Philippine Merchant Marine Academy

GRADUATE SCHOOL

First Edition, 2018

THESIS
WRITING
HANDBOOK

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................... 1

PREFACE ................................................................................ 4
REGISTRATION/ENROLLMENT ............................................. 5
GENERAL POLICIES............................................................... 6
THESIS WRITING PROCEDURE ............................................ 7
Thesis Writing Students’ Orientation ..................................... 7
The Title Proposal ................................................................ 7
The Proposal Defense .......................................................... 8
Final Defense ..................................................................... 10
The Completed Thesis........................................................ 12
THESIS WRITING GUIDELINES ........................................... 13
Thesis Adviser .................................................................... 13
Tasks of Thesis Adviser ...................................................... 13
The Statistician ................................................................... 14
Language Editor ................................................................. 15
Defense Panel .................................................................... 15
Grading System .................................................................. 16
TUITION AND OTHER COSTS .............................................. 17
Tuition and Miscellaneous Fees.......................................... 17
Other Costs ........................................................................ 17

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 Thesis Adviser’s Fee ....................................................... 17
Statistician’s Fee ............................................................. 18
Language Editor’s Fee .................................................... 18
Defense Fees.................................................................. 18
Manuscript Production Costs........................................... 18
TECHNICAL ASPECTS ......................................................... 19
CHECK-Q .............................................................................. 23
SAMPLE PARTS OF THE THESIS ....................................... 36

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 PREFACE

This Handbook has been prepared and compiled based on

existing practices to provide the standard format to all the students of
the PMMA Graduate School.

This covers the registration/enrollment, general policies,

procedures, guidelines, tuition and other costs, technical aspects,
Check-Q and samples parts of the thesis that will guide the thesis
writer in his/her scholarly journey.

This course gives a student the opportunity to research in

his/her area of interest in the field of shipping management or
maritime education and training. Moreover, the journey of doing a
research equips the student with understanding of the vast stock of
knowledge at the forefront of their field of professional practice. With
such experience, the student acquires research skills which makes
him/her better prepared for similar undertakings at work or in the
pursuit for higher education/learning.

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 REGISTRATION/ENROLLMENT
A student who has successfully completed all academic
requirements and has passed the Comprehensive Examination is now
eligible to enroll in Thesis Writing (6 units). This is the culminating
requirement to earn a master’s degree in a particular program.

The Registration/Enrollment procedure below is to be

followed :

1. Go to https://pmmagrad.seaversity.com.ph/
app/enrollment/
2. Click “Login”. Use the email and password for LMS as
your credentials in the enrollment system. In case you
forgot your password, click
https://pmmagrad.seaversity.com.ph/app/enrollment/
forgot-password
a. Fill-out the required information.
b. Payment. Pay 50% of tuition and misc. fees thru
any of the 2 payment portals.
3. Go to the Learning Management System (LMS) at
https://pmmagrad.seaversity.com.ph/
a. Login using username and password.
b. In the dashboard, you will see your TW course.
If it not displayed, please inform the GS thru FB
Messenger.
4. You will have access to your TW course at the start of
official classes.

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 GENERAL POLICIES

1. The student is given one (1) year, after the proposal has been
approved, within which to complete and present the final
thesis. Failure to do so will entail re-submission of a new
thesis proposal and shall be subjected to the same process.
2. Enrolment in Thesis Writing maybe deferred, but the student
should do so and complete within the 6-year residency.
3. Attendance to a one-day Thesis Writing Student’s Orientation
is required for each student.
4. A Thesis Adviser is assigned to each student.
5. The schedule of defense and submissions of manuscript must
be strictly followed.
6. Academic integrity should be observed by students and
faculty at all times. All works cited and used in the student’s
research must be properly acknowledged to maintain the
integrity of the research paper and its adherence to ethical
standards in research.

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 THESIS WRITING PROCEDURE

Thesis Writing Students’ Orientation

A student is required to attend a one-day orientation on

Thesis Writing. The orientation covers the policies, guidelines in
thesis writing, use of the Check-Q and the costs involved. Possible
thesis writing advisers, statisticians, language editors are presented in
the Orientation. Students may also raise issues and concerns related
to thesis writing.

A retooling session is also done during the orientation. This

retooling exercise is a run-through of the different parts of the thesis
with emphasis on its contents as well as some samples to guide the
students.

The Title Proposal

The student is required at the start of the Thesis Writing

Trimester to submit the Title Proposal using the prescribed Title
Proposal Format for the GS Dean’s approval. The Title Proposal
shall be conceptualized taking into the following considerations :

1. It should be consistent and relevant with the degree being

pursued by the researcher.
2. It should be theory or concept-based; original and significant
in the pursuit of new knowledge; and must be feasible and
attainable within the timeframe and resources available.

It is only after the Title Proposal is approved, that a student

begins to write the full-blown thesis proposal and a thesis adviser is
assigned.

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The Proposal Defense

The student is required to present his proposal to the Defense

Panel prior to proceeding to the next phase of the research. To
prepare the student for the proposal defense, the following shall be
taken into consideration:

1. Use the Check-Q to evaluate correctness and completeness of

the document. (Please read PMMA-GS Thesis Check-Q)
2. Have the endorsement of the Thesis Adviser certifying the
readiness of the thesis writing student to defend his/her thesis.
(Use the GS Defense Endorsement Form.)
3. Four (4) printed manuscripts should be prepared and provided
to the Dean and Panel of Experts three (3) to five (5) days
before the defense. This is to give them enough time to review
the manuscript before the defense. It shall be the
responsibility of the student to distribute the manuscript to the
Panel of Experts.
4. The thesis student should be guided by the following
mechanics of the defense :
a. The presenter is given 15-20 minutes to present Chapters
1 to 2 and the instruments. This covers the title (briefly
discuss background and research gap identified leading
to the conceptualization of the study), integrated related
literature and studies, theoretical and conceptual
framework, SOP, hypothesis, scope and delimitations,
significance of the study, definition of terms, research
design, respondents of the study, instrumentation,
validation of instruments, data gathering procedure, data
analysis and the instrument/s to be used (e.g.
questionnaires/interview guide).
b. The Question and Answer
Portion/Comments/Suggestions shall follow after the
presentation.

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c. The presenter is the only authorized person to answer.
However, should further explanation or clarification be
required, the Thesis Adviser may help the presenter, with
the approval of the Panel of Experts.
d. The Matrix of Amendments Form shall be used to
document the comments/suggestion made by the Panel
of Experts. This shall be prepared by the student and
Adviser right after the defense and distributed to the
Panel of Experts.
e. Corrections/suggestions required by the Panel of Experts
shall be incorporated within 5 days (minor) or 10 days
(major). Prior to resubmission of proposal to the Panel, it
should be presented first to the Thesis Adviser for review.
f. In case of corrections vital to data collection, the
student/researcher should wait for the go signal of the
Panel of Experts and the Dean before commencing any
other activity. A go signal from one (1) Panel and the
Dean shall already allow the student to commence the
next activity of his/her research work which is the data
gathering.
g. The student’s proposal and defense performance shall be
evaluated based on the following criteria :

PROPOSAL DEFENSE % WEIGHT

Oral Defense 20%
Mastery, Clarity and Ability to answer
Questions
Title 10%
Timeliness/Significance/Relevance
SOP & Hypothesis 20%
Aligned with the title and supports the
achievement of the research objectives/
purpose
Theoretical/Conceptual Framework 10 %
Provides the backbone of the study;
conceptual framework is related to theories
presented
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 Integrated Related Literature and Studies 10 %
Necessary literature and studies are included
and provide better understanding of the
present study; also provide a brief account
on how similar or different the current
undertaking is. The RESEARCH GAP
leading to the conceptualization of the study
is clearly presented
Methodology 15 %
Uses the correct design, population and
sampling design, data analysis
Instrument – 15 %
Elicits answers to the problems in the SOP
or objectives of the research
Total 100%

Final Defense

The following shall guide and prepare the student for the final
defense:

1. Use the Check-Q to evaluate correctness and completeness of

the document. (Please read PMMA-GS Thesis Check-Q)
2. Seek the endorsement of the Thesis Adviser that certifies the
readiness of the thesis writing student to defend his/her final
thesis. (Please submit Defense Endorsement Form to the GS
Office)
3. Four (4) printed manuscripts should be prepared and provided
to the Dean and Panel of Experts three (3) to five (5) days
before the defense. This is to give the Panel enough time to
review the manuscript before the defense. It shall be the
responsibility of the student to distribute the manuscript to the
Panel.
4. The thesis student should be guided by the following
mechanics:
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a. The presenter is given 20-30 minutes to present
Chapters 1 to 4. This covers the Title, SOP,
Hypothesis, Brief Description of Methodology,
Results and Discussion, Conclusions and
Recommendations.
b. The Question and Answer
Portion/Comments/Suggestions follows after the
presentation.
c. The presenter is the only authorized person to
answer. However, should further explanation or
clarification be required, the Thesis Adviser may help
the presenter, with the approval of the Panel of
Experts.
d. Use the Matrix of Amendments Form to document
the comments/suggestion. This shall be prepared by
the student and Adviser right after the defense and
distributed to the Panel.
e. Corrections/suggestions required by the Panel shall
be incorporated within 10 days (minor) or 20 days
(major). Prior to resubmission of the manuscript to the
Dean, it should be presented first to the Thesis
Adviser for final review.
f. The student’s final thesis and defense performance
shall be evaluated based on the following criteria :

FINAL DEFENSE % WEIGHT

Oral Defense 25%
Mastery, Clarity and Ability to answer
Questions
Results and Discussion 25%
Presents important findings and
provides interpretations; arranged
according to SOP; findings supported
with data-bound explanations from
studies or literatures in Chapter 1
Summary of Findings, Conclusions and 25%
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 Recommendations (including Output)
g. T Provides brief summary of findings, as
h much as possible doing away with
e numeric; conclusions based on
findings and arranged according to
SOP; recommendations based on
t conclusions and arranged according to
h SOP, and Output
eAccuracy/Correctness, Completeness, 25%
sOrganization & Clarity of Data
i Covering Grammar, Data, Tables,
Figures
s
Total 100%
should undergo proofreading and formatting before the
final printing and hard binding. Thus, in submitting such,
each thesis must already have the parts as enumerated
in The Completed Thesis and the corrected e-copy of the
thesis must be submitted to the GS Office. This must be
done to ensure standard format.
h. The student must submit five (5) hardbound copies of
the thesis to the GS Office. Distribution of which include
one (1) copy for PMMA Library, two (2) copies PMMA
Graduate School, one (1) copy for National Library, and
one (1) copy for the student.

The Completed Thesis

A submitted thesis is considered complete when it has

undergone editing, used the official format, and is book bound. It
needs to have the complete parts: cover page, title page, approval
sheet, acknowledgment, dedication, abstract, table of contents,
list of tables/figures/ illustrations/appendices, chapters 1-4,
references, appendices, and curriculum vitae (with 2x2 picture).

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 The submission of this completed thesis serves as go signal
for Graduation. The fully accomplished clearance is required for
the release of Diploma and Transcript of Records of the student. The
PMMA adheres to the NO HARDBOUND THESIS, NO
GRADUATION policy.

THESIS WRITING GUIDELINES

Thesis Adviser

The following are adhered to in the selection and assignment

of a Thesis Adviser :

1. The adviser is chosen by the Dean based on his/her expertise

relevant to the graduate student’s field of specialization. A
thesis adviser must at least be a master’s degree holder; an
active faculty of the Graduate School, that is, he/she must
have a teaching load during the Academic Year the student is
enrolled; or presently connected with PMMA
(Training/Assessment Center, and main campus).
2. A maximum of five (5) advisees at any one time is allowed for
each thesis adviser.
3. A thesis adviser can only accept new advisees after
submission of the hardbound final manuscript of previous
advisees.

Tasks of Thesis Adviser

Generally, the Thesis Adviser will provide guidance all

throughout the research journey of the student. The tasks are, but not
limited to, the following:

1. Help polish the title/problem.

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 2. Guide the researcher in the making of the Statement of the
Problem, Hypothesis, questionnaires, etc.
3. Review the manuscript to ensure correctness and accuracy.
(The PMMA-GS Thesis Check-Q could be useful)
4. Ensure that no plagiarism is practiced by the researcher
(proper in-text referencing and references).
5. Endorse the researcher for oral defense.
6. Check and ensure that the corrections required by the
panelists are accomplished by the researcher (proposal and
final defense) as per schedule.

Note: Although the thesis adviser is there to assist, the researcher

has the obligation to ensure that his/her thesis has been prepared
accordingly and accurately. It is also his/her (researcher) obligation to
ensure that his/her work is grammatically correct. An adviser-advisee
contract shall be signed by both.

The Statistician

The statistician is endorsed by the Graduate School Office to

the student based on his/her experience as statistician. He/She may
not necessarily be a faculty of the PMMA Graduate School. As
statistician, he/she is expected to do the following tasks:

1. Assists polish the SOP and Hypothesis

2. Advises the appropriate statistical tools for the treatment of
data
3. Review the instruments to ensure that questions will address
the SOPs as well as gather data appropriate for the required
statistical treatment.
4. Generate data from questionnaires in tabular form.
5. Review the statistical presentation, discussion and
interpretation of data.

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Language Editor

The Language Editor is responsible for editing the manuscript

in terms of grammar, sentence construction and the overall coherence
of the paragraphs of the manuscript. Editing of manuscript is done
prior to submission to the GS Office for final review.

A student can have his/her own choice of Language Editor or

he/she can avail the services of the Language Editor endorsed by the
Graduate School. The Language Editor may not necessarily be
employed with the PMMA.

Defense Panel

Defined below are the composition, selection and invitation of

the Defense Panel as well as their responsibilities :

1. Sitting as defense panel are the 3-member Panel of Experts

composed of a Chairperson and two (2) Members. A critique
also sits in the defense panel.
2. They are selected based on expertise either on the field of the
thesis topic or in research.
3. Each Panel of Expert shall be invited through an email or a
letter of invitation and s/he should accept the invitation by
communicating (personal or email) with the GS Office.
4. They are expected to review the manuscript provided by the
student at least 5 days prior the scheduled defense.
5. All the three (3) Panel of Experts and Critique are required to
attend the oral defense.
6. If the member of the Panel of Experts cannot attend the
defense, s/he should inform the Graduate School Office at
least five (5) days before the scheduled defense to give the
Office time to find another expert.
7. Each Panel of Expert is required to communicate through
email his/her comments/feedback on the submissions,

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 particularly data gathering instruments, not more than two (2)
days from receipt of the submissions.

Grading System

The grades that a student may get during the defense shall
be any of the following :

1.00 (97 - 100%)

1.25 (92 - 96%)
1.50 (89 - 91%)
1.75 (86 - 88%)
2.00 (83 - 85%)

1. A Thesis Writing student gets a grade each for proposal and final
defense.
2. The final Thesis Writing grade is computed as the average of a
student’s proposal and final defense grades.
3. A redefense shall only be made upon the decision or
recommendation of the Panel after failure of the student to defend
his thesis (data or process) or when the student gets a grade
lower than 2.0 (the average from the three (3) Panel and the
Critique). This will entail cost for the defense panel of not more
than 30% of the original fee paid to each panel, if redefense is
made on the same topic. If not, then the original cost applies.
4. Should the student fail in Thesis Writing, he/she should re-enroll
Thesis Writing with a new topic and shall undergo the same
process.

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 TUITION AND OTHER COSTS

Tuition and Miscellaneous Fees

The tuition fee is P9,000.00 for the 6-unit Thesis Writing. In

addition, the student also pays the Miscellaneous Fee of P1,700.00
and the LMS fee of P1,000.00. During enrollment, the student is
required to pay 50% of the fees. The remaining amount shall be fully
paid within the current trimester. If the student fails to complete
Thesis Writing in the current semester, he/she should re-enroll in the
next trimester and pays only P1,000.00 for the re-enrolment.

Other Costs

Aside from the tuition fee, the student likewise pays for other
costs related to thesis writing such as fees for the adviser, statistician,
language editor, defense panel, amending proofing and formatting,
and administrative support. Some of these fees are paid through GS
Office which are then released, with acknowledgement receipt, right
after the defense to the persons concerned. Others are paid directly
by the student to the persons concerned. Details of other fees are
presented below:

Thesis Adviser’s Fee. For the tasks rendered to his/her

advisee, the thesis adviser gets compensated based on the fee fixed
by the GS Office. Likewise, basis for payment is per consultation to
ensure that service has been rendered to the advisee/student. As a
rule, the Thesis Adviser shall be paid per consultation. The number
of consultations is set at a minimum of three (3) sessions. Depending
on the progress of the student, consultations may exceed than as set.
In such case, the Adviser shall also be paid at P1,000.00 per
consultation. Appearance of Thesis Adviser during defense (proposal
and final) is also included in the fee.

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 Statistician’s Fee. The statistician’s fee is likewise fixed
and payment is based on output as follows:

Output
1. Polished SOP and Hypothesis
2. Identified appropriate statistical tools for the
treatment of data
3. Reviewed instruments with questions that address
the SOPs and gather data appropriate for the
required statistical treatment
4. Output tables for all SOPs
5. Reviewed Chapter 3 (Results and Discussions) in
terms of statistical presentation, discussion and
interpretation of data

Language Editor’s Fee. The fee for editing the

manuscript shall be paid directly to the Editor.

Defense Fees. The defense fees cover all costs paid to

persons involved during the defense such as the Panel of Experts,
critique and administrative support. Amendment proofing and
formatting of manuscript are also costs paid during the final defense.
These fees shall be paid through the GS Office and given immediately
to the persons concerned after the defense.

Manuscript Production Costs. The production of the

manuscripts shall be at the student’s own expense and is not
regulated by the GS Office. Hence, it is not covered in this
Handbook.

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 TECHNICAL ASPECTS

In the production of the final copy of the manuscript, the

student should take note of the required format as described below:

1. Letterhead and Border

All pages should have this letterhead and border. Please use
the official PMMA-GS border. This is uploaded in the course
page of Thesis Writing.

2. Text and Margin

The text should be double space, using Arial-font size 12.

The margin is set by the official PMMA-GS border. The text
must not touch any of said margins. The paper size is standard
letter size of 8.5 inches x 11 inches. The paragraph of the
research must be using “justify” as horizontal alignment. Also,
In-between paragraphs, double spacing is to be observed.

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3. Pagination

The Inside Cover and Chapter beginning should be included in

the pagination count; however, page numbers should NOT be
reflected in these specified pages.

The page number should be placed at the bottom of the page,

centered.

Preliminaries must be in small caps, roman numerals (i.e. i, ii,

iii) for its pagination while Chapters should use the Hindu-
Arabic numerals (i.e. 1, 2, 3).

Each chapter should start with a new page without pagination.

4. Main headings and Sub-headings (and spacing)

The chapter headings of the thesis should be written in upper-

case or capital letters and centered (Chapter 1, THE
PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE)
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 Chapter 1 (centered, bold)
(3 spaces)

THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

(centered, all caps, bold)

(4 spaces)

Introduction (left aligned, bold)

(2 spaces)
Thexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx. (2 spaces

within and in between paragraphs)

Thexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(3 spaces)
Integrated Related Literature and Studies

The second level sub-heading is written in bold, title case (e.g.

Introduction) and should be left-aligned.

The third level sub-heading, if there is, is written in bold, italics,

title case (e.g. Theoretical Framework) and should be left
aligned.

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5. Table and Figure

Tables and graphs obtained from the other sources must cite
the reference as: “Source: CHED Memorandum No. 20,
series of 2015 Consolidated Policies, Standards and
Guidelines for the BSMT and BSMarE Programs” and written
in double space below the table/figure, and the full reference
entries must be properly listed in the References.

Table 4

Means and Standard Deviations on the Extent of Practices with

Respect to Developing Pervasive Mentoring Relationship as

Assessed by the NCIS Participants

Develop pervasive mentoring relationship M SD VI

1. Provides opportunities to work with leaders 2.56 .60 H
harmoniously.

2. Develops qualities of peoples. 2.58 .63 H

3. Allows room for challenges and varied learning 2.58 .60 H
experiences.

4. Provides opportunities for self-assessment and 2.55 .63 H

performance appraisal for one’s development.

5. Encourages and inspires high potentials to 2.56 .63 H

persevere and deepen their commitment to the
ministry assigned to them.

Average 2.57 .63 H

Note: 2.25-3.00 High (H); 1.50-2.24 Moderate (M); .75-1.49 Low (L);

.00-.74 Not at All (NA)

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Figure 1

Costing for Book

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 CHECK-Q
This is a checklist on the salient contents expected in the
different parts of the thesis manuscript. The Check-Q shall be used to
evaluate the student’s work as he/she writes the manuscript and for
final checking before requesting for oral defense or submitting the
final copy of the thesis.

1. The thesis contains all the parts.

____Preliminaries (Title Page, Approval Sheet, Acknowledgment,
Dedication, Abstract, Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of
Figures and List of Appendices)

____Chapter 1 - THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED

LITERATURE (Introduction, Integrated Related Literature and
Studies (with Synthesis at the end), Theoretical and Conceptual
Framework, Statement of the Problem, Hypothesis, [Optional],
Scope and Delimitations, Significance of the Study, and
Definition of Terms)
____Chapter 2 – METHODOLOGY (Research Design, Respondents
of the Study, Ethical Considerations, Instrumentation, Validation
of Instrument (Optional), Data Gathering Procedure and Data
Analysis)
____Chapter 3 – RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
____Chapter 4 – SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
____References
____Appendices
____Curriculum Vitae

2. The Title Page

____Does it contain the title in inverted pyramid?
____Does it have the complete data required? (Complete name,
degree, institution, date – month and year the research was
presented)
____Does it follow the PMMA official format?
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3. The Approval Sheet
____Does it have the complete and required data?
____Does it follow the PMMA official format?

4. The Acknowledgment
____Does it acknowledge people, agency, office who/which helped
you in your research journey?
____Does it use the third person?
____Does it use complete sentences, and not mere enumeration?

5. The Dedication
____Does it dedicate the work to people who inspired the researcher?
____Does it use the first person?
____Does it have the initials of the researcher at the end?

6. The Abstract
____Does it contain a brief summary composed of 150 to 250 words
only?
____ Does it contain the problem (research questions, hypothesis)
____Does it explain the research methods?
____Does it summarize the key findings and conclusions?
____Does it summarize the recommendations?

7. The Table of Contents

____Does it list all major divisions and subdivisions including the
page numbers?
____Are the data aligned accordingly?
____Does it follow the required format?
____Are the page numbers and data accurate?

8. The List of Tables

____Does it provide the number of tables, titles and page numbers?
____Are the data aligned accordingly?
____Does it follow the required format?
____Are the page numbers and data accurate?

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9. The List of Figures
____Does it provide the number of figures, titles and page numbers?
____Are the data aligned accordingly?
____Does it follow the required format?
____Are the page numbers and data accurate?

10. The List of Appendices

____Does it provide the letter (A, B, C, etc.) of appendix, titles and
page numbers?
____Are the data aligned accordingly?
____Does it follow the required format?
____Are the page numbers and data accurate?

11. The Parts of the Chapters

Chapter 1 - THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED

LITERATURE
.1 Introduction (also includes the Background)
____Does it contain a general statement about the problem?
____Does it include previous researches or concepts that can
strengthen the reason for the investigation?
____Does it narrate the origin of the problem (brief history of
the research, justification of the selection of the problem)?
____Does it end with the general purpose or problem why the
study was undertaken?
.2 Integrated Related Literature and Studies (Note: Studies are
more preferred than literatures)
____Does it contain concepts from books, journals, magazines,
periodicals, on-line or web resources and other scholarly
materials?
____Are there NO open websites used? (e.g. Wikipedia,
personal blogs are not allowed)
____Are the authors acknowledged properly through in-text
citations?

26
 ____Is there enough data collected for both foreign and local
literature and studies?
____Does it contain previously published and unpublished
thesis, dissertations and the like on your research study?
____Is there a statement of how each previous research
investigation relates to the topic of the present research?
____Do these collected literature and studies provide better
understanding of the present study?
____Do these collected studies provide similar, as well as
contradicting findings and viewpoints, to provide an
intensive review of the present study?
____Does it provide information about past researches related
to the intended study to prevent you from unintentional
duplication of past researches and leads you to what
needs to be investigated?
____Does it provide information about the research methods
used, population and sampling considered, the
instruments used in gathering the data, and the statistical
computation in previous researches?
____ Is there an introductory paragraph?
____ Are the literature/studies grouped according to a common
theme?
____ Is there a title for each sub-heading?
____Are the studies with similar findings unified in one single
discussion? Were the authors properly cited?
____Do you observe the principles of coherence and continuity
of ideas or chronological occurrence in the presentation of
the data?
____ Is there an objective and critical judgment/analysis to
justify the inclusion of the studies and literature?
____Are the last few paragraphs of this part provide a brief
account on how similar or different the current undertaking
is to the related studies and literature included in this
chapter?
.3 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework
Theoretical Framework
27
 ____Does it contain theories from notable and renowned
authorities which will be used as basis for the study?
Conceptual Framework
____Does it contain concepts which will be used as basis for
the study?
____Does it show the interrelationships of the variables?
____Does it have a figure representing the paradigm of the
study?
____Does it have a narrative to explain the figure?
.4 Statement of the Problem
____Does it restate the title of the study that is presented as
main problem or objective?
____Does it have specific problems based on the
purpose/objectives of the study?
____Does it include questions necessary for the research?
.5 Hypothesis (Optional)
____Does it contain hypothesis necessary to the research as
approved by your adviser/statistician?
____Is it presented as null hypothesis (Ho)?
Note: For qualitative research, use ASSUMPTIONS
.6 Scope and Delimitations
____Does the scope define the “where and when the study will
be/was conducted, and who are/were the respondents”?
____Does the delimitations include the boundaries of your
research (population, sample, treatment, research setting
and instrumentation?)
.7 Significance of the Study
____Does it provide the significance or potential contribution of
the results to persons, agency/offices, which are arranged
from most to least benefitted?
(Note: You do not need to include yourself since it is
assumed that you will be benefitted one way or another)
.8 Definition of Terms
____Does it contain selected terminologies necessary to make
the research more comprehensible?

28
 ____Are the terms defined operationally or conceptually?
(Please note that PMMA encourages the operational
definition of terms; and for conceptual definition, there
should be sources.)
____Does it follow the required format (term in bold with a
period at the end to separate it from the definition,
indented)
____Are the definitions presented in complete sentences?
____Are the terms defined clearly and briefly?
____If there are acronyms, are they placed after all the terms
are defined?

Chapter 2 – METHODOLOGY
.1 Research Design
____Does it identify the type/method of research employed and
how it was applied in the study?
____Does it discuss variables used in the study?
.2 Respondents of the Study
____Does it identify and discuss the target and study
population, sample or respondents, and sampling design
used?
.3 Ethical Considerations
____Are the rights of respondents/samples respected? How?
____Does it ensure that no plagiarism has been practiced?
____Is/Was confidentiality practiced accordingly?
.4 Instrumentation
____Does it discuss the instruments used to gather the
necessary data to answer the specific problems
posed/raised in the study?
____Does it indicate if the instrument is self-made,
standardized, copyrighted or adapted?
____Does it clarify the mode of responses required and the
scale to be used?
____Does it include the procedure on how the instrument was
validated, e.g. tests of validity, reliability or expert review?

29
 (Include this one only if you do not have a separate
Validation of Instrument)
.5 Validation of Instrument (Optional)
____Does it include the procedure on how the instrument was
validated, e.g. tests of validity, reliability or expert review?
(If this was discussed under instrumentation, this part is no
longer needed.)
.6 Data Gathering Procedure
____Does it discuss the procedure, including details, followed
by the researcher from the distribution of the instrument to
its retrieval?
.7 Data Analysis
____Does it discuss how the data will be processed (e.g. use of
MSExcel, MSAccess, MSWord, SPSS, etc)?
____Does it describe briefly the statistical tools (if there is any)
and how they (will be) were used in the analysis of data?
____Does it mention the reasons for including the statistical
tools?
____Does it include how the data (will be) were presented (e.g.
tabular, graphical, etc)?
____Are the tools for analysis based on the SOP?
____Did you include the formula of ONLY those which are new
or unfamiliar?

Chapter 3 – RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

____Does it present logically the information/answers based on the
questions in SOP?
____As a whole, are the provided information/answers according to
the specific questions (SOP)?
____Does it use Tables or Figures for better presentation and easier
understanding of the data?
____Do the Tables and Figures in the body follow the proper heading
and placement of titles?
____Do the Tables and Figures appear within a page after they are
mentioned in the text, and not before they are mentioned?

30
____Is the narrative explanation clear enough to be understood even
without referring to the Table or Figure?
____In the narrative, did you present only the relevant data?
(Meaning, individual scores or raw data should not be reported in
the text. If these need to be included at all, they should be placed
in the appendix).
____Does the textual presentation supplement or expand the
contents of tables and charts, rather than duplicate them?
____Are the data in Tables clearly presented, meaning there is proper
alignment, border, etc?
____Are the figures (percentage, frequency, etc) accurate?
____Are the results data-bound, meaning no fabrication of data was
done?
____Are the discussions/explanations data-based, meaning there is
no injection of personal opinions?
____Does it interpret the data correctly?
____Are there studies presented in Chapter 1 that support or negates
the findings and which are used in this chapter for analysis and
interpretation?
____Are the data included involve answers to SOPs only?

(Brief Output like framework, syllabus, etc shall be included

as the last part of Chapter 3)

Chapter 4 – SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND

RECOMMENDATIONS
.1 Summary of Findings
____Does it provide a SUMMARY of the findings, not an exact
duplication of Chapter 3 and as much as possible no
numerical values are included?
____Is it a recapitulation of the entire content of the research
and does not contain any new information?
.2 Conclusions
____Does it provide symthesis of key points?
____Does it present conclusions based on the findings in a
clear and consise manner?
31
 ____Does it include implications of the conclusions?
.3 Recommendations
____Does it provide recommendations based on the
conclusions? (e.g. additional research, new or improved
policies, etc)

Chapter 5 - Output (if lengthy, e.g. book, manual, etc.)

11. References
____Does it follow the APA system of referencing? (You may check
www.apastyle.org for the latest version)
____Does it have the complete entries required for a reference –
whether book, journals, etc.?
____Does it follow the proper arrangement of the reference entries?
____Are they arranged alphabetically as a single reference – whether
book, journals, etc.?
____Is it using the hanging indention?
____Are they double-spaced?
____Does it list all the in-text references in the body of the research?
____Are the references within the last 10 years?

12. Appendices
____Are the data important yet lengthy to be included in the body of
the research?
____Do the data support the research?
____Are the appendices arranged according to when they were
mentioned in the Chapters of the thesis?
____Do you have titles (short) in each appendix?
____Is it using the alphabets (Appendix A, Appendix B, etc)

13. Curriculum Vitae

____Does it follow the PMMA format?
____Does it include a picture of the researcher?
____Does it include all the necessary data about the researcher?

14. Questionnaire/Instrument
32
____Does it elicit answers to the problems identified in SOP or
objectives of the research?
____Are the questions clear, direct to the point, and easy to
understand?
____Are the instructions/directions specific and clear?
____Are the number of questions just enough and do not take much
time of the respondents?
____Are the questions validated?
____Do you use the best style in getting the information you need?
(Question form or checklist)
____Does it clarify the mode of responses and the scale to be used?
____Does it use the right adjectival value or interpretation?

15. Other Important Details

____Does it have correct pagination? (small roman numerals for
preliminaries [i, ii, iii, etc] and Arabic from chapter 1 to the last
page [1, 2, 3, etc])
____Do the chapter headings have NO page numbers?
____Do the chapter headings follow the required format?
____Are your chapter headings, sub-headings, and captions
consistent in style?
____Do you practice the proper SPACING [between topics, sub-
topics], MARGIN, correct INDENTION, WORD ALIGNMENT
(justify), consistent FONT and FONT SIZE (Arial 12) all
throughout the thesis as required by PMMA?
____Is the thesis correct in terms of grammar, spelling, and
punctuation marks?
____Have you proofread your thesis for accuracy and consistency?
____Have you checked your sentences, paragraphs,and chapters to
see if the meaning is clear and are logically sequential to your
reader?
____Have you checked for logical flow from sentence to sentence,
paragraph to paragraph, and chapter to chapter?
____Referring to the whole document, have you ensured that you
have given author citations for all quotations, paraphrases, and
borrowed or adapted visuals to avoid plagiarism?
33
____Are the Title, SOP, Results, Conclusions, and Recommendations
interconnected?

Before the Defense:

____Have you followed the time-frame for the submission of
manuscript for proposal defense or final defense?
____For the proposal manuscript (proposal defense), is the tense of
the verb in the future tense?
____For the final manuscript (final defense), is the tense of the verb
converted accordingly (to past tense or present tense as
necessary)?
____Has it undergone editing?
____Have you presented your thesis to your adviser?

For Final Submission of Thesis:

____Are all parts complete?
____Has it undergone final editing?
____Has it undergone final proofreading and formatting?
____Does it use the PMMA letterhead and border?
____Has the approval sheet been signed by all concerned?
____Has it been book-bound?
____Do you have the required number of hard copies (5) to be
submitted? The 5th copy is the researcher’s copy.
____Is the timeframe for submission observed?

Notes:

1. For Title Proposal – The comments given by the Dean/Asst. Dean

focus on the alignment of the thesis study with your post-graduate
program. Necessary adjustments must be taken as advised. If
necessary, change on the title during proposal defense is allowed.

2. For Proposal Defense – Shall include Title Page; Adviser’s

Endorsement; Table of Contents; Chapters 1, and 2; References;
Instruments (Please use the CHECK-Q as guide).

34
3. For Final Defense – Shall include Title Page; Adviser’s
Endorsement; Table of Contents; Chapter 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Chapter
5 if output is necessary); References; Appendices; (Please use
the CHECK-Q as guide) and Raw Data (for verification by the
panel).

35
 SAMPLE PARTS OF THE THESIS

Title Proposal Format

Republic of the Philippines

Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
San Narciso, Zambales

GRADUATE SCHOOL

TITLE PROPOSAL

Graduate Student: ____________________________

Program: ____________________________

Proposed Thesis Title:

Rationale:

Research Problem:

Hypothesis:

Theoretical Framework:

Research Methodology:

Proposed Thesis Adviser:

Target Date of Preliminary Defense: ________________________

Approved by:

______________________
Dean, Graduate School

PMMA-GS-010 Revision No.: 1 Revision Date: 10/18/18 Page 1 of 1

36
GS Defense Endorsement Form

Republic of the Philippines

Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
San Narciso, Zambales

GRADUATE SCHOOL

ENDORSEMENT FORM FOR THESIS DEFENSE

Proposal Final

Researcher:

Program:

Date:

Title of Thesis:

This is to certify that I have reviewed the thesis manuscript of

the abovementioned researcher and found it complete and correct. I
therefore recommend him/her for oral defense.

Adviser

PMMA-GS-011 Revision No.: 2 Revision Date: 10/18/18 Page 37 of

54

37
Matrix of Amendments
Republic of the Philippines
Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
San Narciso, Zambales

GRADUATE SCHOOL
MATRIX OF AMENDMENTS

Proposal Final

Thesis Title : _____________________________________

Name of Student: _____________________________________

Item Completed
Specific Amendment
No. on Page
1
2
3

______________ ___________________
Student Thesis Adviser

Approved by Panel:

_____________ ____________________
Chairperson Member

_____________ ____________________
Member Dean, Graduate School

PMMA-GS-012 Revision No.: 1 Revision Date: 10/18/18 Page 38 of 54

38
Hardbound Thesis Side and Front Cover

39
Title Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

CREW ROTATION PLAN FOR BULK CARRIERS:

A CHALLENGE FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS
AND OPERATIONAL COMPETENCE

A Thesis
Presented to the
Faculty of the Graduate School
Philippine Merchant Marine Academy
Manila

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree
Master in Shipping Management

NAME OF STUDENT

June 2017

40
Approval Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Approval Sheet

In partial fulfillment for the degree Master in Shipping

Management, this thesis entitled “Crew Rotation Plan for Bulk
Carriers: A Challenge for Cost-Effectiveness and Operational
Competence” has been prepared and submitted by Name of
Student who is hereby recommended for oral examination.

NAME OF ADVISER
Adviser

Approved by the committee on oral examination with a grade

of _______.
NAME OF CHAIRMAN
Chairman

NAME OF MEMBER NAME OF MEMBER

Member Member

Accepted and approved in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree Master in Shipping Management.

NAME OF THE DEAN

Dean, Graduate School

Month and Year of Final Defense

41
 Acknowledgement Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Acknowledgement

The researcher wishes to acknowledge the assistance and

guidance given by a number of people who helped her finish this research

work.

First and foremost, she would like to express her profound

gratitude to her adviser, Dr. ……

42
 Dedication Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Dedication

I humbly dedicate this research work to my Mom, Andrea and my

Dad, Anton….

M.N.V.C.E.
(Initials of student)

43
 Abstract Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Abstract

Thexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.Thexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

44
 Table of Contents Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Table of Contents
Page
Title Page
Approval Sheet i
Acknowledgement ii
Dedication iii
Abstract iv
Table of Contents vii
List of Tables ix
List of Figures x
List of Appendices xi
Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF
RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction 1
Integrated Related Literature and Studies 2
Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 5
Statement of the Problem 13
Hypothesis 14
Scope and Delimitations 15
Significance of the Study 16
Definition of Terms 18

45
 PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY
GRADUATE SCHOOL

Chapter 2 METHODOLOGY
Research Design 19
Respondents of the Study 20
Ethical Considerations 21
Instrumentation 22
Validation of Instrument 23
Data Gathering Procedure 24
Data Analysis 25

Chapter 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Chapter 4 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS

AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary of Findings 26
Conclusions 27
Recommendations 28
References 30
Appendices 35
Curriculum Vitae 40

46
 List of Tables Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

List of Tables

Table Page

1 Global Demand for Seafarers According to Rank

(2005-2015) 22

2 Top Five Country Suppliers of Seafarers 23

47
List of Figures Page

PHILIPPINE MERCHANT MARINE ACADEMY

GRADUATE SCHOOL

List of Figures

Figure Page

1 Hierarchy in Marine HR Management 22

2 The Shewhart Cycle 23

48
 List of Appendices Page

List of Appendices

Appendix Page

A List of Survey Respondents 22

B List of Expert Interview Respondents 23

Chapter Page

49
Chapter Page

Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM AND REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Introduction

50
Appendix Page

Appendix A. List of Survey Respondents

51
References Page

References

Amante, M. (2003). Philippine global seafarers: A profile. Seafarers’

International Research Center, Cardiff University. United

Kingdom. http://www.sirc.cf.ac.uk/uploads/publications/

Philippine%20Global% 20Seafarers%20A%20Profile.pdf

Aron (2011). Difference between recruitment and selection.

http://www.differencebetween.com/difference-between-

recruitment-and-vs-selection.

Bhattacharjee, S. (2013). How should Deck Cadets and Junior Engineers

tackle unemployment? http://www.marineinsight.com/ careers-

2/how-should-deck-cadets-and-junior-engineers-tackle-

unemployment.

Caesar, L. D., Cahoon, S., & Fei, J. (2015). Exploring the range of

retention issues for seafarers in global shipping: Opportunities for

further research. Journal of Maritime Affairs, 14(1), 141-157.

https://link.springer.com/ article/10.1007/s13437-015-0078-0

52
 Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae

ANDREA LUNA S. NOBLE

#4615 Arguelles St. PICTURE

San Lorenzo, Makati City

Mobile No: +63 9123456789

Email Address: pmmagraduateschool@gmail.com

EDUCATION
Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree

Bachelor of Science in Management Master in Shipping Management

University of the Philippines
Visayas-Tacloban College
Tacloban City
June 2009 – March 2013
Cum Laude
Philippine Merchant Marine
Academy – Graduate School
Manila
January 2015 – June 2017

EXPERIENCE
………..

LICENSE/EXAMINATIONS TAKEN
………..

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATION
………..

PERSONAL DATA
Date of Birth: December 7, 1989
Place of Birth: Makati City
Gender: Female
Nationality: Filipino
Husband/Wife:
Daughter/Son: _______________________
Signature

53
 A Publication of the

OFFICE of GRADUATE SCHOOL

Ma. Nissa C. Espiritu, Dean

Arlene Jean R. Placiente, Clerk

Contact Details:

Tuesday to Friday:
PMMA Graduate School
4th Floor Palacio Grande Bldg.
Gen. Luna St. cor. Anda St.
Intramuros, Manila

Saturday:
4th Floor, Marlow Navigation Bldg.
2120 Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila

09563874564
pmmagraduateschool@gmail.com
pmmagraduateschool.officialpage

54