A GUIDE TO THESIS PREPARATION
FOR
GRADUATE STUDENTS
IN
THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANT SCIENCE

This guide has been prepared to aid graduate students in the Department of Plant Science in the organization and preparation of the M.Sc. and Ph.D. thesis. The student should also consult the most recent editions of the Faculty of Graduate Studies Thesis Guidelines and the Academic Guide for additional regulations regarding the thesis, and conditions which must be met before the degree is granted.


This guide is divided into five sections:

SECTION 1 Overview of Thesis Styles
SECTION 2 Guidelines for the Traditional Style Thesis
SECTION 3 Guidelines for the Paper Style Thesis
SECTION 4 Technical Information
SECTION 5 Final Examination for the M.Sc. and Ph.D. Degrees

Approved by Plant Science Department Council May 27, 1999
Revised December 16, 2003

May 2004

 
SECTION 1

Overview of Thesis Styles

A thesis is a written document chronicling research conducted by the student in a particular area. Besides documentation of results and interpretation of experimental research, the document contains an extensive review of the literature pertaining to the subject area.

In general, the thesis begins with an overall statement of introduction and purpose for the study, including overall objectives. This section is followed by the literature review. This literature review stands alone, and is presented in addition to the literature cited when discussing the results of the research. The results of the research are then documented, including information on the methods, results and discussion of results. The last part of the thesis is usually a general discussion designed to draw broad conclusions, synthesize information, and suggest areas for future study. In most cases, a thesis contains more detailed information than would normally be submitted for publication.

In general, the master’s thesis should demonstrate that the student has mastery of the field in which she/he presents her/himself, and is fully conversant with the relevant literature. An essential feature of Ph.D. study is the candidate's demonstration of competence to complete a research project and present the research findings. The Ph.D. thesis must constitute a distinct contribution to knowledge in her/his major field of study and the material must be of sufficient merit to be, in the judgement of the examiners, acceptable for publication.

There are two main thesis styles:
1. The Traditional Style Thesis in which the major components - the methods, results of the research and discussion - are presented in discrete sections following the overall introduction and literature review. As indicated above, a general discussion should normally follow the discussion of the research results.

2. The Paper Style Thesis is similar to the traditional style thesis in a broad sense, except that the research results are packaged as discrete units or chapters, either as published manuscripts, or in a form suitable for publication in scientific journals. In the paper style thesis, each section or chapter has its own abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion in addition to the overall abstract, general introduction and literature review. If the chapters have been published or are more or less ready for publication, the paper style thesis may not contain as much detail as the traditional style thesis.

The choice of thesis style depends to an extent on the kind of study that was done, whether discrete chapters are warranted or the material is best described as a single entity. The style is chosen in consultation with, and approved by, the student’s advisory committee before writing commences. The following sections describe the main elements of each style of thesis.

SECTION 2

Guidelines for the Traditional Style Thesis

PARTS OF THE THESIS
A thesis in the traditional style is composed of three major parts. Each part contains several sections which are arranged in the following order:

PRELIMINARIES
∙ Title Page
∙ Acknowledgments
∙ Table of Contents
∙ Lists of Tables and Figures
∙ Abstract

TEXT
∙ Introduction
∙ Literature Review
∙ Materials and Methods
∙ Results*
∙ Discussion*
∙ General Discussion and Conclusions
*Results and Discussion may be combined

REFERENCE MATTER
∙ Literature Cited (Bibliography)

Ordering Headings in a Traditional Style Thesis
There are two systems of ordering headings in a thesis:
Numbered System of Ordering;
Formatted System of Ordering.

Numbered System of Ordering
All headings are typed in bold. Each major division of the thesis (ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, LITERATURE REVIEW, etc.) begins on a new page with the heading typed in upper case, centred on the first line. Subdivision headings are left justified and typed in upper and lower case. Headings are double spaced beneath the previous heading or text. Text is double spaced beneath the heading.

 

The following is an example of a numbered system of ordering:

1.0 MAJOR DIVISION HEADING

1.1 Subdivision Heading

Text is double spaced beneath the heading.

1.2 Subdivision Heading

Formatted System of Ordering
All headings are typed in bold. Each major division of the thesis (ACKNOWLEDGMENTS, LITERATURE REVIEW, etc.) begins on a new page with the heading typed in upper case, centred on the first line. First order subdivision headings are centred and typed in upper and lower case, double spaced below the preceding text or heading. Second order headings begin at the left margin and are typed in upper and lower case letters, double spaced below the preceding text or heading. No terminal punctuation is used after any of these headings. Text is double spaced beneath first and second order headings. Third order headings are treated as paragraph headings. They should follow the same rules as the other subheadings, but they run into the paragraph and are followed by a period and two spaces.

The following is an example of a formatted system of ordering:

MAJOR DIVISION HEADING

First Order Subdivision Heading

Second Order Subdivision Heading

Third Order Subdivision Heading. This heading runs into the paragraph that it begins

 

- PRELIMINARIES -

Authorities to scientific names of plants and microorganisms should be cited the first time each scientific name is used.

Title Page
The information on the title page must be complete, and neatly and symmetrically arranged. Double spacing is used between the lines of the title when more than one line is needed. No punctuation is used on the title page. The name of the degree should be given in its full and correct detail. The date should be that at which the thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and the copyright forms are signed. The following example gives correct capitalization and spacing.

The Effect of Temperature and Light

on the Growth Rate and Seed Production of

Fraxinus pennsylvanica var. subintegerrima (Vahl) Fern.

 

BY

JOHN ROBERT SMITH

 

 

A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of

 

MASTER OF SCIENCE

 

Department of Plant Science
University of Manitoba
Winnipeg, Manitoba

 

© Copyright by John Robert Smith 1999

 

Acknowledgments
This section may or may not be included. Most theses do, however, include a brief comment of thanks for any special or non-routine assistance received.

Table of Contents
This section will indicate by page number, the location of all sections of the thesis, from acknowledgments to appendices.

Titles of sections and their subsections are listed exactly as they appear in the body of the thesis, together with their page citations. Titles of main sections are typed in upper case, all sub-sections in upper and lower case i.e., all words are capitalized except prepositions, conjunctions and articles unless one of these is the initial word. A line of double spaced periods extends from the last word of the title or sub-title to the page number. The column of page numbers is headed "Page". The line of double spaced periods should be vertically aligned on the right. The page numbers are aligned by the last digit of the number.

Titles of the main sections begin at the lefthand margin. Sub-titles are indented two spaces. Second sub-titles are indented two more spaces. Double space between main titles and between main titles and sub-titles. Single space between sub-titles. Whenever a title or sub-title is longer than one line, each line after the first is single spaced and indented two more spaces than the first line. No terminal punctuation is used for any line of the table of contents.

The following is an example of a Table of Contents using the Numbered System of ordering:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii
 
LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vi
 
LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. xii
 
ABSTRACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xiii
 
1.0 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
 
1.1 Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
 
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
 
2.1 Canola - Quality Oilseed Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.1.1 History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
2.1.2 Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

2.1.3 Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

2.2 Breeding Superior Canola-Quality Oilseed Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.1 Breeding Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
2.2.2 Breeding Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2.3 Doubled Haploid Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.2.3.1 Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
2.3 Production of Brassica rapa Canola-Quality Oilseed Rape Through
Microspore Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
2.3.1 Genotype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
2.3.2 Donor Plant Physiology. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

2.3.3 Microspore Pretreatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.3.4 Development Stage of Pollen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2.3.5 Culture Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
2.3.6 Culture Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
2.3.7 Plant Regeneration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

2.4 Utilization of Microspore Derived Embryos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
 
3.0 MATERIALS AND METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
 
3.1 Genotypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
3.2 Standard Microspore Culture Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
 

 

The following is an example of a Table of Contents using the Formatted System of ordering:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ii
 
LIST OF TABLES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .vi
 
LIST OF FIGURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . xii
 
ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii
 
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
 
Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
 
LITERATURE REVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
 
Canola - Quality Oilseed Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . 6
Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .7
Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Breeding Superior Canola-Quality Oilseed Rape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Breeding Objectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Breeding Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Doubled Haploid Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Advantages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Production of Brassica rapa Canola-Quality Oilseed Rape Through
Microspore Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . .15
Genotype . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Donor Plant Physiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Microspore Pretreatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .17
Microspore Pretreatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . .17
Development Stage of Pollen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

Culture Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Culture Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 22
Plant Regeneration.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Utilization of Microspore Derived Embryos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
MATERIALS AND METHODS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Genotypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Standard Microspore Culture Protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
 

Lists of Tables and Figures
If both tables and figures are used, they are listed separately. Tables are listed first. Both tables and figures are designated by Arabic numerals. A separate series is used for each.

The column containing table numbers is headed by the word “Table”, and the column with the figure numbers is headed "Figure". The column of page numbers is headed "Page". These headings are double spaced below the main heading. The entries begin two lines down. Numbers designating tables or figures are typed next to the left margin and are vertically aligned by the period following each number. Page numbers are typed at the right margin and are vertically aligned by the last digit.

Beginning in the third space after the period, the title of the table or figure is typed using wording identical to that used in the table or figure itself. The first letter of the initial word and all other words except articles, conjunctions and prepositions will be capitalized. Titles requiring more than one line will be indented four spaces. A line of double spaced periods extends from the title to the page number. The line of double spaced periods should be vertically aligned on the right. Line spacing between titles is double.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

3-1. Location of Bed and Breakfasts in Southern Turkey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

3-2. Relative Rankings of Quality of Food Prepared at Home and Food Prepared at Fast
Food Establishments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

 

Abstract
The thesis must contain a short abstract. The first paragraph of the abstract is doubled spaced below the heading. It contains the following information: author's name (last name first); degree for which the thesis was written; university and date; complete title of the thesis; and, major professor. A double space is used between the author/thesis information and the text of the abstract. The following example indicates the correct form.

ABSTRACT

Clark, Allan Bruce. M.Sc., The University of Manitoba, May, 1971. A Study of the
Major Factors Influencing the Time Required to Obtain a Graduate Degree. Major
Professor; Simon A. Legree.

There are many factors influencing the length of time required to obtain a graduate

 

 

The abstract should give in essay form a short statement of the thesis problem, a brief exposition of the methods used, and a condensed summary of the findings. The statement of the problem and the summary of findings are most important. No citations of literature are allowed in the abstract. It should be no longer than 350 words.

- TEXT -

Introduction
This section contains a statement of the problem investigated, so that the reader can proceed with the nature and aim of the study. A brief review of past work is usually necessary in order to validate the importance of the problem, i.e., the reason for the author's interest in the problem.

Literature Review
This section is a detailed exposition of past work on the problem. Only the significant observations and conclusions of the literature need be included, and these should be included only if they are pertinent to the problem investigated. If the literature is very meagre, this section may be included in the introduction.

Materials and Methods
This section contains information on the materials and methods used in the study.

Results
This section contains a presentation of scientific data.

Discussion
This section contains a discussion of the scientific data and its relevance to the scientific literature.

General Discussion and Conclusions
This section contains a summary and discussion of the significant findings of the study. The author should take care to separate the findings from the conclusions. Literature citations are not allowed in this section. Recommendations for further study in the field of investigation may be included. General Discussion and Conclusions may be included as separate sections.

- REFERENCE MATTER -

Literature Cited
This section contains all references cited by the author in the thesis. The Department of Plant Science requires that students follow the author-year system. The author-number system should not be used in a thesis. The author-year system has a distinct advantage in the preparation of a thesis, especially if it contains numerous references. If the thesis is revised, additions or deletions to the bibliography can be made easily without affecting other references and their citations in the text.

In the author-year system, references are cited in the text by author and year of publication, e.g., "Smith (1970) investigated ... .". In the text, all authors are mentioned in the citation if there are not more than two. If three or more authors are involved, the citation in the text reads “Smith et al. (1970)”.

In the bibliography, the references should be arranged in alphabetical order by author's surname and year. All authors of a multi-author publication are listed surname first, followed by initials and year of publication. The full title of the paper follows the date. Only the first letter of the title is capitalized. This is followed by the name of the publication, volume number and page numbers. Except for single word titles, the title of journals are usually abbreviated. A list of standardized abbreviations can be found in the most recent edition of the CSE Manual published by the Council of Science Editors. A copy of this is available in the William R. Newman Library (Agriculture) reference section. References to books should list the author or editor, title of the book, the edition, the publishers, place of publication, year, and the page numbers. Latin binomials are italicized. Book titles are in upper and lower case.

When citing multiple works by the same author, list single authorship articles before those by several authors. Determine the sequence by alphabetizing the first author's surname and junior author's surname, by the year of publication (most recent last), and if necessary, by the page numbers of articles published in the same journal.

Line spacing is single within references and double between references.

The following examples indicate the correct format:

LITERATURE CITED

DeRobertis, E.C.P., Saez, F.A. and DeRobertis, E.M.F. 1975. Cell Biology. 6th ed. W.B. Saunders Co., Philadelphia. 346 pp.

Durum, W.D. 1982. Wheat quality effects on cooking time of pasta. Can. J. Pl. Sci. 80:12-18.

Livanou, T. and Nikas, A.A. 1972. A quick test for protein bound iodine based on the dry ash method. Folia Biochim. Biol. Graeca. 9:116-123.

Rotem, J. 1978. Climate and weather influence on epidemics. p. 317-337. In: Plant Disease: An Advanced Treatise; Vol II: How Disease Develops in Populations. Horsfall, J.G. and Cowling E.B. eds. Academic Press, New York.

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network-(GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. URL: www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/coop.pl?86256 (25 November 1998)

 

Appendices
If this section is needed, it follows the literature cited. It includes supplementary illustrative material, original data and statistical tables too lengthy for inclusion in the text, or not immediately necessary for an understanding of the subject.


SECTION 3

Guidelines for the Paper Style Thesis

PARTS OF THE THESIS
A thesis in the paper style is composed of four major parts. Parts containing sections are arranged in the following order:

PRELIMINARIES
∙ Title Page
∙ Acknowledgments
∙ Table of Contents
∙ Lists of Tables and Figures
∙ Abstract
∙ Foreward
∙ Introduction
∙ Literature Review

MANUSCRIPTS - composed of:
∙ Abstract
∙ Introduction
∙ Materials and Methods
∙ Results*
∙ Discussion*
*Results and Discussion may be combined

GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

REFERENCE MATTER - composed of:
∙ Literature Cited (Bibliography)
∙ Appendices

Manuscripts which have been published or accepted by a journal prior to thesis submission, may be included in the body of a thesis, provided that in the opinion of the Advisory Committee, the research described in the manuscripts was conducted by the student while registered in the Faculty of Graduate Studies at the University of Manitoba, under supervision of the advisor.

If several manuscripts are to be submitted, they should follow the style and format of a single journal even if they are to be submitted to different journals.

Ordering Headings Within a Paper Style Thesis
See guidelines for the Traditional Style Thesis

- PRELIMINARIES -

Title Page, Acknowledgments, Table of Contents, List of Tables and Figures, Abstract
See guidelines for the Traditional Style thesis.

Foreword
This section contains a statement indicating which journal format is being used for preparation of the manuscripts within the thesis.

Introduction
This section contains a statement of the problem investigated, so that the reader is informed of the nature and aim of the study. A brief review of past work is usually necessary in order to validate the importance of the problem, i.e., the reason for the author's interest in the problem.

Literature Review
The literature review is written as in a “traditional thesis style”. This section contains a comprehensive coverage of past work on the problem. Only significant observations and conclusions of pertinent literature need be included. Review all areas that will be discussed in the body of the thesis (i.e., in the manuscripts) even though some duplication will occur with the literature review.

- MANUSCRIPTS -

The major headings within manuscripts in a paper style thesis are ABSTRACT, INTRODUCTION, MATERIALS AND METHODS, RESULTS, and DISCUSSION. Each manuscript in the thesis will include these sections.

Individual manuscripts are headed by “CHAPTER #” or “MANUSCRIPT #” centred on the first line of the page in bold upper case letters without punctuation followed by the title of the manuscript centred on the page in bold upper and lower case letters. Space between heading and title is double. Manuscripts constitute the body of the thesis and should be complete and prepared in accordance with instructions given to authors by the selected journal. Tables and figures should be prepared as recommended by the journal. However, references should be listed only in a final literature cited section at the end of the thesis. Reprints from the journal will not be allowed as part of the thesis.

Writing the MATERIALS AND METHODS sections of a manuscript style thesis in the concise manner recommended by a journal, is difficult to reconcile with the detailed presentation of the traditional thesis. This can be achieved, however, by presenting the details of procedures and methods in an Appendix. If a method has been published, the reference is cited, followed by the Appendix which contains the details. Thus, the reader is not required to consult additional references to obtain a clear picture of the methodology.

Since each manuscript is a separate entity in the thesis, the rules of citing authorities to scientific names of plants and microorganisms will apply to each manuscript. Authorities should be cited the first time each scientific name is used in each manuscript.

- GENERAL DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS -

General Discussion and Conclusions
A thesis written in manuscript style should contain a general discussion section which inter-relates information presented in each manuscript of the thesis. The section should contain a critical discussion of the findings presented in relation to previous research cited in the literature review section. Literature citations are not allowed in this section. Recommendations for further study in the field of investigation may be included. General Discussion and Conclusions may be included as separate sections.

- REFERENCE MATTER -

Literature Cited
The format in this section should be the author-year system. References are listed in alphabetical order according to the author's surname, followed by the year, complete title, journal name, volume number and inclusive page numbers. All literature citations found in the thesis, including those in the manuscripts, should be listed in this section. See SECTION 2 for more detailed discussion.

Appendices
The appendix should contain all the necessary supporting data and procedures that are usually excluded from publications in scientific journals but are required in a thesis.


SECTION 4

Technical Information

All theses must be written according to a standard style manual acknowledged by a particular field of study and recommended by the Department of Plant Science. Students should follow guidelines set forth in this document, the Faculty of Graduate Studies Thesis Guidelines and the most recent edition of the CBE Style Manual (details provided earlier in this document). It is also recommended that each student purchase a copy of the most recent edition of How to Write and Publish a Scientific Paper, by Robert A. Day, Oryx Press. This book is available in the William R. Newman Library (Agriculture) reserve secion and is also available to University of Manitoba students online at
http://www.netlibrary.com/urlapi.asp?action=summary&V=1&bookid+7615.

All theses must be lucid, well-written and free from typing, spelling and grammatical errors. The last draft should be carefully edited before final printing to ensure it is free of errors. Spelling checkers are not infallible. For instance they will approve both "phosphorus" and "phosphorous".

Abbreviations
Abbreviations can be used in the abstract and the text. If used in the abstract, they must be defined in the abstract. If used in the text, they must be defined in the text.

Font
The text should have a pitch of 10 characters per inch or 12 point size on the laser printer. Students are encouraged to use non-proportionally spaced fonts such Times Roman and Helvetica rather than proportional fonts such as Courier.

Line Spacing
Line spacing is at least 1.5.

Pagination
Each page in the thesis must be assigned a number, and the pages must be consecutively arranged. Although the title page does not bear a typed number, it will be counted as page "i". Preliminary pages, from this title page through the abstract, will be numbered consecutively in small Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv, etc.), typed in the upper right hand corner of the page, 1" from the top and 1" from the right edge.

Beginning with the first page of the text and including all separately paged figures and tables, the bibliography, and appendices, consecutive Arabic numerals are typed in the upper right hand corner of the page, 1" from the top and 1" from the right edge. Unnumbered pages or pages bearing a number and letter (e.g., 3A, 3B) can be easily lost and are not to be used.

To facilitate proof-reading, early copies should contain line numbers in the left margin which restart each page. Line numbers must be removed in final copies.

Justification
All text should be full justified.

Margins
Throughout the thesis, including tables, the left margin should be 1.5" and top, right and bottom margins 1". All figures should conform to these dimensions as closely as possible. Uniform margins improve the appearance of the bound thesis. No heading should be placed at the end of a page without text beneath.

Figures
All figures should be understandable by referring to the legend or caption. Readers should not have to refer to the text for clarification. If figures (graphs, charts, maps or photographs) are used, they must be included in all copies of the thesis. Several figures or tables can be combined on a single page. All features and lettering must be clear and legible.

All figures should be functional. As a rule, they should not repeat material presented in tables unless this is necessary for analysis or clarification. Where a graph summarizes data from tables, and the data may be a useful resource for other researchers, the table should be placed in an appendix at the end of the thesis.

Material larger than page size may be folded horizontally to make a page 8"x11" (allowing a 1.5" left margin for binding). Larger material may be folded horizontally and vertically to a size not larger than 6.5" x 10". A linen tab can be used to provide a 1.5" binding margin. Bear in mind the bindery will trim the pages slightly when the thesis is bound.

Figures which are too large to be folded into the regulation binding, and figures which are not attached to the binding, will be not be accepted. Where possible, large figures should be reduced by a photocopier or by photographic methods.

Graphs and line drawings should be prepared by computerized drawing and plotting programs. If this is not possible, they should be drawn with black India ink on white paper. Lettering guides should be used for all letters, and letter size should be in proportion to the size of the figure.

Black and white or colour photographs should be printed on photographic printing paper cropped to 8.5"x11". Colour photographs should be used wherever possible.

Where appropriate, colour images may be reproduced by a colour laser printer. Reproduction must be of a suitable high quality to ensure that details are not lost.

Photographs should be numbered as figures. If a legend describing a photograph cannot be placed below the figure, it should be typed on the back side of a blank numbered page so that the legend faces the illustration when the bound thesis is opened. When photographs are printed by a laser printer, the figure number should be printed in bold below the figure, followed by the legend (not bold). Several photographs can be combined on a single page.

Figures are numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals. The number in bold (e.g., Figure 4.) should be placed below the figure. The title and legend will follow the number. The first letter is typed two spaces after the period. If the legend consists of more than one line, the second and any following lines, are indented four spaces and single spaced.

Figure 1. The effect of temperature and light on rate of growth and seed production of Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Figures should be numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text. Each figure should appear as closely as possible after the first citation in the text which refers to it.

Tables
All tables should be understandable by referring to the legend or caption. Readers should not have to refer to the text for clarification. The student is referred to the most recent addition of the CSE Manual (details provided earlier in this document) . However, a few comments are pertinent.

No vertical lines are used in tables. Tables are usually typed parallel to the normal print line, i.e., portrait, but extensive data may be typed in landscape format.

Tables are numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals. The table number is typed in bold (e.g., Table 2.) above the table. The title follows immediately after. The first letter is typed two spaces after the period. If the title consists of more than one line, the second and any subsequent lines are indented four spaces, and single spaced.

If footnotes are used with a table, they should be typed below the table. All footnotes should be single spaced and indented three spaces. Each footnote is referred to in the table by a lower case letter or by a symbol.

Tables should be numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text. Each table should follow as closely as possible after it is first cited in the text of the thesis.

Placement of Tables and Figures. Computer generated figures and tables with corresponding legends may be printed on a page containing text and located as close as possible to the citation in the text. Separation of text from figures and tables should be one blank line.

The student is referred to the "Council of Biological Editors Style Manual" (6th Edition 1994). However, a few comments are pertinent.

No vertical lines are used in tables. Tables are usually typed parallel to the normal print line, i.e., portrait, but extensive data may be typed in landscape format.

All tables are numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals. The table number is typed in bold letters (e.g., Table 2.) above the table. The title follows immediately after; the first letter is typed two spaces after the period. If the title consists of more than one line, the second and any subsequent lines should be indented four spaces, and should be single spaced.

If footnotes are used with a table, they should be typed below the table. All footnotes should be single spaced and indented three spaces. Each footnote is referred in the table by a lower case letter or by a symbol.

Placement of Tables and Figures
Computer generated figures and tables with corresponding legends may be printed on a page containing text and located as close as possible to the citation in the text. Separation of text from figures and tables should be one blank line.

 

Figure 1. The effect of temperature and light on seed production of Fraxinus pennsylvanica

Photographs should be numbered as figures. If a legend describing a photograph cannot be placed below the figure, it should be typed on the back side of a blank numbered page so that the legend faces the illustration when the bound thesis is opened. When photographs are printed by a laser printer the Figure number should be printed in bold below the figure, followed by the legend (not bold). Several photographs can be combined on a single page.

Thesis Printing
The approved thesis must be printed in black ink on good quality White Bond paper with a hard, bright and even surface. Acid-free paper is preferred. Dot Matrix printers are not acceptable unless letter quality. The thesis may be reproduced from printed originals by photocopy machines.

Copies
At least three copies of the approved thesis are required. These are distributed as follows:
1. Two unbound copies to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (along with the original thesis/examination approval form signed by all committee members);
2. One unbound copy to the Department of Plant Science;
3. Any additional copies required by the student, advisor, committee members, etc. to the Department of Plant Science for binding. The Department does not pay for binding these copies.

The candidate must complete and sign copyright and release forms (available at the Faculty of Graduate Studies) and should refer to Faculty of Graduate Studies Thesis Guidelines for information on copyright, National Library of Canada and Dissertation Abstracts International, and Policy of Withholding Theses Pending Patent Applications.

Deadlines for Submission of Theses to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
The University of Manitoba Graduate Calendar should be consulted regarding deadlines for submission of the thesis to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

SECTION 5

Final Examination for the M.Sc. and Ph.D. Degrees

The final examination proceeds in two stages:
1. examination of the candidate’s thesis, and
2. oral examination of the candidate on the subject of the thesis and any matters relating thereto.

When the thesis is distributed to the examining committee members a Thesis Title and Appointment of Examiners form must be submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. It is the responsibility of the Faculty of Graduate Studies to distribute the Ph.D. thesis to all examiners. With approval of the advisor, a master’s candidate may distribute the thesis to examiners.

Oral Examination of the M.Sc. Thesis
The advisor arranges the time and place of the examination. The Chair is arranged by the Head of the Department of Plant Science. At the oral examination, the student gives a 30 minute (approximately) presentation, highlighting and interpreting the research findings. Questioning by committee members follows, beginning with the external examiner and ending with the student's advisor. Each examiner is initially allowed approximately 15 minutes for questions. There is opportunity at the end of the first round of questioning to ask additional questions. Formal questioning by the examiners should normally not exceed 1.5 hours.

The advisor is normally responsible for ensuring that revisions are completed according to the instructions from the examining committee.

Oral Examination of the Ph.D. Thesis
The advisor arranges the time and place of the oral examination but these arrangements must be confirmed by the Faculty of Graduate Studies who selects the Chair.

At least two weeks prior to the oral examination, the student must submit to the Faculty of Graduate Studies, the following information in an electronic form:
1. Biographical data - where and when born, outstanding points in career, awards, etc.
2. List of degrees obtained - where and when.
3. The exact title of the thesis.
4. An abstract of the thesis (not more than 350 words).
5. List of the student's publications.

The first part of the oral examination consists of an oral presentation by the candidate which should include a summary of the salient points of her/his research and should be presented concisely within a time span of approximately 30 minutes. This is followed by questioning and examination of the candidate by the Examination Committee for normally approximately one and one-half hours but in no case longer than two hours. Normally, the oral examination is open to all members of the University community. The Chair may exercise her/his discretion in allowing questions from guests following completion of the formal examination. The candidate and all spectators are required to withdraw from the examination room when the examiners begin to consider their report. The examiners may at this stage require the candidate to make whatever revisions to the thesis they see fit, and such revisions must be completed before the Oral Examination Committee's report is submitted. The committee may exercise its discretion on such matters as who must approve the required revisions, time limits for completion of the revisions, the necessity for a second oral examination and other such matters.

It is the responsibility of a designated member of the Oral Examination Committee (normally the student's thesis advisor) to ensure that all revisions are carried out before copies of the thesis are submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies.