Department of Microelectronic Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology
Master's Thesis Guidelines for Students and Faculty
August 2014: Version 1.0
The objective of this document is to provide guidance for students and faculty
committees concerning the planning, conduct and defense of the master's thesis. These
guidelines outline the expectations of the Department of Microelectronic Engineering and
the Rochester Institute of Technology as well as the responsibilities of the student, thesis
supervisor, and committee members.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Frequently asked questions
The written proposal
Proposal format
Scheduling the proposal presentation
Proposal presentation
Conducting the research and writing up the thesis
Organization of the thesis
Paper stock and typing requirements
Formats – Title, Library release, table of contents, list of tables and figures, main
body
Getting ready for the defense
Oral thesis presentation, defense, examination
Thesis examination report form
Thesis binding
Thesis milestones
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. Why do I have to do a Master's thesis?
A thesis is required for completion of the MS degree in Microelectronic Engineering.
Normally, the thesis is undertaken once the student has completed all course
requirements. Planning for the thesis, however, should begin as early as possible.
Normally, full-time students should complete all their degree requirements, including
thesis defense, within 2 years (six academic quarters and one summer quarter) from the
date of entry.
Your thesis is the culmination of your graduate work and an opportunity to apply the
knowledge and skills that you have acquired through course work and research
assistantships, etc. It is intended as a guided, constructive learning experience. It is a
chance for you to work in collaboration with a number of faculty members on a research
project of mutual interest and to publish manuscripts resulting from the thesis.
2. What is acceptable for a Master's thesis?
The expectation of the microelectronic engineering department is that the master's thesis
will involve an empirical component. While theoretical frameworks or conceptual
models may (and should in many cases) guide the research questions, or be the subject of
empirical testing, a strictly theoretical paper is not acceptable for a master's thesis. The
thesis may involve research in device, circuit or process design, development and
validation and evaluations through modeling and analysis within the realm of
microelectronic engineering discipline.
In some cases, the thesis may be developed in conjunction with ongoing projects or
extension of existing processes. In other cases, the thesis may involve original or new
devices/circuits/processes. The thesis may involve quantitative data, qualitative data, or a
combination of both types of data.
3. How do I get started?
First, you need to explore possible topics and areas of mutual interest through talking
with faculty members and reading the relevant published literature. You may become
interested in certain areas as a result of course topics or papers. Your advisor or other
faculty members may describe research projects they are currently working on that you
might be interested in. Since the masters time line is quite short, it is important to start
exploring and discussing possible thesis topics as early as possible, no later than the end
of the first year of the program for full-time students. While students often conduct their
thesis research in conjunction with their academic advisor (who then becomes their thesis
supervisor), this is not always the case. There are many factors that influence the choice
of thesis topics and the selection of a supervisor, including: mutual interest, projected
costs and time line for the research, faculty availability during the anticipated thesis
period, and a comfortable working relationship. You may not always be able to do
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exactly what you want to do; however, every attempt is made to match student and
faculty interests. Faculty members may discourage ideas that are not suitable or feasible
for a master's thesis. They are trying to assist you in choosing a project that is within your
capabilities and available facilities and can be completed in a timely manner.
Thus, the initiation of ideas for possible theses can come from either the student or from
faculty members. You can bounce ideas off various faculty members, but you should
keep your academic advisor appraised. Once agreement is reached, in principle, to pursue
a specific topic (on the part of both the student and a faculty member), you are ready to
proceed to the proposal and committee selection phase of the process.
4. Who is on the Master's thesis committee?
RIT guidelines stipulate that for degree programs requiring a Master's thesis, the
committee must consist of three faculty members: the supervisor from within the home
department, and two committee members (at least one of whom has an academic
appointment in the home department). Your supervisor will assist you in selecting and
approaching potential committee members for your thesis.
Once your thesis topic has been determined and your committee has been chosen (and
agrees to serve), you can proceed with development of the thesis proposal. You need to
complete the Declaration of Topic and Committee Form, have it signed by your thesis
supervisor, and return it to the Microelectronic Engineering Office (MEO).
5. What constitutes the Master's thesis proposal and approval process?
The proposal begins as the blueprint or plan for the thesis and evolves into a more
contractual agreement between the student and his or her thesis committee. The intent of
the working proposal is to develop the ideas, obtain input and guidance from the
committee, and reformulate the ideas as necessary into a workable and feasible thesis
project. A thesis proposal normally goes through a number of drafts prior to the more
formal and public presentation. The supervisor provides feedback and guidance on early
drafts of the proposal; other committee members may also be involved at this stage. It is
desirable for all committee members to provide feedback on at least one draft of the
proposal prior to scheduling the proposal presentation.
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THE WRITTEN PROPOSAL
The questions students typically ask are: "What should be included in the proposal?" and
"How long should it be?" Below are detailed guidelines for the sections that must be
included in the proposal. With the exception of the abstract, however, the length of each
section has not been specified for a number of reasons. What is important is that sufficient
detail and clarity are provided in each section, particularly concerning the rationale,
objectives and methods. As a general guideline, the text of the full proposal should be
between 15-25 pages (excluding appendices). Length of each section greatly depends on
the particular topic and preferences of the supervisor. For instance, in some cases, the
literature review is quite extensive up front (with later searches mostly for the purpose of
updates). In other cases, the proposal is shaped based on a few key articles with a more
thorough literature search and write up to take place later.
Regardless of length, clarity and conciseness are strongly encouraged. Part of the master's
thesis experience is to improve one's writing skills. The written proposal must include the
following sections:
Title page
The cover page must include the title of the thesis proposal, the student's
name, degree sought, department, names of the supervisor and committee
members, and date.
Abstract
The one page abstract should not exceed 300 words.
Rationale
Contains a statement of the problem or issues to be addressed in the
proposed study.
Literature
The review of relevant literature should provide an overview of the field
and demonstrate that the student knows the area under investigation.
Equally important, this section should provide supporting evidence
concerning the rationale, statement of the problem and/or issues to be
addressed by the present study.
Objectives
This section describes the overall purpose, as well as the specific
objectives of the present study. In some cases, the objectives may be
formulated as research questions. In other cases, such as an evaluation
project, the study may address program objectives and/or underlying
assumptions. This section of the proposal often includes the researcher's
hypotheses or a priori expectations.
Methods
Subsections typically include: study design; sample selection criteria, size,
and sampling process; data collection procedures and instruments; and a
description of data analysis techniques and statistical software programs to
be used. Be as detailed as possible, including the identification of concerns.
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Time Line
Develop a reasonable time line for each phase of the project, including:
pilot testing of instruments or procedures, design and fabrication, data
collection, data analyses and interpretation, and write-up. Specify the
anticipated term/year for final defense.
Resources
Itemize all costs anticipated (for instance, purchase of wafers, chemicals,
equipment, software packages, etc). Often thesis research is funded,
partially or totally, by faculty research grants or contracts. Neither the
department nor the supervisor, however, should be expected to cover cost
overruns. Work this out with your supervisor or committee members in
advance.
References
For the proposal, this may include a list of references already obtained and
cited in the literature review section, as well as a list of articles to be
obtained (listed separately).
Appendices
Should contain supporting and descriptive materials, instruments, etc.
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FORMAT OF WRITTEN PROPOSAL
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
1.5”
1”
Title of the Master Thesis Proposal
Title: Bold, Times New Romans, 16 pt.
A thesis proposal submitted in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Science in
Microelectronic Engineering
Single-spaced, Times
New Romans, 12 pt.
By
First M. Last
Microelectronics Engineering Department
Rochester Institute of Technology
Month Year
We the undersigned have had the opportunity to attend the candidate’s
presentation of the preliminary research results upon which this proposal is
based, and to discuss these results and the proposed plan of study to complete
the thesis with the candidate. We believe this proposal constitutes a
reasonable plan of study which when completed will satisfy the thesis
requirement.
Dr. First I. Last
(Thesis Advisor)
_________________
Date: ________________
Dr. First I. Last
(Committee Member)
_________________
Date: ________________
Dr. First I. Last
(Committee Member)
_________________
Date: ________________
This field is necessary only if you
have external collaborators
External Collaborators:
Dr. First I. Last, The Name of the Institution, City, State.
Dr. First I. Last, The Name of the Institution, City, State.
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1”
FORMAT OF WRITTEN PROPOSAL
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
1.5”
1.
1”
1”
ABSTRACT
This paragraph describes the formatting guidelines for the written thesis
proposal. The title of the section head should be typed in bold, small cap,
Times New Roman, 12 pt. style. The body of each section will be typed in
single-spaced line. An empty line should be used to separate two paragraphs.
2.
FIGURES AND TABLES
The formatting conventions for figures and tables follow the IEEE format [1].
Reference to figures in the text should be written as “Fig.” followed by the
number. The proper format is shown in Fig. 1. The figure’s caption is given at
the bottom of the diagram. It is good practice to explain the significance of the
figure in the caption [2].
A Table’s caption is located on top of the table. Table 1 shows the proper
table format.
TABLE I
UNITS FOR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
Symbol

B
Fig. 1. Magnetization as a function of
applied field.
3.
TIMELINE
Quarter 1
Task 1
H
m
magnetic flux
magnetic flux density,
magnetic induction
magnetic field strength
magnetic moment
M
magnetization
4M

j
J
magnetization
specific magnetization
magnetic dipole
moment
magnetic polarization
, 


susceptibility
mass susceptibility
permeability
r
w, W
N, D
relative permeability
energy density
demagnetizing factor
Quarter 2
Conversion from Gaussian and
CGS EMU to SI a
1 Mx  108 Wb = 108 V·s
1 G  104 T = 104 Wb/m2
1 Oe  103/(4) A/m
1 erg/G = 1 emu
 103 A·m2 = 103 J/T
1 erg/(G·cm3) = 1 emu/cm3
 103 A/m
1 G  103/(4) A/m
1 erg/(G·g) = 1 emu/g  1 A·m2/kg
1 erg/G = 1 emu
 4  1010 Wb·m
1 erg/(G·cm3) = 1 emu/cm3
 4  104 T
1  4
1 cm3/g  4  103 m3/kg
1  4  107 H/m
= 4  107 Wb/(A·m)
  r
1 erg/cm3  101 J/m3
1  1/(4)
Quarter 3
No vertical lines in table. Statements that serve as captions for the entire
table do not need footnote letters.
a
Gaussian units are the same as cgs emu for magnetostatics; Mx =
maxwell, G = gauss, Oe = oersted; Wb = weber, V = volt, s = second, T =
tesla, m = meter, A = ampere, J = joule, kg = kilogram, H = henry.
Task 2
4.
Quantity
Task 3
REFERENCE
[1] L. Author, “Title of the article,” Journal Name, vol. #, pp. ##-##, year.
[2] A.B. Joe, and C.D. Frank, Title of the Book, Publisher, year.
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SCHEDULING THE PROPOSAL PRESENTATION
Once you and your supervisor agree that the written proposal is ready for presentation,
there are a number of steps that need to be followed:
1. The student must contact all members of the committee to determine possible dates
and times for the proposal presentation/meeting. Make all efforts to schedule a time
that does not conflict with most classes.
2. The student must provide each member of the committee as well as the MicroE
Office with a copy of the proposal at least two weeks in advance of the presentation.
3. The student must book a room for the date and time agreed to by all committee
members. Book the room for a two-hour period. Notify all committee members of
room and time. Ensure that technical support (audio visual) has been arranged at least
3 days in advance of the defense.
4. The MicroE Office will announce the upcoming thesis proposal presentation to all
departmental faculty and graduate students and the Associate Dean for Graduate
Studies and Research.
MicroE Office Policy on Absent Committee Members: It is expected that all
committee members will make every attempt to be present at the proposal presentation
meeting. Note that the presentation cannot proceed without at least two of the three
members being present. The thesis supervisor must be present. If one committee member
(other than the supervisor) cannot attend, it is permissible to proceed. Ideally, there is
sufficient advance warning to enable the thesis supervisor to contact the absent member
to obtain his or her written questions and suggestions concerning the thesis prior to the
presentation. The supervisor is responsible for relaying this information during the
question and deliberation periods of the meeting. If a committee member is unable to
submit comments in advance, the supervisor must obtain written feedback from the
absent committee member and ensure that any and all concerns are adequately addressed
by the student prior to approval of the proposal and permission to proceed with data
collection. In the event that a committee member is unable to continue in this role (at any
juncture, up to and including final defense), the thesis supervisor will find a replacement
and inform both the MicroE Office of the change to the committee membership.
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THE PROPOSAL PRESENTATION
As noted earlier, the thesis proposal presentation is a public meeting, meaning that other
students and faculty, in addition to those on the committee itself, may attend. This forum
provides the opportunity for the student to describe his or her project and to receive
feedback and suggestions from a wider audience. It is important to note that both
committee members and other faculty recognize that the proposal is a work in progress
rather than rigid document at this juncture. The meeting is intended as an opportunity
to exchange ideas and refine the proposal further if necessary.
This meeting is chaired by the seminar chair and normally begins with an introduction
of the student, the thesis topic and the committee members. Following the introductions,
the candidate is expected to give an oral presentation lasting about 40 minutes. This
presentation should provide an overview of the proposed study's rationale, supporting
literature, objectives, methods, analyses and projected time line.
Following the student's oral presentation, the chair directs the committee to begin the
questioning period. Questions, comments or suggestions may focus on the student's
knowledge of the area, on the proposed study objectives or methodology, or on the
analyses, or on any other part of the thesis.
Following this more formal process, and if time permits, the chair will solicit questions
and comments from others in attendance. Typically, the chair will then ask the general
audience to leave the room and the meeting will continue with the student and the
committee members.
At this juncture, the discussion will focus on whether there should be any revisions to the
proposed thesis plan based on the questions and suggestions arising from the preceding
discussion (and, in some cases, feedback from an absent committee member). The
committee will also decide what types of changes, if any, are needed before the thesis can
proceed, as well as who will be responsible for approving such changes.
The committee will reach one of the following decisions, in most cases, before the
meeting concludes:
(a) Approval to proceed (no changes or minor changes)
(b) Approval to proceed once specified changes are submitted as an addendum and
approved by the supervisor, or other members of the committee, in addition to the
thesis supervisor
(c) Submission of a revised proposal to be approved by all committee members.
If the proposal is approved outright (a), all members of the committee will sign the MS
Thesis Proposal Approval Form and the supervisor/chair will return this form
immediately or the next working day to the MicroE Office for the student's file.
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Both decisions (b) and (c) require that the supervisor type up a list of changes
requested (ideally within 48 hours) and provide both the candidate and the MicroE Office
with a copy of this list.
The student should be prepared to explain to the thesis committee reasons for not
incorporating specific suggestions. In the unlikely event of decision (c), the student is
also free to pursue another thesis topic with a different committee and/or supervisor. The
bottom line is that unanimous and signed approval of the proposal by the entire
Committee is required before the student may proceed with undertaking the formal
research project.
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CONDUCTING RESEARCH AND WRITING UP THE THESIS
Once you have received approval, you are on your way. Students must keep their thesis
supervisors informed of their progress. It is very important to inform your supervisor of
any problems that may be encountered that could jeopardize the validity of the study.
You will address these problems together and find workable compromises. If there are
major changes to the study design, sampling or other aspects of methodology along the
way, all committee members should be appraised of these changes. Your supervisor will
guide you in these matters. Make every effort to meet with your committee on a regular
basis.
You should not leave the entire thesis writing until after experimental work and data
analyses are completed. For instance, when you have breaks in experimentation, you may
want to work on your literature and methods sections. You are encouraged to refer to
published guides for thesis writing (re: outlines, organizing, formatting, etc.). It is also
useful to look at examples of theses completed by MicroE students in the past which can
be obtained from the department support staff.
Discuss with your supervisor whether he or she wishes to see preliminary sections of the
thesis prior to production of a full draft. Some committee members may also be willing to
provide feedback on specific draft sections in line with their expertise. Typically,
however, your supervisor reads and provides comments on preliminary drafts and helps
you decide when it is ready to submit to the full committee. Keep in mind that before
allowing you to proceed to the thesis defense, your committee has the right (and will
typically exercise it) to request revisions.
ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS
Every thesis must have a title page, abstract, library release form, table of contents,
introduction, literature review, and references. The arrangement and nature of the parts of
the thesis body can be varied to improve the clarity of the document. The following
listing gives a typical arrangement:
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Title Page
Preface of Forward
Library Release (the author usually grants permission to
the library to reproduce, if not, discuss with the department)
Abstract
Table of Contents
Table of Appendices
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Symbols
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Page i
Page ii
Page iii
Page iv
Page v
………
………
………
………
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Introduction
Historical Review
Chapters Giving
 Theory
 Experimental
 Results
 Discussion
Conclusions
Summary
References
Appendices
Bibliography
Page 1
……..
……..
……..
……..
……..
……..
……..
……..
Page A1
PAPER STOCK AND TYPING REQUIREMENTS
At least 16-pound, at least 50% rag content, white unruled bond paper, trim size 8-1/2x11
inches, is to be used for all required copies of the thesis. The text must be double spaced,
and must be typed on one side of the paper in 12 size Times New Roman font. The title
page is considered page i of the thesis. All other pages prior to the Introduction will be
consecutively numbered in lower case roman numerals. Beginning with the Introduction,
Arabic numerals are to be used consecutively for all successive pages of the thesis. It is
recommended to keep the total number of pages within 75-100 for an MS thesis.
A sample of theses and dissertations is available at
http://www.microe.rit.edu/graduate/resources.htm
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FORMAT OF THE TITLE PAGE
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
1”
1.5”
Title of the Master Thesis
Title: Bold, Times New Romans, 16 pt.
By
First M. Last
A Thesis Submitted
in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Science
in
Microelectronic Engineering
Approved by:
Prof. _____________________________
Dr. First M. Last (Thesis Advisor)
Prof. _____________________________
Dr. First M. Last (Thesis Advisor)
Prof. _____________________________
Dr. First M. Last (Thesis Advisor)
Dr. First M. Last (External Collaborator)
Dr. First M. Last (External Collaborator)
DEPARTMENT OF MICROELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK
MONTH, YEAR
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1”
LIBRARY RELEASE PAGE
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
1”
Title of the Master Thesis
1.5”
Title: Bold, Times New Romans, 16 pt.
By
First M. Last
Single-spaced, Times
New Romans, 12 pt.
I, First M. Last, hereby grant permission to the Wallace
Memorial Library of the Rochester Institute of Technology to
reproduce this document in whole or in part that any
reproduction will not be for commercial use or profit.
___________________
____________________
First M. Last
Month Date, Year
14
1”
FORMAT OF THE TABLE OF CONTENT
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
1”
1”
Table of Contents
1.5”
Title: Bold, Times New Romans, 16 pt.
Title Page ………………………………………...……………………...…… i
Acknowledgement …………………………………………………………. iii
Abstract ………………………………………..………....…..…..…..……… v
Table of Content ………..………..………..………..………..……..…..…. vi
List of Figures ………..………..…………...………..………..….…..…… ix
List of Tables ..………..………..………..………..………..…………...….. x
1.
Title of Section 1 ….…..………..…………………..………..…………. 1
1.1. Sub-section Title …………………………………………………… 3
1.2. Sub-section Title ………..………...………………………..………17
1.3. Sub-section Title ………….……..………..…………..………..….. 20
2.
Title of Section 2 ….…..………..…………………..………..………….27
2.1. Sub-section Title ……………………………………………………27
2.2. Sub-section Title ………..………...………………………..………46
2.3. Sub-section Title ………….……..………..…………..………..….. 59
2.4. Sub-section Title …………………………………...…..………….. 71
3.
Title of Section 3 ….…..………..…………………..………..………….73
3.1. Sub-section Title ……………………………………………………73
3.2. Sub-section Title ………..………...………………………..………88
3.3. Sub-section Title ………….……..………..…………..………..…...98
Bibliography ……………………………………………………….……… 121
vi
15
1”
FORMAT OF THE LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
1”
1”
List of Tables
1.5”
Title: Bold, Times New Romans, 16 pt.
Table
Description
Page
1.1
Table’s Description
3
1.2
Table’s Description
17
2.1
Table’s Description
21
2.2
Table’s Description
48
2.3
Table’s Description
61
3.1
Table’s Description
76
3.2
Table’s Description
89
List of Figures
(This part should be printed on separate page from List of Tables)
Fig.
Description
Page
1.1
Figure’s Description
1
1.2
Figure’s Description
17
2.1
Figure’s Description
24
2.2
Figure’s Description
51
2.3
Figure’s Description
66
3.1
Figure’s Description
73
3.2
Figure’s Description
97
x
16
1”
FORMAT OF THE THESIS CONTENT
Letter size: 8.5” x 11”
Title:
Centered,
Bold, Times,
16 pt.
Chapter: Bold,
Times, 14 pt.
1”
Chapter 1
Introduction and Motivation
Paragraph
indentation 0.5”
The rapid growth in microelectronics and computer industry has
been fueled by the rigorous effort of scaling down CMOS device
Body: Justified,
Double-spaced,
Bold, Times,
12 pt.
dimensions. The printed gate length of a transistor is often used as a
benchmark that defines the technology node. Today’s state of the art
industries are capable of delivering transistors with gate length of 100 nm,
while developing the next generation devices towards the 65 nm technology
node. This conventional CMOS device, however, will begin to meet very
challenging scaling efforts as it approaches gate linewidth of about sub 70
nm. The limitation is not due to the inability to shrink its physical
dimension, but due to some quantum phenomena effects that begin to
dominate the device operation. Tunneling through ultra thin gate …
Figure:
Centered
Figure’s
Caption:
Centered,
Times, 12 pt.
Fig. 1.1. Emerging Technology Sequence. Adopted from 2001 ITRS [4].
1.5”
1”
1
0
asdfasdf
17
1”
GETTING READY FOR THE THESIS DEFENSE
Once your committee decides you are ready to proceed to the thesis defense, there are a
number of things that need to be done, similar to the steps taken prior to the proposal
presentation.
1. The student must contact all members of the committee to determine available dates
and times for the defense. Again try to select a time that allows most faculty and graduate
students to attend.
2. The student must provide each member of the committee with a copy of the thesis at
least two weeks in advance of the defense date.
3. The student must book a room for the date and time agreed to by all committee
members. Book the room for at least a two-hour period. Notify all committee members of
room and time.
Note that the department strongly discourages holding thesis defenses during holiday
periods or close to the end of term.
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THE ORAL THESIS PRESENTATION, DEFENSE AND
EXAMINATION
In many ways, this is very similar to when you presented your thesis proposal--you have
already been through a dry run. Again, it is a public meeting. Faculty members, besides
your committee may attend. Your fellow graduate students may also attend to provide
support and to learn what to expect concerning the defense process.
As in the proposal presentation, the Chair for the defense (this time someone from
outside the committee) will guide the process. Following introductions, you will be asked
to give about a 45 minute oral presentation of your thesis--rationale, objectives,
methods, results and conclusions or recommendations. Similarly, there will be a
questioning period directed by the Chair. Note that questions from an absent
committee member, which must be submitted in advance for the defense to take
place, will also be read by the Chair. Following these rounds of questions, the Chair
may invite visitors to ask questions. The Chair will then ask the candidate and everyone
but the examining committee to leave the room. The examining committee will then
deliberate and reach one of the following decisions:
i. Accepted. The thesis requires no change or only minor typographical or editorial
changes which will be made to the satisfaction of the thesis supervisor.
ii Accepted with Modifications. The thesis requires minor changes in substance and/or
major editorial changes or clarifications. Typically, this category implies that no further
work needs to take place. It is more a matter of refinement, clarification or elaboration.
The Chair will make notes on the changes requested by the committee, as well as who
will take responsibility for examining and approving these changes, and the date by
which the changes should be submitted. This list can be produced by both the Chair and
the thesis supervisor. The list should be submitted within two working days to both the
candidate and the MicroE Office.
iii. Accepted Conditionally. The thesis required more substantive changes (such as minor
additional experimentation. or major rewriting), but will likely be acceptable once these
changes are made to the satisfaction of the committee. The report of the Chair will outline
the nature of these changes, the date by which the changes are to be completed, who will
be responsible for approving these changes, and the consequences if the student fails to
comply. As in (ii), this report should be prepared as soon as possible (no later than a
week following the defense) and must be submitted to the MicroE Office and the
candidate, as well as to the supervisor and all committee members who will be involved
in the approval process.
iv. Decision Deferred. The thesis requires very substantial modifications (such as
additional experimentation or major reanalyzes); acceptability is in doubt. Similar to ii,
the report of the Chair will provide a list of concerns and modifications required, as well
as a time line for completion, and consequences should the student fail to comply. In this
case, the revised thesis must be submitted to the entire examining committee and a
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subsequent defense scheduled. Normally, the same committee will serve. A decision to
defer is permitted only once for each candidate.
v. Rejected: The Chair will provide a written report concerning the reasons for rejection
by the examining committee. The MicroE Graduate Office will subsequently advise the
student concerning continuing in the degree program.
Policy on Absent Committee Members for Master's Thesis Defense The policy is that
no more than one committee member, and not the thesis supervisor, may be absent for the
MS thesis defense to take place. The absent member must be contacted in advance by the
thesis supervisor and submit a list of questions, desired responses, as well as a final
recommendation (refer to decision categories), including a list of revisions that need to be
made, to the supervisor at least one week prior to the scheduled defense. In contrast to
the proposal, feedback from an absent committee member cannot be submitted after the
defense has taken place. If the above stipulations cannot be met, the defense will have to
be cancelled and rescheduled.
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THESIS EXAMINATION REPORT FORM
The thesis committee chair will have a copy of this form prior to the defense. Following
deliberations of the examining committee, and upon reaching a decision on the thesis (as
described above), the chair will indicate the committee's decision on this form. All
committee members present the day of the defense will sign the examination report form.
This form will be returned immediately following the defense (or the next working day in
the event that the office is closed for the day) to the MicroE Office. If the decision is
other than (i) Accepted, the Chair must also submit a list of changes, or reasons for
rejections as stipulated for each category above.
If the decision is (ii) to (iv), the designated committee members must be satisfied that the
changes requested of the student have been made to their satisfaction. The supervisor will
then sign on behalf of the committee to indicate that the thesis is now considered
accepted. The student can then proceed to complete an Intention to Graduate Form and
any other "end of program" forms required by the department.
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THESIS AND DISSERTATION BINDING
PLEASE NOTE: This service is available to RIT graduate students, RIT doctoral
students and RIT faculty only. The Acquisitions/Serials Department of Wallace Library is
responsible for thesis and dissertation binding. The contact person for this process is
Eileen Makepeace (475-2554, eemwml@rit.edu).
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Preparation Of The Thesis or Dissertation For Binding
Thesis/Dissertation Author Permission Statement Information
Thesis/Dissertation Author Permission Statement Form
Payment For Binding
Binding
Thesis and Dissertation Bound Copies Pickup
PREPARATION OF THE THESIS OR DISSERTATION FOR BINDING
1. Follow your department's guidelines for technical matters regarding the format of
your thesis or dissertation, paper weight, etc. The library requests that you leave a
margin of approximately 1 inch on all sides to accommodate the bindery processes.
PLEASE NOTE: If your thesis or dissertation exceeds the dimensions of 8 1/2 x 11 in.
and/or is more than 3 inches thick, you must bring a copy to the Acquisitions/Serials
Dept. in order to determine if extra charges are to be incurred. If your thesis or
dissertation does not conform to these guidelines, or if it is accompanied by other
materials such as slides, computer disks or CD-ROMS, please contact Eileen
Makepeace prior to payment for binding. For any thesis or dissertation that is in
a non-print format, at minimum a brief paper must accompany the video, CDROM or cited web address that describes the work and any technical equipment
requirements that are needed to view the work. The paper will ensure that a
description of the author's work will exist when/if the technology used to view the
original work becomes obsolete, the website no longer exists, and/or there is no
equipment available to view the work.
2. The thesis or dissertation must be signed and dated by your Dept. Chair and/or your
Graduate Advisor before binding may take place. An unsigned thesis or dissertation
will not be accepted.
3. You are responsible for making copies of your thesis or dissertation for binding. You
must ensure that all copies are collated, separated and clearly identified prior to
bringing them to the library. ALL copies of your thesis or dissertation must be
submitted to the library at the same time. The library will retain one copy for the RIT
Archives. The library prefers to retain the original thesis or dissertation.
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THESIS/DISSERTATION AUTHOR PERMISSION STATEMENT INFORMATION
For the Library's copy, you are required to include a Thesis/Dissertation Author
Permission Statement.
In this statement you indicate one of the following options: permission for others to
photocopy or reproduce all or any part of your print thesis or dissertation, or, your denial
of photocopying (reproduction) privileges of all or any part of your print thesis or
dissertation. In addition, if you are submitting the electronic version of your thesis or
dissertation to the RIT DML, you must indicate your approval for the RIT DML to
archive and provide access to your work electronically.
This statement must be signed by you (the author), no matter which option(s) you choose.
This statement will be permanently bound into the library copy; your department must
determine whether this form is to be included in the other copies of your print thesis or
dissertation. A PDF file of the signed form should accompany the electronic version of
your thesis, thesis/Capstone project or dissertation.
Please note: a bibliographic record for your thesis or dissertation is created and added to
an international database (WorldCat), in addition to the Library's online catalog. If your
thesis or dissertation is in electronic format (website), please specify if you wish to have
the URL present in the bibliographic record or not. If the URL is included in the record,
the information at that address is freely accessible to everyone.
PAYMENT FOR BINDING
1. The current binding fee is $13.00 per copy.
2. The library pays for the binding of its copy.
3. If your department wishes to assume the bindery costs for specific copies, a memo to
that effect, including the department's account number must be submitted to the
library with your thesis or dissertation copies. PLEASE NOTE: Payment for binding
of departmental copies varies from department to department, college to college.
Please check with your advisor on this matter.
4. You are responsible for paying the binding fee for any copies other than the library's
and those that may be covered by your department. The binding fee must be paid at
the Bursar's Office, 1138 Eastman Building (475-6186). You must bring the receipt to
the Library along with your thesis copies.
BINDING
Thesis and dissertation copies are bound in buckram in black, with gold leaf lettering.
Only the spine is lettered. The spine will include six words of the title, the author's last
name, and the year of acceptance for degree requirements.
The Acquisitions/Serials Department, is responsible for the binding of your thesis or
dissertation. It is located in A500 Wallace Library, on the A-Level or ground floor of the
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library building, just inside the east door of the library and across from the entrance to the
Media Resource Center. The Department is open 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Mondays through
Fridays.
Please bring the following to the Acquisitions/Serials Department:
1. All copies of your thesis or dissertation, ready for binding. This includes your
Thesis/Project/Dissertation Author Permission Statement page.
2. The receipt from the Bursar's office for copies not paid for by the Library (or your
department). A copy of the receipt can be made for you at the Library upon request.
3. A memo from your department, if it is paying for the binding of any copies.
4. The name and phone number of the specified individual who will be responsible for
picking up your bound thesis or dissertation copies.
THESIS AND DISSERTATION BOUND COPIES PICKUP
The binding of your thesis or dissertation copies takes approximately 2-4 weeks. Bindery
shipments leave and are received alternate Wednesdays. The designated individual will
be notified when your copies return from the bindery. Please arrange to have them picked
up promptly. The Library's copy will be cataloged and shelved in the Archives.
Closing Remarks:
We wish you every success in completing this final phase of your Masters degree. We are
here to do everything we can to assist you in this process. These guidelines should assist
you in each step of the process and you are expected to read and follow this document.
Department of Microelectronic Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology
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THESIS MILESTONES
DATE
MILESTONES
__________
1. Review Thesis FAQ.
__________
2. Meet with the faculty to discuss potential thesis topic.
__________
3. Decide on the subject and form thesis committee.
__________
4. Carry out detailed literature search and preliminary ‘proof of concept’
experimentation.
__________
5. Obtain thesis Advisor's approval of preliminary thesis proposal.
__________
6. Submit preliminary thesis proposal to other thesis committee members.
__________
7. Obtain approval of preliminary thesis proposal by all committee
members.
__________
8. Begin writing a formal thesis proposal based on the approved outline.
__________
9. Submit formal thesis proposal for approval.
__________
10. Proposal defense, upon receiving approval of formal thesis proposal
continue the study.
__________
11. Regularly share and discuss the results with your committee.
__________
12. Periodically submit draft of chapters of thesis to the advisor to review
__________
13. Periodically meet with other members of thesis committee and provide
draft revisions of completed chapters
__________
14. Submit final draft for thesis committee approval
__________
15. Schedule formal defense of thesis (specific date agreed to in oral
defense)
__________
16. Revise your thesis according to comments in the defense and submit to
thesis advisor for final approval
__________
17. Submit copies to the library for binding.
__________
18. GRADUATION! :)
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