Qatar University Office of Graduate Studies GRADUATE ACADEMIC MANUAL. 2. Procedure for Thesis/Dissertation Proposal, Comprehensive Exam, and Defense

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1 Qatar University Office of Graduate Studies GRADUATE ACADEMIC MANUAL 1. Introduction: This manual summarizes the relevant rules and regulations of graduate studies in Qatar University. This manual should be used by advisors and graduate students as well as anyone involved with graduate studies. Students should also consult the relevant sections on graduate studies in the latest edition of the QU Graduate Catalog for other guidelines. 2. Procedure for Thesis/Dissertation Proposal, Comprehensive Exam, and Defense 1. During the course of the graduate program followed by a graduate student, the student is expected to meet with faculty members in the Department in which he/she is enrolled to discuss possible Thesis/Dissertation research topics and arrange to have a Thesis/Dissertation Advisor. Normally, the Thesis/Dissertation Advisor (a member of the graduate faculty within the College) is from among the full-time faculty of the Department. 2. Students are expected to start working on their research Thesis/Dissertation no later than the third semester of joining the graduate program. The student must present to the Associate Dean a written Thesis/Dissertation proposal, approved by the Thesis/Dissertation Advisor, stating the project objectives, scope of work with relevant literature, research methodology, expected results, and indicating the expected date of graduation. 3. The Advisor (with input from the student when applicable) selects the Thesis/Dissertation committee members (as applicable) and forwards it to the Associate Dean for administrative approval. 4. The Thesis/Dissertation Committee shall be composed of at least 3 faculty members. At least two members of the Committee must be members of the Department/College to which the student belongs. One of those committee members is the faculty supervisor of the Thesis/Dissertation. For the Dissertation committee, at least one member should be selected from outside Qatar University. This external member must be a renowned individual in the research area of the PhD Dissertation topic and will serve as the external PhD examiner. In some Master programs, sending the Thesis to an external examiner for final evaluation will be sufficient. Exceptions will be considered on individual cases by the Office of Graduate Studies. 5. The student should discuss his/her Thesis/Dissertation Proposal with members of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee and get their approval. The student s Proposal must be

2 signed by all members of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee prior to its submittal by the Associate Dean to the Graduate Studies Office/Committee (Complete Form 1) 6. It is the student s responsibility to keep members of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee informed of the progress of his/her work and to seek their input. 7. Registration for the Thesis/Dissertation credits is done according to the QU procedure and guidelines for registering a course for more than one semester. 8. A student must be registered for the Thesis/Dissertation or at least one course in the term in which he/she is expected to graduate in order to present his/her defense. 9. A form to request defense at the end of a particular semester should be submitted within the first two weeks of that semester (Complete Form 2) 10. A final draft of the Thesis/Dissertation should not be prepared before it is discussed with each member of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee. The final draft of the Thesis/Dissertation should be submitted to each member of the Thesis/Dissertation Committee at least three weeks before the date of the Thesis/Dissertation defense. 11. For the PhD exam, the Thesis/Dissertation Committee should serve as the Comprehensive Examination Committee. 12. The Comprehensive Examination should be taken as soon as the student completes program course requirements and no later than the fifth semester of joining the graduate program. A student who does not pass the Comprehensive Examination may take it a second time during the following semester. Failing the Comprehensive Examination a second time could be grounds for the student s dismissal from the program. Under special circumstances, a third attempt is given to a student to take the Comprehensive Examination. This special permission must be approved by the Associate Dean in coordination with the Department Chair, Dean of the College and the Office of Graduate Studies (Complete Form 3) 13. The Thesis/Dissertation defense should be open to public and should be announced at least two weeks in advance. 14. The results of the Comprehensive Examination and Thesis/Dissertation Defense should be reported on Form Final recommendation of the defense and examination can be one of the following options: a. Pass with no modifications: Accepted as it stands b. Pass with minor modifications: Minor errors or minor editorial amendments are deemed necessary. These need to be specified to the candidate who will have a maximum of two months to make these corrections. c. Pass with major modifications: The Thesis/Dissertation is considered to contain limited deficiencies. A time period of a maximum of six months is usually specified in order to make the necessary changes. d. Fail: Work is not acceptable. 16. Submit all material to the Office of Graduate Studies (Complete Form 4)

3 Qatar University Office of Graduate Studies THESIS/DISSERTATION FORMAT AND LAYOUT Typing Specifications It is very important in typing a Thesis/Dissertation to have consistency of the format and to adherence to the specific instructions given in this guide. The text format should be double-spaced throughout the whole document. Use a standard 12-point size. You are allowed to use larger size type for the title of the Thesis/Dissertation and for chapter headings, as long as it is not larger than 18-point. Boldface type may also be used on the title page and for headings, as well as in the text, for special symbols or for emphasis. Reduced type may be used within tables, figures, and appendices, but it should be at least 9-point in size and must be completely legible. It is permissible to use color in the document. Begin each chapter on a new page. Do the same with each element of the front matter (list of tables, acknowledgments, etc.), the reference section, and each appendix. Try to avoid typing a heading near the bottom of a page unless there is room for at least two lines of text following the heading. Instead, you should simply leave a little extra space on that page and begin the heading on the next page. Margins A 1.25 margin on all sides is required, but keep in mind that a wider left margin (e.g., 1.5 ) may be more appropriate for binding purposes. Page Numbers Every page in the document, including those with tables and figures, must be counted. Use lower case Roman numerals for the front matter and Arabic numbers for the text. The text (or body) of the Thesis/Dissertation must begin on page 1. Do not number a page with a or b or skip numbers and do not type the word page before the page number. A one-page vita is required as the last page of a Thesis/Dissertation. The title page does not show a page number, although it is actually page i. The committee page is page ii, and the Abstract begins in page iii. Page numbers may be placed in the upper right-hand corner or lower right-hand corner only. Allow a reasonable distance between the page number and any text; and the page number should not overlap with the text. Documentation of References/Sources in the Text Reference/Source citations are required in the text whenever you use a direct quotation, paraphrase another author s words, or include specific information that is not common knowledge (and is not the result of your own research reported in the Thesis/Dissertation). Systems of source citation fall generally into three categories: (1) parenthetical author-date-page documentation; (2) citation by number, keyed to a numbered reference list; and (3) footnotes or endnotes. Select one of these systems and

4 use it throughout the Thesis/Dissertation. A Thesis/Dissertation using one of the first two systems could also include footnotes presenting non-source information or comments. References in the text must correspond exactly to the listing of sources at the end of the Thesis/Dissertation. Be certain that all items are included in the reference or bibliography list, authors names are spelled consistently and correctly, and dates are the same in both the text and the reference list. FRONT MATTER The term front matter refers to all the pages in front of the main text of the Thesis/Dissertation. Front matter pages are numbered with lower case Roman numerals. These pages are: title page (no page number) committee page (page ii) abstract (begins on page iii) table of contents lists of figures, abbreviations, maps, tables or multimedia items preface (optional) acknowledgments (optional) dedication (optional) The abstract is required in every Thesis/Dissertation and begins on page iii. The table of contents is also required. Acknowledgments are optional as well as dedication. Title Page The title page must appear exactly as shown in the sample page given below in this guide. Type the title of the Thesis/Dissertation using capital letters throughout. If it occupies more than one line, double space between lines. Use word substitutes for formulas, symbols, superscripts, Greek letters, and other non-alphabetical symbols in the title of the Thesis/Dissertation. Master s candidates should use Thesis, and doctoral candidates should use Dissertation on the title page. Use your legal name as it appears on your student record in the Admission s Office. On the copyright line, use the word Copyright or the symbol (not both), followed by the year and your name. On the date line, indicate the month and year of degree conferral, not the date of the defense or the date you submit your Thesis/Dissertation. At Qatar University, degrees are conferred only in June and January. Abstract Every Thesis/Dissertation must contain an abstract. An abstract is a concise summary of the Thesis/Dissertation, intended to inform prospective readers about its content. It usually includes a brief description of the research, the procedures or methods, and the results or conclusions. An abstract should not include internal headings, citations listed in the reference section, diagrams, or other illustrations. The abstract follows the committee

5 page and has the heading ABSTRACT at the top. It should begin on page iii. The length of the abstract should not be more than 350 words. Table of Contents The table of contents is essentially a topic outline of the Thesis/Dissertation. It is compiled by listing the headings in the document. Try to include all level headings (firstlevel headings, second-level headings, etc.) The table of contents must appear immediately after the abstract and should include everything that appears after the table of contents, including the list of figures, list of tables, etc. Be sure that the headings listed in the table of contents match word-for-word the headings in the text. Double check to be sure that correct page numbers are shown. In appendices, indicate the title of each appendix. List of Figures, List of Tables, etc. Include a list of figures (illustrations) and a list of tables if you have one or more items in these categories. Use a separate page for each list. Show the caption and page number of every figure and table in the Thesis/Dissertation. Also include lists for abbreviations, nomenclature, maps, etc. Preface A preface usually is not necessary unless required by your program. If there are separate sections for preface and acknowledgments, the preface comes first. Acknowledgments You are required to declare the extent to which assistance has been given to you by members of faculty staff, fellow students, technicians, family members and/or others in the collection of data, the design and construction of tools/methods, the experiments/testing/validations, the analysis/synthesize of findings/data, and the preparation of the Thesis/Dissertation including editorial assistance, as well as acknowledgment of any financial support from any sources, etc. Dedication You may choose to dedicate the Thesis/Dissertation to a certain person.

6 Dissertation/Thesis Technical content May differ from one discipline to another, but may include some or all of the following items: Introduction: This component summarizes the research problem the student is addressing in the Thesis/Dissertation. This should clearly define the research problem(s), and unambiguously state the rationale and objectives of the research. The introduction should also provide a context to prepare the readers upfront on what are expected in the rest of the Thesis/Dissertation including a break-down of the proposed solutions into parts that could be explained in the latter chapters. Background and/or Literature Survey: A comprehensive review of the relevant literature according to disciplinary norms containing the weaknesses/deficiencies of existing work related to the research problem(s) addressed in the Thesis/Dissertation. It includes an account on how others have addressed this or similar problem(s), which approach(es) were used, etc. Approach/Methodology: The research approach/methodology is a tool or a set of tools and techniques that are used to conduct research. The thesis should describe which approach(s)/methodologies are adapted in this research, why these are selected over others, how these are applied in the research. Implementation/Research Findings: This component can be presented in more than one chapter which could clearly present the findings of the research with adequate data. It includes a description on how the approach has been applied/implemented, algorithms, architectures, process diagrams etc. Evaluation/Validation: This component should provide an account on how the findings have been evaluated, tested, and finally validated. The data of the verification /testing/ experiment should also be presented with adequate explanation. Discussion: An in-depth scholarly discussion on the findings should be provided along with future research directions. It should also include a details account on why the findings of the Thesis/Dissertation are better than the previous or exiting results done by others. Conclusion: This component should restate the major theme and findings of the Thesis/Dissertation, and pull the entire Thesis/Dissertation together.

7 BACK MATTER The back matter (or end matter) of the thesis may include some or all of the following items: References or bibliography (may be in back matter or at the end of each chapter) Appendices (comes after references) Endnotes or notes (if any, they may be in back matter or at the end of each chapter) Vita (always as the last page of the Dissertation/Thesis) References or Bibliography A thesis must include a bibliography or reference section listing all works which are referred to in the text, and in some cases other works also consulted in the course of research and writing. The forms used for listing sources in the bibliography/reference section are detailed and complicated, and they vary considerably among academic disciplines. For this reason, you will need to follow a scholarly style manual in your field or perhaps a recent issue of a leading journal as a guide in compiling this section of the thesis. Appendices Material that is pertinent but is very detailed (raw data, procedural explanations, etc.) may be placed in an appendix. Appendices should be designated A, B, C (not 1, 2, 3 or I, II, III). If there is only one appendix, call it simply Appendix, not Appendix A. Titles of appendices must be listed in the table of contents. Appendix pages must be numbered consecutively with the text of the thesis (do not number the pages A-1, A-2, etc.). Vita Required only in doctoral dissertations, the vita must be the last page of the document. It must not have a page number and must not be listed in the Table of Contents. The word Vita and the author s name should appear at the top. A standard outline style or a prose form may be used. In no case may the vita be more than one page in length. TABLES AND FIGURES A table is a columnar arrangement of information, often numbers, organized to save space and convey relationships at a glance. A rule of thumb to use in deciding whether given materials are tables or figures is that tables can be typed, but figures must be drawn. A figure is a graphic illustration such as a chart, graph, diagram, map, or photograph.

8 Captions and Numbering Each table and each figure in the text must have a number and caption. Number them consecutively throughout, beginning with 1, or by chapter using a decimal system (e.g., 1.1, ). A table caption is placed on top of the table but a figure caption must be placed on the bottom of the particular figure. Placement of Tables and Figures It is best to place a table or figure immediately after the first mention of it in the text on the same page if there is room, or on the following page. Alternatively, tables and/or figures may be grouped together at the end of each chapter. Tables or figures of peripheral importance to the text may be placed in an appendix. Tables and figures must be referred to in the text by number, not by a phrase such as the following table. OVERSIZED MATERIALS If you are having trouble fitting a table or a figure within the margins, even after relaxing each margin by.25 inch, you may want to use one of the following options. Landscape Pages: Place a table or figure sideways (landscape style) on the page Counterclockwise: from its normal position. Rotate the caption or heading also, so that all parts can be conveniently read together. The page number may be rotated with the figure as well. Reduced Type Size: Reduce the font size of the table or figure. The size should be no smaller than 9-point.

9 SAMPLE OF MASTER S TITLE PAGE QATAR UNIVERSITY Graduate Studies College Name TITLE OF THESIS, BOLD, CENTERED AND DOUBLE-SPACED A Thesis in Name of Department By Your name as it appears in your Transcript 2012 Your Name here Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science/Arts June 2012

10 SAMPLE OF DOCTORAL TITLE PAGE QATAR UNIVERSITY Graduate Studies College Name TITLE OF DISSERTATION, BOLD, CENTERED AND DOUBLE-SPACED A Dissertation in Name of the Department By Your name as it appears in your Transcript 2012 Your name Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 2012

11 SAMPLE COMMITTEE PAGE The thesis of your name was reviewed and approved by the following: We, the committee members listed below accept and approve the Thesis/Dissertation of the student named above. To the best of this committee s knowledge, the Thesis/Dissertation conforms the requirements of Qatar University, and we endorse this Thesis/Dissertation for examination. Name Signature Date Name Signature Date Name Signature Date

12 SAMPLE OF TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables v List of Figures... vi Acknowledgements... ix Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION The Role... 1 Responsibility... 9 Electronic Submission Chapter 2. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS Paper Print and Photocopy Quality Typing Specifications Reference/Bibliography Appendix A: Sample Pages Appendix B: Forms and Deadlines

13 Graduate Student Thesis/Dissertation Flowchart [Note: Student should refer to Graduate Academic Manual for further details] Student Admitted to QU Student meet with faculty members to discuss potential research areas and topics (while doing his/her coursework) Student choose supervisor and discuss research areas and topics Student present to the Advisor a written Thesis/Dissertation proposal Select Thesis/Dissertation Committee members and send to Associate Dean for approval Prepare and present research Proposal to Thesis/Dissertation Committee [Complete Form 1] Start research [no later than the third semester of joining the graduate program] Prepare and sit for comprehensive examination [no later than the fifth semester of joining the graduate program]

14 Submit Form 2 requesting for thesis defense [submit form to request defense should be submitted within the first two weeks of the final semester] Discuss with Thesis/Dissertation Committee regarding Thesis/Dissertation defense Submit final draft of thesis to Thesis/Dissertation Committee [submit at least three weeks before the date of the Thesis/Dissertation defense] Thesis/Dissertation defense [Form 3 will be completed by the Thesis/Dissertation Committee] Obtain result of Thesis/Dissertation defense Submit all documents to Office of Graduate Studies [Complete Form 4]