Abstract

The abstract briefly summarizes the contents of the document. For dissertations, the abstract is limited to 350 words; for theses, 150 words. Be advised that editors at UMI Dissertation Services, without consulting the author, will shorten abstracts that exceed these limits.

Appendix A in the pdf version of the Guidelines depicts the format for the abstract. The word "ABSTRACT" is a first-level heading and is capitalized, centered, and positioned 2.5 inches below the top of the page. After a double-space, type (centered) the full title of the dissertation or thesis in uppercase and lowercase lettering (i.e., headline style: see Turabian, 4.6-4.8). Titles of two or more lines are single-spaced. Be sure the title that appears on the Abstract is the same as on the Signature/Title page. After another double-space, type (centered) the full name of the graduate student in uppercase and lowercase lettering exactly as written on the signature/title page. After another double-space, type (centered) "Mentor:" followed by the full name of the faculty mentor and his/her degree in uppercase and lowercase lettering. [Some programs may prefer a designation other than "Mentor"; alternatives include "Committee Chairperson", "Thesis Chairperson", or other suitable label. The practice followed should be consistent within a program; consult the Graduate Program Director in your department for the appropriate designation.] The body of the abstract then begins after a triple-space with the first line indented. Text of the Abstract is double spaced. As for all other pages in the document, the margins are 1.5 inches on the left and 1.0 inches at top (for pages other than the first one), right, and bottom. The Abstract page is unpaginated.

See a sample abstract page at http://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=67423.

A sample abstract page is also available in a Word Document found here:

Sample Abstract Page

Signature Page

After printing and before obtaining these signatures, check with the Mrs. Harman in the Graduate School to verify that the format of the signature page is correct. Three signature pages, each bearing original signatures, are required. We recommend that these pages be printed and ready for committee members' signatures upon approval of the dissertation or thesis at the time of the oral defense.

To avoid placing signature images on the internet, an unsigned signature page is inserted in the final document for electronic submission.

Complete and print three of these pages for signing at the defense. Keep an unsigned one to insert in the electronic document. It is preferable to use the Word formatted page from our website, found at "Forms Needed for the ETD", under "Signature Page" at http://www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=43441.

The Signature page is unpaginated.

Copyright Page

Dissertation and thesis students are entitled by law to claim copyright privileges, whether the copyright is registered or not. Therefore, all dissertations and theses will contain a copyright page with the information as listed below. You should discuss whether or not to register your copyright with your mentor and department; copyright information booklets are available for your use in the office of the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the Graduate School. ProQuest has posted a short, accessible copyright information booklet. A more extensive guide, entitled "Copyright Law & Graduate Research" by Law Professor Kenneth D. Crews, may also be found on ProQuest's website. The U.S. Copyright Office provides extensive information as well.

For dissertation students, copyright registration is optional; however, traditional publishing through ProQuest/UMI is required for doctoral students. Complete the ProQuest/UMI form available online.

The typing on the copyright page consists of two centered lines typed near the bottom margin (Appendix D). The first line begins at approximately 9.5 inches below the top of the page; it includes the year of graduation and the name of the student as it appears elsewhere in the document (Turabian, A.2.1, p. 386). The second line follows after a double-space and reads "All rights reserved" (note the capitalization), leaving a bottom margin of approximately one inch.

The copyright page is unpaginated

Sample Copyright Page

Using Copyrighted Material and Avoiding Plagiarism in Dissertations and Theses

Serious problems, both legal and scholarly, can result from plagiarism and copyright violations. Most material found in another source (third party content) is protected by copyright. Therefore, if this content is used in a dissertation or thesis (or any other research document)—whether paraphrased or directly quoted—there are two choices:

1. If a case for an exception to the copyright law (Fair Use) can be made, the third party content must be appropriately cited. This includes third party content that was created by the same person who is writing the dissertation or thesis, and it includes third party content that was created by the student's advisor or mentor. In a situation where the student's doctoral dissertation is based on that student's master's thesis, this fact should be acknowledged and the master's thesis must be cited in the dissertation.

2. If no exception to copyright law can be applied, the creator of the dissertation or thesis must contact the copyright holder to ask for and obtain permission to use the content in the dissertation or thesis. This content still must be cited appropriately.

In many of Baylor's graduate programs, publication of dissertation research has become a requirement for earning the degree. Since you will need to include this published research in your dissertation, you need to be certain that the publisher of your journal article will allow you to do so. This is handled during the publication process as you negotiate the copyright assignment agreement with the journal publisher. For more information on this vital topic, consult the Avoiding Copyright and Plagiarism Issues document.

For each chapter of your dissertation or thesis that represents a published paper, you will need to provide the full literature citation for that published article. This is done on the first page of the chapter, following the chapter title. Double-space after the chapter title, then type "This chapter published as:" and then insert the full citation, using the format specified by your style guide. This citation statement will be centered. Following this statement, you will continue with spacing as specified under "Chapters" on p. 12 of the pdf of the Guidelines.

Note also that you will submit a form, "Copyright and Availability Form", that certifies that you have obtained written permissions for use of copyrighted materials. We in the Graduate School office are here to assist you and your professor as you navigate these important matters. You may direct questions to copyright@baylor.edu.