Frequently Asked Questions
Some common questions that arise among Grad Gators working on theses or dissertations
Formatting
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In the figure caption, after the description, reference every source that you used to get this data or information. For example:
- Figure 1-1. Climate Changes. (Adapted from https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/stories, https://data.worldbank.org/, https://climatedata.imf.org/)
In the figure caption, after the description, reference every source that you used to get this data or information. Example:
- Figure 1-1. Climate Changes. (Adapted from https://science.nasa.gov/climate-change/stories, https://data.worldbank.org/, https://climatedata.imf.org/)
Yes, subheadings may have the same title in different chapters if they serve a similar purpose. For example, a subheading like Motivation can be used to introduce background in multiple chapters. That is acceptable and often helpful for consistency.
However, avoid using the same wording for a chapter title and a subheading with the same chapter. That can be confusing and disrupt the document’s hierarchy. Each chapter title ought to be distinct from its internal section headings.
No. The List of References is a cohesive alphabetical or numerical list of the references used in the entire thesis or dissertation.
Yes — at least three chapters are required.
Our requirements do not set any maximum — that is something for you to discuss with your supervisory committee chair.
The UF Libraries recommend using Zenodo as the repository for supplemental content. For information on uploading supplemental materials, click this link:
Deadlines
No. The document you submit to the Graduate School ought to be complete in content and fully formatted. If approved by our editors, it will be the version published.
No. You must defend your thesis or dissertation by the Final Oral Defense deadline, before you submit your document to the Graduate School.
We review submissions in the order that they are received. If you are ready to submit ahead of the deadline, we strongly encourage you to do so. If extra days are helpful to you, wait until you are ready — but no later than the Thesis/Dissertation Submission deadline.
Please plan ahead to avoid rejection of your submission by working with UFIT Help Desk Thesis/Dissertation Support on formatting. If your submission is rejected, we will try to give you an opportunity to work with them to correct formatting problems and resubmit again by the submission deadline. If there are too many formatting problems to correct in a timely manner, you may need to consider graduating in a future semester. Click this link for help:
We will reject a submitted document if...
- It is not complete in content.
- It is not formatted correctly.
- It is not formatted in the UF template.
- If contains hyperlinks that are not working.
- If it is missing sections like Acknowledgments, Abstract, References, and Biographical Sketch.
If you can’t meet the Thesis/Dissertation Submission deadline, you won’t graduate that semester. You might qualify for Pre-Term Approval. If you can complete everything by the Pre-Term Approval deadlines, you will graduate next semester, but you will not have to register for course credit that semester. If you can’t meet those deadlines as well, you will need to plan on meeting the next semester’s deadlines and graduate at the end of that semester.
Including Published Journal Articles in Your Thesis or Dissertation
We always advise students to get permission from other publications. Typically, they will provide this via email to you upon your request.
The dissertation is one body of work. Each article can be a chapter or part of a chapter. There ought to be one Abstract, one Table of Contents, one List of Tables, one List of Figures, one Reference List, and one Biographical Sketch. The dissertation also ought to include an introduction chapter and a conclusion chapter.
Cite the article on the first page of the chapter in an unnumbered footnote with a full article citation. List it in the List of References as well.
Yes. Please make sure to acknowledge any work that your co-authors have done for you.
While you can do this, you must still format it within our UF thesis/dissertation template. Yes, you would need to include citations.
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