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TITLE OF DISSERTATION IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS
By
Mary A. Doe
A DISSERTATION
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
(Electrical Engineering)
MICHIGAN TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
2011
© 2012 Mary A. Doe
This dissertation, “Title of Dissertation Using a Mixture of Upper and Lower Case
Letters,” is hereby approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING.
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Signatures:
Dissertation Advisor
_________________________________________
John Smith
Department Chair
_________________________________________
Dan Fuhrman
Date
_________________________________________
Table of Contents
List of Figures ......................................................................................................................4
List of Tables .......................................................................................................................5
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................6
Abstract ................................................................................................................................7
1.
Introduction .................................................................................................................8
2.
Goals and hypotheses ..................................................................................................9
3.
Methods.....................................................................................................................10
4.
Results (Data and Observations)...............................................................................11
4.1. Sub-section 1 of Methods ...............................................................................11
4.2. Sub-section 2 of methods ...............................................................................12
5.
Discussion .................................................................................................................14
6.
Future work ...............................................................................................................15
7.
Conclusions ...............................................................................................................16
8.
References .................................................................................................................17
8.1. Style guides ....................................................................................................17
8.2. Writing guides ................................................................................................17
3
List of Figures
Figure 3.1. Schematic of proposed research solution. A layered composite plate is
utilized with a tissue engineered scaffold or bone graft to promote bone
healing. ..........................................................................................................10
Figure 4.1. Scanning Electron Microscopy photos of the fracture surfaces of HAPLLA composites. The surface shown is near the tensile surface and is
representative of this side of the fracture. Note how the particles are well
distributed in the PLLA matrix. (Left) 10% HA in PLLA, (Right) 20%
HA in PLLA..................................................................................................11
Figure 4.2. A figure showing the number of thesis and sdissertation submissions per
semester. This was copied from Excel, and pasted using the “Paste
Special…PNG” option. This figure is low resolution. ................................12
Figure 4.3. A figure showing the number of thesis and sdissertation submissions per
semester. This was copied from Excel, and pasted using the “Paste
Special…Windows (Enhanced Metafile)” option. This figure is high
resolution. .....................................................................................................12
4
List of Tables
Table 3.1 Summary of specific aims..................................................................................10
Table 4.1 Tabular data showing results of testing. ............................................................11
Table 4.2. A really wide table. ...........................................................................................13
5
Acknowledgements
A place to thank sponsors, friends, family, and anyone else you’d like.
6
Abstract
Summary of dissertation. Recommended to be no longer than 350 words for a
dissertation.
7
1.
Introduction
The introduction lays the foundation for the current research and places the work in
context within the field. It should be an analysis of the existing body of research that has
a bearing on the project. It is important to not only review the literature, but also to
provide a critical analysis of it. This section should outline some of the limitations of
prior research on the thesis or dissertation topic and describe areas that are in need of
further exploration. This provides context for the goals of the thesis or dissertation.
8
2.
Goals and hypotheses
Following the introduction is usually a section outlining the goals or purpose of the
current work and the hypotheses to be tested.
9
3.
Methods
The methods section describes all of the methods used in the study. Methods include
models, simulations, field work, surveys, experiments, and many other techniques. If the
description of the methods is lengthy, it is appropriate to include an overview of the
methods in the body of the document and include the details in an appendix.
Table 3.1
Summary of specific aims.
Specific Aim
Year
1
1. Develop layered composites
Tasks
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
2. Characterize bone growth
ability
3. Develop low vascularity
simulator (LVS)
2
Task 4
Task 5
2
Task 8
3
Task 9
1
Task 10
Task 11
2
Task 12
Self-Reinforced
Composite
Tissue
Engineered
Scaffold
or Bone Graft
Ceramic-polymer
Layered
Composite
Figure 3.1.
Schematic of proposed research solution. A layered composite plate is
utilized with a tissue engineered scaffold or bone graft to promote bone healing.
10
4.
Results (Data and Observations)
The results section presents all of the data obtained from the methods described. A
common mistake is to include methods in the results section. This is usually done when a
student wants to describe a test that was done to verify or continue an experiment. This
should be avoided in nearly all circumstances. Summaries of data may be included in the
main body with extensive tables located in an appendix. Alternate ways of expressing
the data may also be included in an appendix.
4.1.
Sub-section 1 of Methods
Table 4.1
Tabular data showing results of testing.
Testing Condition
Result 1
Result 2
Result 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
2.59
2.58
2.57
2.56
2.55
2.54
2.53
2.52
2.51
3.61
3.62
3.63
3.64
3.65
3.66
3.67
3.68
3.69
Result 4
4.51
4.45
4.54
4.53
4.56
4.58
4.54
4.53
4.56
Figure 4.1.
Scanning Electron Microscopy photos of the fracture surfaces of HAPLLA composites. The surface shown is near the tensile surface and is representative of
this side of the fracture. Note how the particles are well distributed in the PLLA matrix.
(Left) 10% HA in PLLA, (Right) 20% HA in PLLA.
11
4.2.
Sub-section 2 of methods
Number of Submissions
Figure 4.2.
A figure showing the number of thesis and sdissertation submissions per
semester. This was copied from Excel, and pasted using the “Paste Special…PNG”
option. This figure is low resolution.
120
100
80
60
40
Final Submissions
20
Draft Submissions
0
Semester
Figure 4.3.
A figure showing the number of thesis and sdissertation submissions per
semester. This was copied from Excel, and pasted using the “Paste Special…Windows
(Enhanced Metafile)” option. This figure is high resolution.
12
Header 1
Table 4.2.
A really wide table.
Header 2
Header 3
13
5.
Discussion
In the discussion section, the results are interpreted and are put in context with current
research in the field. The author should explain what the results mean and their
implications for the hypotheses being tested. It is common to refer to the literature to
compare and contrast the results found in the current work to that done by others. New
data should not be presented in this section; the presentation of data collected for the
study is limited to the results section. Sources of discrepancies, limitations, or errors in
the current work should also be presented in the discussion section.
14
6.
Future work
This section highlights additional work that could be done at a later date to build upon the
current research. A future work section, for example, could illustrate how to address
limitations of the current study. The purpose of this section is to show that the student
understands the implications of the research and what could come next.
15
7.
Conclusions
Conclusions summarize the main findings of the current research. This section reiterates
the main points and limitations of the current research and may highlight some of the
areas for future work.
16
8.
References
The following books may assist students in preparing their documents. When the most
current edition is available in the Library, a call number is provided.
8.1.
Style guides
American Psychological Association. Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association. 5th ed. Washington (DC): American Psychological Association;
2001. Call Number: BF76.7 .P83 2001.
Council of Science Editors, Style Manual Committee. Scientific style and format: the
CSE manual for authors, editors, and publishers. 7th ed. Reston (VA): The
Council; 2006. Call Number: T11 .S386 2006.
Gibaldi J. MLA handbook for writers of research papers. 6th ed. New York (NY):
Modern Language Association of America; 2003. Call Number: LB2369 .G53
2003.
The Modern Language Association of America. MLA style manual and guide to
scholarly publishing. 3rd ed. New York (NY): Modern Language Association of
America; 2008. Call number: PN147 .G444 2008
University of Chicago Press Staff, editor. The Chicago manual of style. 15th ed.
Chicago (IL): University of Chicago Press; 2003. Call Number: Z253 .U69 2003.
8.2.
Writing guides
Previous editions of some of these books are available in the Library. The call number
listed is the most recent edition of the book in the Library.
Alley M. The craft of scientific writing. 3rd ed. New York (NY): Springer; 1996. Call
Number: T11 .A37 1987
Booth WC, Colomb GG, Williams JM. The craft of research. 3rd ed. Chicago (IL):
University of Chicago Press; 1995. Call Number: Q180.55.M4 B66 1995
Davis M. Scientific papers and presentations. 2nd ed. Burlington (MA): Academic Press;
2005. Call Number: T11 .D324 1997
Matthews JR, Bowen JM, Matthews RW. Successful scientific writing: a step-by-step
guide for the biological and medical sciences. 2nd ed. New York (NY):
Cambridge University Press; 2000. Call Number: R119 .M28 2000
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