CPTS Thesis Process Overview May 16, 2017 PREFACE 1. Please refer - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
CPTS Thesis Process Overview May 16, 2017 PREFACE 1. Please refer to this material often during your time in the program. 2. Pay attention to deadlines, rules, etc. to avoid not completing the program in a timely fashion.. 3. Work with
CPTS Thesis Process Overview
May 16, 2017
PREFACE
1. Please refer to this material often during your time in the program. 2. Pay attention to deadlines, rules, etc. to avoid not completing the program in a timely fashion.. 3. Work with your thesis advisor and committee, CPTS program co-directors (Janet Tooze & Capri Foy) and coordinator (Tina Church) and the WFU Graduate School staff to ensure a smooth process.
Today’s Agenda
1. Why a Thesis?/Certificate 2. Becoming a Degree Candidate 3. Stay Registered as a Thesis Candidate 4. Your Thesis Committee 5. Your Thesis Proposal 6. Your Thesis 7. Grad School’s Required Intent to Graduate Form 8. Requesting an Oral Examination (aka Your Thesis Defense) 9. Examination Committee 10. Your Thesis Defense 11. Thesis Timelines 12. Suggested Target Dates 13. A Few More Things 14. Developing a Research Question
#1 Recommendation
Everything will take 2 to 4 times longer than estimated (and expect slow-downs during summer months!)
Why a Thesis?
Culmination of degree program
Establish topical area expertise Integrate and apply knowledge and skills developed during coursework Reinforce statistical skills and ability to communicate with statisticians Practice working in a multidisciplinary, translational team
Create scientific products to further your career
Manuscript Presentation (aka the Thesis Defense) Relationships
Demonstrates qualifications for entry into community of formally trained researchers
Certificate Program For those students who can not / do not complete a thesis during the allotted time, CPTS and Wake Forest
Because each of you have completed the required class work for a thesis, you are already eligible to receive the Certificate if you can not / do not complete a thesis. A thesis is the preferable option because it allows you protected time to write and get a publication out of your experience in the master’s program
Becoming a Degree Candidate Requires approval of Graduate School Dean All required coursework completed 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA CPTS Program Co-Directors and Coordinator request this on your behalf, after receipt of summer grades
Stay Registered as a Thesis Candidate
Must remain continuously registered until graduation
Fall, Spring, and Summer
Summer 2017
CPTS 741 – Grant writing – 3 hours CPTS 750 – Thesis research – 3 hours Expectation: Approved Thesis Proposal by end of the summer session
Year 2 – Finish thesis The Graduate School is moving away from using “Thesis Only” registration and will allow this only for situations when requirements have not been completed met at the semester deadline
Stay Registered as a Thesis Candidate Option 1: Fall 2017
Register for 5 research hours (CPTS 750) under advisor (Satisfactory-Unsatisfactory) Tuition collected Graduate in December – defend by December 6th to graduate in December
Option 2: May 2018
Register for 5 research hours (CPTS 750) in the fall Register for 5 research hours (CPTS 750) in the spring Tuition collected Graduate in May – defend by April 25th to graduate in May
Stay Registered as a Thesis Candidate By the end of the Summer 2017 semester you will need to determine if you will be able to graduate in December 2017 or May 2018, and commit to a timeline to meet your goal. We will expect progress notes from you on meeting your milestones for the deadline you choose. We will be in regular contact with you if we do not hear from you.
Your Thesis Committee (1 of 4) Purpose is to advise and guide you You develop the idea and do the work Identify Committee members with your current advisor (aka Thesis Committee Chair) and Program Director(s) You will identify a committee over the summer Submit APPROVAL OF THESIS COMMITTEE form
Your Thesis Committee (2 of 4) Thesis Committee must include: Your Thesis Advisor Statistician
Must be a faculty member to serve on Committee Can access a master’s level statistician (that is not a faculty member) to help guide you, but the faculty member is THE official person on the committee. Minimum of one other member, typically with content area expertise All must be Graduate School Faculty List is available at: http://graduate.wfu.edu/faculty/directory.html We can have someone added to the graduate faculty if need be.
Your Thesis Committee (3 of 4) Tips for Identifying Committee Members:
Larger committee does not mean better committee
Include essential expertise you need with as few committee members as possible (non-members may still be authors on manuscript)
Balance rigor with intangibles
An extremely knowledgeable committee member who is rarely available may be less useful than a highly knowledgeable person who is often available
When you approach potential members, be prepared to discuss your idea(s) & their role and time commitment A person who is not on a member of the faculty at Wake Forest can be a member of the committee (but not the advisor), with permission from the Graduate School
Your Thesis Committee (4 of 4) Ideally working with your Committee (keeping in mind they are busy people) Meet regularly with advisor (2x/month) and statistician (1x/month) Keep other members involved…at least
Forming and managing a thesis committee mirrors role of principal investigator assembling and managing a team of collaborators
Your Thesis Proposal (1 of 3) BEFORE YOU START YOUR ANALYSES, YOU NEED TO: WRITE A THESIS PROPOSAL, GET IT APPROVED BY YOUR THESIS COMMITTEE, AND GET IT APPROVED BY THE CPTS CO-DIRECTORS We will provide you with a model written by a student who has successfully gone through our program.
Your Thesis Proposal (2 of 3)
STEPS 1. Work with your Thesis Committee to develop the proposal
Convene in-person meeting if possible Best way to resolve any differences of opinion Establishes working relationships You will be responsible for final draft incorporating input on prior drafts 3. One of the CPTS Program Co-Directors then needs to approve the proposal. E-mail final, committee-approved proposal to cpts@wakehealth.edu We will notify you and your advisor of full approval, approval with modifications, or disapproval
Your Thesis Proposal (3 of 3)
Proposal includes: A moderately detailed literature review, which becomes the basis of the first chapter of your thesis (10 to 15 pages) A statement of feasible specific aims (1 to 2 pages) A set of skeleton tables and/or figures that serve as the basis
Double-spaced with 1” margins On the cover page of your proposal, indicate who your committee members are (Advisor/Chair, Statistician, Other Members)
#1 Recommendation
Everything will take 2 to 4 times longer than estimated (and expect slow-downs during summer months!)
Your Thesis (1 of 3)
Use expanded manuscript format instead of regular Graduate School format Three Components Chapter 1 = Detailed Literature Review with Specific Aims at end Builds on thesis proposal literature review OK if Specific Aims shift slightly from approved proposal Chapter 2 = Publishable Manuscript (in the format of the journal to which you will submit your paper) Chapter 3 = Ancillary Analyses and Expanded Discussion Analyses that did not fit in Chapter 2 Next research steps
Your Thesis (2 of 3) Thesis Format Out of respect for your committee, try to keep drafts reasonably neat, error free, and consistent Reserve time at end of writing process to properly format document Wastes time to repeatedly format drafts IMPORTANT/REQUIRED: 4 weeks prior to estimated date of defense - meeting with Graduate School Registrar (Beth Whitsett) to clarify formatting needs
Your Thesis (3 of 3) Writing Tips
(also applies to writing proposal)
Steady progress (“marathon, not a 100 meter dash”) Best to try to get as much done before other job responsibilities start dictating your time All writing should be your own, incorporating advice from committee You must meet the requirements of a first author
Grad School’s Required Intent to Graduate Form Per the Grad School Calendar, early in the semester in which you want to graduate, notify Graduate School using “Statement of Intent to Graduate Form” http://internal.graduate.wfu.edu/Forms/BG%20Campus/BG_Stin tent_MS-T.pdf e.g. to graduate on May 2018, you should submit this form to the Grad School by January 26th. Graduate School will notify CPTS Program Graduate School and CTPS Program will handle any needed Graduate faculty appointments
(aka Your Thesis Defense)
When you and your advisor feel you are ready to defend (i.e., your thesis is 99% done/approved), notify the CPTS Program Coordinator (Tina Church, extension 6-3804
An Examination Chair will then be identified by the CPTS Program Co-Directors. Tina will poll the Examination Committee their regarding availability (that is not your responsibility). Because Committee Members very often have busy schedules, your defense could end up being scheduled 4 to 6 weeks after you notify us that you are ready.
Note that defense deadlines coincide with times when people may be away from work
Examination Committee Who is on your Examination Committee? Examination Chair identified by CPTS Program Co- Directors with input from you and your advisor
You and your advisor do not select this person. Examination chair will have relevant expertise but cannot have been involved in your thesis work
Thesis Advisor Statistician Other Thesis Committee members, schedule permitting
Your Thesis Defense (1 of 3) Scheduling the Defense CPTS Program Coordinator schedules your defense in order to ensure arrangements and paperwork meet Graduate School requirements You are expected to defend at a time convenient to your Committee. Ideally, you must appear in person at the defense.
Your Thesis Defense (2 of 3) Prior to Defense Provide a final copy of your thesis to your Committee no less than three weeks in advance of your defense
The Graduate School will ask the Examination Committee Chair to poll the Examination Committee 7 days before the
If the written thesis is deemed unacceptable, your defense will be rescheduled.
Meet with the Graduate School Registrar (Susan Pierce) to review your formatting and meet other requirements
Your Thesis Defense (3 of 3) Day of Defense and After Actual defense lasts approximately 90 minutes
Presentation by student (approximately 30 minutes) providing an overview of the thesis work. Question and answer period, managed by Examination Chair (all committee members ask questions)
Examination Committee deliberates in private, then meets with student to share outcome, which may include:
Pass with no additional requirements (very rare) Pass with either major or minor required modifications (most common) Do not pass (rare, can be re-examined a second time)
Final formatting and printing steps follow defense
#1 Recommendation
Everything will take 2 to 4 times longer than estimated (and expect slow-downs during summer months!)
Thesis Timelines Work with your advisor to establish a timeline with incremental, concrete steps Please be aware of non-negotiable Graduate School deadlines, found at: http://graduate.wfu.edu/academic-calendars.html
Suggested Target Dates
Step Date of Completion Identify faculty advisor May/June Form thesis committee June/July Obtain approval of thesis proposal July/August Admission to degree candidacy August Commit to timeline August
Suggested Target Dates
Step Date of Completion Desired Graduation Date December May August Meet with Advisor to review timeline (meet monthly) Early August Early September Early September Start data analysis with statistician (meet monthly) Early August Early September Early September Draft Chapter 1 of thesis Mid August Mid October Mid October Draft Introduction of Paper Late August Early November Mid December Draft Methods Section of Paper Late August Mid November Mid February Draft tables for manuscript/meet with statistician Late August Mid December Late April
Suggested Target Dates
Step Date of Completion Meet with advisor and other committee members to: *discuss results *determine additional analyses *points for discussion/Chapter 3 *determine readiness to submit intent to graduate form Early September Early January Early May Submit Intent to Graduate Form to Graduate School – see academic calendar Early September 9/8/2017 Late January 1/26/2018 Mid May 5/26/2018 Submit complete draft of thesis to thesis committee – allow 2 weeks Mid September Early February Mid May Incorporate edits from thesis committee review Early October Mid February Mid May
Suggested Target Dates
Step Date of Completion Meet with thesis advisor and committee members to discuss final thesis Early October Late February Late May With support of faculty advisor and committee, request formation of an Examination Committee and scheduling the oral defense – no later than 6 weeks prior to last date to defend Mid October 10/25/2017 Early March 3/14/2018 Early June 6/13/2018 Meet with registrar to go over formatting of final thesis – see academic calendar Late October 11/3/2017 Late March 4/6/2018 Late June 7/5/2018
Step Date of Completion Submit revised, final draft of thesis to Examination Committee and the CPTS program – no later than 3 weeks prior to defense date Early November Early April Early July Defend thesis at final (oral) examination – see academic calendar Early December 12/6/2017 Late April 4/25/2018 Late July 7/25/2018 Submit final thesis and any other required paperwork per requirements
a checklist when reviewing the draft thesis) – see academic calendar Early December 12/13/2017 Early May 5/2/2018 Late July 7/31/2018
A Few More Things CPTS requires thesis completion within three years
coursework)
Option to request two one-year renewals or a single
progress and communication to be approved We will conduct regular checks with you and your advisors to monitor progress and make suggestions for completing program requirements
Honor Code remains in effect
http://internal.graduate.wfu.edu/docs/academics/HonorCode.pdf
Questions? REMEMBER: CPTS Program Directors and Coordinator are here to help, so please contact us if you have questions at any point. But this is your thesis. We will help you help yourselves.
Developing a Research Question
Selecting a Topic Select a topic that meets the FINER principles
Feasible Interesting Novel Ethical Relevant
Work closely with your thesis advisor and your other committee members to develop your idea. Typically CPTS students conduct a secondary data analysis, although primary data collection also possible.
Any data-related costs are responsibility of student and their training program or department.
Scope of the Research Project Be careful: Students very often attempt too large a scope of work and become overwhelmed/paralyzed.
Generally, two main specific aims with a single main outcome and one modeling approach allows you to maximize your learning and use time efficiently. Science is done in small, incremental steps. You will be contributing to this process.
The thesis is meant to be an exercise, an opportunity to write a publishable research article. Whereas we really want you to do an excellent job, do not aim to win the Nobel Prize. You are just at the beginning of your research careers.
Steps to Develop a Research Question
Brainstorm
The best ideas come from real life problems Talk to potential advisors and ask for ideas they have
It’s fine to ask a lot of questions
Pick a topic you may have addressed in a class
Read about your topic
Do a search and look for a recent review article Most large studies require analysis plans and P&P committee approval, and you need to make sure someone else is not working on your idea already.
Focus your research question
Try to write one or two scientific hypotheses of what you expect to see
Talk to your friends and family about your ideas
Talking through your ideas and explaining them to someone unfamiliar with the area may help you to refine your question Don’t pick something you can’t stand to talk about for a year!
PICOT When writing the specific question use the PICOT format: Population
Intervention
Comparison Group
Outcome
Time
assessment?