THESIS MANUAL GRNS 391 DEPARTMENT OF NURSING GRADUATE PROGRAM COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH SCIENCES THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT Approved 12/98 Revised 6/01, 7/02, 11/03, 10/13, 1/2014
Contents Thesis Completion Dates... 1 GRNS 391 Master s Thesis... 2 Overview of Thesis... 3 Thesis Committee Form... 5 Guidelines for Writing a Thesis... 7 Thesis Format... 9 Standard Thesis Format... 9 Journal Article Format... 11 Thesis Defense... 12 Preparing For Thesis Defense... 13 Appendix A... 15
Thesis Completion Dates Final Deadlines to Be An October, January, or May Graduate: MAY 2014 October 2014 January 2015 Intent to Graduate Form February 1 August 1 November 1 Graduate College Format/Record Check March 7 August 8 October 24 Oral Defense of Thesis: March 28 August 29 November 14 Final Thesis/Dissertation to Grad College April 11 September 19 December 5 *Forms and Guidelines are available on the Graduate College website under Current Students/ Forms and Policies 1
GRNS 391 Master s Thesis Credit: Six Credit Hours Prerequisite: GRNS 321, 322, 323, 324 Approval of Thesis Committee Pre/Co-requisite: Course Description: Course Objectives: Comprehensive Exam (Completed prior to Thesis Defense) Student-designed, implemented, and written research relevant to nursing/health care. Upon completion of this course, the student will demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and defend a research study relevant to nursing. Approved 11/87 Revised 11/90, 5/92, 12/98, 2/00, 7/02, 1/14 2
Overview of Thesis Overview The thesis option is a capstone experience of the graduate program. The thesis is an opportunity for you to conduct independent research with faculty supervision. Students are required to complete a written thesis as well as present and defend the thesis orally upon its completion. The selection of a thesis topic is an important decision. Students are strongly encouraged to discuss their topic with their academic advisor before making a decision. Discussion should start early. It is common for a student to explore and outline topics for a thesis when enrolled in core courses or the first clinical course. Plan to have your proposal outlined once you complete the core courses and your initial clinical course. To register for a thesis, the student must have successfully completed the GRNS core courses. You can register for GRNS 391 6 credits all at once or you may split the credits over more than one semester i.e., GRNS 391-3 credits fall semester and GRNS 391-3 credits spring semester. In the semester when you register for your first Thesis credits, attendance is expected at the seminars for Thesis/Project Series (Scholarly Discussion, see Appendix A). Complete the Defense Committee Membership form on page 5 at the beginning of the semester that you are planning to defend your thesis. Faculty advisement is a critical aspect of thesis development. Keep in mind that faculty appointments are for the academic year; therefore they are not available during the summer months (June through August). You should plan carefully in establishing the required thesis committee and in determining the nature and extent of the work you may undertake during the summer months. The thesis is usually completed during the last semester of the student s program, but may be completed prior to the final semester. Thesis Committee The purpose of the thesis committee is to guide you in completion of the thesis requirement of the Master of Science program in the Department of Nursing. As noted in the UVM Graduate Catalogue, the Thesis Defense Examination Committee is comprised of a minimum of three University of Vermont faculty, at least two of whom must be regular members of the Graduate Faculty: http://www.uvm.edu/academics/catalogue2013-14/?page=faculty/facultya-z.php&type=graduate&sm=facultymenu.html The third member, who acts as chair of the Thesis Defense Committee, must be a member of the graduate faculty and must be from a different program and department than the candidate for the master s degree. 3
In the Department of Nursing the student s academic advisor may become your thesis advisor or your academic advisor can assist you in identifying a thesis advisor who, in conjunction with other members of the Committee, supervises the ongoing development and completion of the thesis. The chair of the Thesis Defense Examination Committee (non-nursing member) conducts the Defense Examination and ensures that appropriate thesis documents are executed in keeping with the UVM Graduate College policy and guidelines for thesis completion. Choosing Your Committee Your academic advisor can assist you in identifying committee members as the advisor is likely to be more acquainted with the expertise and working styles of a variety of faculty. Members of your committee are typically selected based upon their specific expertise. For example, you may identify a faculty member who has worked extensively with a certain type of research design that you are using, or perhaps an individual who has worked from a different but complementary theoretical perspective. Check the Department of Nursing website for a listing of Faculty Research Interest: http://www.uvm.edu/~cnhs/?page=research.html&sm=researchmenu.html The chair of your thesis Defense Committee is both your advocate and bearer of standards for the University as a whole. It can be helpful to identify a chair whose scholarly expertise is closely related to your thesis but it is not necessary. In fact, a chair who has considerable distance from your field may ask penetrating questions and offer creative perspectives that may be overlooked by whose who are immersed in your field and its traditions. As you work with your academic advisor to assemble your committee, consider your own background. What are the strengths and gaps in your expertise? What sorts of additional support (scholarly, motivational, practical, and psychological) would you find useful? Try to find committee members who will make those contributions. 4
THE UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF NURSING Thesis Committee Form Student Name: Thesis Title: Committee Membership* Thesis Advisor Faculty Member Faculty Member Thesis Committee Chair (Department of Nursing Faculty and Member of the UVM Graduate College Faculty) (Second Member Dept. of Nursing or UVM Faculty) (Third Member optional) (Member outside Dept. of Nursing Faculty and Member of the UVM Graduate College Faculty) Student Signature & Date *It is the student s responsibility to complete this form and return to the Graduate Program Secretary in Rowell 216 by published due dates (page 1.). Student Name: Thesis Title: Proposal Accepted* Thesis Advisor Signature & Date (Department of Nursing Faculty and Member of the UVM Graduate College Faculty) 5
Faculty Member Signature & Date Faculty Member Signature & Date Thesis Committee Chair Signature & Date (Second Member-Dept. of Nursing or UVM Faculty) (Third Member - optional) (Member outside Dept. of Nursing Faculty and Member of the UVM Graduate College Faculty) *It is the student s responsibility to obtain each committee member s signature after acceptance of proposal and return to the Graduate Program Secretary in Rowell 216 so that it may be placed in your file. Student Name: Thesis Title: Written Thesis Approved/Defense Completed * Thesis Advisor Signature & Date Faculty Signature & Date Faculty Signature & Date Faculty (Chair) Signature & Date (Department of Nursing Faculty and Member of the UVM Graduate College Faculty) (Second Member Dept. of Nursing or UVM Faculty) (Third Member optional) (Member outside Dept. of Nursing Faculty and Member of the UVM Graduate College Faculty) *Student is responsible for giving this form to the committee and submitting it to the Graduate Program Secretary once completed. Final Copy Received and Filed - (check) 6
Guidelines for Writing a Thesis You must prepare a thesis proposal (Chapters I-III) before you conduct your research. You need to know that the investment you plan to make in scholarship and writing is well grounded and has promise of meeting the standards of your program and the University. The thesis proposal must be approved by your Thesis Committee and by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) (http://osp.uvm.edu) before data collection begins. Completion of a tutorial, Protection of Human Subjects in Research is required for all researchers who have direct involvement with human subjects. The tutorial can be accessed through the following web site: http://www.uvm.edu/osp, click on Human Subjects Research, then Tutorial. You need to know that the investment you plan to make in scholarship and writing is well grounded and has promise of meeting the standards of your program and the University. Find out how your committee wants to review your progress. Review your schedule and theirs. Find out if anyone plans on being away during the critical weeks leading up to the thesis defense. Ask your committee if they want to read sections of chapters or whole chapters as you complete them. Some committee members prefer to receive an entire polished draft at one time. Others may want to read a chapter or two at a time. Find out and agree on a reasonable turn-around time. Early consultation with your committee members gives them a better sense of your work and the ability to contribute ideas to strengthen the final product. Remember, your goal is to develop a high-quality thesis. Feedback from your committee serves that end. Use a writing style manual specified later in this document. Read the style manual before you write anything. No matter how skilled and experienced, all writers catch themselves with comma splices, dangling participles, run-on sentences, which mixed up with that, and other stylisticgrammatical errors. Remember the thesis reflects your own scholarly ability, and a poorly written, poorly organized thesis will not serve you well. Typing your own thesis gives you maximum control over the final product. Some graduate students use a typist. A good place to start looking is within your own department. The secretarial staff may not be able to type your thesis, but they often know people who are looking for typing work. Negotiate terms (i.e., time frames, costs) with your typist. If your project is full of technical terms (e.g., chemical formulae), non-standard alphabets (e.g. classical Greek), or charts and graphs, discuss the typist s experience and inquire whether there is an extra fee. In any case, be sure to give your typist a copy of the format requirements. Time Line for Thesis Completion. Once your thesis topic has been selected and your research is well underway, you should recognize how much time is needed for key events to occur. These dates become critical only after you are able to project a reasonable time line based on the way your research is unfolding. Keep in mind that much time goes into the development of multiple drafts to your committee. Allow your committee members a minimum of two weeks to read and 7
critique drafts of your thesis. You must defend your thesis at least one month (4 weeks) before graduation. The final corrected thesis must be submitted to the Graduate College at least two weeks before scheduled graduation date. The reasonable generalization you should make is that the process will take a minimum of three months between your first polished draft and your targeted graduation date. Each step is critical to completing your degree on time. For example, the format check by the Graduate College office triggers very important activities. Not only is the format of your thesis reviewed, but (1) an announcement of the thesis defense is published and circulated to your defense committee, academic advisor, and various departments; (2) paperwork associated with the actual defense is prepared; (3) a check of your academic records is made to ensure that all requirements for the degree will have been completed including missing and incomplete grades; and (4) your current GPA is recalculated to confirm that you have attained the required minimum 3.0 average. Once you have a rough schedule blocked out, discuss it with your thesis advisor and make appropriate modifications. Write it down and keep it in front of you. Some dates set by the University and the Graduate College are carved in stone. Others are agreed upon by your defense committee. Keep in mind the wisdom of building some flexibility into your schedule. If you cannot keep to your schedule due to unforeseen circumstances (e.g., your typist falls ill; you find you need to collect additional data; or a general emergency arises), you must first contact your thesis advisor. Second, contact the Graduate College. If the deadlines cannot be made your name will be moved to the next graduation deadline. We will work with you to minimize disruption to your post-graduation plans, for example, the Graduate College is happy to provide formal notice to prospective employers that you have completed all requirements and that your degree will be conferred at the next graduation. 8
Thesis Format The Graduate College and the Department of Nursing accept either (1) the Standard Thesis or (2) the Journal Article Thesis. The Graduate College Guidelines for Writing a Master s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation can be found on the Graduate College web site located at http://www.uvm.edu/~gradcoll/forms/guidelines.pdf. For APA style format you will want the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th ed. (American Psychological Association) It is the student s responsibility to meet all department requirements. Standard Thesis Format The following is a list of items which are typically included in a Standard Thesis. Not all of the suggested categories are necessary or appropriate for all studies, and the order of items within chapters may vary somewhat. The organization of each chapter must include an introduction which presents the overview of the chapter and a summary which highlights the major points of the chapter. These items are intended to serve as a guide: Title Page Acceptance Page Acknowledgements Abstract Table of Contents List of Tables List of Figures Chapter I Introduction Introduction Overview of the research problem Explanation of why the problem is worth exploring Purpose of the study Theoretical framework Hypotheses/Questions/Aims/Proposition/Objectives Significance: The contribution the proposed study will make to theory and/or practice 9
Chapter II Review of Literature This chapter provides a context for the proposed study and demonstrates why it is important and timely. Clarify the relationship between the proposed study and previous work on the topic. Convince the reader that the proposed study is important. The literature review is NOT a compilation of facts and feelings, but a coherent argument that convinces the reader of the need for the proposed study. Chapter III Method In the introductory paragraph describe the organization of the chapter. Describe the exact steps followed to answer the question or test the hypothesis. Typical subsections: Research Design Definitions Subjects or Participants including Sampling Strategy Protection of Human Subjects Instrumentation/Measures/Interview Guide Procedures Data Analysis Chapter IV Results This section contains just the facts: tables, figures, and your description of what is important. Begin with a description of the sample. Organize the results around answering the research questions or hypotheses. Reliability of Instruments. Chapter V - Discussion Overview of the significant findings. Explain the relationship of findings to existing research studies. Implications of the study for practice, education, health policy Conclusions. Limitations of the study. Recommendations for further research. References Appendices 10
Journal Article Format The Journal Article Thesis includes one or more articles prepared according to the style requirements of a scholarly journal so that the article is suitable for publication. The article should avoid extreme brevity and be understandable to the members of the candidate's thesis/dissertation committee even if this necessitates some elaboration of the standard article format; and the context for the article described as follows: Specific requirements are: 1. The student must use the publication style of either (1) one of the discipline's reading periodicals or (2) the published standards of the professional association or discipline (e.g., Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association). 2. The Abstract is a summary of the entire thesis/dissertation. 3. The main body of the thesis will include one article in approved journal style. The following are also required: (1) a Comprehensive Literature Review to precede the individual article to provide an integrated perspective to the total body of research and literature; and (2) a Comprehensive Bibliography, including all references in the individual article as well as those from the Comprehensive Literature Review. 4. Any article comprising a major portion of a thesis or dissertation must be the work of the student. The student must be the sole author or, if there is more than one author, the primary and first listed author of articles prepared for publication. In situations of more than one author, it is the responsibility of the studies/defense committee to determine that the research and writing is indeed that of the candidate for the degree. Each article will contain its own reference section in addition to the comprehensive bibliography. The comprehensive bibliography must be in alphabetical order by last name of Author. The Journal Article Thesis contains appropriate appendices needed for detailed and ancillary information required for completeness and explanation but not usually presented in a published paper. The organization of a Journal Article Thesis is as follows: 11
o Title Page o Acceptance Page o Abstract Page - for entire thesis o Acknowledgement Page (optional) o Table of Contents o List of Tables o List of Figures o Chapter 1 (including significance to Advanced Practice Nursing) o Comprehensive Literature Review o Article - Format follows journals' specific requirements, including reference sections o Comprehensive Bibliography - Alphabetical order by last name of author o Appendices (at the end) Thesis Defense See the Graduate College s guidelines for specific directions regarding your defense and formatting of your thesis on the Graduate College web: http://www.uvm.edu/~gradcoll/pdf/guidelines%20for%20writing%20and%20defending%20thesis %20and%20Disseration.pdf The public presentation of your thesis is your opportunity to defend your work. You will be expected to clearly articulate the integration of the knowledge you have learned throughout your program of study. Your final written and oral presentation will serve to demonstrate achievement of the required graduate competencies for the Department of Nursing. Prior to your defense your committee will provide you with at least four specific questions that address the analysis and synthesis of core knowledge expected of all graduates from this program. Your job is to answer these questions via your written and/or oral presentation of your thesis. Additional questions may be asked at the time of your defense if you have not addressed these questions adequately. Questions will focus on the terminal objectives of the graduate program, namely that graduates of the program will be able to: 1. Incorporate theories and knowledge into advanced nursing practice; 2. Formulate theory-based decisions about nursing practice, education and/or administration; 3. Participate in the conduct of research; 4. Analyze and use research findings as the basis for clinical and organizational decisionmaking; 5. Assume leadership roles within the discipline of nursing and in health care; 6. Contribute to the improvement of delivery of health care; 7. Assume responsibility for sharing knowledge of nursing to further the goals of the profession. 12
The following are examples of what you can expect for your specific competency examination questions: 1. Compare and contrast the evidence in the literature to support your efforts in exploring/conducting this study. 2. Formulate a perspective as to how your study relates to, adds to, and/or changes knowledge about theoretical aspects of nursing practice. 3. Propose how the outcomes of your study may have implications for nursing practice at many levels. 4. Debate the leadership processes you might implement in order to address these implications. 5. Distinguish the outcomes of your study that are directly related to your contributions as an advanced practice nurse. Preparing For Thesis Defense The thesis defense is your opportunity to share your important research with the academic community. The thesis defense is open to visitors. You are encouraged to invite classmates, friends, and family to attend your defense and support you during this event. The thesis defense involves a formal presentation and appropriate dress for this formal occasion is expected. http://www.uvm.edu/~gradcoll/pdf/guidelines%20for%20writing%20and%20defending%20thesis %20and%20Disseration.pdf Unless you have made other plans with your thesis advisor, let your thesis advisor see a polished, not necessarily final, draft of the entire thesis a minimum of one month before your target defense date. When you feel that you are six or seven weeks away from your defense inform your committee that your defense is coming. It is not unusual to discover that one or more committee members is booked weeks (if not months) ahead. At first ask your committee members to hold two or three dates for your defense (preferably spread out over a few weeks). Soon thereafter, finalize the data and notify each committee member. Provide a draft with all your revisions to your committee a minimum of two weeks before the defense date. This will allow faculty time to read your thesis. Re-read your thesis for typos, grammatical errors, and so forth. A day or two before the deadline read it through again, this time for content. That way you will be more prepared for questions committee members may raise at the defense. 13
Carefully arrange the order of your presentation two weeks before the defense and prepare your Power Point presentation. Present your presentation to your peers for final critique. After you have set the date, talk with your thesis advisor and the chair of your defense committee to establish clear expectations of what will happen at the defense itself. At the defense: The Chair of the Defense will make introductions and establish the format for the defense. You will give a formal presentation approximately 20 minutes in length. The presentation should be accompanied by appropriate audiovisual material. Following your presentation, the Chair will ask for questions from the audience. The audience will be excused and the committee members will ask questions about your research. The Chair will excuse you while the committee deliberates and makes a decision about your success with the defense. You are called back in to receive the decision and any suggestions on final edits. 14
Project/Thesis Seminar Syllabus Appendix A Co-requisite: GRNS 390/391 Project/Thesis Credits: 1-3 Description: This seminar is required during the semester in which students enroll in project/thesis credits for the first time. The seminar is focused on the development of the master s level project or thesis to ensure a timely completion. Seminar content includes the procedures for project/thesis committee selection, library resources, writing and editing the project or thesis, and the IRB process. Students are expected to work with the supervising professors in the development of the proposal and timeline. Students will exchange their proposed study for peer review to get feedback on clarity of their writing before each chapter is submitted to the supervising professor. Course Objectives: At the completion of this course the student will be able to: 1. Formulate a nursing research question or problem based on a review of literature. 2. Develop and adhere to a timeline for completion of the project or thesis. 3. Apply a conceptual or theoretical framework to guide the development of the research study. 4. Write a literature review. 5. Develop a research design or project plan appropriate for the identified problem. 6. Describe and justify a plan for protection of human subjects in research. 7. Demonstrate professionalism in peer review. Assignments: Review the manual for Project or Thesis Attend all sessions of scholarly discussion (6-7 sessions during the semester) Create a timeline (dates agreed upon by student and lead faculty member) for your project/thesis that includes proposal, committee selection, completion of chapters 1,2,and 3 and IRB submission Create a proposal for your project/thesis Choose a committee (see manual for more detail) Write chapters 1 (include a conceptual or theoretical framework to guide your work) & 2 (literature review) Seek a peer reviewer for your paper before submission to the lead faculty member. The review should be all inclusive of grammar, APA and content. 15
Submit chapters 1&2 to faculty for review Write Chapter 3 (comprehensive description of the method for your project/thesis: quality improvement strategies, qualitative/ quantitative methods, recruitment of participants, data collection, etc.) Submit chapter 3 (how you will do your project) for review Rewrite chapters 1 and 2 based on faculty input. Complete and submit an IRB proposal and secure full approval for your project/thesis The above assignments are designed to prepare you to carry out your project/thesis plan; analyze/evaluate findings from your project/thesis (with appropriate support from a statistician or methods mentor); complete Chapter 4 in journal article or regular format; create a presentation for your defense; and present your project/thesis to your committee and the greater UVM community. Required Reading: Bonnel, W. & Smith, K. (2014). Proposal Writing for Nursing Capstones and Clinical Projects. New York: Springer Publishing Recommended Reading: Penrose, A. & Katz, S. (2010). Writing in the Sciences, Exploring Conventions of Scientific Discourse. New York: Longman Garrard, J. (2011). Health Sciences Literature Review Made Easy. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning Methods of Evaluation: Evidence of completion and submission of the timeline with ongoing adherence to the dates Completion and submission of the project/thesis manuscript for review Successful presentation of your project/ thesis before your committee and the greater Department of Nursing community 16