International
TESOL College
Office
of Graduate Studies
The
Master's Program Thesis Guidelines
Prepared By
The Committee on Graduate Studies
The Master's Thesis Guide
Writing a special research project is a traditional feature of academic programs at the Master's level. At International TESOL College, the development of a thesis is an option for completion of several degree programs. The role of the thesis in each program is specified in the Degree Requirements section of the Graduate Bulletin.
The primary purpose of the master's thesis is to demonstrate the student's capacity to conduct research in his or her field. While the thesis is expected to contribute to the body of knowledge in the field, emphasis is placed on the competent application of research method.
Students who decide to write a master's thesis must complete a thesis prospectus which must be approved by the student's thesis advisor, the Coordinator of the degree program, and the Dean of Graduate Studies.
The Thesis Advisor
The student will be guided by an advisor. It is the student's responsibility to meet with potential faculty advisors and to obtain the agreement of a faculty member to serve in this capacity. The Thesis Prospectus Seminar instructor may be of assistance in finding an appropriate advisor. Thesis advisors must be members of the graduate faculty of the degree program under which the thesis is to be completed. Alternate arrangements can be made only by approval of the Coordinator of the program and the Dean of Graduate Studies. After consulting with the thesis advisor, the candidate should select a second reader. The second reader must be provided with drafts of the thesis in a timely manner, so that suggestions and criticisms made by the second reader can be incorporated into the thesis. The second reader may be any member of the graduate faculty.
Topics and Methods for the
Thesis
Students who elect to complete a thesis for the master's degree must complete a prospectus and thesis which meet the following criteria:
The thesis topic or the method (or both) must be in the field in which the student is to receive the degree.
The student must demonstrate competence in the method proposed and be informed with respect to the topic, as demonstrated by appropriate course completion, professional experience, or the support of an appropriately informed faculty member.
The final determination as to the appropriateness of a topic and method, and the competence of a given student in either area, is made by the coordinator(s) of the graduate program in which the student is enrolled.
Methods
The thesis prospectus must describe the method which will be employed in developing the thesis. As a general rule, the student should have completed a graduate or upper-level undergraduate course covering the method proposed. The following is a summary of some methods which may be considered:
experimental and quasi-experimental projects;
program evaluations with methodologically suitable designs;
surveys and other descriptive techniques;
operations research techniques;
case and field studies;
theoretical studies;
content analyses.
A literature review by itself can be an acceptable thesis if it integrates new material heretofore not reviewed or available, or if it develops a new overview or integrating concept with respect to the meaning or implication of existing material. Historical studies are acceptable provided that the student can demonstrate competence in historical methods, and provided that the subject of the study is within the student's field of academic study.
In certain instances, a thesis may focus solely upon the development of a new method, such as the development of a new measurement scale or test, or the development of a new technique for the analysis of evidence. In such a thesis, the student is generally required not only to develop the method or device, but also to demonstrate reliability and validity in a methodologically appropriate manner.
The
Thesis Prospectus
The following is a suggested outline to follow in developing the thesis prospectus, which may be modified in consultation with the faculty member teaching the prospectus seminar, or the faculty advisor for the thesis. The page length suggestions are not mandatory. The student should remember that a well-prepared thesis prospectus can constitute a significant portion of the work of the thesis itself. When the prospectus is done well, the subsequent completion of the thesis itself is facilitated.
I. Introduction
The introduction is a statement of the problem, which you will examine in your thesis, or the question which you seek to answer. There are often two levels to this presentation: a discussion of the general topic area, such as "employee attrition", or "management style", and a discussion of your specific area of study, such as "the effect of higher pay on police officer attrition in New York City".
Often, the student is encouraged to provide the faculty member teaching the thesis prospectus course a brief summary of a proposed introduction, of less than one page, before expanding the introduction or developing other sections of the prospectus. This often saves time and effort, especially if the topic needs refinement.
II. Review of the Literature
The review of the literature should provide a discussion of the important studies of your thesis topic. This would include reports, books, articles, and source documents about the area of study itself, the topic, method of study, and any definitions or key terms in the project.
In the prospectus, the student may cite and summarize several reviews of an area by others, or a definitive textbook. This is most appropriate if the review will be very time consuming, or constitute a major part of the actual thesis work itself. In such a case, the literature review should also describe a strategy for completion of the literature review effort.
In the completed thesis, the review is the means by which the reader learns of earlier studies1 and their relation to the topic of the thesis. The review should be sophisticated, focusing upon the present status of the literature, noting patterns of findings, and strengths or gaps in research. The review is more than a listing of books and articles. It ought to be a truly insightful description of the present state of a particular field of study.
III. Method
This chapter is usually the most difficult to develop. It describes the procedures which will be used to complete the project. The following is a summary of suggested sections.
A. Hypothesis or Research Question
This section should precisely define what the student intends to prove or discover in one or more hypotheses or propositions.
B. Scope and Limitations
This section should define the extent of the project, and the range of applicability of findings. The project might be delimited in terms of time, organizations, persons involved, special definitions of terms, and theoretical implications.
C. Research Design
This section should describe how the project is organized so as to yield valid and reliable findings. In most instances, the student should cite a specific methodology or research technique to be employed, and provide a reference which is recognized in the field. Then, the student should explain why the particular method was chosen, and the specific sequence of steps which will be taken to implement it. For an historical thesis, for example, the student should find a methodological reference concerning historiography to use as a guide for your work. The same applies to a literature review, content analysis, operations research study, experiment, evaluation, or any other method to be employed.
D. Measures and Sources of Information
This section should discuss the measures (the data) which you will use in your study, indicating what they are, how they are constructed, and how you will collect them. This may include a discussion of a sampling strategy.
In the case of a content analysis, historical study, or similar project, the student should describe the source documents and materials which will be used in the analysis.
E. Techniques of Analysis
This section describes the approach used in the analysis of measures or evaluation of source documentation used in the project. It should demonstrate how the student will evaluate source data to arrive at conclusions.
F. Ethics
This section discusses the potential ethical issues raised by the project and, where appropriate, describes how the proposal complies with applicable procedures and policies relating to research on human subjects.
G. Critique
This section should consider any possible defects or problems in the method or approach, and present reasonable solutions to each of the problems raised.
The student should note that non-quantitative thesis also has a method that must be planned and described. These categories are equally applicable to that type of project.
IV. Project Plan
A. Timetable
This should provide a schedule for the completion of your thesis.
B. Budget
This should describe the necessary budget to complete your project.
C. Preliminary Thesis Outline
This should be a projected outline of your entire thesis, including the expected length of each section.
V. Bibliography
This should include all of the references used in the prospectus.
Format
1. All prospectuses, thesis drafts, and final copies of theses should be typed or printed on non-corraseable bond paper and should be double-spaced except where other spacing is indicated by the handbook. All final copies of theses should be typed or printed with letter-quality print on 20-lb. bond paper.
2. Proper margins (1-1/2" at left, 1" on other three sides) should be observed in the prospectus as well as in the draft and final copies of the thesis.
3. Page numbers should be in Arabic numerals (except for preliminary matter, which appears in lower case Roman numerals) and should be placed in the upper right-hand corner or top center of the page. The abstract and thesis approval page should not be numbered, nor should they be counted in the pagination. Prospectuses as well as theses should contain page numbers.
4. The ITC style of documentation requires the author-date method of documentation. The surname of the author and the year of publication are inserted in the text at the appropriate point. All references cited are included in the reference list at the end of the manuscript. No item should be listed in the reference list that is not cited in the body of the thesis.
5. Content footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the manuscript using superscript Arabic numerals and typed at the bottom of the page on which they are referenced.
6. Quotations: The Fair Use Clause of the Copyright Act must be observed in quoting materials copyrighted by others. Unfortunately, this rule is not precise, but it is advisable to request the copyright owner's permission for any quotation aggregating 150 words or more. Some publishers set number of words at 250; university presses have agreed to a reciprocal use of not more than 300 words without permission. It is wise to consult the individual publisher; as an author you are liable for violations of copyright on the basis of the particular use.
Title Page
The title page must carry the following information:
1. the full title of the thesis, centered.
2. the statement:
"A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Masters of Education in Teaching English as a Foreign Language at International TESOL College of Houston ,Texas.
3. the author's full legal name
4 the month (either June, February, or September) and year of commencement
Thesis Approval Page
The thesis approval page should be bound into the thesis directly after the title page and it must be typed or printed on the same bond paper used throughout the thesis. It should not, however, be numbered, and it should not be figured into the pagination of the thesis. The approval page must carry the following information:
1. the full title of the thesis, centered
2. the author's name centered beneath the title
3. the statement:
"This thesis has been presented to and accepted by the office for Graduate Studies of The International TESOL College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master Education in the Teaching English as a Foreign Language Program."
4. the three signatures indicated below
Signatures
The signatures of the thesis advisor and the second reader on the Thesis Approval Page indicate that the faculty members in question have gone over the student's work in detail, have approved its substance, and insofar as possible, have helped the student to write the thesis clearly and correctly. The Dean of Graduate Studies will receive and approve theses after the requisite signatures have been obtained.
Abstract
An abstract of 300-500 words summarizing the contents of the thesis must be submitted with the thesis. The page should be headed "Abstract" and bound into the thesis following the thesis approval page. It should not, however, be numbered, and it should not be figured into the pagination of the thesis.
Degree Clearance and Library
Deposit
After the thesis has been signed by the advisor and the Dean of Graduate Studies, the thesis must be deposited in the Library. Library deposits of theses are required to make available to the scholarly community the research which they embody. Common oversights which will cause the thesis to be returned are incorrect abstract, incorrect title pages, incorrect pagination, lack of signed approval sheet, and unacceptable paper.
To deposit the thesis and gain final clearance the student must do the following:
1. Go to the Registrar's office to obtain a Thesis Clearance Form from the Dean of Admissions and Registration or the Registrar.
2. Go to the Bursar's Office and pay the binding fee.
3. Submit two copies of the thesis to the Library, and have a library representative sign the Thesis Clearance Form. The student should be sure to keep an extra copy of the Thesis Approval Page.
4. Bring the completed Thesis Clearance Form and the copy of the Thesis Approval Page back to the Registrar's Office.