The final requirement in earning a graduate degree, if required by your program, is the submission and defense of the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and deadlines in the thesis or dissertation submission is necessary to establish a successful plan and realistic timeframe to graduate.
Contact your program’s department to learn more about any thesis or dissertation requirements for your degree.
Your research advisor will be the faculty member who will oversee the progress of your thesis or dissertation work. This person also serves as the Chair of your Defense Committee when you defend. Before you begin your research or creative work, make sure to connect with a faculty member.
If you have not already identified this person, reach out to your Program Contact to get started.
If you plan to use human or animal subjects in your thesis research, there are laws you must follow. An approved IRB must be on file first. For more information on getting this clearance, please visit the Human Subjects Research: Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Most simple errors are found in page numbering, especially in the preliminary pages.
| Page Reference | Formatting Rule |
| Title Page | No page number |
| Signature Page | Number as page ii |
| Abstract (optional) | Number with lowercase roman numerals (example: iii, iv, v, vi) |
| Acknowledgements (optional) | Number with lowercase roman numerals (example: iii, iv, v, vi)
|
| Introduction (optional) | number with lowercase roman numerals (example: iii, iv, v, vi) |
| Table of Contents | Number with lowercase roman numerals (example: iii, iv, v, vi) |
| List of Table (required if more than two figures) | Number with lowercase roman numerals (example: iii, iv, v, vi)
|
| Main Content | Number with standard numerals (1,2,3); except your first page. This page should not have a number. The first numbered page should begin with 2.
|
| References | Number with standard numerals |
| Appendices (as needed) | Number with standard numerals |
| Vita | Number with standard numerals |
A title page must be included in the document. The student’s full legal name is required. Note that title is presented in an inverted pyramid style and no page number appears, though it is page i of the document. Sample Title Page
The signature page should bear the signatures of all your committee members, however only the committee chair and second committee members are required. Place committee members’ names underneath the signature lines. Committee members should sign only when they are satisfied that the thesis or dissertation meets the standards of the university. Sample Signature Page
An abstract should be no more than 350 words. The abstract is a condensed summary of the paper and includes a description of the research and significant results. Sample Abstract Page
There are no length requirements or restrictions. This page is optional. Please remember that the purpose of this page is to recognize those who most contributed to the research and writing of the document. The language used in the acknowledgment should be consistent with that used in acknowledgments in journal articles in your field. The manuscript is an academic document. This is not the appropriate place to thank friends, relatives, or companion animals that had nothing to do with the content or research. Sample Acknowledgements Page
The table of contents lists chapters and other main divisions (first-order subheadings, references/end notes, and appendixes). The title of each entry and chapter numbering method must correspond exactly to that within the main body of thesis or dissertation. Page numbers must be specified for all the listings.
Do not list “Table of Contents” in the body of the Table of Contents. The first item listed in the Table of Contents is the abstract (if included), then the acknowledgments page (which is optional). Any List of Tables and/or a List of Figures should be included in the Table of Contents. Sample Table of Contents Page
Although a list of tables and/or figures is not required in all documents, they must be included if you have more than two tables and/or two figures.
The final content, academic quality, and correct style and formatting rests with you and your graduate committee. Sample Main Content Page
Formatting of references and citations should follow your style guide. References cited in the text must appear in the references list (including personal communications). Conversely, each entry in the reference list must be cited in the text. Do not include works in the reference list that you have not cited in the text. Regardless of the style selected, direct quotes cited in the text must include page citations.
Appendixes as needed.
Your Vita is required. Sample Vita
Be sure to check with your director for appropriate headings.
Section headings must correspond to the table of contents; heading type or print and location on the page should be consistent and parallel throughout the thesis or dissertation.
Captions should match the type or print style used in the main text. Locate captions according to the standard of the publication style that is being used for the thesis or dissertation. Any variation of the quality of paper, page size, or reproductive process to accommodate illustrations and supplementary materials should have the approval of your committee chair. If photographs or other non-printed illustrative materials are to be included, they should be permanently mounted.
Any easily readable standard type of font is acceptable. Fonts should be consistently at least 10-13.5 points throughout the document.
The text must be double-‐spaced; however, block quotations, footnotes, figure captions, table titles and notes, and individual citations in the references may be single-spaced. If single spacing of reference citations is chosen, then double space between each citation.
Tables should be uniformly titled and numbered at the top and figures captioned at the bottom. Tables and figures should be inserted following their first mention in the text, but no later than the page immediately following the mention.
Left-hand margins must be one and one-half inches. Top, bottom, and right margins should be one inch. This is particularly important if your department requires a bound copy, margin widths must be carefully observed to provide for adequate binding space. Students who will be binding may be asked to reprint if margins are not correct. See the Margins, Paper, and Font drop down in the Printing & Binding Your Thesis section below.
In order to be eligible for your degree, you will need to pay all outstanding fees and apply to graduate.
To apply for graduation, follow these steps:
A third committee member is required for any defense. You can identify your own third committee member or you can request one.
If you would like to request a third member, please fill out the Third Committee Member Request Form to request your third member. (In order to be assigned a third committee member, you must first apply to graduate.)
This section will help ensure you are prepared ahead of your final defense well before your final term.
After you have your third committee member, complete the TRA (Terminal Research Approval) Form and submit it via email to the Graduate Programs Office (gradprograms@ewu.edu).
Incomplete forms will be sent back to the student. It is the student’s responsibility to completely fill out the form and to acquire the proper signatures from committee members.
Your defense event is an event open to the public, and you can invite anyone you would like attend your presentation.
Comprehensive Evaluation Forms are issued to your committee after your TRA (Terminal Research Approval) Form has been processed by the Graduate Programs Office.
After your defense has concluded, and your results have been noted by your committee, the Comprehensive Evaluation Form must be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office (gradprograms@ewu.edu) by you or your committee.
This section is designed to help you complete the necessary paperwork required to complete your defense.
Instructions for submissions of your thesis or dissertation will be emailed to you after your Comprehensive Evaluation form has been processed by the Graduate Programs Office.
Double check your Degree Works Degree Audit to see your Thesis or Dissertation and the Comp sections of your degree audit show completed green checkmarks. If these requirements have not been marked complete, please ensure all of the form steps listed above have been completed.
This section is designed to streamline your submission to the Library’s Digital Commons.
Students have the ability to change committee members. If you need to make a change before you have submitted a TRA (Terminal Research Approval) Form (see step #4), no actions are required.
If you need to make a change after a TRA form has already been submitted then please submit an updated TRA form to the Graduate Programs Office at gradprograms@ewu.edu.
Any faculty member with the following criteria can be a third member:
1) Must be current EWU Faculty
2) Must hold at least a master’s degree or terminal degree in your field.
3) Must be outside the student’s area of discipline.
This form can be submitted by the student or the committee members can be emailed to the Graduate Programs Office at gradprograms@ewu.edu. Wet signatures are not required. The committee can email in the appropriate information to the Graduate Programs Office.
These are common questions related to the thesis or dissertation journey.
Left-hand margins must be one and one-half inches to provide for binding. Top, bottom, and right margins should be one inch. If your margins are not correct you will be required to REPRINT.
Paper
Use only 8 1/2 x 11 inch, white, “thesis bond,” 100% cotton bond paper. This is required of your department copy. The thesis bond paper ensures greater longevity of the document. If you have difficulty obtaining this paper, it is available at the EWU bookstore. Your copy or copies may be on the paper of your choice.
Font
Use the same style of type or print throughout the manuscript. Use bold face, italicize, or underline words where appropriate. Use 10-13.5-point font size, with 18-24 points between lines. Indented quotes may, however, be single-spaced.
Graduate Programs will send the theses copies off-campus to a bindery company at the end of Fall quarter and the end of Spring quarter (semester students will have their copies sent off with the quarter students). Bound copies are returned to the Graduate Programs Office 4-6 weeks after the theses have been shipped. The Graduate Programs Office will send the bound thesis to the academic department (if required) and/or to the student (if it has been requested).
Please Note: Graduate Programs will only be shipping theses to the binder twice a year.
Individual departments may require students to provide a bound copy of their thesis. Check with your department to find out if you will be required to have a copy of your thesis bound. Check to see if this cost is covered by the student or department.
You have the option of submitting a copy or copies for yourself to be bound, regardless of whether your department has required a copy. Each copy will be $30.00.
Please note: your binding fee can be paid at Sutton Hall in Student Services with cash, check, or electronic check only. To pay your binding fee with a debit or credit card, use the link below:
If you are required to and/or have decided to have a copy bound, you will need to follow the style guidelines below required for binding. It is your responsibility to follow the requirements below or you will have to reprint your thesis.