Mastering Your Thesis: Formatting, Copyright, and Submission Made Easy

In preparation for submission, gather the following:

• Word Document (.doc/.docx): Ensure your approved thesis is in this format. If you used track changes during the review, turn off Track Changes and remove all comments.
• Abstract: Provide a summary of your work.
• Keywords: List 3-10 keywords to help readers find your work.
• Advisor and Committee Information: Know how your advisor and committee members prefer to be addressed. Do they prefer "Ph.D." after their name or "Dr."?
• Rename File: Name the file using the following convention: FullName_Department_TypeOfWork_Year

An abstract is a concise summary or a preview of your research. The abstract should not exceed 350 words.

While writing an abstract consider:

• Reason for writing: What is the importance of your research? Why would a reader be interested in reading your research?
• Problem: What problem does your work attempt to solve? What is the scope of the project? What is the main argument/thesis/claim?
• Methodology: An abstract of a scientific work may include specific models or approaches used in the larger study. Other abstracts may describe the types of evidence used in the research.
• Results: An abstract of a scientific work may include specific data that indicates the results of the project. Other abstracts may discuss the findings in a more general way.
• Implications: What changes should be implemented as a result of the findings of your research? How does this work add to the body of knowledge on the topic?

Proofread your abstract! Your title and abstract will be used by search engines to help potential audiences locate your work. Readers use abstracts to decide whether a text is relevant to their own research. 

Source: The Writing Center at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Keywords help readers discover your work. They should be important words and concepts found in your research question. Use full phrases or single words, avoiding acronyms or abbreviations. The University of Texas has a Keyword Generator to help you in identifying keywords for your research. Test your keywords in Google or Google Scholar to see if they yield research similar to your work. 

Name the file that you submit using the convention specified: FullName_Department_TypeOfWork_Year

Example:

• JaneDoe_English_Thesis_2025
• JaneDoe_English_Dissertation_2025
• JaneDoe_English_ResearchProject_2025

Group Example:

• IggyLion_JohnDoe_JaneDoe_English_Thesis_2025
• IggyLion_JohnDoe_JaneDoe_English_Dissertation_2025