The first page of the thesis is the title page. The title should include key words so that it can be found in information retrieval systems. Use word substitutes for formulae, symbols, Greek letters, hormone/chemical abbreviations etc. The title page should also include names of all authors and Institutional affiliations.
The title page should also include a short title for use as a running head. The short title should not exceed 50 spaces.
Full Title: Purification and characterization of high molecular weight forms of inhibin from bovine follicular fluid.
Short Title: High molecular weight inhibins.
Next, for indexing, provide a list of 3-10 key words. Words found in the title may be included as key words.
Page Two:
Abstract: The second page should have an abstract. The abstract should not exceed 200 words in length and should describe briefly the purpose of the study, methods used, results obtained and conclusions derived from the study. The abstract should not list any references and should be written in such a manner that the reader understands the full extent of the study. Stock phrases such as "the significance of these results are discussed" should be avoided.
Page Three & Thereafter:
Introduction: The introduction part of the paper should be written in such a manner as to introduce the reader to the current state of knowledge of the subject under investigation. Assume that the reader has a limited background in the subject, and cite only pertinent published references. Statements such as "personal communication", "unpublished" and "submitted" in the text should be excluded from the reference list and included as footnotes. Articles "in press" are acceptable and should be cited as such in the reference section. The introduction part should explain the rationale of the study.
Materials and Methods: Describe in detail the type of animal used in the study and how they are housed. If the study involves observation inferences on wild animals, include a detailed protocol on what types of behaviors are evaluated and how they are evaluated. If biological samples are procured, detail how they are obtained and what precautions are taken so that misclassification is avoided.
If anesthetic procedures were used on animals, indicate the type of anesthetic and the dosage (mgs/kg body wt., etc.) used. Indicate also the route of administration of the drug(s). Describe the measures that are taken so that fluctuations in endogenous rhythms of the animal are considered.
Special attention should be paid to the sample number so that meaningful statistics can be performed on the data. Indicate the type of chemicals used and their source. Described procedures should be in sufficient detail so that the reader should be able to duplicate the study. Laboratory methods, if routinely used and published before, should be referenced and described very briefly. If this is not case, describe the methods in details.
Include a short paragraph at the end of the methods section on statistical analyses of data. If a computer based program is used, describe briefly what type of program was used (e.g. Statview v. 4.0 etc.) for the statistical analysis.
Results: Describe the results in detail. The term "significant" should only be used if the data sets are statistically significant at P < 0.05. Do not repeat in the text all the data in tables and illustrations. Summarize or emphasize only important observations.
Tables: [a] Each table should have a brief heading. Explanatory matter should be in footnotes, not as part of the title. [b] Table footnote should be indicated in the body of the table with the following symbols: † ‡ § ¶ etc. Statistical significance should be indicated by *(if P<0.05); ** (if P<0.001); *** (if P<0.001) etc. [c] Tables must not duplicate material in text or illustrations. [d] Use short or abbreviated column heads. [e] Statistical measures of variation, SD, SE etc., should be identified. It is customary to indicate number of samples or number of animals (n) if SE or SD is used. [f] If an analysis of variance was performed, significant F's should be incorporated where appropriate within the text. The appropriate form for indicating F value is: F(12, 22) = 4.01, P <0.01, etc.
Figures: Photomicrographs should be of high quality. Computer generated graphics should be laser printed for inclusion.
Discussion: Do not repeat material from the introduction and data given in the results section. The discussion should be brief and focused on the results of the study and their implications. Emphasize new and important aspects of the study and the conclusion that follows from them. Link the conclusions with the goals of the study, but avoid unqualified statements and conclusions not completely supported by your data.
Acknowledgments: Acknowledge only persons who have made real contributions to the study. Also, acknowledge financial support for the study.
References: Only essential citations should be submitted. Cite the references numerically and arrange them numerically at the end of the manuscript. References to the literature should be cited in the text in Arabic numerals in parenthesis, set on the text line. The references should be numbered consecutively in order of their citation.
Abbreviations of journal titles should follow the style used Index Medicus.
The style of capitalization and punctuation for journal articles, books and edited. Books should be uniform and consistent. Examples are given below:
Zurshi U, Sharma SC, Kaul JL, Atal CK. Kinetic fate of potassium embelate, a non-narcotic centrally acting analgesic after oral and intravenous administration. Int. J. Exp. Clin. Pharmacology 40 (1990): 179-184.
Abramson DI. Circulation in the Extremities. New York: Academic Press, p. 000-000, 1967.
Yamada T, Chiba T. Somatostatin. In: Marlouf G (Ed). Handbook of Physiology, sect. 6, Vol II, Bethesda, MD 1989: pp. 431-453.