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The 2002-2003 Graduate Council passed
this policy that permits doctoral students in selected programs
to use a multiple-article format for the dissertation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Article Style vs. Journal Format
Article Style.
At the doctoral level, "article-style” dissertations are
unified works that include several distinct but closely related
studies of research or creative activity, each of which is of
publishable quality. The University does not permit an
"article-style thesis" to be presented for a master's degree.
Journal Format.
A "journal-format” dissertation or thesis is
acceptable. Such a dissertation or thesis simply follows the format
of a particular journal in which the student and advisor want to
publish the manuscript. To prepare a journal-format dissertation or
thesis, the student uses the journal's "information for authors" or
similarly titled guidelines in conjunction with the Graduate
School's
Student Guide to Preparing Electronic
Theses and Dissertations.
Article-style Dissertations
This approach is
intended for doctoral students whose final, completed dissertation
will consist of a number of manuscripts or articles.
It is an option available only to students in certain fields whose
graduate faculty have determined it to be an appropriate option. See
the table below for a list of these fields.
Article-style dissertations must be based on research completed
while the student is enrolled at The University of Alabama. For each
article used, the student must be the first author, or equivalent,
as defined by the discipline.
The dissertation must be the student's original idea. It must be a
unified work and include a sequence of articles of publishable
quality around a theme, with a comprehensive review of the
literature that demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the
unifying framework.
There will be one introductory section to describe the studies, tell
how they are related, and explain their significance. There will be
connecting language to bridge each study to the next. There also
will be a section that serves as a summary making clear the
importance of the studies, integrating the major findings, and
discussing the implications for the overall topic.
All parts of the dissertation must conform to the provisions set
forth in the
Student
Guide to Preparing Theses and Dissertations, except when the
circumstances of a specific project require deviation. Students
considering this approach should contact the Graduate School before
beginning their work if they have any questions concerning specific
problems or deviations from traditional procedures.
Doctoral
Degree Programs With the Option of Writing an
Article-style Dissertation |
- Accountancy
Applied Statistics
- Aerospace Engineering
and Mechanics
- Biological Sciences
Chemical Engineering
Chemistry
Civil Engineering
Computer Science
Economics
Education (all departments)
Electrical and Computer Engineering
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- Finance
Geological Sciences
Health Education and Promotion
Management
Management Science
Marketing
Mechanical Engineering
Metallurgical and Materials Engineering
Physics
Psychology
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FORMATTING
ARTICLE-STYLE DISSERTATIONS
As with regular dissertations, students must select a prominent style
guide appropriate to their field of study and whose provisions must be
applied to the manuscript as a whole. When individual articles have been
prepared for or accepted by journals for publication, and the articles
have been prepared using the author and style guide issued by the
journal(s), the articles must be revised as appropriate to conform with
the overall style of “A Student Guide to Preparing Theses and
Dissertations” before submission to the Graduate School as a
dissertation. The chosen style must be applied consistently across all
articles with reference to any exceptions from the specific provisions
of “A Student Guide to Preparing Theses and Dissertations.”
PARTS OF THE
MANUSCRIPT OF AN ARTICLE-STYLE DISSERTATION
Preliminary Pages
Copyright Information
The inclusion of any articles that are previously published or
accepted for publication requires permission from the copyright holder.
The sections not copyrighted by another party may be covered under the
publication of the new manuscript.
Abstract
Same as regular dissertation, please
follow same layout and format as for a regular dissertation.
Abbreviations
List all abbreviations as one complete list in the preliminary
section of the dissertation. Do not include them with the individual
articles.
Acknowledgments
Follow the same layout and format as for a regular dissertation.
Table of Contents
Each article included should be identified in the Table of Contents
as a separate section by giving the complete title as it appears on each
manuscript. Do not list subheadings that occur within the individual
manuscripts; do list subheadings from the introductory and summary
sections.
List of Tables and List of Figures
Tables and figures shall be listed for the whole document. Numbering of
tables and figures will be in accordance with the chosen style and
formatting guide for the document as a whole.
Main Body
Introduction
The introduction should include a clear statement of the student’s
purpose or hypothesis to be tested. It provides necessary background
information and a broad statement summarizing the findings of the study.
This section also will include a statement of the relationship between
and among the various articles and parts of the research.
First Article
Subheadings/sections – e.g., Introduction, Review of Literature, Method,
Results, Conclusions.
Reference List (for article 1)
Appendices
Second Article
Subheadings/sections – e.g., Introduction, Review of Literature,
Method, Results, Conclusions.
Reference List (for article 2)
Appendices (for article 2)
Third Article
Subheadings/sections – e.g., Introduction, Review of Literature,
Method, Results, Conclusions.
Reference List (for article 3)
Appendices (for article 3)
Overall Conclusion
State the conclusions for the manuscript as a whole.
References
All general references from the introduction, overall conclusion,
and any supplementary sections should be included here and should
conform to the same style and format as the articles.
Appendices
Include here only any additional appendices that relate to the
manuscript as a whole.
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