Health Professions Division Dissertation Guide

30 The title page includes the exact title of the dissertation, date of submission, the candidate’s name, and name of the doctoral program. The title clearly states the subject of the dissertation, and reflects the scope and content of the investigation. The title is comprehensive and descriptive, yet succinct. Intricate and extremely long titles are not acceptable. No page number is placed on the title page. No bold is used. Approval/Signature Page The page number should not be printed. Dissertation Committee signature page Dissertation Report Certification signature page Abstract The abstract is one or two pages (page ii or pages ii and iii) but the page numbers should not be printed. The abstract is a brief summary of the purpose and content of the dissertation proposal. The abstract includes the problem statement, a description of procedures or methodology, and an account of expectations. The abstract shall not exceed 350 words for AMA style and 250 words for APA style in length, and it shall be written in future tense. The title “Abstract” is centered; it is the first line on the page, and it is not bolded. For an example of an abstract, please refer to APAstyle.org, the current APA Publication Manual, or the current AMA Manual of Style . Acknowledgments The final dissertation report includes an optional section that expresses appreciation for the assistance of the dissertation chair and dissertation committee members. Many students also include statements thanking other faculty members, staff members, colleagues, family, and friends. Acknowledgments should be in good taste and should not exceed one page in length . Acknowledgments follow the abstract. The title “Acknowledgments” is the first line on the page, centered, and not bolded. A page number should not be printed on this page. Table of Contents The table of contents follows the acknowledgments or the abstract if there are no acknowledgements. Like the abstract, the page is not numbered and “Table of Contents” is the first line on the page, and it is centered and not bolded. The first three items on the table of contents are page locations of the abstract, the list of tables, and the list of figures, followed by the chapters with their page numbers and titles, level one and level two headings, reference list, and appendices. The page numbers for the abstract, list of tables and list of figures are Roman numerals even though the page numbers are not printed on the actual page. Unless otherwise instructed, level one and level two headings will be included with their page locations in Arabic numerals, starting with Chapter 1: Introduction on Page 1. The table of contents will be single-spaced in order to save space. Be sure the headings, the dot leaders, and the page numbers span from the left margin to the right margin. The indention will be in increments of 0.25 inch. Any overflow of headings will be indented 0.25 inch. All the important words will be capitalized. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, or conjunctions unless they are the first word of the heading. If the Word table of contents template is used, the candidate must take out the bold and fix the indent and spacing to follow the format for the dissertation report.