Manuscript Terminology

At Bowling Green State University, the word "thesis" is used to identify the document prepared to satisfy the requirements for the Plan I master's degree. The word "dissertation" is used to identify the research document prepared to satisfy the requirements for the doctoral degree.

The Committee

You and your department's graduate coordinator should work together to select an advisor (also called "major professor") and a thesis or dissertation committee. If you are a doctoral student, the Graduate College will appoint an additional member to your committee to represent the Graduate Faculty. This representative, commonly referred to as the "outside member," will be from a department other than that of your field of study. You may elect to have a faculty member from another academic area on your committee, but s/he is considered another regular member rather than the outside member. The minimum size for a thesis committee is two (the advisor and one additional member), and for a dissertation committee, four (the advisor, two additional members, and the outside member). Although there is no maximum committee size, keep in mind that large committees are cumbersome and may make it more difficult to complete the process.

The Basic Steps

Once you have passed any preliminary examinations, the following basic steps are needed to complete your thesis or dissertation. This is an outline only: consult the Graduate Catalog for details on other University or departmental requirements.

Topic Approval

1. Identify your thesis or dissertation advisor and the other members of your committee.
2. Decide on a topic through discussions with your advisor and committee members.
3. Optional: enroll in the Personalized Research Consultation Service (PeRCS) program at the library to receive assistance in searching for and locating relevant materials.
4. Secure departmental approval of the topic, according to the department's procedures.
5. Secure Graduate College approval of the topic by submitting the Topic Approval Form with signatures of your committee members and departmental graduate coordinator.

Research and Writing

1. Meet with your committee to decide how to proceed. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss such concerns as whether you will meet regularly with the entire group or just with your advisor, whether your advisor will review the text before it is submitted to the entire committee, and whether you will submit work chapter by chapter or only once the manuscript is completed.
2. Establish a regular meeting schedule with your advisor (and other committee members, if desired).
3. Do the research.
4. Submit the initial draft(s) of the manuscript to your advisor and committee for review.
5. Revise the manuscript based on their input and submit a final version to the committee far enough in advance of the final examination/defense date to allow a thorough reading. (Allow 3-5 weeks.)

Submission of Manuscript (following approval and final examination)

1. Thoroughly proofread the manuscript.
2. The final, error-free version is submitted electronically to OhioLINK. In addition, the ETD Approval/Submission form verifying the final oral defense as well as the manuscript approval is to be submitted to the Graduate College with a copy of the Title Page and Abstract attached. This form must include the signatures of all members of your committee and be received in the Graduate College by the posted deadlines each semester.

Instructions for the Master of Music Degree in Composition

Graduate students majoring in music composition submit an original musical composition as their thesis. All aspects of the composition must conform to specifications established by the College of Musical Arts. At the discretion of the faculty, an oral examination may substitute for a performance of the composition. The approved score/parts for the work is submitted to OhioLINK. The manuscript must contain an appropriate written introduction, an abstract, other explanatory information concerning the composition, and pertinent bibliographic documentation. These must conform to the format and style requirements contained in this Handbook. If the composition is performed, a recording, conforming to specifications established by the College of Musical Arts may be included with the electronic manuscript submitted to OhioLINK.

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