1.   Title page (required)

2.  Abstract (required - maximum 350 words)

The abstract is a concise and accurate summary of the research contained in the thesis. It states the problem, the methods of investigation, and the general conclusions, and should not contain tables, graphs or illustrations. There is a single abstract for the entire thesis.

3.  Preface (required if the research has been partly or wholly published in articles, was part of a collaboration, or required the approval of UBC Research Ethics Boards)

The Preface must include only the following:

• A statement indicating the relative contributions of all collaborators and co-authors of publications or material submitted for publication (if any), emphasizing details of the student's contribution and stating the proportion of research and writing conducted by the student
• A list of any publications or submissions arising from work presented in the dissertation including the title of the article and name of the publisher, and the chapter(s) of the dissertation in which the work is located
• The name of the particular UBC Research Ethics Board, and the Certificate Number(s) of the Ethics Certificate(s) obtained, if ethics approval was required for the research

Please do not put acknowledgements or introductory material in the Preface.

NOTES:

If students are including their own material from solely- or co-authored journal articles or other research publications, they must follow the guidelines under "Including Published Material in a Thesis".

If the research involved collaboration with others, including supervisors or members of the supervisory committee, the Preface must include details about the student's contributions to the following:

• Identification and design of the research program
• Performance of the various parts of the research
• Analysis of the research data
• Preparation of manuscripts, if any

 The content of the Preface must be verified and endorsed by the student's supervisor by checking the box on the Thesis Approval form (required for final submission of thesis to the Faculty of Graduate Studies). The Preface may be updated at the time of final submission of the thesis.

4.  Table of contents (required)

5.  List of tables (required if thesis has tables)

6.  List of figures (required if thesis has figures)

7.  List of illustrations (required if thesis has illustrations)

8.  Lists of symbols, abbreviations or other (advisable if applicable)

9.  Glossary (optional)

10.  Acknowledgements (optional)

The following are usually mentioned in the Acknowledgments:

• Supervisor and committee
• Grant support
• Helpful fellow students, lab mates etc.
• Family support

11.  Dedication(optional)

12.  Introduction

The introduction to the thesis must outline the theme, hypotheses and/or goals of the thesis and provide sufficient information to enable a non-specialist researcher to understand these. It must contain the elements listed below. The way in which these elements are incorporated will depend on the particular discipline.

• A thorough review of relevant literature
• A clear statement of the research question – the hypotheses and/or goals of the research

13.  Research chapters

The account of the research should be presented in a manner suitable for the field and include the following:

• A coherent structure that flows logically and smoothly from chapter to chapter
• A brief synopsis at the beginning of each research chapter
• A description of methods used, in sufficient detail to enable a reader to understand how the data were gathered and to apply similar methods in another study
• A complete account of the research presented in a systematic manner typical of the field of study

Students should consult with their supervisors for further guidance about how to structure their particular thesis.

14.  Conclusion

In this section the student must demonstrate his/her mastery of the field.

The section includes the following:

• Overall analysis and integration of the research and conclusions of the thesis in light of current research in the field
• Conclusions regarding goals or hypotheses of the thesis that were presented in the Introduction, and the overall significance and contribution of the thesis research
• Comments on strengths and limitations of the thesis research
• Discussion of any potential applications of the research findings
• An analysis of possible future research directions in the field drawing on the work of the thesis

15.  Bibliography (mandatory)

There must be only one Bibliography or References section for the whole thesis.

16.  Appendices

Appendices must be limited to supporting material genuinely subsidiary to the main argument of the thesis. They must only include material that is referred to in the thesis.

The following are appropriate for inclusion in the appendices:

• Additional details of methodology and/or data
• Diagrams of specialized equipment developed
• Copies of questionnaires or surveys used in the research

NEW: Please do not include copies of the Ethics Certificates in the Appendices. This is no longer required.