Research, Thesis, Capstone and Dissertation Information

Signatures:  Provisional acceptance by Boston University Libraries of electronic signatures in lieu of original signatures on the separately submitted and signed Readers’ Approval pages through electronic signatures or signature images have been extended for theses and dissertations for the September graduation deadline. There are several options for signature, such as electronic via Adobe Acrobat or inserting a signature image.  The students should work with their first and second readers to find the best solution and follow guidelines sent by the Registrar (millie@bu.edu).

Deadline:  The deadline to submit a thesis/dissertation  remains the same.

1. PhD Completion of Degree Checklist
2. Mugar Library Webpage for Thesis and Dissertations
   • Guide for Writers of Dissertation and Thesis
   • GMS Thesis Guideline Landscape Page Numbering
3. GMS Faculty List
4. IRB 101 for BUMC Graduate Students IRB Submission with Mary-Tara Roth, Director, Clinical Research Resources Office (CRRO). View  Video Recording or Slides.
5. Research Support
6. RCR Training
7. Video Tutorials for Thesis & Dissertation Electronic Submission
8. The Mugar Library requires that a copyright page be added to all theses/dissertations.  Please add a copyright page after the title page and include it on the Table of Contents.  Make sure you re-number all the preliminary pages appropriately.  Adding the copyright page does not mean you must register for copyright.  You can find a sample of the copyright page in the Masters Thesis Prepage Template (updated Jan/2014).
9. Dissertation and Thesis Formatting Tips – 2021
10. Sample Letter Requesting Circulation Restriction for Thesis or Dissertation: Most students do not request delayed circulation however if desired (due to special circumstances such as a pending patent), you will need to submit a letter requesting Circulation Restriction – embargo options are one year or two years.  Letter must be signed by student and primary reader – add an additional line for GMS Provost signature and submit to the GMS Registrar with the final thesis/dissertation paperwork by the deadline.  Signature from the GMS Provost will be obtained by the GMS Registrar.
11. Sample Letter Requesting Permission to Use Copyrighted Material in Thesis or Dissertation

1. 1. MDPHD Transitioning to BUSM Curriculum Memo
   2. MDPHD-Abstract-Template
   3. PhD DissertationTemplate  
   4. BU Library Student Resources

1. 1. 1. Masters ThesisTemplateNov2019 (updated May 2021)
         1. NOTE: The Research Guide For Writers Of Theses (#1 above) There is no longer a word limit to the length of the abstract, but please be concise.
         2. NOTE: Minimum length for MAMS theses is 40 pages (research thesis) or 45 pages (literature thesis), excluding the Prepages, Appendices, References and Vita.
      2. Oral Health Sciences Capstone & Thesis Information

Open BU

1. 1. 1. 1. Open Access Information
         2. Open Access FAQ’s
         3. FAQ: Embargoes & Electronic Theses & Dissertations (ETD)

ProQuest Dissertations & Theses

1. 1. 1. 1. Theses and Dissertations electronically submitted in 2014 or later are now searchable via Proquest

The following policy is effective September 1, 2020 for all Master’s students. and March 1, 2021 for all PhD students.

All capstone, thesis and dissertation documents must be scanned using Turnitin plagiarism detection software.  A final Turnitin report must be approved by your mentor, advisor, first reader (BU faculty) or external committee member(s) depending on the GMS program. A final Similarity Report must be submitted to your program director.  This is the student’s responsibility.

Recommended to remove before scanning:

• bibliography/references
• Images and Figures. These cannot be scanned easily by Turnitin. Simply put them back in the document after the Turnitin review is final.
• Published manuscripts, assuming they have already been scanned by Turnitin or similar. If not previously scanned, include for this scan.

Checklist:  You must:

• Manually check images and figures for plagiarism and potential copyright violations. You can use up to three images, illustrations, tables, figures, pictures, etc from any one source without permission as long as they are cited properly.
• Include a disclaimer at the beginning of the chapter if you choose to include your published manuscript (or soon to be submitted for publication) as a chapter.
  • Example: “Disclaimer: Figures 3-5 and portions of the text in this chapter were originally published as: Costanza, G. and Benes, E. Uromycitisis, a follow up report. Urinary Maladies, Issue 5: Vol 2; pages, 2018.”
• Include unpublished manuscript(s) for the Turnitin scan if they are part of your document
• Reference laboratory methods or protocols if previously published. This can be done immediately before the method, then summarize the methodology as appropriate.
  • Example: Circulating antigens in plasma were purified by antibody columns as previously described [12].  Briefly, blood was centrifuged……..
• Re-submit the document after editing for a final check
• Submit the final Turnitin report to your mentor/advisor/first reader as appropriate for approval
• Submit the Turnitin final Similarity Report to your program director (screen shot or print it)

How to interpret a “Turnitin Originality Report”
Turnitin returns: Similarity index, Similarity by Source, Internet Sources, Publications, & Student Papers.

A maximum similarity index of 20% is required; lower is recommended.  Note: a low similarity index does not necessarily mean the document is OK!  There may be passages that need to be corrected. It is important to look at each identified similarity and determine why it has been flagged.

• A common definition may be acceptable.
• Did it identify matches to publications or text from the internet? These sentences, paragraphs, sections will need to be rewritten.

Once you have made edits it is important to resubmit the document for a final check.  Your mentor/advisor or first reader ( BU faculty) will approve the final report.

Give only the final Similarity Report to your program director who signs off on your Certification of Completion for Masters or Doctoral Degree.

Questions?  If you have any questions interpreting the Turnitin report please reach out to your faculty mentors.

Request Turnitin Access to Plagiarism Check Tool for GMS Studentsl