Submission Packet

You are required to submit this packet with each submission of your paper. You
will build on each draft and will also build on each submission packet so it will
represent the changes of your paper from start to finish. In this packet, you will
find:
I. Statements
II. Change Matrix
III. AMA Formatting Checklists
The instructions for each section are listed below.
Statements
Remember the problem, purpose and hypotheses statements that we worked so
hard on last semester? We will be using them again! They should be stated in
your paper (just as we worked on in your research proposal) but we are also
asking you to spell them out here as a reminder of the foundational basis for your
research.
Purpose Statement:
The purpose of this study is to compare target coverage (V95%) reported on phase-gated average
verification plans to target coverage on single-phase verification plans to ensure that the results are
within 5% to ensure clinical acceptability.  

Problem Statement:
The problem is that the verification process for patients receiving phase-gated proton treatment
requires the creation of a new phase-gated average scan which is time consuming, requires additional
clinical resources, and is incompatible with current software used for automatic verification planning.  

Hypotheses:
H1A: The first research hypothesis (H1) is that the target coverage (V95%) on a single-phase verification
plan will be within 5% of the target coverage (V95%) on a phase-gated average verification plan.  

H10: The first null hypothesis (H10) is that the target coverage (V95%) on a single-phase verification plan
will not be within 5% of the target coverage (V95%) on a phase-gated average verification plan.  

Change Matrix
A change matrix is required with every milestone document submission.

A detailed change matrix simplifies the review process and indicates to the instructors and advisors that
the author has demonstrated a clear and thorough response to reviewer comments.

Reviewer comments are not intended as an exhaustive list. It is the Learner’s responsibility to correct
any additional errors that are not specifically noted by the reviewer and to address the requirements of
the capstone project. All instances where changes have been made should be clearly noted.

If, after discussion with the group, there are questions about a reviewer’s comments, it is the
responsibility of the group leader to reach out to the instructors and advisor via email for clarification.

If, after discussion with the instructors, the author chooses not to make a requested change, the
author must provide a brief rationale, and describe how they addressed reviewer concerns.

Failures to consider, address, and notate within the Change Matrix will result in the manuscript being
returned to the group without comment.

Copy and paste the instructor’s comment from your draft into the matrix.
 You will continuously build on this change matrix so that any/all comments can be reviewed at any given
time in the projects progress.
Title of Capstone: A comparison of single-phase and phase-gated average verification planning for phase-
gated proton treatment 
Group: 8
Reviewer’s recommendation
Example
A1. The author must clarify the variable
constructs for hypotheses testing.
I’m really struggling with the flow of the
introduction. Topics seem to bounce around
quite a bit within paragraphs and the transition
sentences need some work. If needed, go back
to your outline and make more bulleted points
to be included in the text of your paper. If the
sentence doesn’t support the bulleted point,
then it should be moved or removed all
together.
Authos?
Avoid personalizations
In text citations only appear after direct citation
of the author
Modify the last sentence or add another
sentence to better bridge the transition of
these 2 paragraphs.
How addressed Page numbers
where change
appears
Example p.52
H20 has been reworded to more clearly
identify the two variables being
compared: the dependent variable
which is the ratio of (a) cash flows from
operating activities to (b) earnings from
continuing operations, compared when
the independent variable, fraud, is yes
or no. The two constructs that make up
the dependent variable are well known
in accounting and finance literature and
are not defined here.
Many of the comments we received had p. 1-2
to do with the flow and organization of
the introduction. These concerns were
addressed by shortening and rewriting
the introduction to be clearer and more
concise.
Authors added p. 1
We have gone through and rephrased
areas that used personalizations.
This has been corrected and all citations
appear in correct AMA format.
The introduction was rewritten, and the p. 1-2
last sentences of each paragraph was
written to transition to the next
paragraph.
Again, these paragraphs are not flowing well The introduction was rewritten to get a p. 1-2
together due to the transition and/or better flow and transition between
introductory sentences. paragraphs. This included focus on
introductory and transition sentences.

Spell out at first use. We have spelled out all the

abbreviations at first use within our
paper.

Not all comments and concerns were

addressed in this document because
they were addressed by writing a new
introduction.
AMA Referencing Quick Guide Checklist
Correctly using AMA formatting is one of the few aspects in the Capstone project that you have
complete control of whether it is your first outline submission or the final draft. Use this AMA quick
guide checklist to avoid common AMA formatting mistakes and receive the greatest number of points
possible. Not everyone has the ability to be an exceptional scholarly writer and researcher, however,
everyone has the capability of using AMA formatting correctly. Review this guide for EVERY submission
(discussion post, outline, draft) in the research courses and ask yourself the following questions:

Task Submiss Submissio Submissio Submissio Submissio Submissio Submissio

ion n Date: n Date: n Date: n Date: n Date: n Date:
Date: 7/18/23
6/27/23

Manuscript
Written in past ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
tense?
Written in size 12,
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Times New Roman
font
Paragraphs include
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
at least 3
sentences
Page numbers?

**The default font

for page numbers
is Calibri, size 11 ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
even after you
have changed the
font in your paper
so make sure to
check
Spell out
abbreviation at
first use if not
recognized by
AMA

***Remember
that you may ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
add/subtract
content with each
draft so something
that once spelled
out might be
removed and need
to spelled out
again
Spell out numbers ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
and abbreviations
that begin a
sentence?
**If an
abbreviation must
be spelled out to
begin a sentence,
do not include the
abbreviation in
parentheses after
words unless this
is the first use.
Numeric values
when referring to
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
numbers in
sentence (“3”, not
“three”)
Reference
superscripts after ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
each sentence I
used a reference?
OAR is properly
defined as organS
at risk.

**This is a
common mistake, ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
even in journal
publications. By
saying OARs, you
are implying
organs at risks
which doesn’t
make sense
If I directly cited an
author, did I
immediately
include the ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
reference
superscript
following the
author’s name?
Tables and figures
are referenced in-
text directly ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
following the
sentence (….
(Figure 1).
All terms must be ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
spelled out in the
abstract and
manuscript at first
use

**So if you refer to

and spell out
VMAT in the
abstract, you must
also define the
term again in the
manuscript
Scholarly writing is
appropriate

**Do not use ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐

terms such as max,
cord, rad onc,
simmed etc. Spell
out these terms
and avoid slang
All reference of
our profession
should be written
as “medical
dosimetrist” not
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
just “dosimetrist.”

**Remember that
there are other
types of
dosimetrists
Is my paper
formatted
according the ☐ ☐
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐
instructions? Case
study vs. Research
Paper

Reference Page
Page break
before this ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
section?
Capitalize the
first letter of
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
the first word
in the title only
Abbreviate
and italicize ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
the journal?
Year, volume, ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
issue and page
number
written
without any
spaces?

**If you didn’t

find one listed,
consider
completing
another
literature
search review.
If you cannot
find one, reach
 out to
instructor for
help
Doi?

**Remember
that most
publications
have doi
numbers now
so if you do
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
not locate one
on the original
article,
complete
another
literature
search to find
it.
Format dois
like this: ☐
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
http://doi.org..
.
Listed in
chronological
order as they ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
are referenced
in text
Figures and Tables
Page break
before each ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
section?
Each heading
is bolded and
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
centered for
each section
If 2 figures are
related, they
are to be ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
labeled as A
and B.
Captions are
written in
complete
sentences and ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
single spaced
starting with
“Figure 1”
Figure
captions
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
appear after
the figure
Table captions
appear before ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
the figure
All patient
identifying
information is
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
blocked and
fused with the
original image
All table axis,
labels and
legends are in
☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
Times New
Roman, size 12
font
Any DVHs
include
structure ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
labels directly
on the DVH
Vertical lines
are removed ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
from tables
Single line
spacing used
for figure and ☒ ☒ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
table
descriptions