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Thesis/Dissertation Writing

Guidelines for the Preparation of Research Project, Dissertation and Thesis 2023

APA Formatting and Style Guide (for thesis/dissertation writing)

Guidelines for Handling Plagiarism

Guidelines For The Preparation of Research Report, Dissertation and Thesis 2021

Last Update: 21/07/2023

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Dissertation Formatting

Have questions on how to format your thesis or dissertation?

We’ll help you align your document to fit Rackham Graduate School requirements. 

Use our formatting guide

Our Guide to Microsoft Word for Dissertations includes a template you can modify, along with links to the Rackham Dissertation Handbook and formatting checklist. It also covers how to:

• Apply styles to maintain consistency
• Create a table of contents that keeps itself up to date 
• Include properly formatted landscape pages
• Insert page numbers, footnotes, images, figures, and more

LaTeX guidance

Most of our support is based on using Microsoft Word. If you plan to use LaTeX for your thesis or dissertation we recommend starting with  a LaTeX template designed to meet Rackham’s requirements.

We also have  a workshop recording on using LaTeX to format your U-M dissertation .

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Universiti Malaya Thesis Template

umalayathesis is a LaTeX class for typesetting a Universiti Malaya (UM) postgraduate research thesis based on the 2017 Guidelines .

To use APA7 reference style please refer to this post .

Copyright (C) 2010--2022 Lim Lian Tze but open to transferring maintenance-ship, especially to staff/student at UM. E-Mail: [email protected] Website: http://liantze.penguinattack.org/

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Approved by publishing and review experts on SciSpace, this template is built as per for Thesis/Dissertation Template for University of Malaya formatting guidelines as mentioned in UM author instructions. The current version was created on and has been used by 964 authors to write and format their manuscripts to this journal.

SciSpace is a very innovative solution to the formatting problem and existing providers, such as Mendeley or Word did not really evolve in recent years.

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Microsoft Word for Dissertations

• Introduction, Template, & Resources
• Formatting for All Readers
• Applying a Style
• Modifying a Style
• Setting up a Heading 1 Example
• Images, Charts, Other Objects
• Footnotes, Endnotes, & Citations
• Cross-References
• Appendix Figures & Tables
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures/Tables
• Chapter and Section Numbering
• Page Numbers
• Landscape Pages
• Combining Chapter Files
• Commenting and Reviewing
• The Two-inch Top Margin
• Troubleshooting
• Finalizing Without Styles
• Preparing Your Final Document

Help with Microsoft Word

Members of the University of Michigan community can get dissertation & thesis formatting assistance from the experts at ScholarSpace:

Please  visit this link to make an appointment , or send an email to [email protected].

We're here to solve any formatting problems you've run into, and can give you guidance about captioning figures, solving numbering issues, creating a List of Tables/Figures/Appendices, and more.

Contact Information

Introduction to Word for Dissertations

Formatting your dissertation (or thesis) will likely take more time than you expect. But using the special features described in this Guide will save you a great deal of work , particularly if you use our template (available in the box below). The earlier you begin to use these tools, the more time you'll save and the less stress you'll have as your submission deadline approaches. Students at the University of Michigan are also encouraged to contact the experts at the Library's ScholarSpace anytime you run into a problem or have a question.

To meet  Rackham’s Dissertation Formatting Guidelines  you will need to modify the standard settings that Microsoft Word uses. This guide will show you how to use the tools to make the necessary modifications.  While we do follow the requirements from Rackham’s formatting guidelines to demonstrate the tools, in the end, you are responsible for verifying that your document meets the requirements that Rackham sets.

To save yourself time and effort , please consider using our Dissertation Template (link available in the box below). Many of the settings discussed in this Guide are already included in that document.

Please note that, as a University of Michigan student, you have free access to the Microsoft Office suite of tools -- including Microsoft Word. Visit this link to learn more and to download Office to your own computer.

Dissertation Template and other Resources

• ScholarSpace Template for Dissertations This Microsoft Word document comes with many of the Rackham formatting guidelines built in, and can be used for dissertations and theses. Please note that this template doesn't follow the formatting direction of any particular Style Guide. It is your responsibility to make sure you are following the Style Guide predominant in your field, and to make any relevant formatting changes to heading styles, numbering, captions, etc... How to make many of those changes is described throughout this Guide.
• Rackham Dissertation Handbook Rackham's Dissertation Guidelines and Handbook
• Dissertation Formatting Checklist Rackham's list of formatting issues to watch out for in your dissertation.
• Using Microsoft Word for Large Documents (non-dissertation specific) Handout (This document was written for an older -- much older -- version of Word, but nearly all of the information is still accurate and useful)
• Guide to Copyright for Dissertations

A word about LaTeX

LaTeX is a writing and markup language often used in science and engineering documents because it allows for great control in creating complex equations and formulas. ScholarSpace does not maintain a template for dissertations created with LaTeX, and we can only provide very limited support for it. That said, there is a community of U-M folks who actively maintain  this LaTeX template to keep it in line with Rackham's guidelines .

Here are some other very useful resources:

• Video recording of a  UM Library Workshop on Dissertation Formatting with LaTeX
• Documentation for LaTeX and Overleaf
• Bibiliography Management with LaTeX
• How to Write a Thesis in LaTeX
• A huge collection of LaTeX resources

Can I use Google Docs for my dissertation?

No. Google Docs can get you pretty far down the road to something that looks like what Rackham requires, however, it's going to take a lot more work to get that far, and as you approach the finish line there will be obstacles that Google Docs just won't be able to get around. The issue is that Google Docs was not designed for complicated documents like a thesis or dissertation. To get it to do many of the special things that Rackham requires, you'll have to do a lot of work that Word will just do for you . A few examples:

• Rackham requires 1" margin on all pages, but a 2" margin at the top of each new section. You'll have to manually adjust every relevant page yourself in Docs to get this, but Word will just do it automatically.
• Docs gives you three choices for how your Table of Contents will look, none of which are suitable for Rackham. While you can adjust the format, many aspects of it (such as spacing) will revert to the original every time you update it.  With Word, you're in charge of what your ToC looks like.
• In Docs, you'll have to manually type in your figure numbers ("Figure 3.6") and change them every time you add or move them. But Word will manage numbering and caption placement for you, it will renumber figures or tables as you add or move them, and it will create your List of Figures/Tables automatically – correct page numbers and all. 
• With Word's figure/table numbering, you can also insert cross-references so when you refer to "(see Figure 4.2)" but then you add some new figures before that, not only will Figure 4.2 renumber itself automatically, but anywhere you've referred to it will be updated, too. No more anxiety about whether you've updated everything accurately.
• Page numbers: Rackham wants the first two pages to have no page numbers, the rest of the frontmatter to have small roman numerals, and the body of the document to have arabic numerals.  Docs just plain can't do that. 

If you're concerned about the learning curve of using Word, please know that this Guide goes over how to do everything, AND the Word template found here has nearly everything already set up for you. We also regularly offer a workshop that serves as an introduction to the most useful features, and you can set up a meeting with a ScholarSpace expert anytime you run into something that you can't figure out. 

Writing Assistance

This Guide is all about how to properly format your dissertation -- how to make it look the way Rackham wants it to look. But what if you need help with the actual composition  of your content? Our friends at the Sweetland Writing Center offer such assistance, through their Writing Workshop program. From their website:

These are just a few quick but especially important tips to help you get started. See our more expansive Tips & Troubleshooting section for suggestions that are a little more complex.

• Save early , save often, and create backup versions as you go along. Consider setting up Microsoft OneDrive (you have free access with your umich login credentials). With this, you can turn on "Autosave" in Word to automatically save your document at regular intervals.

• Use our template (available above), it will save you lots of time. Nearly all of the difficult formatting stuff we discuss in this Guide is already built into the template. Consider doing all of your writing in it -- even if you're working in separate files for each chapter, you can use a copy of the template for each one of those chapters.
• Set the margins including the two-inch margin for chapters titles  ( Setting Margins ) .
• Define styles for Headings 1-3, Normal, Captions, and Quotes – these are most common; you may need others ( Working with Styles ).
• If headings need to be numbered (for example, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.), define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
• If captions need to include the chapter number, define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
• Share your file(s) with your advisors using Track Changes ( Commenting and Reviewing ) .
• If you use EndNote to manage your citations and create your bibliography, use only one EndNote library for your entire dissertation (see our EndNote Basics guide).
• Did we mention that you really ought to try out our template (available above)?

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Using LaTeX for your writing

LaTeX for Students, Engineers, and Scientists  - edX course on using LaTeX

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Introduction

Thesis or Dissertation Writing can seem like a very daunting task but we are here to help.

Your instructors and research committee will help you with the content and the process but we in the library are here to help you with the formatting and submission of your final product. 

The differences between theses and dissertations.

While the content and intent of theses and dissertations are obviously different, the required formatting guidelines are only slightly different from each other. In fact, following the thesis format will allow you to fully meet the dissertation guidelines. This will also work to a lesser degree in the other direction. The dissertation regulations are more broad and by following them you will be well on your way to meeting the thesis requirements.

There is only one point where the guidelines are incompatible. The order of the committee members, as listed on the title page, is to be done differently for dissertations vs the way it is done for theses so please pay attention to that specific requirement for your work. 

Please make use of the following resources to work on your formatting and please feel free to reach out to your departmental librarian for any further assistance you may need.

Using Microsoft Word to write your thesis or dissertation

For help with each step of your formatting visit this page created specifically for UM-Dearborn students by our format coordinator, Joel Seewald.

• Word for Theses

Dissertation Formatting Workshop Slides

The  Master's Thesis Page from CECS   - contains the policies, procedures, and formatting guidelines you will need to refer to based on your specific degree.

Before submitting your thesis for your format check you will need to have created your ORCID  account. You will need to include this ID number on the copyright page of your work as well as on the submission form so that it can populate the metadata in our institutional repository Deep Blue , where your final approved document will be stored. 

If you would like to request an embargo to delay the release of your thesis to public searching, you will need to indicate that on your submission form and also complete and attach the proper form. The form and other information can be found on the  Thesis Release and Embargo Procedures   page.

This link is for the Thesis Formatting Guidelines last updated in 2016. Check the Graduate Studies webpage to ensure you are using the most current guidelines.   

This is the checklist we will use to review your thesis to ensure proper formatting before it is accepted for deposit in Deep Blue.

Dissertations

The  Doctorial Dissertations Page from CECS  - contains the policies, procedures, and formatting guidelines you will need to refer to based on your specific degree.

This is the link to the Dissertation Handbook . It includes a list of all the guidelines for formatting your dissertation near the end.

This is the checklist we will use to review your dissertation to ensure proper formatting before it is accepted for deposit in Deep Blue.

Deadlines for defense and submission of the written final draft can be found HERE .

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Home > Resources > Databases

On this page

Database info, guides & training, bachelor theses.

Included is the full text of (a selection of) bachelor theses from the following Maastricht University programmes:

• Global Studies (FASoS), from 2023 onward

Master Theses

Included is the full text of (a selection of) master theses from the following Maastricht University faculties:

• Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASoS), from 1994 to 2005, from 2013 onward
• Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE), from 2023 onward
• Maastricht Graduate School of Governance (MGSoG), from 2002 onward
• Maastricht School of Management (MSM), from 2022 onward
• Maastricht Sustainability Institute (MSI),  from 2011 onward
• School of Business & Economics (SBE), from 2016 onward

Access conditions:

• The UM Theses are only open to Maastricht University.
• Some theses are confidential and do not include a pdf with the full text

There are no Guides or trainings for this database at this time.

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Theses and Dissertations: Home

How to find theses and dissertations at umlibraries.

The University of Manitoba Libraries receives a copy of each master’s thesis, doctoral dissertation and practicum submitted for a degree by students at the University of Manitoba (U of M). Theses, dissertations and practica are catalogued and can be searched through the Libraries’ One Stop Search .

The Elizabeth Dafoe Library holds most theses, dissertations and practica.  Theses and dissertations completed in the faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Law and Architecture are located in their respective libraries. While the theses found here can be from any graduate program, the practica are predominantly from the Master of Social Work, Master of Nursing and Master of Natural Resources Management Programs.

For information on writing and submission of a thesis, dissertation or practicum see Faculty of Graduate Studies Graduate Thesis/Practicum Guidelines and Info .

Find UM-Authored Theses, Dissertations and Practica

One Stop Search

The Libraries’ One Stop Search is the recommended way to search for theses, dissertations and practica produced at U of M.

• Search by author, title or keyword
• Search by department using a keyword search to retrieve all theses and dissertations associated with that department. For example: university manitoba history dissertations or university manitoba social work dissertations

Circulating Print Copies

Print copies of U of M theses, dissertations and practica that are located in the Elizabeth Dafoe Library and published within the last 5 years are shelved on the second floor of the library starting along the walls directly below the mezzanine level. Theses and dissertations are bound in black covers. Practica are bound in green covers. Call numbers are generated from the name of the author rather than the subject, so browsing is not practical here unless you are looking for a specific author.

Theses, dissertations and practica published more than 5 years ago are kept in Storage. These may be requested through the U of M Libraries One Stop Search and are generally obtained within 2 to 3 business days.

Microfiche Copies

The U of M theses, dissertations and practica are also available in a Microfiche format and are available for use in the Microforms Section on the main floor of the Elizabeth Dafoe Library.

Electronic Copies

Search Dissertations & Theses (ProQuest) database, available via Databases A-Z on the Libraries’ main page.  Full text (PDF) of U of M theses and dissertations is available to U of M students, faculty and staff at no charge.  Full text (PDF) of theses and dissertations from other institutions is available for purchase from ProQuest via the database.

Search the U of M institutional repository - MSpace to find and download full text of UM theses and dissertations.

University Archives

The archival copies of U of M theses and dissertations are held by the Archives and Special Collections. Archival copies are limited to in-library use, and may be used only when no other copy is available.

Find Theses and Dissertations Authored at Other Institutions

Canadian Theses

Theses Canada Portal (Library and Archives Canada): Coverage from 1965 to the present. Provides full text from 1998 when available. All theses in Library and Archives Canada's collection are available on interlibrary loan. To borrow a thesis or dissertation from Library and Archives Canada's collection request it through U of M Libraries Document Delivery Service

Dissertations and Theses (Proquest) database: Coverage from 1861 – present. Provides citations and abstracts when available. Full text in PDF format and 24 page previews are available for most dissertations and theses added since 1997.  Titles are available for purchase and payable by credit card.

International Theses

Dissertations and Theses (Proquest) database: Coverage from 1861 – present. Provides citations and abstracts when available to dissertations and theses from around the world. Full text in PDF format and 24 page previews are available for most dissertations and theses added since 1997.  Titles are available for purchase and payable by credit card.

• Last Updated: Aug 31, 2016 9:30 AM
• URL: https://libguides.lib.umanitoba.ca/thesesanddissertations

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Guide to Thesis Preparation

Updated:: 09/12/2022 [aslamiah]

Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang ,Selangor

Contact List by Unit Staff and Services

Thesis and Dissertation Formatting

Introduction.

The requirements listed in the Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Requirements apply to the formal master’s thesis and the doctoral dissertation.

The thesis or dissertation is a report of original research and scholarly work that is shared with the academic community and is made available to the public. The thesis or dissertation becomes part of the UWM Digital Commons and is also made available through ProQuest. Information about submission can be found on the Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Submission website.

These format standards have been developed to ensure a degree of consistency in the written presentation of this research across academic disciplines.

The Graduate School will not accept theses or dissertations that do not conform to these requirements. Have your formatting reviewed by the Graduate School by the formatting deadline .

• All students: email a draft to [email protected]

General Instructions

Required page order, preliminary pages:.

• Title page – required
• Abstract page – required
• Copyright page – optional
• Dedication – optional
• Table of Contents – required for all except creative works
• List of Figures – required if figures appear in thesis
• List of Tables – required if tables appear in the thesis
• List of Abbreviations – optional
• Acknowledgements – required if permission to reproduce copyright material is necessary
• Frontispiece (illustration) or Epigraph (quotation) – optional
• Appendices – optional

Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Resources:

• Manual (PDF) • Presentation (.pptx) • Thesis Formatting Template (.docx) • Dissertation Formatting Template (.docx) • Checklist (PDF)

Double space throughout, with the exception of the title page; captions; table or figure headings; extensive quotations; footnotes or endnotes; entries in the References section; entries in the Table of Contents; and appendices.

Any standard font is acceptable; however, the same font should be used throughout. Use a font size of approximately 12. The only exceptions to this font size are captions (not smaller than 9 point) and headings (not larger than 20 point).

ALL pages must have 1″ top, bottom, left, and right margins.

Preliminary Pages

Preliminary pages are the required pages that appear at the beginning of the final document. There are also optional pages which can be placed in this section.

Page Numbering

All preliminary pages are numbered with lower case Roman numerals, centered at the bottom of the page, with the bottom of the number at least 1/2 inch from the edge of the page. The exception to this is the title page, which is counted but not numbered.

Sample pages (PDF)

Pages appear in this order

• Title page – Required The title page is counted but not numbered. Follow the format shown in the sample pages (PDF) . All items centered and TITLE IN ALL CAPS. Use official degree names only. The date is the month and year of degree conferral. Degrees are awarded three times a year: in May, August, and December.
• Abstract – Required The abstract is a summary of the dissertation. Follow the format shown in the sample pages (PDF) . Copy the abstract heading sample exactly. See Sample ABSTRACT TEXT for important information. It always starts with page number “ii”.
• Copyright and Your Dissertation or Thesis (ProQuest) (PDF)
• copyright.gov
• UWM Libraries: Copyright and Fair Use
• Dedication – Optional May be combined with acknowledgements. There is no required heading on this page.
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• Admission and Aid
• Student Life

Native UM Student Works to Create Missing Persons Database

• 05 April 2024

By Mark Roth, UM News Service

MISSOULA – Haley Omeasoo was already studying forensic science at the University of Montana when she saw the poster that redefined her life.

The 2017 poster announced that her former high school classmate, Ashley Loring HeavyRunner, had gone missing on the Blackfeet Reservation in northern Montana. Just 20 at the time, HeavyRunner has never been found in the seven years since.

HeavyRunner’s plight, and the cases of other missing and murdered indigenous persons (MMIP), gave Omeasoo a new mission: to use her skills to help families searching for lost loved ones, and use DNA analysis to return the remains of Native Americans to their families and tribal groups.

Omeasoo, a registered member of the Hopi Nation, is also a Blackfeet descendant who grew up on the Blackfeet reservation. She is now a Ph.D. student in forensic and molecular anthropology at UM , working to create the first DNA database of Blackfeet Nation members. She also hopes that one day, she can set up a forensic science lab on the reservation – the first of its kind in Montana.

If unidentifiable remains were found, DNA in the database could determine whether the person had been a member of the tribe and could be used to link the remains to family members with similar DNA markers.

To work toward that goal, Omeasoo and her husband, Blackfeet tribal member Vince Omeasoo, set up a company known as Ohkomi Forensics , based on the Blackfeet word for “to use one’s voice.” 

“We stand as unwavering advocates for those who have gone missing or have been tragically taken from their families,” the company’s website says. “We work tirelessly to raise awareness, demand justice and support affected communities in their journey towards healing.”

The aching search for answers by families of missing relatives resonates strongly with Omeasoo, 27, who is the mother of two children, Sage, 8, and Soren, 2.

But she also sees the tragedy in broader terms. 

“As Indigenous people, we are all impacted by this issue in one way or another,” Omeasoo said. “Because this issue doesn’t get as much media attention as it should, and our people do not have the resources and support to combat this issue, it’s time we started to find ways to provide those resources to our home communities.”

Missing Persons in Montana

Montana is at the center of a grim trend. According to the Montana governor’s office, Native people make up about 7% of the state’s population but account for a quarter of missing persons cases. 

“It’s not a new issue,” Omeasoo said. “It’s been going on for a long time – too long – and I think the media is just now kind of catching wind of it.”

Omeasoo’s mentor, UM Associate Professor of Anthropology Meradeth Snow, finds inspiration in Omeasoo’s dedication and hard work.

“I have such high hopes for Haley,” said Snow, who co-chairs UM’s anthropology department. “I know she is going to be a mouthpiece for communities that need and deserve that, and I hope her work not only will bring more attention to this epidemic, but that she is able to build a bridge between the forensic world and the tribes.”

There are many factors that feed into the high rate of MMIP in Montana and elsewhere in the nation.

Poverty, domestic abuse and other social problems are prevalent on many reservations. Sarah Deer, a University of Kansas researcher, said Native women also are more likely to be trafficked in the sex industry. 

There also is a lack of law enforcement resources on many reservations.

The Blackfeet reservation has a tribal police force of about 18 officers to cover a territory larger than the state of Delaware, according to the Missoulian. Depending on vacations and other scheduling factors, there can sometimes be just two officers to cover the entire 1.5-million-acre reservation.

Tribal police also lack full investigative powers in the most serious missing persons cases. 

Only federal authorities can investigate and prosecute major felonies on most Native American reservations, including murder and manslaughter. In addition, tribal police only have a limited ability to investigate non-Natives for certain crimes, and on some reservations, non-Natives now outnumber Natives.

Ivan MacDonald, a documentary filmmaker and member of the Blackfeet Tribe, said both the tribal police and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, which handles initial federal investigations on missing persons cases, are understaffed. In some instances, he said, by the time federal investigators get involved, the trail has gone cold and evidence is scant or missing.

Native American spiritual views

Using DNA analysis on Native American remains faces special challenges.

Many tribes oppose DNA analysis because traditional forensic techniques require taking bone samples that are then destroyed in the analysis. Even if the sample is small, many tribal groups consider that a desecration of the remains.

Dan Lewerenz, an assistant law professor at the University of North Dakota and a member of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, said Natives are not anti-science, but they do have a different understanding of human remains than many non-Natives. In Native religious traditions, even natural phenomena like rivers and mountains may have a spirit. 

“For many Indigenous people, the dead are not dead,” Lewerenz said. “They are still with us in spirit in a way that is much more tangible than Western understandings.”

For that reason, Omeasoo is using a new technique that can extract DNA from remains without damaging them. Snow said the method was developed by German scientist Elena Essel. It immerses the bones in a type of food preservative and then heats the solution. The DNA then is retrieved from the solution without damaging the bones.

Specialized DNA kit

To process her DNA samples, Omeasoo uses a special kit from Qiagen, a European genetic science company. The Verogen ForenSeq Kintelligence Kit is designed to look for DNA markers that show how closely people are related to one another.

The kit also avoids using any DNA markers linked to health status, such as genes for breast cancer or hereditary diseases. 

That’s important, Omeasoo said, because of the distrust many Native American tribes have toward the misuse of DNA. In the 1990s, scientists collected blood samples from the Havasupai Tribe in Arizona for a study on Type 2 diabetes. Tribal members later discovered the samples had been used for research on schizophrenia and other subjects the tribe had not consented to, and they sued the University of Arizona, which eventually led to a return of all blood samples to the tribe.

The suspicion that Native Americans have about DNA was apparent when Omeasoo began asking tribes to let her collect DNA samples for her original plan, which was to create DNA databases for each tribe in Montana. The Blackfeet so far are the only tribe that has agreed to a DNA database.

The Qiagen kit, which looks for 10,230 familial DNA markers, “makes sense for [tribal identifications] because it removes the kinds of risks that have been seen in the past,” said Kameran Wong, Qiagen’s senior manager of marketing communications.

The Qiagen kit employs the same approach that criminal investigators have used to identify killers by linking their DNA to those of relatives, such as in the Golden State Killer case in California. 

Omeasoo wouldn’t use the technique to find criminal suspects, but to find relatives of a victim whose unidentified remains have been discovered.

She also has developed other skills that could help in MMIP cases. For her master’s thesis, Omeasoo examined CT scans of facial injuries to people who had been assaulted or killed. In particular, she looked for fractures on the left side of the face, because most assailants are right-handed. 

It’s a signature injury that occurs in intimate partner violence and shows up more frequently in women, Omeasoo said. Her work could help investigators determine if intimate partner violence had occurred.

The next steps

Omeasoo plans to earn her Ph.D. in forensic and molecular anthropology next year. In the meantime, she is waiting for the Blackfeet tribe’s Institutional Review Board to sign off on her DNA database project so she can begin collecting cheek swabs from tribal members.

She hopes to get at least 100 samples, which would not only identify markers for family members who are related to each other, but more broadly, could identify markers that are unique to the Blackfeet Nation.

Eventually, she would like to establish a forensic sciences lab on the Blackfeet reservation. The lab would not only do the work of identifying remains, but could help police investigate ongoing missing persons cases.

Ohkomi Forensics already received some startup funds from outside organizations and community donors to purchase field equipment and excavating tools for forensic searches on the Blackfeet reservation.

Ivan MacDonald, who works with his sister Ivy to complete a documentary on missing and murdered Blackfeet women, including Ashley HeavyRunner, said Omeasoo’s work could be vital for such families.

MacDonald said missing or adulterated forensic samples are a major reason why federal authorities often don’t pursue missing persons cases on the reservation, so “if we had an opportunity for someone on our reservation to help with that gap and work within that scientific framework, it would be a really amazing opportunity.”

Brad Hall, president of Blackfeet Community College, also supports Omeasoo’s efforts to get tribal approval for her DNA database.

“When a Native student like Haley goes into academia, they have to understand our ways of knowing and then learn the academic ways of knowing,” Hall said. “She’s going about it in the way that every researcher should take note of.”

For Omeasoo herself, her work is all about making connections. She wants to connect tribal groups to the remains of their ancestors, and she wants to connect families of missing relatives to the people they are searching for so desperately.

 “Where I’m from,” she said, “we’re all related somehow.”

Contact : Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, [email protected]

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