Thesis Procedures

A thesis should be written in the professional style of a journal article, except for the rare thesis that is non-empirical in nature. The thesis chapters are usually identified as: Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion. Graduate trainees are required to comply with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition, 2010) and the University's thesis policies, which are available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Thesis Assistance) website .

The Graduate School's thesis policies covers the administrative aspects and appearance of a thesis. The APA's Publication Manual governs the professional format and style of a thesis. There are subtle differences between the Graduate School's thesis policies and the department's Thesis Procedures. Trainees are expected to comply with the department's Thesis Procedures to successfully complete their theses. Trainees must also follow the standards of the APA's Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct when conducting research.

Important Deadlines

Trainees are encouraged to review the Dates and Deadlines on the Graduate School's Student Support (Graduation and Commencement) website for specific deadlines related thesis procedures including the last day for: submitting a Proposal Approval Form, submitting a Right to Defend request, and for a thesis defense. If these deadlines are not met, graduation will be postponed until the following semester.

During the first semester of graduate study, trainees should review the Faculty Research Interests website , as a resource for potential research topics. Trainees should talk to faculty members who are knowledgeable or who are willing to become familiar in the area in which students would like to complete their thesis research. Trainees need to solicit faculty members to serve as the thesis committee chair and on the thesis committee.

By the middle of the second semester of their first year, trainees should solicit one faculty member to serve as the thesis committee chair. Graduate School thesis policies require the committee chair be a full member of the Graduate Faculty. An associate member of the Graduate Faculty may serve as a committee co-chair, along with a full member of the Graduate Faculty.

When a faculty member agrees to serve as a committee chair (or two faculty members as co-chairs), trainees must complete the Department Approval Of Thesis Committee Chair form. The Committee Chair form also includes an override request for PSY 499 Master's Thesis. The Committee Chair form should be signed by the trainee, committee chair, and the program or sequence graduate coordinator. The signed Committee Chair form should be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office. Trainees cannot register for PSY 499 until the signed Committee Chair form has been received by the Graduate Programs Office and the override request has been processed. The Graduate Programs Office will notify trainees when they can register for PSY 499.

In consultation with their thesis committee chair, trainees should solicit a second faculty member for the committee. After the second faculty member agrees to serve on the committee, trainees must complete the Department Approval Of Thesis Committee form. The Committee form should be signed by the trainee, committee chair, and faculty member. The signed Committee form must be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office for approval by the department chair. If there are committee co-chairs, the trainee and co-chairs may decide not to solicit another faculty member for the thesis committee, provided both co-chairs are full member's of the Graduate Faculty. Graduate School thesis policies require the majority of the thesis committee (i.e., chair and members) to be full members of the Graduate Faculty. If one co-chair is an associate member of the Graduate Faculty, another faculty member, who is a full member of the Graduate Faculty, must be solicited for the thesis committee.

If a committee member is unable to complete his or her service or is willing to yield his or her position on the committee, trainees should consult with their thesis committee chair about soliciting a new faculty member for the committee. Trainees must complete the Change Of Thesis Committee and/or Topic form. The Change form should be signed by the trainee, committee chair(s), current committee member, and new faculty member. The signed Change form must be submitted to the Graduate Programs Office for approval by the department chair. Trainees will be notified if the faculty member has been approved as the new thesis committee member. If the thesis has been proposed and approved by the thesis committee, trainees must also complete the Graduate School's COMMITTEE CHANGE FORM, which is available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Forms) website .

Graduate trainees must write a proposal that will be evaluated by their thesis committee. Trainees should discuss the contents of the proposal with their committee chair. The committee chair determines how much guidance will be provided to trainees in the development of the hypothesis, research project, and proposal. There should be a clear understanding between trainees and their committee chairs of what is expected from each party.

The proposal should include a brief synopsis of the thesis topic and hypothesis, and the details of the research project. A thesis usually involves data collection; however, other data-based approaches are acceptable (e.g., meta-analyses, archival data sets, etc.). The proposal should address the use of human participants or animals in the research, if applicable. The proposal should also identify any ethical issues with the use of human participants or animals. Trainees should be diligent in the completeness of their thesis topic and research project. The committee chair should approve a draft of the proposal before it is submitted to the thesis committee.

Before conducting any research involving human participants, the student's research project must be approved by Illinois State's Institutional Review Board (IRB) . The proposal must include, in its method section, a detailed explanation of how the ethical issues will be addressed (e.g., possible risks to human participants, how such risks will be minimized, confidentiality procedures, informed consent, debriefing procedures, etc.). Students must also comply with the department's Ethical Guidelines and Procedures for Research Using Human Participants. If trainees anticipate using human participants from external sources (outside the University), the proposal must include a statement of the ethical procedures of the external source, and how the research project will conform to those requirements. The department recommends trainees obtain a signed agreement or memorandum of understanding, from the external source, that identifies the specific data trainees have permission to collect and use for their research project.

Before conducting any research involving the use of animals, the trainee's research project must be approved by Illinois State's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) . The proposal must include, in its method section, a detailed explanation of how the ethical requirements for the care and use of animals will comply with the IACUC procedures.

Graduate trainees must propose their thesis in a public forum. Before presenting a proposal, students must determine if the proposal contains any copyrighted material. Trainees should review and complete page 2 of the Graduate School's PROPOSAL APPROVAL FORM, which is available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Forms) website . If any box under section (5) Copyright Checklist is checked for copyrighted material, trainees must consult with the Copyright Officer (currently Sarah Dick ) and obtain the Copyright Officer's signature on the Proposal Approval Form.

After consulting with the committee chair about proposing the thesis, trainees must contact the Graduate Programs Office to request a reader. The department appoints a reader, who is a psychology faculty member. The reader represents the department and ensures that trainees and their thesis committees comply with the department's procedures and the University's requirements. The Graduate Programs Office will notify trainees when a reader has been assigned.

The proposal must be presented at a time that is mutually agreeable to the trainee, thesis committee, and reader. The proposal must be presented between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, while classes are in session (i.e., excluding University holidays, final exams week, or semester breaks). When an acceptable time has been determined, trainees should contact the Graduate Programs Office to reserve a room. The Graduate Programs Office will notify the trainee when a room has been reserved.

When the proposal date has been determined, trainees must complete the information on page 3 of the Proposal Approval Form. Only the thesis committee should be identified on the Proposal Approval Form, along with their department/school and Graduate Faculty status. Trainees should contact the Graduate Programs Office at psygrad@iIllinoisstate.edu to determine the Graduate Faculty status of the thesis committee. The reader is not identified on the Proposal Approval Form. If the thesis committee does not satisfy the Graduate School's thesis committee requirements (described on page 1 of the Proposal Approval Form), the exception section on page 3, under section (6) Graduate Committee Information, must be completed. A brief rationale must be provided for the exception. If a committee member is not an Illinois State faculty member, trainees must also include the committee member's Curriculum Vitae, with the Proposal Approval Form, to satisfy the exception requirement.

At least one week before the scheduled proposal date, students must submit, by 12:00 p.m. (Noon), the Proposal Approval Form and a printed copy of their proposal to the Graduate Programs Office. Trainees must also provide a copy of the proposal to the thesis committee and reader; the copy may be printed or sent electronically, depending on the preferences of the committee members or reader. The Graduate Programs Office will announce the scheduled proposal on the department's graduate students and faculty members. The thesis proposal will be posted on the University Events website and on the bulletin board across from the department's office.

The department encourages psychology graduate students to attend thesis proposals in order to observe the process. The proposal is also open to the University academic community. Trainees should consult with their thesis committee chair if trainees want invite non-academic parties (i.e., family and friends) to the proposal. Individuals observing the proposal may ask the trainee questions and provide comments about the presentation. However, participation by such individuals should not monopolize the presentation. Since the proposal is a formal evaluation of the trainee, the thesis chair has the discretion of whether or not to recognize individuals for questions or comments during the presentation. The department prohibits any refreshments at a thesis proposal.

At the proposal, trainees should discuss their thesis and any relevant literature, and explain their research project. When the presentation has ended and there are no more questions, everyone should leave the room except for the thesis committee, reader, and any other psychology faculty members. The committee will discuss the proposal. Psychology faculty who have an opinion about the proposal are encouraged to present their remarks for consideration by the thesis committee. The decision to approve or withhold approval of the thesis proposal is the responsibility of the thesis committee. The committee must reach a consensus about the status of the proposal. When a consensus is reached, the trainee will be asked to return to the room and will be informed of the committee's decision.

If the proposal is approved, the thesis committee and the trainee should sign the Proposal Approval Form. If the committee determines that changes are required in the thesis, the committee should discuss the changes with the trainee. The committee chair should give the trainee a written list of the required changes. Trainees are responsible for incorporating the changes in the thesis and must provide the thesis committee and reader with an updated proposal. When the thesis committee is satisfied with the revised thesis proposal, the thesis committee and the trainee should sign the Proposal Approval Form. The trainee must submit the signed Proposal Approval Form to the Graduate Programs Office, for approval by the department chair.

The Graduate School must also approve the Proposal Approval Form. The Graduate Programs Office will submit the signed Proposal Approval Form to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will send trainees the approved Proposal Approval Form by email. The approved Proposal Approval Form should be retained by the trainee; the information on the Proposal Approval Form will be required by the Graduate School when the student is ready to defend the thesis.

If the thesis committee does not approve the proposal, students have two options:

1. Trainees may choose, with the agreement of their committee, to rewrite the proposal. The thesis committee and trainee should discuss the problems with the current proposal. The second proposal must address and correct the identified problems. Trainees must schedule a second proposal presentation. This option requires trainees retain the same thesis committee.
2. Trainees may chose to develop a new thesis topic. If this option is selected, trainees may retain their thesis committee, if the committee members agree to stay with the thesis committee, or solicit other faculty members for a new committee. The department's thesis procedures must be repeated, including the forms for a new committee, if applicable, and proposal presentation.

Establishing a ProQuest Account

The University uses a national electronic database, ProQuest, for submission of all theses. The department recommends trainees establish a ProQuest account after their proposal has been approved. Trainees can access the ProQuest website on the Graduate School's Student Support Thesis Assistance (Plan Your Defense) website . The approved proposal should be uploaded to ProQuest. If the ProQuest account is not established after the thesis proposal is approved, it must be established before trainees submit the Right to Defend form to the Graduate School.

Continuous Enrollment in PSY 499

Trainees should review Continuous Registration requirements in the Thesis section of the Graduate Catalog . After the proposal is approved and all degree coursework has been completed, trainees must enroll for at least one credit of PSY 499 every fall and spring semester until the thesis is successfully defended. Registration for PSY 499 in the summer is required only when a trainee expects to defend the thesis and complete the degree by the end of the summer semester. Trainees should contact the Graduate Programs Office at psygrad@IllinoisState.edu to request an override for PSY 499.

Conducting Thesis Research

After the proposal is approved, trainees should begin conducting their thesis research. While it is appropriate to consult with faculty members, trainees are expected to conceptually understand the statistics and data analysis that is presented in the thesis. Any significant changes to the research project, after the proposal has been approved, may require additional IRB or IACUC review and approval, if applicable. Trainees should consult with their thesis committee chair before making any changes to their approved proposal or research project.

Graduate trainees must defend their thesis in a public forum. Before scheduling a defense, trainees must have a current thesis uploaded in ProQuest. Although the thesis does not have to be fully formatted, it should contain all of the required thesis chapters. The thesis must comply with the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and the Graduate School's thesis policies, which are available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Thesis Assistance) website . Trainees must complete and submit the RIGHT TO DEFEND FORM, which is available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Forms) website . The completed Defend Form should be submitted to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will review the thesis in ProQuest. If the thesis is acceptable, the Graduate School will notify trainees by email that they may schedule their thesis defense. If the Graduate Programs Office is not copied on this email, trainees must forward the Graduate School's email to the Graduate Programs Office. The Right to Defend email must be on file in the Graduate Programs Office before trainees can schedule their thesis defense.

The thesis should be defended at a time that is mutually agreeable to the trainee, thesis committee, and reader. The thesis must be defended between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, while classes are in session (i.e., excluding University holidays, final exams week, or semester breaks). When an acceptable time has been determined, trainees should contact the Graduate Programs Office to reserve a room. The Graduate Programs Office will notify the trainee when a room has been reserved.

At least one week before the scheduled defense, trainees must submit to the Graduate Programs Office by 12:00 p.m. (Noon) a printed copy of the thesis. Trainees must also provide a copy of the thesis to their thesis committee and reader; the copy may be printed or sent electronically, depending on the preferences of the committee members and reader. The Graduate Programs Office will announce the scheduled defense to the department's graduate students and faculty members. The thesis defense will also be posted on the University Events website and on the bulletin board across from the department's office. Trainees must also complete the Graduate School's OUTCOME OF DEFENSE FORM, which is available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Forms) website . Trainees should take the Outcome of Defense Form to their thesis defense.

The department encourages psychology graduate students to attend a thesis defense in order to observe the process. The defense is also open to the University academic community. Trainees should consult with their thesis committee chair if students want to invite non-academic parties (i.e., family and friends) to their defense. Individuals observing the defense may ask the trainee questions and provide comments about the presentation. However, participation by such individuals should not monopolize the presentation. Since the defense is a formal evaluation of the trainee, the thesis chair has the discretion of whether or not to recognize individuals for questions or comments during the presentation. The department prohibits any refreshments at a thesis defense.

At the defense, trainees should discuss the importance of the thesis topic, their research and the methods employed, analysis of the data, and their conclusion. When the defense has ended and there are no more questions, everyone should leave the room except for the thesis committee, reader, and any other psychology faculty members. The committee will discuss the quality of the thesis and defense, taking into account the consistency between the thesis proposal and defense, and the incorporation of required changes identified at the thesis proposal, if applicable. Psychology faculty who have an opinion about the thesis are encouraged to present their remarks for consideration by the thesis committee. The decision to approve or withhold approval of the thesis defense is the responsibility of the committee. The committee must reach a consensus about the status of the defense. When a consensus has been reached, the trainee will be asked to return to the room and will be informed of the committee's decision.

The thesis committee can reach one of three decisions about the thesis: approved, a provisional approval with required changes, or not approved. If the committee approves the thesis, the committee members should sign the Outcome of Defense Form. If the decision is a provisional approval, the committee should discuss the changes required in the thesis with the trainee. The committee chair should provide the trainee with a written list of the required changes. Trainees are responsible for incorporating the changes before the thesis committee will approve the thesis. After the changes have been made and the thesis is approved, the thesis committee should sign the Outcome of Defense Form. Trainees must submit a copy of the signed Outcome of Defense Form to the Graduate Programs Office. If the thesis is not approved, the trainee should discuss any viable options with the thesis committee.

Trainees must upload the approved thesis to ProQuest. Trainees must also complete the Final Deposit Checklist, which is available on the Graduate School's Student Support (Forms) website . Trainees must submit the signed Outcome of Defense Form and the Final Deposit Checklist, and any copyright permissions, if applicable, to the Graduate School. The Graduate School will examine the thesis in ProQuest to determine if the thesis complies with the University's thesis policies. If the Graduate School notifies trainees of required changes, those changes must be made and the revised thesis must be uploaded to ProQuest before the University will accept the thesis as meeting degree requirements for graduation. If the required changes are not completed before the thesis final deposit filing deadline, graduation will be postponed until the following semester.

Publication of Data

If the thesis is published or if a paper is presented at a professional convention, authorship should follow the provisions of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. An agreement between trainees and their thesis committee should govern whether committee members are identified as co-authors.