Theses & Dissertations

Requirements Before Conducting Any Research

Marshall University is committed to ensuring the ethics and integrity of our research. To this end, students must complete two requirements before embarking on thesis or dissertation research:

• Complete the online ETD training before starting your research. The completed verification form at the end of this training must be on file before your finished ETD can be reviewed. See enrollment instructions in the MU Blackboard ETD Training section below.
• Obtain a letter from the Office of Research Integrity before starting your research by sending a copy of the abstract in an email to Brett Williams, CIC, Director, Office of Research Integrity. This letter should be included as the first appendix in your manuscript. Your ETD cannot be reviewed without one, and you may need to redo any research and writing completed before obtaining this letter. Instructions for obtaining an IRB letter follow below. The letter must include:
  • Your name.
  • The title of your thesis or dissertation.

Background on IRB Approval

All Marshall University theses/dissertations that involve human subject research are subject to the Code of Federal Regulations 45CFR46. The conduct of human subject research for a thesis/dissertation without approval from the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) results in a violation of those federal regulations. Marshall University has agreed to abide by all regulations regarding human subject research. This includes all research done on behalf of the university, including theses and dissertations.

Approval from the Office of Research Integrity

Consequently, all ETD students must contact the ORI before starting any research project. To do this, send a copy of the abstract in an email to Brett Williams, CIC, Director, Office of Research Integrity.

• If the thesis/dissertation requires Institutional Review Board (IRB) or Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) approval for human or animal research, then you will be directed to the appropriate coordinator for assistance.
• If the Director of ORI deems that your research does not involve human/animal subject research, you will receive a letter stating that determination.

Letter of Approval

Every thesis/dissertation must include a letter indicating approval of the project. You will either have an IRB approval letter or a letter from the Director of ORI stating that your thesis/dissertation does not involve human subject research. Include this letter in Appendix A of your thesis. A thesis/dissertation without this letter will not be accepted for review.

ETD Training in Blackboard

Each student who plans to complete a thesis or dissertation is required to complete a brief Online ETD Training and submit an electronic verification form.

About the Training

The training is intended for students preparing to write a thesis or dissertation. Content includes:

• Mandatory steps to be taken before beginning research.
• The role of the IRB office and the need for early IRB review.
• Information on copyright relevant to ETD writers.
• The ETD writing, submission, and publication review process.
• Where to get help.

This information applies to all students. Consult your advisor or committee chair for program- or discipline-specific information.

How to Enroll In and Access the ETD Training

The training is located in an Organization in MU Online (Blackboard).

Enroll

To enroll, follow these steps:

• Click this link to open the Blackboard Organization "Thesis & Dissertation Student Training - Ultra."
• Click on "OK" to self-enroll.
• After this, the thesis & dissertation training should show up for you on the "Organizations" screen in Blackboard. See the "Access" section below for directions on how to find it.

Access

You can also access the Organization at any time once you have enrolled by following these steps:

1. Open Blackboard by:
   1. Going to https://mymu.marshall.edu/ and clicking the Blackboard icon under "Quick Links"
      - or -
   2. Going directly to Blackboard at https://marshall-bb.blackboard.com/. 
2. Click on "Organizations" In the left-hand menu.
3. Click on "Thesis & Dissertation Student Training - Ultra" to open.

Electronic Verification Form

At the end of the training, you will be asked to submit an electronic verification form. This form will ask you to indicate your ETD chair (thesis or dissertation advisor) and ETD committee (thesis or dissertation committee). If these change later, you do not need to resubmit the form.

Conflict of Interest

The form will also ask you to disclose any potential conflict of interest between you and any member(s) of your committee. Not every conflict of interest disqualifies someone from being on a committee. The purpose of the disclosure is to give the department chair and dean the opportunity to review the potential conflict and determine any ways that the conflict could be mitigated. Context is important.

The most common conflicts of interest for ETDS include family, employment, or financial relationships between you and a member of your ETD committee. These include:

• Being close family with a member of your committee.
• Working for the same external company, or having an employee/employer relationship.
• Having any other significant financial ties.
• Having current or past personal relationships.

If you are unsure whether something needs to be reported, please reach out to your program director or department chair, and they can help you.