major sections when
necessary to allow the first typing of the next major section to begin on a new page.
Avoid widows (one line of text from the end of a paragraph appearing alone at the top
of a sheet of paper) and orphans (one line of text from the beginning of a paragraph
appearing alone at the bottom of a sheet of paper or a heading or subheading at the
bottom of a page that is not followed immediately by text on that page). There should be
at least two lines of text at the top and bottom of each page.
Pagination
Theses and dissertations are to be paginated as follows:
Preliminary pagination: The title, copyright, and approval pages are counted in the
pagination, but the number is NOT printed on the page. The remaining preliminary pages
are numbered with lower-case Roman numerals centered at the bottom of the page below
the margin line. Page number labeling will begin with lower case Roman numeral iv.
Main body: Numbered with Arabic numerals beginning with page 1 of the
introduction and continuing throughout, including text, figures, bibliography, and
appendices.
Page numbers are centered at the bottom of the page, below the margin line (centered
between the bottom margin and the bottom of the page.) All pages except the title page,
copyright page, and signature approval page have page number labels. The numbers
should appear without periods, parentheses, or dashes.
Pages that are landscape oriented must still have a portrait style page number. A
template is available at https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources if you need assistance
with formatting the page number on a landscape-oriented page.
The dissertation must be submitted as one pdf document. The different pagination
areas can make this a challenge. There are two main ways to accomplish this:
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5
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1. Format the correct pagination in one document using section breaks and convert
the entire document to pdf; or
2. Create three separate pdf documents and combine them into one before uploading.
Helpful hints and templates with this pagination already built in are available at
https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources and in the Resources tab of the ProQuest
website.
Tables, Graphs and Figures
For tables, full-page diagrams, and pages with figures or photographs, the same
margins are required as for text pages. Full-page figures may have accompanying
captions on a separate page; such figures and their caption pages must be counted and
numbered.
Landscape orientation may be used to print wide tables, figures, graphs, and
illustrations. The top of the figure, when in landscape orientation, must be printed along
the binding edge of the paper (left side). The location of page numbers will remain the
same (portrait style).
It is recommended that figures and tables be placed as near as possible to the part of
the text they illustrate. This is to allow those reading your manuscript greater ease of
access to the information contained in this illustrative material at the point that they first
read about it.
Figure and table numbering must be either continuous throughout the manuscript, or
continuous within each chapter (i.e., 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, etc.). The numbering method
chosen must be consistent throughout the document. Two figures cannot bear the same
number. The use of color in figures, photographs, etc. is acceptable.
Printed Copies
Printed copies of the dissertation are not currently produced or required to complete
official graduation requirements. If your advisor or department would like a printed
copy, you are responsible for creating that on your own. Many students use Creative
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Services (https://cbs.ucr.edu/creative-services#dissertations), located on campus, for this
service. Creative Services, for a fee, will print your manuscript, reduce your graphs, and
bind any of your extra copies in a hard or soft format for your personal use. (A
hardbound copy with ethe UCR seal, title, and author in gold on the cover starts at $80.)
You can order a bound copy while submitting your dissertation to the ProQuest website,
but you are not obligated. Additionally, you may wish to use a professional printing and
binding company of your own choosing.
Language Considerations
The manuscript must be written using the English language. Requests for exceptions
to use another language for all or part of the manuscript have been allowed for students in
the Spanish or Comparative Literature programs. Students must petition the Graduate
Dean for such an exception. If an exception is granted, the candidate will be required to
present a title page and abstract of the dissertation entirely in English. An abstract in the
language of the manuscript may also be submitted if desired. When the document is
written in a language other than English, all aspects of the title page and abstract page
must be in English.
LaTex Templates
A LaTex template is available on the Graduate Division website at
https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources. Overall, the template follows the correct format,
but you will still be required to complete a format review and may be asked to make
minor adjustments.
If you are skilled in LaTex and would like to submit an updated template for future
students to use, please email [email protected].
FORMAT OF THE DISSERTATION/THESIS
After the members of the faculty committee have read and given preliminary approval
of the manuscript, the final draft is to be prepared using the following format:
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Preliminary Pages: Overview
Preliminary pagination: The title, copyright, and approval pages are counted in
the pagination, but the number is not printed on the page. If you are completing a
document for the master’s degree (thesis) remember to use the word “Thesis” instead of
“Dissertation” on the preliminary pages. Preliminary pages include (in the following
order):
§ Title page – required
§ Copyright page – optional, but strongly recommended
§ Signature Approval Page – required
§ Acknowledgements – optional, but strongly recommended
§ Dedication – optional
§ Abstract – required for PhD, optional for master’s
§ Table of Contents – required
§ Lists – required if more than one figure, table etc.
§ Preface/Forward - optional
Title Page
The manuscript must include a title page. See the Appendix of this document or
https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources for a sample title page. Do not use any stylized
text on your title page (italics may be allowed for Latin nomenclature). Do not use bold
type. Note, the title page is counted in the pagination but does not have a printed page
number label.
Dissertation /Thesis title - The rules for capitalization in the title are strict. The first,
last, all principal words and words with 4 letters or more must have the first letter
capitalized, including those that follow hyphens in compound terms. The only words that
should not be capitalized are articles (a, an, the), prepositions (e.g., in, to), and
conjunctions (e.g., and, but, for) with fewer than 4 letters. Use word substitutes for
formulas, symbols, superscripts, Greek letters, or other non-alphabetical symbols in the
title.
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Degree name - The degree on the title page will be Doctor of Philosophy, Master of
Arts, Master of Science, Master of Business Administration, or Master of Fine Arts.
Program name - The field of study listed is the major on file with the Registrar's
Office. For example, if your major is English, do not list English Literature on your title
page. Concentrations within your program will not be listed. You may verify your major
by viewing your degree audit in R’Web portal.
Your name - The name used on the title page is your name as it is found on file with
the Registrar's Office. If your middle name is a part of your UCR record, you may use
either your full middle name spelled out or your middle initial only. If you wish to record
your name in a different manner, you may submit a name update request with the
Registrar’s Office at https://registrar.ucr.edu/grades-records/information#lived-name.
Date - The month and year the degree is to be conferred or awarded is to appear on
the title page. Degrees are conferred four times per year in December, March, June, and
September. Even if you file in the middle of the quarter, you will still list the conferral
month and year on your title page and abstract page.
Committee - The Graduate Dean approves the thesis or dissertation committee. If
you have changed your committee at any point during your career since it was originally
approved, please contact Graduate Academic Affairs to make sure we have your updated
committee membership on file.
Copyright Page
When a manuscript is copyrighted, a statement to that effect should be enclosed on a
separate page following the title page. You are not committing to pay any additional
money for copyright services by including this page. See Appendix or
https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources for a sample copyright page. Note, the copyright
page is counted in the pagination but will not have a printed page number label. For
more information about copyright concerns, see the “Copyright and Fair Use” section
later in this guide.
19
Signature Approval Page
All committee members must electronically sign the Signature Approval Page
(Dissertation or Thesis). This is a crucial part of the graduation process.
The digital version of the document (ETD) must include a blank version of the
signature page. The official version with electronic signatures will be submitted via
R’Grad to the Graduate Academic Affairs office. The signature approval page must be
received by 12:00pm (Noon) PST on the posted deadline day. This is required for
graduation.
See Appendix or https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources for a sample signature
approval page. Note, the approval page is counted in the pagination but should not have a
printed number.
Acknowledgments and/or Dedication
It is recommended that you include an acknowledgment of help received or a brief
personal note of dedication. Such notes should follow at this point. Do not include
acknowledgements within each chapter. Everything of this nature should be included in
this preliminary page.
The Acknowledgments page may include acknowledgment the following:
Material in your document that you have previously published elsewhere.
All co-authors if the copyright of material used in your document is held jointly.
Any work copyrighted by someone else that you have permission to include.
Any financial support received.
These pages should be numbered using lower case Roman numerals. The
Acknowledgments page is the first to have a printed page number. It is normally page
“iv”. If you choose to include both Acknowledgements and Dedication, they should be
on separate pages, with the Acknowledgement page appearing first. The text of these
pages must be double-spaced.
20
Abstract
For the doctoral dissertation, an abstract not to exceed 350 words is to be included--
approximately one and one-half pages with the main body of text doubled-spaced. The
abstract should state the research problem briefly, describe the methods and procedures
used in gathering data or studying the problem, and give a condensed summary of the
findings of the study. The abstract heading, prepared according to sample page in the
Appendix or at https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources, must include the title of the
dissertation, your name as it appears on your records at the Registrar's Office, the degree,
graduate program, name of the institution, conferral date of degree (month and year
only), and the name of your committee chairperson(s).
For a master's thesis, no abstract is necessary unless your thesis committee requires it.
If an abstract is included, it must follow the format requirements as presented in this
guide.
Table of Contents
Each thesis or dissertation is expected to have a table of contents for the convenience
of the reader. There is no specific format that students must follow in this case. The
table of contents should be easy to read, consistent and have page numbers listed on the
right side of the page. The table of contents can include page number references for the
preliminary pages, but it is not required.
Lists
If illustrations (i.e., figures, tables, maps, diagrams, charts, tables, photographs, etc.)
are to be scattered throughout the text, or if more than one illustration, etc., is used, then a
separate "List of Figures”, or “List of Tables”, or “List of Illustrations" etc., must be
included after the "Table of Contents". These lists must reference the
figure/table/illustration number and the page number that it appears. It is also a good idea
to list some information (a brief description or the caption) about each
figure/table/illustration, etc. so that your reader can use the list to find what they are
21
looking for in the document. Each list must be separate and begin on a new page. The
lists should be single-spaced with a blank line between each entry.
Text
The text of the manuscript follows at this point. Typically, this will be “Chapter 1” or
the Introduction chapter. Begin using Arabic numerals here to label the pages starting
with page 1.
Notes
Notes may appear as footnotes at the bottom of individual pages, may be gathered in
a section at the end of each chapter, or may be placed all together in a section at the very
end of the text. This is a matter of preference that you should discuss with your
committee. Remember that note entries should be single spaced, with a blank line
between each entry (see “Spacing” earlier in this manual). Notes that are grouped at the
end of each chapter or at the end of the document must have a header of “Endnotes” at
the top of the page.
Bibliography
A Bibliography, Works Cited or Reference Section should follow the text and notes
and will always begin on a new page. References are single-spaced with a blank line
between each entry. The order of the bibliography and its format is a matter for
discussion with your committee. They may prefer that you include these references at the
end of each chapter. However, for the ease of the reader it is preferable to have one
complete alphabetical listing at the end of the manuscript.
Appendices
A last section may contain supporting data for the text in the form of one or more
appendices. Appendices should be placed after the bibliography. The appendices must
fall within the margin requirements and should typically be double-spaced but may be
single-spaced if necessary.
The ProQuest ETD website gives students the option to upload “Supplemental Files”
in addition to the thesis/dissertation. Supplemental files can include large appendix type
22
material, images, audio files, etc. When the Library makes your dissertation/thesis
available on eScholarship (UCR’s open access institutional repository), any supplemental
files that you provide through ProQuest are also made available along with the document
on eScholarship.
SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL FORMAT
If approved by your committee, you may use a format for your manuscript that
presents the results of your research as a series of papers. Reports of research that you
have undertaken during graduate study, and which have been published in appropriate
media or which have been prepared in a format suitable for such publication, may be used
as individual chapters in your manuscript.
The version of the published manuscript used as a chapter for the manuscript must
meet the format requirements described in these instructions. This may require that the
chapters be re-formatted so that the style is consistent from one chapter to the next (i.e.,
bibliography sections throughout the manuscript must match in format and style).
Additionally, figures and tables must be numbered to allow consistency throughout the
entire document.
If you choose to present your dissertation using the scientific journal format, it must
contain the following elements:
An abstract,
A general introduction which may contain a review of relevant literature followed by,
Major chapters prepared in a format generally used for publishing articles, and then
A general conclusion that presents, discusses, and integrates the main findings of the
research.
Please be aware that the abstract of your dissertation is not a substitute for a
comprehensive and integrated discussion of the major findings of the research. This
should be presented in the general conclusions of the manuscript.
23
COPYRIGHT AND FAIR USE
Copyright and Publication of Manuscript
Under the Copyright Act of 1976, your manuscript will automatically be copyrighted
without notice or registration with the U.S. Copyright Office and no one can legally copy
your work without consent for your lifetime plus 70 years. Additional copyright
registration is optional but recommended. If infringement is discovered and your
dissertation has not been registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, you may not file a
lawsuit unless you have registered your manuscript. Registration in a timely fashion also
offers the ability to receive statutory damages and attorney fees in an infringement action.
A good rule of thumb is to register your dissertation, and hope that you never have to call
upon your legal rights in an infringement lawsuit.
To register your work with the Library of Congress, you may obtain the necessary
forms and information from http://www.copyright.gov.
Alternately, copyright registration may also be arranged through ProQuest
Dissertation Publishing as indicated on the ETD submission website. They charge an
additional fee for this service (currently $75). This is optional; you are not required to
purchase copyright registration.
Plagiarism and Copyright Permission
Students preparing theses or dissertations are reminded that plagiarism is a serious
offense. Any material of another author, either in direct quotations or paraphrase, must
be given proper credit. Direct quotations of 150 words or more from another author's
work must not be used without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Additionally, reproductions of photographs, charts, data, drawings, tables, standardized
tests, or any other reproductions made directly from any published work (such as
newspapers, magazines, professional journals, websites, or books) may not be used
without prior written permission from the copyright owner. Failure to observe these
regulations may result in non-acceptance of the manuscript. When completing the
24
information on the ProQuest ETD website, you will have the opportunity to upload any
copyright permission you have obtained.
Copyright Information and Resources
No thesis or dissertation incorporating reprint material that has been copyrighted
will be accepted without appropriate authorization. It is your responsibility to resolve
any copyright problems arising from the use of published material.
The Graduate Division has compiled a list of resources to assist you with
copyright questions that may arise in the process of writing and filing your dissertation.
These resources can be found at https://graduate.ucr.edu/copyright-and-fair-use-
resources. On this page, you will find answers to frequently asked questions about
copyright and fair use. Please note that this information is meant to act as a general guide
and not as a substitution for professional legal advice.
If you have questions about copyright law that are not encompassed by these
resources, they should be directed to the U.S. Copyright Office (1-202-707-3000 or
http://www.copyright.gov) or ProQuest Information & Learning (1-800-521-0600 x7020
or online). A UCR librarian may also be able to assist you with copyright and fair use
questions.
POST GRADUATION DISSERTATION/THESIS SUBMISSION SURVEY
About one month after you have completed the requirements for your degree, you
will be sent an electronic survey asking your opinion of UCR’s dissertation/thesis
resources and submission process. Please consider participating in this survey to help the
Graduate Division improve the process for future students.
17
25
NEED HELP?
Contact Us
The Graduate Division Academic Affairs Office staff is available to answer any
questions concerning interpretation of these instructions.
We can be reached by email at [email protected] or by telephone at 951-827-3315. Our
office is in University Office Building, rooms 123-129. Our appointment calendars can
be found at https://graduate.ucr.edu/directory under Graduate Academic Affairs.
Format Workshops
Dissertation/Thesis format information workshops are typically held during the 5
th
week of each quarter. Check your R’Mail regularly for announcements regarding future
workshops. The workshop PowerPoint presentation and recorded version of the online
workshop is also available at https://graduate.ucr.edu/filing-resources.
26
APPENDICIES
27
Sample Title Page
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
RIVERSIDE
A Study of the Mental State of Doctoral Candidates Upon
Filing Their Dissertations
A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
in
Major
by
FirstName MiddleName LastName
December/March/June/September 20XX
Dissertation Committee:
Prof. First Person, Chairperson
Prof. Second Person
Prof. Third Person
28
Sample Copyright Page
Copyright by
FirstName MiddleName LastName
20XX
29
Sample Signature Approval Page
The Dissertation of FirstName MiddleName LastName is approved:
Committee Chairperson
University of California, Riverside
30
Sample Abstract Page
ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION
A Study of the Mental State of Doctoral Candidates Upon
Filing Their Dissertations
by
FirstName MiddleName LastName
Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Program in Major
University of California, Riverside, December/March/June/September 20XX
Prof. First Person, Chairperson
The abstract is placed here. It will be double-spaced, left justified
(not centered) and limited to 350 words or 2,450 characters. Be sure to
follow the heading outline above carefully and replace your name and your
major along with the month and year of the last day of your graduation quarter
in the spaces designated for that information.
If you have included an acknowledgement and a
dedication in your dissertation or thesis, this page will be numbered in
sequence as those pages are placed prior to the abstract. In this sample, the
author has a one-page abstract and a one-page dissertation.
iv
31
Sample Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction .............................................................................................. 1
References .......................................................................................... 19
Chapter 1
Abstract .............................................................................................. 29
Introduction ........................................................................................ 31
Materials and Methods ....................................................................... 35
Results ................................................................................................ 49
References .......................................................................................... 63
Figures and Tables ............................................................................. 70
Chapter 2
Abstract .............................................................................................. 87
Introduction ........................................................................................ 89
Materials and Methods ....................................................................... 93
Results ................................................................................................ 233
Discussion .......................................................................................... 110
References .......................................................................................... 117
Figures and Tables ............................................................................. 124
v
32
Chapter 3
Abstract .............................................................................................. 152
Introduction ........................................................................................ 154
Materials and Methods ....................................................................... 157
Results ................................................................................................ 174
Discussion .......................................................................................... 183
References .......................................................................................... 190
Figures and Tables ............................................................................. 194
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 226
References .......................................................................................... 233
Appendix A ............................................................................................... 236
Appendix B ................................................................................................ 242
vi
33
Sample List of Tables
List of Tables
Introduction
Table I.1: Psychology Student Population at UCR: A comprehensive
list of cohorts in the psychology program ...................................... 17
Table I.2: Psychology Student Population at All UC Campuses ...... 18
Chapter 1
Table 1.1: Mental States of Graduate Students at UCR ..................... 70
Table 1.2: Mental States of Graduate Students at UC ....................... 71
Table 1.3: Methods of Dealing with Stress of Graduate School Shown
in five different ways. ..................................................................... 75
Chapter 2
Table 2.1: Stress Factors for Graduate Students ................................ 124
Table 2.2: Stress Factors During Exam Periods ................................ 125
Table 2.3: Stress Factors During Oral Qualifying Exam ................... 126
Chapter 3
Table 3.1: De-Stressing Methods ....................................................... 194
Table 3.2: How Stress Disappears After Graduation ......................... 195
Table 3.3: Ways of Coping With Grad School Withdrawal ............. 196
v
34
COMMON ERRORS
Entire Manuscript:
Incorrect margins
Page numbers printed above the margin line
Title Page:
Incorrect capitalization of title
Wrong degree and/or major
Name does not match Registrar’s Office records
Inaccurate degree conferral date (must be month and year only)
Printed page number
Committee not approved by Graduate Division
Copyright:
Name does not match Registrar’s Office records
Printed page number
Date information (only list the year here)
Signature:
Name does not match Registrar’s Office records
Printed page number
Acknowledgements/Dedications:
Single spaced body
Page number missing
Page number not lower-case Roman numeral
Abstract:
Title does not match title page/title in ProQuest
Incorrect capitalization of title
Wrong date/name/degree listed
Body exceeds 350 words
Page number missing
Page number not lower-case Roman numeral
Table of Contents:
Not included
Page number missing
Page number not lower-case Roman numeral
35
List of Figures/Tables/Illustrations:
Combining lists on one page
Page number missing
Page number not lower-case Roman numeral
Not including a description of the figure or table or illustration/figure or table or
illustration caption
Text:
Incorrect margins
Numbering does not begin with 1
Text is not double-spaced
Style of headings is not consistent through manuscript
Footnotes/Endnotes/Bibliography:
Entries are not single spaced with blank line between each entry
Bibliography does not begin on a new page
Graphs/Tables/Illustrations:
Incorrect margins
Type is too small to read
Page number missing
Landscaped pages not oriented correctly
Page number is not portrait style
Appendices:
Page numbers do not continue
Incorrect margins