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Here is an APA-style compliant Word template for those writing theses and dissertations.  {Note:  Double-clicking the template will open it as a document; the steps to attach a template to an existing document is explained in the template document.}

A template automates many stylistic decisions and makes layout of the thesis/dissertation more consistent and easier.However, it is not a substitute for understanding the APA style. The APA Publication Manual deals with the mechanics of style, writing concisely and clearly and many  other aspects of writing a thesis or dissertation. If you are a research student in humanities, social or behavioural sciences, you are strongly advised to obtain a paper copy of the latest Manual as a ready reference and for study purposes.

Writing a thesis/dissertation is a major undertaking requiring a repertoire of skills one rarely finds in an individual: expository writing, research, mathematics/critical thinking and design.  With the commodification of higher education in recent years, many skills traditionally ascribed to research students are no longer justified. Students and institutions involving third parties to lighten their load have resulted in a large number of doctorate graduates hardly worthy of the degree.  Students are left to swim or sink, with little concern about what they may do to meet demands on them. The de-emphasis on one-to-one tutelage have resulted in doctoral studies being undertaken in environments resembling undergraduate classes with outcomes far less than traditional standards.

The third-rate supervision is a vicious cycle. Graduates often think  that the supervision they had experienced is the norm and, in time, supervise their own students as they were. Doctoral research used to be a career path pursued by the best of the best often in a cognitive apprenticeship  to a renowned scholar. Sadly, this is no longer true. Once, the main objective of higher qualifications were careers in academia or interest in a particular topic, but today, the range of motivations extends from self-achievement and politics to self-aggrandizement. In fact, most doctorate graduates in the Maldives are/were in political posts. The change in motivation shifts the focus from the learning to getting the qualification. Any way they can.

If you liked this template, you may like this article on graduate supervision. Other resources useful for graduate students are here or here.

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