thesis line spacing

Thesis and Dissertation Guide

« Thesis & Dissertation Resources
The Graduate School Home

Introduction
Copyright Page
Dedication, Acknowledgements, Preface (optional)
Table of Contents
List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
List of Abbreviations
List of Symbols

Non-Traditional Formats

Font type and size, spacing and indentation, tables, figures, and illustrations, formatting previously published work.

Internet Distribution
Open Access
Registering Copyright
Using Copyrighted Materials
Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials
Submission Steps
Submission Checklist
Sample Pages

II. Formatting Guidelines

All copies of a thesis or dissertation must have the following uniform margins throughout the entire document:

Left: 1″ (or 1 1/4" to ensure sufficient room for binding the work if desired)
Right: 1″
Bottom: 1″ (with allowances for page numbers; see section on Pagination )
Top: 1″

Exceptions : The first page of each chapter (including the introduction, if any) begins 2″ from the top of the page. Also, the headings on the title page, abstract, first page of the dedication/ acknowledgements/preface (if any), and first page of the table of contents begin 2″ from the top of the page.

Non-traditional theses or dissertations such as whole works comprised of digital, artistic, video, or performance materials (i.e., no written text, chapters, or articles) are acceptable if approved by your committee and graduate program. A PDF document with a title page, copyright page, and abstract at minimum are required to be submitted along with any relevant supplemental files.

Fonts must be 10, 11, or 12 points in size. Superscripts and subscripts (e.g., formulas, or footnote or endnote numbers) should be no more than 2 points smaller than the font size used for the body of the text.

Space and indent your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

Spacing and Indentation with mesaurements described in surrounding text

The text must appear in a single column on each page and be double-spaced throughout the document. Do not arrange chapter text in multiple columns.
New paragraphs must be indicated by a consistent tab indentation throughout the entire document.
The document text must be left-justified, not centered or right-justified.
For blocked quotations, indent the entire text of the quotation consistently from the left margin.
Ensure headings are not left hanging alone on the bottom of a prior page. The text following should be moved up or the heading should be moved down. This is something to check near the end of formatting, as other adjustments to text and spacing may change where headings appear on the page.

Exceptions : Blocked quotations, notes, captions, legends, and long headings must be single-spaced throughout the document and double-spaced between items.

Paginate your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

Use lower case Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv, etc.) on all pages preceding the first page of chapter one. The title page counts as page i, but the number does not appear. Therefore, the first page showing a number will be the copyright page with ii at the bottom.
Arabic numerals (beginning with 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) start at chapter one or the introduction, if applicable. Arabic numbers must be included on all pages of the text, illustrations, notes, and any other materials that follow. Thus, the first page of chapter one will show an Arabic numeral 1, and numbering of all subsequent pages will follow in order.
Do not use page numbers accompanied by letters, hyphens, periods, or parentheses (e.g., 1., 1-2, -1-, (1), or 1a).
Center all page numbers at the bottom of the page, 1/2″ from the bottom edge.
Pages must not contain running headers or footers, aside from page numbers.
If your document contains landscape pages (pages in which the top of the page is the long side of a sheet of paper), make sure that your page numbers still appear in the same position and direction as they do on pages with standard portrait orientation for consistency. This likely means the page number will be centered on the short side of the paper and the number will be sideways relative to the landscape page text. See these additional instructions for assistance with pagination on landscape pages in Microsoft Word .

Pagination example with mesaurements described in surrounding text

Format footnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

Footnote spacing with mesaurements described in surrounding text

Footnotes must be placed at the bottom of the page separated from the text by a solid line one to two inches long.
Begin at the left page margin, directly below the solid line.
Single-space footnotes that are more than one line long.
Include one double-spaced line between each note.
Most software packages automatically space footnotes at the bottom of the page depending on their length. It is acceptable if the note breaks within a sentence and carries the remainder into the footnote area of the next page. Do not indicate the continuation of a footnote.
Number all footnotes with Arabic numerals. You may number notes consecutively within each chapter starting over with number 1 for the first note in each chapter, or you may number notes consecutively throughout the entire document.
Footnote numbers must precede the note and be placed slightly above the line (superscripted). Leave no space between the number and the note.
While footnotes should be located at the bottom of the page, do not place footnotes in a running page footer, as they must remain within the page margins.

Endnotes are an acceptable alternative to footnotes. Format endnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

Endnotes with mesaurements described in surrounding text

Always begin endnotes on a separate page either immediately following the end of each chapter, or at the end of your entire document. If you place all endnotes at the end of the entire document, they must appear after the appendices and before the references.
Include the heading “ENDNOTES” in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the first page of your endnotes section(s).
Single-space endnotes that are more than one line long.
Number all endnotes with Arabic numerals. You may number notes consecutively within each chapter starting over with number 1 for the first note in each chapter, or you may number notes consecutively throughout the entire document.
Endnote numbers must precede the note and be placed slightly above the line (superscripted). Leave no space between the number and the note.

Tables, figures, and illustrations vary widely by discipline. Therefore, formatting of these components is largely at the discretion of the author.

For example, headings and captions may appear above or below each of these components.

These components may each be placed within the main text of the document or grouped together in a separate section.

Space permitting, headings and captions for the associated table, figure, or illustration must be on the same page.

The use of color is permitted as long as it is consistently applied as part of the finished component (e.g., a color-coded pie chart) and not extraneous or unprofessional (e.g., highlighting intended solely to draw a reader's attention to a key phrase). The use of color should be reserved primarily for tables, figures, illustrations, and active website or document links throughout your thesis or dissertation.

The format you choose for these components must be consistent throughout the thesis or dissertation.

Ensure each component complies with margin and pagination requirements.

Refer to the List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations section for additional information.

If your thesis or dissertation has appendices, they must be prepared following these guidelines:

Appendices with mesaurements described in surrounding text

Appendices must appear at the end of the document (before references) and not the chapter to which they pertain.
When there is more than one appendix, assign each appendix a number or a letter heading (e.g., “APPENDIX 1” or “APPENDIX A”) and a descriptive title. You may number consecutively throughout the entire work (e.g., 1, 2 or A, B), or you may assign a two-part Arabic numeral with the first number designating the chapter in which it appears, separated by a period, followed by a second number or letter to indicate its consecutive placement (e.g., “APPENDIX 3.2” is the second appendix referred to in Chapter Three).
Include the chosen headings in all capital letters, and center them 1″ below the top of the page.
All appendix headings and titles must be included in the table of contents.
Page numbering must continue throughout your appendix or appendices. Ensure each appendix complies with margin and pagination requirements.

You are required to list all the references you consulted. For specific details on formatting your references, consult and follow a style manual or professional journal that is used for formatting publications and citations in your discipline.

References with mesaurements described in surrounding text

Your reference pages must be prepared following these guidelines:

If you place references after each chapter, the references for the last chapter must be placed immediately following the chapter and before the appendices.
If you place all references at the end of the thesis or dissertation, they must appear after the appendices as the final component in the document.
Select an appropriate heading for this section based on the style manual you are using (e.g., “REFERENCES”, “BIBLIOGRAPHY”, or “WORKS CITED”).
Include the chosen heading in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the page.
References must be single-spaced within each entry.
Include one double-spaced line between each reference.
Page numbering must continue throughout your references section. Ensure references comply with margin and pagination requirements.

In some cases, students gain approval from their academic program to include in their thesis or dissertation previously published (or submitted, in press, or under review) journal articles or similar materials that they have authored. For more information about including previously published works in your thesis or dissertation, see the section on Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials and the section on Copyrighting.

If your academic program has approved inclusion of such materials, please note that these materials must match the formatting guidelines set forth in this Guide regardless of how the material was formatted for publication.

Some specific formatting guidelines to consider include:

Formatting previously published work with mesaurements described in surrounding text

Fonts, margins, chapter headings, citations, and references must all match the formatting and placement used within the rest of the thesis or dissertation.
If appropriate, published articles can be included as separate individual chapters within the thesis or dissertation.
A separate abstract to each chapter should not be included.
The citation for previously published work must be included as the first footnote (or endnote) on the first page of the chapter.
Do not include typesetting notations often used when submitting manuscripts to a publisher (i.e., insert table x here).
The date on the title page should be the year in which your committee approves the thesis or dissertation, regardless of the date of completion or publication of individual chapters.
If you would like to include additional details about the previously published work, this information can be included in the preface for the thesis or dissertation.

Previous: Order and Components

Next: Distribution

Library Catalogue

Formatting your thesis: Overall layout and specifications

Formatting your Thesis and Dissertation:Tools,Tips and Troubleshooting

I am a new Graduate Student at Florida Tech!
Thesis and Dissertation Templates
Learn About Zotero
Formatting Landscape Pages
Line Spacing
Page Numbers
Page Break and Section Breaks
Table of Contents or Figures
Figures Turning Black
Margin issues with Tables
Page numbers not appearing
PDF to PDF/A
Section Breaks
Landscape Page Numbers
Troubleshoot LaTeX formatting issues
Copyright and Creative Commons Licenses Primer
Do I need to embargo my thesis or dissertation?
I'm ready to submit my electronic copy - now what do I do?
What is the process for obtaining print copies of my thesis or dissertation?

Adjust Spacing Between Lines

Spacing Issues on Signature Page

Highlight the text you are wanting to change then on the Home Ribbon, choose the line spacing symbol, select the desired spacing typically 1.5 for Thesis and 2.0 for Dissertations. Using the Add Space or Remove Space options as needed.

For the Signature page copying and pasting one of the signature lines is usually the easiest method.

Then removing any excess lines so the pages stays single paged.

If issues persist there are some alternative layouts in the Thesis Manual and Style Guide

Page 79 (OGP Manual)

<< Previous: Formatting Landscape Pages
Next: Page Numbers >>
Last Updated: Apr 29, 2024 1:32 PM
URL: https://libguides.lib.fit.edu/formattingyourthesisanddissertationtoolstipstroubleshooting

Format Requirements for Your Dissertation or Thesis

Main navigation.

The final dissertation or thesis manuscript must have a ready-for-publication appearance and standard features.

The Office of the University Registrar does not endorse or verify the accuracy of any dissertation or thesis formatting templates that may be available to you.

It is your student responsibility to make sure that the formatting meets these requirements. Introductory material, text, and appendices must all be clearly and consistently prepared and must meet all of the specifications outlined below.

Once you upload and submit your dissertation or thesis in Axess, and it has been approved by the university, the submission is considered final and no further changes are permitted.

The digital file of the dissertation or thesis, which is sent to Stanford Libraries for cataloging, must meet certain technical requirements to ensure that it can be easily accessed by readers now and into the future.

Follow the specifications outlined below.

Style and Format

Word and text divisions, style guides, content and layout, special instructions for d.m.a. students, order and content, page orientation, embedded links, supplementary material and publishing, supplementary material, scholarly reference, published papers and multiple authorship, use of copyrighted material, copyrighting your dissertation, file security and file name, stanford university thesis & dissertation publication license.

Pages should be standard U.S. letter size (8.5 x 11 inches).

In order to ensure the future ability to render the document, standard fonts must be used.

For the main text body, type size should be 10, 11, or 12 point. Smaller font sizes may be used in tables, captions, etc.

The font color must be black.

Font Families

Acceptable font styles include:

Times New Roman (preferred)
Courier, Courier Bold, Courier Oblique, Courier Bold-Oblique;
Helvetica, Helvetica Bold, Helvetica Oblique, Helvetica Bold-Oblique;
Times, Times Bold, Times Italic, Times Bold-Italic;
Computer Modern (or Computer Modern Roman).

Note: Do not use script or ornamental fonts. Do not use proprietary fonts.

If you use mathematical or other scientific notation in your dissertation or thesis using a font other than Symbol, you must embed the font into the PDF that is submitted to the university.

Inner margins (left edge if single-sided; right edge for even-numbered pages, and left edge for odd-numbered pages if double-sided) must be 1.5 inches. All other margins must be one inch.

Pagination, headers, and/or footers may be placed within the margin, but no closer than one-half inch from the edge of the page.

For double-sided copies, 1.5 inches must be maintained as the inner margin. Margin requirements should apply to the entire document, including the title page.

The main body text of the manuscript should be one-and-a-half or double-spaced lines, except where conventional usage calls for single spacing, such as footnotes, indented quotations, tables, appendices, etc.

Words should be divided correctly at the end of a line and may not be divided from one page to the next. Use a standard dictionary to determine word division.

Avoid short lines that end a paragraph at the top of a page, and any heading or subheading at the bottom of a page that is not followed by text.

The dissertation and thesis must be in English.

Language Exceptions for Dissertations Only

Approval for writing the dissertation in another language is normally granted only in cases where the other language or literature in that language is also the subject of the discipline.

Exceptions are granted by the school dean upon submission of a written request from the chair of your major department. Approval is routinely granted for dissertations in the Division of Literature, Cultures, and Languages within department specifications.

Prior to submitting in Axess, you must send a copy of the approval letter (or email message chain) from the department dean to [email protected]

Dissertations written in another language must include an extended summary in English (usually 15 to 20 pages in length). In this case, you should upload your English summary as a supplemental file, during Step 4 of the online submission process.

Select a standard style approved by your department or dissertation advisor and use it consistently.

Some reliable style guides are:

K.A. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers,
Theses and Dissertations (University of Chicago Press), and
the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Modern Language Association).

If you are a student in the Doctor of Musical Arts program, you may submit musical scores formatted at 11 x 17 inches in size.

If you are submitting a performance as your dissertation, submit the audio file in WAV format as a supplemental file.

Note: The maximum file size accepted for submission is 100 MB. If a performance recording exceeds the maximum file size, break the file into multiple files and submit the parts individually as supplemental files.

Your dissertation or thesis must contain the following sections. All sections must be included in a single digital file for upload.

Title Page — The format must be followed exactly. View these title page examples for Ph.D. Dissertation and this title page sample for an Engineer Thesis . Use uppercase letters. The title of the dissertation or thesis should be a meaningful description of the content of the manuscript. Use word substitutes for formulas, symbols, superscripts, subscripts, Greek letters, etc. The month and year must be the actual month and year in which you submit your dissertation or thesis electronically to the university. (Note: A student who submits in Autumn quarter is conferred his/her degree in the following calendar year.)
Copyright Page — The dissertation or thesis PDF uploaded in Axess should not contain a copyright page. The copyright page will be created automatically by the online submission system and inserted into the file stored by Stanford Libraries.
Signature Page — The dissertation or thesis PDF uploaded in Axess should also not contain a signature page. The submission process has moved away from ink-signatures, so a digital facsimile of the signature page will be created automatically by the online submission system and inserted into the dissertation or thesis in its final format stored by Stanford Libraries.
Abstract — An abstract may be included in the preliminary section of the dissertation or thesis. The abstract in the body of the dissertation or thesis follows the style used for the rest of the manuscript and should be placed following the signature page. There is no maximum permissible length for the abstract in the dissertation or thesis. Dissertation authors must enter an abstract using the online submission form for uploading the digital dissertation or thesis file to the library. This abstract, which will be indexed for online searching, must be formatted in plain text (no HTML or special formatting). It should be a pithy and succinct version of the abstract included in the dissertation or thesis itself.
Preface, an Acknowledgment, or a Dedication
Table of Contents – Include page references.
List of Tables – Include titles and page references. This list is optional.
List of Illustrations – Include titles and page references. This list is optional
Introduction
Main body – Include suitable, consistent headings for the larger divisions and more important sub-divisions.
Appendices.
Bibliography or List of References.

Except for the title page, which counts as 'i' but is not physically numbered, each page of the manuscript, including all blank pages, pages between chapters, pages with text, photographs, tables, figures, maps, or computer code must be assigned a number.

Consistent placement of pagination, at least one-half inch from the paper’s edge, should be used throughout the manuscript.

Follow these pagination instructions exactly:

For the preliminary pages, use small Roman numerals (e.g., iv, v, vi).
The title page is not physically numbered, but counts as page i.
Keep in mind that a copyright page ii and augmented signature page iii (based off your student record) will automatically be inserted to your manuscript during submission. This means you must ensure to remove pages ii and iii from your dissertation or thesis.
Failing to remove pages ii and iii is most common formatting mistake: you must remove your copyright page ii and signature page iii from the pdf file before you submit your dissertation or thesis, and begin pagination on your abstract with page number "iv". If the document is formatted for double-sided printing with each section starting on the right page, then pagination will begin on a blank page (page"iv") and the Abstract should be numbered as page "v", and so forth.
For the remainder of the manuscript, starting with the Introduction or Chapter 1 of the Main Body, use continuous pagination (1, 2, 3, etc) for text, illustrations, images, appendices, and the bibliography. Remember to start with Arabic numbered page 1, as this is not a continuation of the Roman numeral numbering from the preliminary pages.
The placement of page numbers should be consistent throughout the document.

For text, illustrations, charts, graphs, etc., printed in landscape form, the orientation should be facing away from the bound edge of the paper.

Images (color, grayscale, and monochrome) included in the dissertation or thesis should be clearly discernible both on screen and when printed. The dimensions should not exceed the size of the standard letter-size page (8.5” x 11”).

Image resolution should be 150 dots per inch (dpi), though resolutions as low as 72 dpi (and no lower) are acceptable.

The format of images embedded in the PDF should be JPEG or EPS (the format JPEG2000 is also acceptable when it is supported in future versions of the PDF format). GIF and PNG are not preferred image file formats.

Large images, including maps and charts or other graphics that require high resolution, should not be included in the main dissertation or thesis file. Instead, they can be submitted separately as supplemental files and formatted in other formats as appropriate.

Multimedia, such as audio, video, animation, etc., must not be embedded in the body of the dissertation or thesis. These media types add size and complexity to the digital file, introducing obstacles to users of the dissertation or thesis who wish to download and read (and “play back”) the content, and making it more difficult to preserve over time.

If you wish to include multimedia with your submission, upload the media separately as a stand-alone file in an appropriate media format. See Supplementary Material section below.

It is acceptable to include “live” (i.e., clickable) web URLs that link to online resources within the dissertation or thesis file. Spell out each URL in its entirety (e.g., http://www.stanford.edu ) rather than embedding the link in text (e.g., Stanford homepage ). By spelling out the URL, you improve a reader’s ability to understand and access the link reference.

Supplementary material may be submitted electronically with the dissertation or thesis. This material includes any supporting content that is useful for understanding the dissertation or thesis, but is not essential to the argument. It also covers core content in a form that can not be adequately represented or embedded in the PDF format, such as an audio recording of a musical performance.

Supplementary materials are submitted separately than the dissertation or thesis file, and are referred to as supplemental files.

A maximum of twenty supplemental files can be submitted. There are no restrictions on the file formats. The maximum file size is 1 GB.

You are encouraged to be judicious about the volume and quality of the supplemental files, and to employ file formats that are widely used by researchers generally, if not also by scholars of the discipline.

The following table outlines recommended file formats for different content types. By following these recommendations, the author is helping to ensure ongoing access to the material.

After uploading each supplemental file, it is important to enter a short description or label (maximum 120 characters for file name and the description). This label will be displayed to readers in a list of the contents for the entire submission.

If copyrighted material is part of the supplementary material, permission to reuse and distribute the content must be obtained from the owner of the copyright. Stanford Libraries requires copies of permission letters (in PDF format) to be uploaded electronically when submitting the files, and assumes no liability for copyright violations. View this sample permission letter .

System restrictions allow for a maximum of 10 individually uploaded permission files. If you have more than 10 permission files we recommend combining all permission letters into a single PDF file for upload.

In choosing an annotation or reference system, you should be guided by the practice of your discipline and the recommendations of your departments. In addition to the general style guides listed in the Style section above, there are specific style guides for some fields. When a reference system has been selected, it should be used consistently throughout the dissertation or thesis. The placement of footnotes is at your discretion with reading committee approval.

An important aspect of modern scholarship is the proper attribution of authorship for joint or group research. If the manuscript includes joint or group research, you must clearly identify your contribution to the enterprise in an introduction.

The inclusion of published papers in a dissertation or thesis is the prerogative of the major department. Where published papers or ready-for-publication papers are included, the following criteria must be met:

There must be an introduction that integrates the general theme of the research and the relationship between the chapters. The introduction may also include a review of the literature relevant to the dissertation or thesis topic that does not appear in the chapters.
Multiple authorship of a published paper should be addressed by clearly designating, in an introduction, the role that the dissertation or thesis author had in the research and production of the published paper. The student must have a major contribution to the research and writing of papers included in the dissertation or thesis.
There must be adequate referencing of where individual papers have been published.
Written permission must be obtained for all copyrighted materials. Letters of permission must be uploaded electronically in PDF form when submitting the dissertation or thesis.
The published material must be reformatted to meet the university's format requirements (e.g., appropriate margins and pagination) of the dissertation. The Office of the University Registrar will approve a dissertation or thesis if there are no deviations from the normal specifications that would prevent proper dissemination and utilization of the dissertation or thesis. If the published material does not correspond to these standards, it will be necessary for you to reformat that portion of the dissertation or thesis.
Multiple authorship has implications with respect to copyright and public release of the material. Be sure to discuss copyright clearance and embargo options with your co-authors and your advisor well in advance of preparing your thesis for submission.

If copyrighted material belonging to others is used in your dissertation or thesis or is part of your supplementary materials, you must give full credit to the author and publisher of the work in all cases, and obtain permission from the copyright owner for reuse of the material unless you have determined that your use of the work is clearly fair use under US copyright law (17 USC §107).

The statute sets out four factors that must be considered when assessing Fair Use:

the purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of a commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purpose;
the nature of the copyrighted work;
the amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole; and
the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.

The Association of American University Presses requires permission for any quotations that are reproduced as complete units (poems, letters, short stories, essays, journal articles, complete chapters or sections of books, maps, charts, graphs, tables, drawings, or other illustrative materials). You can find this guideline and other detailed information on Fair Use at http://fairuse.stanford.edu .

If you are in doubt, it is safest to obtain permission. Permission to use copyrighted material must be obtained from the owner of the copyright. Stanford Libraries requires copies of permission letters (in PDF format) to be uploaded electronically when submitting the dissertation or thesis, and assumes no liability for copyright violations. For reference, view this sample permission letter .

Copyright protection is automatically in effect from the time the work is in fixed form. A proper copyright statement consisting of the copyright symbol, the author’s name, year of degree conferral, and the phrase “All Rights Reserved” will be added automatically to the dissertation or thesis in its final form.

Registration of copyright is not required, but it establishes a public record of your copyright claim and enables copyright owners to litigate against infringement. You need not register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office at the outset, although registration must be made before the copyright may be enforced by litigation in case of infringement.

Early registration does have certain advantages: it establishes a public record of your copyright claim, and if registration has been made prior to the infringement of your work, or within three months after its publication, qualifies you to be awarded statutory damages and attorney fees in addition to the actual damages and profits available to you as the copyright owner (should you ever have to sue because of infringement).

For more information about copyright, see the Stanford Libraries' resource on Copyright Considerations .

For further information on Registration of Copyright, see https://www.copyright.gov/registration/ .

Do not require a password to make changes to your submitted PDF file, or apply other encryption or security measures. Password-protected files will be rejected.

The file name and description will be printed on a page added to your dissertation or thesis, so choose a file name accordingly.

Important note: File names may only consist of alphanumeric characters, hyphen, underscore, at sign, space, ampersand, and comma – before the ending period and file extension. Specifically,

A file name cannot start with a space, period (nor contain a period), underscore, or hyphen.
Files names must be 120 characters or less.

Here is an example of a filename that is allowed, including all of the possible characters:

A Study of Social Media with a Focus on @Twitter Accounts, Leland Student_30AUG2023.pdf

In submitting a thesis or dissertation to Stanford, the author grants The Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University (Stanford) the non-exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable right to reproduce, distribute, display and transmit author's thesis or dissertation, including any supplemental materials (the Work), in whole or in part in such print and electronic formats as may be in existence now or developed in the future, to sub-license others to do the same, and to preserve and protect the Work, subject to any third-party release or display restrictions specified by Author on submission of the Work to Stanford.

Author further represents and warrants that Author is the copyright holder of the Work, and has obtained all necessary rights to permit Stanford to reproduce and distribute third-party materials contained in any part of the Work, including use of third-party images, text, or music, as well as all necessary licenses relating to any non-public, third-party software necessary to access, display, and run or print the Work. Author is solely responsible and will indemnify Stanford for any third party claims related to the Work as submitted for publication.

Author warrants that the Work does not contain information protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), confidentiality agreements, or contain Stanford Prohibited, Restricted or Confidential data described on the University IT website , or other data of a private nature.

Stanford is under no obligation to use, display or host the work in any way and may elect not to use the work for any reason including copyright or other legal concerns, financial resources, or programmatic need.

University of South Florida

Office of Graduate Studies

Main navigation, line spacing.

The majority of your thesis/dissertation should be double-spaced. There are sections, however, that can and/or must be single-spaced.

Double-Spaced:

Acknowledgments
Body of Manuscript

Single-Spaced:

Title Page (see Example for specific manually input spaces)
Table of Contents (an extra space is added before each level one heading)
List of Tables (an extra space is added before each new Table)
List of Figures (an extra space is added before each new Figure)
List of Abbreviations (an extra space is added before each new Abbreviation)
Footnotes (no double-spaced elements)
Long (Block) Quotations
Figure captions
Table captions
Tables, Lists, Graphs
Lists in the Appendices

Common Issues with Single-Spacing

Using the Template to create a Table of Contents (TOC) in Word always results in issues with the line spacing. For this reason, create the TOC manually.

Manual Double-Spacing

For the sections that should be single-spaced, where indicated, add a manual double-space by hitting the enter/return key once.

Don't worry if this all seems complicated - in the Section-Specific Formatting Guidelines, we note the line spacing needed for each section.

Paragraph Button

Turn on the Paragraph button to view spaces, tabs, and hidden formatting details about the manuscript.

KU Libraries
Subject & Course Guides
KU Thesis and Dissertation Formatting
Fonts and Spacing

KU Thesis and Dissertation Formatting: Fonts and Spacing

Formatting Specifics
Title and Acceptance Pages
Page Numbering
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Rotating Charts or Tables
Working with Footnotes
Converting to PDF
Embedding Fonts
Completed KU Dissertations & Theses
About: Survey of Earned Doctorates
Copyright and ETD Release Form
Resources for KUMC Students
Thesis/Dissertation Filenames
LaTeX/BibTeX Support

Office of Graduate Studies Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guidelines

These rules are taken from the KU Office of Graduate Studies Thesis or Dissertation Formatting Guidelines. To see the full thesis or dissertation formatting requirements, visit https://graduate.ku.edu/submitting

Students should use the same font size (11- or 12-point) and style (typically Times New Roman) through the thesis, including labels and references.
Tables, captions, and footnotes should use the same font style but may be smaller in size (usually 10-point).
Chapter and section headings may be bold and no more than 2 points larger than the text size.
Non-standard typefaces, such as script, are generally not acceptable except for commonly used symbols.
The Office of Graduate Studies recommends that students get their font choice approved by their department and their graduate division before the thesis defense.
Lettering and symbols in tables and figures should be no less than 10 points.
Normally theses and dissertations use double-spaced formatting.
Single-spaced formatting is acceptable in the table of contents, footnotes, end notes, charts, graphs, tables, block quotations, captions, glossary, appendices and bibliography.
Students may use singe- or one-and-a-half-spacing for the body of the text with prior written approval of their thesis committee and graduate division.

Subject Guide

<< Previous: Title and Acceptance Pages
Next: Page Numbering >>
Last Updated: May 9, 2024 9:48 AM
URL: https://guides.lib.ku.edu/etd

MLA 9th Edition Formatting

A Simple, Step-by-Step Guide + Free Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewer: Eunice Rautenbach (DTech) | July 2023

Formatting your paper in MLA style can feel like a pretty daunting task . In this post, we’ll show you exactly how to set up your paper for MLA (9th edition), as quickly and easily as possible. We’ll also share our popular free MLA template , to help you fast-track your writing.

Overview: MLA 9th Edition Formatting

Structure and layout
General page setup
The opening section
The main body
Works cited (reference list)
Free MLA 9 template

MLA Structure and Layout

Let’s start by looking at the overall structure of a typical student paper formatted for MLA 9th edition, before diving into the details of each section. For the most part, MLA papers follow a standardised structure, consisting of the following parts:

The opening section : While MLA doesn’t require a dedicated title page (unlike APA ), it does require an opening section that details some important information about yourself, your university and the paper itself.

The main body : The main body begins directly after the opening section on the first page. This is the “heart” of your paper and there are a very specific requirements regarding how you present and format this content.

The appendix (or appendices): While using an appendix in a student paper is relatively uncommon, you’ll place this section directly after the main body section, if required by your university.

The “Works Cited” list : This section is equivalent to what we’d usually call a references page and it’s where you’ll detail all the reference information corresponding to the in-text citations in the main body of your paper.

These four sections form the standard structure and order of a student paper using MLA 9th edition. As we mentioned, not all sections are always required , so be sure to double check what your university expects from you before submitting. Also, it’s always a good idea to ask your university if they have any style requirements in addition to the standard MLA specification.

Now that we’ve got a big-picture view of the typical paper structure, let’s look at the specific formatting requirements for each of these sections.

Generic Page Setup

Before you jump into writing up your paper, you’ll first need to set up your document to align with MLA’s generic page requirements. Alternatively, you can download our MLA paper template (which comes fully preformatted).

MLA 9th edition requires a 1-inch margin on all sides , for all pages. That said, if you’re writing a dissertation, thesis or any document that will ultimately be printed and bound, your university will likely require a larger left margin to accommodate for physical binding.

Fonts & sizing

MLA does not require that you use any specific font, but we do recommend sticking to the tried and tested , well-accepted fonts. For example, you might consider using one of the following:

Sans serif fonts : Calibri (11), Arial (11), or Lucida Sans Unicode (10)
Serif fonts : Times New Roman (12), Georgia (11), or Computer Modern (10)

Whichever font you opt for, be sure to use it consistently throughout your paper . Don’t chop and change, or use different fonts for different parts of the document (e.g., different fonts for the body text and the headings). Also, keep in mind that while MLA does not have a specific font requirement, your university may have its own preference or requirement. So, be sure to check with them beforehand regarding any additional specifications they may have.

In general, all text throughout your document needs to be left-aligned and should not be justified (i.e., leave an uneven right edge). You might consider using a different alignment for section headings, but in general, it’s best to keep things simple .

Line spacing

MLA 9th edition requires double line spacing throughout the document . There should also be no extra space before and after paragraphs . This applies to all sections of the paper, including the “Works Cited” page (more on this later).

Page header

Last but not least, you’ll need to set up a running header for your document. This should contain your last name, followed by the page number. Both of these should be positioned in the top right corner of all pages (even the first page). On a related note, there’s no need for you to include any footer content unless your university specifically requests it.

Now that we’ve looked at the generic formatting considerations, let’s dive into the specific requirements for each section of your paper.

The Opening Section

While MLA-formatted papers typically don’t require a title page, there are very specific requirements regarding the opening section of the first page .

Here’s how you can set your first page up for MLA 9th edition.

On the first line, write your full name (flush left)
On a new line, write your professor or instructor’s full name
On a new line, write the course code and course name
On a new line, write the full date spelt out (e.g., 15 June 2023)
On a new line, write the full title of your paper , centre-aligned and using title case (consider using a title case converter if you’re not familiar with this)
On a new line, begin your body content

All of the above should be in plain, unformatted font – in other words, you don’t need to apply any boldfacing, underlining , etc. That said, you should use italics whenever you’re writing out the titles of other works (for example, titles of books or articles).

To make it all a little more tangible, below is an example of a first page formatted according to the MLA specifications that we just covered.

An example of the opening section of a paper formatted for MLA 9

The Main Body

While the formatting requirements for the body section are relatively light for MLA (at least when compared to APA ), there are still quite a few important things to pay attention to. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

Each of your paragraphs needs to start on a new line , and the first sentence of each paragraph requires a half-inch indent (while the rest of the paragraph is flush left aligned). Note that each paragraph simply starts on a new line and doesn’t require an additional blank line.

MLA 9th edition is fairly flexible in terms of heading formatting. There is no specified formatting, so you can decide what works best for you. However, there are still a few basic rules you need to follow:

All your headings should be written in title case – never use all caps
There should be no period following a heading
Each heading level needs to be uniquely formatted and easily distinguishable from other levels (for example, a distinct difference in terms of boldfacing, underlining or italicisation)
You can have as many heading levels as you need, but each level must have at least two instances

Abbreviations

When using abbreviations, you’ll need to make sure that you’re using the MLA version of the abbreviation . Below we’ve listed a few common ones you should be aware of:

Appendix: app.
Circa: c. or ca.
Chapter: ch.
Column: col.
Definition: def.
Department: dept.
Example: e.g.
Edition: ed.
Figure: fig.
Foreword: fwd.
That is: i.e.
Journal: jour.
Library: lib.
Manuscript(s): MS
Number: no.
Quoted in: qtd. in
Revised: rev.
Section: sec. or sect.
Series: ser.
Translation: trans.
Version: vers.
Variant: var.
Volume: vol.

If you’re interested, you can find a more comprehensive list here . Alternatively, if you have access to the MLA 9th edition handbook, you can find the full list in the first appendix.

In-text citations

MLA 9 has a very specific set of requirements regarding how to cite your sources within the body of your paper. Here are some of the most important things to help you get started with MLA citations.

Author-page number system: in-text citations consist of (at a minimum) the lead author’s last name, followed by the page number of the paragraph you are citing. There is no comma between the two components (only a space).

Types of citations: MLA allows two types of in-text citations: parenthetical and narrative . Parenthetical citations feature the author and page number in parentheses (brackets) at the end of the respective sentence. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen 13).

Narrative citations, on the other hand, weave the author’s name into the flow of the sentence and then present the publication date in parentheses at the end of the sentence. Here’s an example:

Jansen states that MLA 9th edition is easy for students to grasp if they visit the Grad Coach blog (13).

In general, it’s a good idea to utilise a mix of both in your writing. Narrative citations are particularly useful when you want to highlight or contrast authors or their viewpoints, while parenthetical citations are useful when you want to strengthen your own academic voice. In other words, both formats have their respective strengths and weaknesses, so try to use citation format strategically in your writing.

Quotations: when quoting text verbatim from a source, there is no need to do anything differently in terms of the citation itself, but do remember to wrap the verbatim text in quotation marks. Here’s an example:

Jansen proposes that MLA 9th edition is “easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog” (13).

Multiple authors: when citing resources that were authored by three or more people, you only need to list the lead author, followed by “et al.”. Here’s an example:

MLA 9th edition is easy to grasp if you visit the Grad Coach blog (Jansen et al. 13).

Below are a few more examples from our free MLA template .

Please keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list of all the MLA 9th edition citation-related requirements – just a shortlist of the most commonly relevant ones. If you’d like to learn more, consult the MLA handbook .

The Works Cited (Reference List)

The final section that you’ll need to pay close attention to is the “Works Cited” page, which should contain a list of reference information for all the sources cited in the body of the paper. Again, MLA has a quite a meaty set of specifications regarding the content and formatting of this list, but we’ll cover the basics here to get your started on the right foot.

Basic setup

Your reference list needs to start on a new page and should be titled “Works Cited”. The title should be unformatted and centred . The reference list should then start on the next line. As with the rest of your document, you should use double line spacing throughout.

When it comes to the reference list itself, you’ll need to keep the following in mind:

All the sources that you cited in the body of your document should feature in the reference list. Make sure that every citation is accounted for .
The references should be ordered alphabetically , according to the lead author’s last name .
The exact information required within each entry depends on the type of content being referenced (e.g., a journal article, web page, etc.)
Components that may need to feature (other than the author) include the title of the source, the title of the container, other contributors, the article version or number, the publisher, the publication date, and the location.
All references should be left-aligned and should use a hanging indent – i.e., the second line of any given reference (if it has one) should be indented a half inch.

We have to stress that these are just the basics. MLA 9th edition requires that your references be structured and formatted in a very specific way , depending on the type of resource. If you plan to draft your reference list manually, it’s important to consult your university’s style guide or the MLA manual itself. This leads us to our next point…

In general, it’s a bad idea to write your reference list manually . Given the incredibly high level of intricacy involved, it’s highly likely that you’ll make mistakes if you try to craft this section yourself. A better solution is to use (free) reference management software such as Mendeley or Zotero . Either of these will take care of the formatting and content for you, and they’ll do a much more accurate job of it too.

If you’re not familiar with any sort of reference management software, be sure to check out our easy-to-follow Mendeley explainer video below.

Wrapping Up

In this post, we’ve provided a primer covering how to format your paper according to MLA 9th edition. To recap, we’ve looked at the following:

The structure and layout
The general page setup
The “Works Cited” page (reference list)

Remember to always check your university’s style guide to familiarise yourself with any additional requirements they may. Also, if your university has specified anything that contrasts what we’ve discussed here, please do follow their guidance .

If you need any help formatting your paper for MLA 9, take a look at our “done for you” language editing and proofreading service . Simply send us your document and we’ll take care of all the MLA formatting intracies on your behalf.

You Might Also Like:

APA 7th Edition Formatting: Full Tutorial

Very well recounted!

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Print Friendly

Preparation of your Thesis

It is important to prepare a well-written thesis that is free from error. All text, tables, figures and graphics contained in your thesis must be clear and readable in both print and electronic formats. Your thesis must also be suitable for microfilming, photo-duplication or other means of reproduction.

Where research protocol requires anonymity, Faculty Advisors and graduate students are responsible for removing "Identifying Information" from theses. ("Identifying Information" can be used to uniquely identify, contact, or locate a single "person" or can be used with other sources to uniquely identify a single "individual.")

Your department may offer support with writing your thesis. There are also resources available through the library and various workshops .

Students are responsible for ensuring that the final version of their thesis submitted to the Atrium meets accessibility standards according to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) . Guidance and resources in support of creating accessible digital materials can be accessed through the Digital Accessibility Resource Centre's Document Resources page.

There are two Microsoft Office Word templates available: A monograph-based template and a manuscript-based template . The monograph-based template provides a standard (or "traditional") thesis layout while the manuscript-based template provides a layout that is made up of a series of scholarly papers. The thesis templates have been pre-formatted to follow the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies’ (OGPS) requirements as outlined in the Preparation of your Thesis guide below. Both templates are also AODA-compliant and will support you in creating an accessible document.

Note: Using either of these templates does not guarantee that your thesis will be properly formatted for immediate acceptance into the Atrium Institutional Repository , especially if you make any changes to the formatting. It is your responsibility to review your thesis prior to submission, to ensure it meets all formatting requirements as outlined by the OGPS.

Using the Thesis Templates

Whether you use the monograph or manuscript style template, please be aware that:

To retain formatting, insert your text within the double brackets.
Once you have added the appropriate content, the double brackets and any instructional text should be removed.
If there is a section in the template that is not applicable to your thesis, you should delete that section.
The Table of Contents and Listings (e.g. listing of tables, listing of figures) have been pre-generated in the template. Remember to update the Table of Contents and Listings to reflect any changes that you make.
Make sure to modify the file properties so that the document title and author reflect your thesis. This information will be embedded in the final PDF document that you will create with the template (To modify the file properties, in Microsoft Word, select "File," then "Info," and then "Properties.")
Save your final PDF as a tagged PDF to maintain the formatting and tagging features of the thesis template.

Additional support

If you are using Microsoft Office (Windows or Mac), please refer to the Formatting in Microsoft Office Word guide. This guide includes specific instructions for using the built-in tools in Microsoft Word to format your thesis and to save your thesis as a tagged PDF (which supports a more accessible document).

If you are using LaTeX, Michigan State University Libraries' Creating Accessible LaTeX Documents guide and Lancaster University's Accessibility Checklist for LaTeX Documents provide basic instructions and best practices for improving the accessibility of documents created using LaTeX.

Since writing style can vary greatly in different disciplines, you are expected to learn the appropriate style for your field. You are also advised to follow the recommendations of your Advisory Committee on all matters not covered here, including the content of your thesis.

It is the responsibility of your Advisory Committee to judge your thesis from all standpoints, including neatness, mechanics, and technical and professional competency. Therefore, it is important that you provide them a copy of your thesis before your defence.

Preparing a thesis is similar to the process of preparing a manuscript for publication. For both, the student must prepare the information for the document, present it in a structured format, undergo a review cycle, and finally, achieve publication. One difference, however, is that you must complete the electronic publication process (usually the responsibility of the publisher) by submitting your thesis according to the following guidelines:

Formal Style

The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies accepts theses either in monograph or manuscript format. A thesis written in monograph format organizes chapters around a central problem, for instance, with an Introduction, a Literature Review, and chapters on Methodology, Results, and Conclusions. In the manuscript format, the chapters treat separate elements of the research program, typically incorporating several discrete articles suitable for journal publication. Theses written in manuscript format may include the following:

Published articles Submitted articles Unpublished work in publication format

Publication or acceptance for publication of research results before presentation of the thesis in no way supersedes the University’s evaluation and judgement of the work during the thesis examination process. Theses written in manuscript format must include the following:

Connecting materials that integrate across the different chapters/articles, including at minimum an overarching introduction and a concluding discussion chapter. The student must be the principal or sole author of any included manuscripts and must have had a major or sole role in the design of the research, and the preparation and writing of the manuscripts.

If the college/school or department does not specify points of style, the latest style manual information may be obtained in the McLaughlin Library through one of the following:

The Research Help Desk Writing Services

2. Organization of the Thesis

Proper arrangement and construction of the parts of a thesis manuscript will likely vary according to the styles adopted by different disciplines. The following are suggestions concerning the organization of the manuscript. They should be taken as a norm from which deviations may be made under the guidance of your advisor or committee.

The information below has been organized into a Thesis Template for your ease of use. Always consult with your department, who may have additional steps and procedures.

Please note: We make every effort to keep these templates up to date, but you should always consult the Thesis Guide for exact Specifications before submitting your thesis.

Document Divisions

The document is divided into front matter, body matter, and back matter.

A thesis should consist of the following parts:

Front Matter

Title Page, including international copyright symbol ©
Dedication (optional)
Acknowledgments
Table of Contents
List of Tables (if any)
List of Figures, Illustrations, Plates (if any)
List of Symbols, Abbreviations, or Nomenclature
List of Multimedia Objects or Files
Introduction
Review of Literature
Text of Investigation
Summary and Conclusions
Recommendations

Back Matter

Bibliography

At the beginning of each chapter, place the word "Chapter," the chapter number, and the chapter title in large type. A Certificate of Approval page with approval signatures should not be included in your thesis. You must submit this separately to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

Because library retrieval systems use words in the title to locate manuscripts, it is essential that a title provide a brief description of the contents of the work. Words should be substituted for formulas, symbols, Greek letters, and so on.

The title page should include the following:

Type of Manuscript (thesis)
Degree Conferred (Ph.D., M.A., M.S., etc.)
Degree Program (as listed in the University of Guelph Graduate Calendar or latest update)
Field of Specialization (optional, if your program has an approved field, and your department has confirmed you have met the requirements)
Collaborative Specialization (optional, if you are graduating with a collaborative specialization)
Place of Publication
Year of Publication (year submitted for graduation)
Copyright Notice

To view a version of the title page, see sample title page .

Gender pronouns are not typically included, but should a student choose to include, please do so next to the Author name on the title page. The gender pronoun should not be included with the author name field on the Atrium form.

The abstract should be a concise and accurate summary of your work.
The maximum length of the abstract must not be more than 150 words in length for the master's and not more than 350 words in length for the doctoral theses.
The abstract must have centered at the top of the first page the word "Abstract", the exact full title of the thesis as it appears on the title page, followed on the next line by the full name of the candidate as it appears on the title page (see the illustration below).
The following parts are found in an abstract, although not identified with subheadings: Statement of Problem, Procedure or Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

3. Electronic Format Requirements

Acceptable file formats for university of guelph etds.

Your main thesis file should be saved as a tagged PDF document . In addition to being a widely used and stable file format, a tagged PDF format is also the format required by Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Saving your thesis file as a tagged PDF will ensure that LAC can harvest your thesis from the Atrium for inclusion in the Theses Canada database.

Multiple Files and Alternative Submission Formats

As of May 1, 2024, the Atrium Repository can only hold one main file per submission: the tagged PDF version of your final thesis.

If you wish to include supplemental files with your submission, such as video files, audio files, infographics, or high-resolution images, then you must contact the Research & Scholarship Team ([email protected]). They will arrange for your additional files to be uploaded separately.

Supplemental Data Files

In addition to the data files themselves, descriptive information (metadata) that describes the data, and all supplemental documentation necessary for the data to be discovered, understood, and reused (e.g., readme file, codebook, data dictionary, user guide) should be included with your data deposit.

To improve the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of your research data, we strongly encourage that datasets be deposited in the University of Guelph Research Data Repositories . Datasets deposited in the U of G Research Data Repositories receive a persistent identifier (DOI) that can be used to share, access, and cite your data. For more information regarding depositing your data in the U of G Research Data Repositories, please see How to deposit research data in the Agri-environmental Research Data Repository or the University of Guelph Research Data Repository or contact the library's Research and Scholarship Team .

If you are unsure about the long-term accessibility and readability of your file format(s), please contact the library's Research & Scholarship Team for guidance.

To promote resuse, use with other software/systems, and long-term access, supplemental files submitted in the Atrium should be in open, software agnostic, non-proprietary file formats. The following is a list of open and/or widely supported file formats that are recommended for supplemental files:

4. General Format

The preferred font size is 10 to 12 ( characters per horizontal inch).
The preferred font style is Time New Roman (traditional) or Arial (modern).
If necessary, different typefaces (font sizes or styles) may be used within headings, tables, figures, and appendices. Non-standard typefaces, such as script, are generally not acceptable except for commonly accepted symbols.

Reproduction

Electronic copies presented must be clean, clear, and uniform, with high contrast for quality screen and print resolution.
You must use a computer and applicable software to produce theses where applicable.
Keep in mind that because of duplicating and microfilming needs, the print must be letter quality with dark characters that are consistently clear and dense.

Spacing and Margins

All straight text should be single, one-and-one half, or double spaced. Keep in mind that single spacing is preferable for electronic documents. A good compromise would be 1-1/2 spacing.
The preferred number of lines is 6 (single-spaced) or 3 (double-spaced) text lines per vertical inch.
Separate paragraphs by a line of horizontal space. Indent block quotes on the left and right.
Single-space long tables, long quotations, footnotes, multi-line captions, computer programming, and bibliographical entries.
All pages should have a minimum margin of 1 inch on all sides of the page. This applies to the average text, illustration or table arrangement, where a professional and consistent format should be retained. Exceptions could be, for example, artistic renderings requiring full margin bleed.
A left margin of 1.5 inches (binding offset) is also acceptable, if you and your committee desire
Electronic formats should normally be able to be reproduced on standard paper sizes such as 8 1/2" x 11".
The placement of the footnotes at the bottom of the page or at the end of the manuscript is optional but must be consistent throughout. A form acceptable for publications in the discipline is recommended.
All footnotes must conform to the margin requirements.
All tables and figures should conform to the margin requirements. Photographic reduction may be necessary. Not more than 3 to 5% reduction is suggested to prevent indistinct print quality.
A subheading at the bottom of the page must have at least two full lines of type below it. Otherwise, the subheading should begin on the next page.
The last word on any page should not be hyphenated. The line should be short of the margin and the whole word typed on the following page.

Page Numbering

Each and every page in a thesis, including all blank pages, should normally be assigned a number with no duplications in the numbering systems.
The preliminaries must be numbered with lower case Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, etc.). The numbers should appear in the upper right-hand corner or as indicated by your style manual, no closer than 1.9 centimetres from the edge of the page.
The title page counts as page i, but suppress the display (the number should not appear on the page).
The abstract page counts as page ii, but suppress the display ( the number should not appear on the page).
The remainder of the text (body) should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, starting with Chapter One or the Introduction. Numbering should begin with page "1" centered at the top or bottom of the page, or as indicated by your style manual, no closer than 1.9 centimetre from the edge of the page.
Avoid the use of letter suffixes as 10a, 10b, etc.
Electronic multimedia presentations may not always be reproducible with conventional pagination and should be used with some caution. However, formats other than pdf are acceptable for the body, appendices, or other supplementary material.
Tradition suggests that you use footnotes (as opposed to end notes).
Place any footnotes on the same page as the items that refer to them. Footnotes in main body text should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, starting with 1.
ETDs: With an electronic documents and possibility of hyperlinks, this issue becomes less relevant since navigation around the document is facilitated.

Supplementary Materials

Supplementary files, those secondary to the main document, may be used for a variety of requirements, such as high resolution or specialized image files, audio files, video files, or other presentation materials. File formats should be in open, non-proprietary formats where possible. Please refer to the Electronic Format Requirements section of this guide for more information on recommended file formats.

Tables and Figures

The word "Table" designates tabulated numerical data used in the body of the thesis and in the appendices. Tables consist of an arrangement of facts, figures, and values in an orderly sequence usually in rows or columns. The word "Figure" designates all other nonverbal material used in the body of the thesis and in the appendices, such as charts, graphs, maps, photographs, plates, drawings, diagrams, etc.

Illustrations and Charts

All illustrations and charts must be drawn in dark, opaque fashion and be of sufficient size to be readable. Remember that microfilming and duplicating are black and white photographic processes and colours will appear in varying shades of gray. Thus, cross-hatching and labels are often essential.
If a title or description of an illustration or graph is too long to be placed on the same page, it should be placed on the previous page.
Photocopies, computer scans and reduced text must be readable when reproduced.
Wide tables or figures may be placed broadside, (landscape orientation). The table should be placed so that the top of the table is nearest the binding side (left margin). The placement of the table or figure, vertical or horizontal, does not alter the position of the page numbering requirements set forth in this guide, and should remain consistent with pagination structure adjacent in the document.
Electronic formats: the preference is to rotate all wide illustrations, tables or figures so that they appear in landscape orientation for ease of screen viewing.
Oversize pages complicate duplicating procedures and should be avoided. Often a different layout or the use of photographic reduction will resolve the problem.
If oversized maps or charts are used, they should capable of reproduction on standard paper size, or otherwise scalable.
See the Electronic Formats page for multimedia tables and illustrations.
See the example of the addition of tables, illustrations and charts to a thesis by permission of Adam Mark, 2011.

Suggestions

We encourage the use of all of the available options in Adobe Acrobat Exchange. By doing so, your ETD will be easier to view and browse and will encourage users to navigate through your entire ETD. These options will add to the look and feel of the document.

Some of these include:

Adding Bookmarks
Adding Thumbnails
Adding Yellow Stickies
Adding Links to the List of Figures
Adding Links to the List of Tables
Adding Links to the Table of Contents
Linking to Internal Multimedia Objects
Linking to External Multimedia Objects
Adding Hyperlinks

5. PDF Creation

Please use one of the following methods to save your thesis as a tagged PDF document:

Adobe Acrobat Pro: Select "File" then "Create" and finally "PDF from File." In the Open window, navigate to and select the desired document to convert. Click on "Open" to begin the file conversion.
Adobe Acrobat add-in for MS Word (Windows): Click on the Acrobat tab in the main navigation tool bar. Click on "Create PDF" and then click on "Options." In the Adobe PDFMaker window, make sure that the radio button for "Enable Accessibility and Reflow with tagged Adobe PDF" is checked.
MS Word for Windows: Select "File" and then "Save as." Select "PDF" from the "Save as type" drop down list. Click on the "Options" button and make sure the radio button for "Document structure tags for accessibility" is checked. Click on "OK" and then "Save."
MS Word for Mac: Open the "File" application and select "Save As." Select "PDF" from the "File Format" list. Make sure the radio button for "Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service)" is checked. Then click on "Export."

For access to software and assistance, the following information may be helpful:

Adobe Acrobat is available in various campus locations
Check with your college, program or department to see if they have a local copy of Adobe Acrobat available.
You can buy your own copy of Adobe Acrobat at a reduced academic pricing from the CCS Software Distribution Site
Adobe.com offers limited free trial and fee based document conversion services*.
Open Office offers a shareware word processing program that converts files to the pdf format. Versions are available for Windows, Linux and Apple platforms.
PDFzone offers a plethora of links to freeware and commercial software to convert to the PDF format.

PDF Formatting Support:

Contact CCS Help Centre .

IT help in the McLaughlin Library at the IT Help Desk .

6. File Naming Conventions

The following file naming convention is mandatory for electronic thesis submissions:

familyname_firstname_finalsubmissionyearmonth_degree.pdf

Example: If your last name is Li, your first name is Alex, and you are submitting your MSc thesis in March of 2012, you should name your file as follows:

Li_Alex_201203_Msc.pdf

7. Print Formatting

You may be required by the department to produce a paper copy your thesis or you may wish to have a personal copy. The paper format requirements in this section are listed for use with printed and bound documents, and applies only to individuals granted an ETD exemption (granted only in rare instances) or to bound copies which may be required by some departments and/or committee members and desirable for personal use. For electronic format information, access to the Electronic Formats page above.

White, acid free, 20 pound paper (most paper manufactured today has acid free content).
White bond paper with 25% or higher rag content is recommended.
8.5 inches x 11 inches in size.
Erasable bond, recycled, or perforated paper are unacceptable.

Reproduction

Copies of theses must be printed on only one side of the paper, except when the facing-page format is used (see Illustrations and Charts section for pagination details).
Check with your department regarding the numbers of copies they may require.
Paper and electronic copies presented must be clean, clear, and uniform, with high contrast print resolution.
Keep in mind that because of duplicating and microfilming needs, the print must be letter quality with dark black characters that are consistently clear and dense.
The preferred typeface includes 10 to 12 characters per horizontal inch.
If necessary, different typefaces may be used within tables, figures, and appendices. Non-standard typefaces, such as script, are generally not acceptable except for commonly accepted symbols.

Unacceptable:

Overstrikes, interlineations, cross outs, defective lines from paste-ups, dots and shading in the background, smudges and smears, careless erasures, and white-out.
Use of photo-mounting corners, staples, or transparent tape, or other non-archival material.
All straight text is to be double spaced, but single-space long tables, long quotations, footnotes, multi-line captions, computer programming, and bibliographical entries.
All pages must have a minimum margin of 1 inch on all sides of the page.
A left margin of 1.5 inches (binding offset) is also acceptable, if you and your committee desire.

Page Numbering Format

Each and every page in a thesis, including all blank pages, must be assigned a number with no duplications in the numbering system.
The preliminaries (table of contents, list of tables, etc.) must be numbered with lower case Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, etc.). The numbers should appear in the upper right-hand corner or as indicated by your style manual, 0.75 inches from the edge of the page.
The title page counts as page i, but the number should not appear.
The abstract page counts as page ii, but the number should not appear.
The remainder of the text (body) must be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, starting with Chapter One or the Introduction. Numbering must begin with page "1" centered at the top or bottom of the page, or as indicated by your style manual, within the 1 inch margin (0.75 inches from the edge of the page).

For multi-volume theses :

The maximum advisable size for a binding unit is 2.5 inches in thickness (approximately 550 pages). Beyond this size, you must separate the manuscript into volumes.
Multiple volumes should be identified as Volume I, II, or Volume 1, 2, etc.
Page numbering may either follow consecutively or begin again with Arabic 1.
Multiple volumes should each contain a title page.
All preliminary pages should remain in the first volume.

Non-Conforming Theses

The Atrium can accept a variety of file formats (e.g., video/audio recordings, artistic works, etc.). However, the main submission must normally follow the formatting of the template provided. Any proposed non-conforming thesis must be approved by your college/school or department and then by the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies before final production. If you wish to submit a non-conforming thesis, then please provide written support from your Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

Illustrations and Charts

All illustrations and charts must be drawn in dark, opaque ink and be of sufficient size to be readable. Remember that microfilming and duplicating are black and white photographic processes and colors will appear in varying shades of gray. Thus, cross-hatching and labels are essential.
Wide tables or figures may be placed broadside, (landscape orientation). The table should be placed so that the top of the table is nearest the binding side (left margin). The placement of the table or figure, vertical or horizontal, does not alter the position of the page numbering requirements set forth in this guide.
Some disciplines prefer the title or description to face the illustration or graph, which is called the facing- page format. If this is done, be sure to number the blank side of the page, but do not number the description side of the page.
If oversized maps or charts are used, they should be folded as few times as possible, but in such a way as to give 0.25 inches minimum clearance on the front right-hand edge of book.
Maps or charts inserted in a pocket of the inside back cover must be folded to a size not larger than 6.5 inches x 10.5 inches.
A binding pocket should be included before the manuscript is presented to the binder.

Photographs

Photographs in a thesis may be in black and white or color. Keep in mind that maximum clarity for microfilming and duplicating is attained when there is good black and white contrast.
Color photographs should be used when they are essential for understanding the methods or results of the research.
If color photographs are used, appropriate labels must be provided to assist the readers of reproduced copies.
Digital reproductions (computer scan) or other color photo-duplication methods often produce more desirable results than mounted photographs.
Photographs smaller than 8.5 inches x 11 inches must be firmly affixed to pages with Kodak (or equivalent) Dry Mounting Tissue, rubber cement, or professional spray mounting, to ensure permanent adhesion. Photographs which are 8.5 inches x 11 inches in dimension may be inserted and numbered like a regular page.
Software (i.e.CD, DVD.) or other unbound materials (i.e., maps, realia, etc.) must be clearly labeled with author and title information.
The material should be placed in an envelope or other appropriate pocket, no larger than 6.5 inches x 9.5 inches, one per copy.
Master's Theses Only : The pocket should be firmly affixed to the inside back cover of the bound copies.

Restrict Circulation of Thesis

If you wish to apply for restrictions on the circulation of your thesis due to patents pending or other circumstances, the submission must be accompanied by a Request to Restrict Circulation of Thesis and the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies will secure the documents from public access; paper submissions will remain in the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies until the requested date of release.

Submission Process

If an ETD exemption has been granted, you must present your thesis (unbound), required forms, and payment to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Exemptions are granted only in rare instances.

ProQuest Publishing Services

The University of Guelph does not participate in the Proquest Abstract and Microfilming Services. In other words, the master's and doctoral thesis abstract, microfilming, and copyright application to Proquest is independent of the library submission process.
The student will be responsible for he cost of publishing the abstract and microfilming thesis. In the rare instance of an ETD exemption, the $50.00 fee is payable by cash, certified check, or money order to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies . This fee must be presented to the Enrolment Services at the time of delivery of the one copy of the thesis.
Theses Only: If you wish to take advantage of the UMI abstract service, see the explanation in the section above, and see Proquest. The student is responsible for his or her own submission, independent of the library submission process.

Certificate of Approval

The copy of the thesis in its final form must be presented to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies with original signatures of committee members on the Certificate of Approval. Reproductions are not acceptable.

Abbreviated Title

In cases where the title is excessively long, you must provide the University Libraries with an abbreviated title of not more than 55 spaces (i.e., a maximum of 55 printed characters and spaces between words) which will be printed on the spine of the bound copies.
There are two options for binding theses if a print copy is desired. Please refer the submission checklist for these options.
LinkedIn - LinkedIn
Twitter - Twitter
Instagram - Instagram
Facebook - Facebook

Formatting Your Dissertation
Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

Application for Degree
Credit for Completed Graduate Work
Ad Hoc Degree Programs
Acknowledging the Work of Others
Advanced Planning
Dissertation Advisory Committee
Dissertation Submission Checklist
Publishing Options
Submitting Your Dissertation
English Language Proficiency
PhD Program Requirements
Secondary Fields
Year of Graduate Study (G-Year)
Master's Degrees
Grade and Examination Requirements
Conduct and Safety
Financial Aid
Non-Resident Students
Registration

On this page:

Language of the Dissertation

Page and text requirements, body of text, tables, figures, and captions, dissertation acceptance certificate, copyright statement.

Table of Contents

Front and Back Matter

Supplemental material, dissertations comprising previously published works, top ten formatting errors, further questions.

Related Contacts and Forms

When preparing the dissertation for submission, students must follow strict formatting requirements. Any deviation from these requirements may lead to rejection of the dissertation and delay in the conferral of the degree.

The language of the dissertation is ordinarily English, although some departments whose subject matter involves foreign languages may accept a dissertation written in a language other than English.

Most dissertations are 100 to 300 pages in length. All dissertations should be divided into appropriate sections, and long dissertations may need chapters, main divisions, and subdivisions.

8½ x 11 inches, unless a musical score is included
At least 1 inch for all margins
Body of text: double spacing
Block quotations, footnotes, and bibliographies: single spacing within each entry but double spacing between each entry
Table of contents, list of tables, list of figures or illustrations, and lengthy tables: single spacing may be used

Fonts and Point Size

Use 10-12 point size. Fonts must be embedded in the PDF file to ensure all characters display correctly.

Recommended Fonts

If you are unsure whether your chosen font will display correctly, use one of the following fonts:

If fonts are not embedded, non-English characters may not appear as intended. Fonts embedded improperly will be published to DASH as-is. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that fonts are embedded properly prior to submission.

Instructions for Embedding Fonts

To embed your fonts in recent versions of Word, follow these instructions from Microsoft:

Click the File tab and then click Options .
In the left column, select the Save tab.
Clear the Do not embed common system fonts check box.

For reference, below are some instructions from ProQuest UMI for embedding fonts in older file formats:

To embed your fonts in Microsoft Word 2010:

In the File pull-down menu click on Options .
Choose Save on the left sidebar.
Check the box next to Embed fonts in the file.
Click the OK button.
Save the document.

Note that when saving as a PDF, make sure to go to “more options” and save as “PDF/A compliant”

To embed your fonts in Microsoft Word 2007:

Click the circular Office button in the upper left corner of Microsoft Word.
A new window will display. In the bottom right corner select Word Options .
Choose Save from the left sidebar.

Using Microsoft Word on a Mac:

Microsoft Word 2008 on a Mac OS X computer will automatically embed your fonts while converting your document to a PDF file.

If you are converting to PDF using Acrobat Professional (instructions courtesy of the Graduate Thesis Office at Iowa State University):

Open your document in Microsoft Word.
Click on the Adobe PDF tab at the top. Select "Change Conversion Settings."
Click on Advanced Settings.
Click on the Fonts folder on the left side of the new window. In the lower box on the right, delete any fonts that appear in the "Never Embed" box. Then click "OK."
If prompted to save these new settings, save them as "Embed all fonts."
Now the Change Conversion Settings window should show "embed all fonts" in the Conversion Settings drop-down list and it should be selected. Click "OK" again.
Click on the Adobe PDF link at the top again. This time select Convert to Adobe PDF. Depending on the size of your document and the speed of your computer, this process can take 1-15 minutes.
After your document is converted, select the "File" tab at the top of the page. Then select "Document Properties."
Click on the "Fonts" tab. Carefully check all of your fonts. They should all show "(Embedded Subset)" after the font name.
If you see "(Embedded Subset)" after all fonts, you have succeeded.

The font used in the body of the text must also be used in headers, page numbers, and footnotes. Exceptions are made only for tables and figures created with different software and inserted into the document.

Tables and figures must be placed as close as possible to their first mention in the text. They may be placed on a page with no text above or below, or they may be placed directly into the text. If a table or a figure is alone on a page (with no narrative), it should be centered within the margins on the page. Tables may take up more than one page as long as they obey all rules about margins. Tables and figures referred to in the text may not be placed at the end of the chapter or at the end of the dissertation.

Given the standards of the discipline, dissertations in the Department of History of Art and Architecture and the Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning often place illustrations at the end of the dissertation.

Figure and table numbering must be continuous throughout the dissertation or by chapter (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, etc.). Two figures or tables cannot be designated with the same number. If you have repeating images that you need to cite more than once, label them with their number and A, B, etc.

Headings should be placed at the top of tables. While no specific rules for the format of table headings and figure captions are required, a consistent format must be used throughout the dissertation (contact your department for style manuals appropriate to the field).

Captions should appear at the bottom of any figures. If the figure takes up the entire page, the caption should be placed alone on the preceding page, centered vertically and horizontally within the margins.

Each page receives a separate page number. When a figure or table title is on a preceding page, the second and subsequent pages of the figure or table should say, for example, “Figure 5 (Continued).” In such an instance, the list of figures or tables will list the page number containing the title. The word “figure” should be written in full (not abbreviated), and the “F” should be capitalized (e.g., Figure 5). In instances where the caption continues on a second page, the “(Continued)” notation should appear on the second and any subsequent page. The figure/table and the caption are viewed as one entity and the numbering should show correlation between all pages. Each page must include a header.

Landscape orientation figures and tables must be positioned correctly and bound at the top so that the top of the figure or table will be at the left margin. Figure and table headings/captions are placed with the same orientation as the figure or table when on the same page. When on a separate page, headings/captions are always placed in portrait orientation, regardless of the orientation of the figure or table. Page numbers are always placed as if the figure were vertical on the page.

If a graphic artist does the figures, Harvard Griffin GSAS will accept lettering done by the artist only within the figure. Figures done with software are acceptable if the figures are clear and legible. Legends and titles done by the same process as the figures will be accepted if they too are clear, legible, and run at least 10 or 12 characters per inch. Otherwise, legends and captions should be printed with the same font used in the text.

Original illustrations, photographs, and fine arts prints may be scanned and included, centered between the margins on a page with no text above or below.

Use of Third-Party Content

In addition to the student's own writing, dissertations often contain third-party content or in-copyright content owned by parties other than you, the student who authored the dissertation. The Office for Scholarly Communication recommends consulting the information below about fair use, which allows individuals to use in-copyright content, on a limited basis and for specific purposes, without seeking permission from copyright holders.

Because your dissertation will be made available for online distribution through DASH , Harvard's open-access repository, it is important that any third-party content in it may be made available in this way.

Fair Use and Copyright

What is fair use?

Fair use is a provision in copyright law that allows the use of a certain amount of copyrighted material without seeking permission. Fair use is format- and media-agnostic. This means fair use may apply to images (including photographs, illustrations, and paintings), quoting at length from literature, videos, and music regardless of the format.

How do I determine whether my use of an image or other third-party content in my dissertation is fair use?

There are four factors you will need to consider when making a fair use claim.

1) For what purpose is your work going to be used?

Nonprofit, educational, scholarly, or research use favors fair use. Commercial, non-educational uses, often do not favor fair use.
A transformative use (repurposing or recontextualizing the in-copyright material) favors fair use. Examining, analyzing, and explicating the material in a meaningful way, so as to enhance a reader's understanding, strengthens your fair use argument. In other words, can you make the point in the thesis without using, for instance, an in-copyright image? Is that image necessary to your dissertation? If not, perhaps, for copyright reasons, you should not include the image.

2) What is the nature of the work to be used?

Published, fact-based content favors fair use and includes scholarly analysis in published academic venues.
Creative works, including artistic images, are afforded more protection under copyright, and depending on your use in light of the other factors, may be less likely to favor fair use; however, this does not preclude considerations of fair use for creative content altogether.

3) How much of the work is going to be used?

Small, or less significant, amounts favor fair use. A good rule of thumb is to use only as much of the in-copyright content as necessary to serve your purpose. Can you use a thumbnail rather than a full-resolution image? Can you use a black-and-white photo instead of color? Can you quote select passages instead of including several pages of the content? These simple changes bolster your fair use of the material.

4) What potential effect on the market for that work may your use have?

If there is a market for licensing this exact use or type of educational material, then this weighs against fair use. If however, there would likely be no effect on the potential commercial market, or if it is not possible to obtain permission to use the work, then this favors fair use.

For further assistance with fair use, consult the Office for Scholarly Communication's guide, Fair Use: Made for the Harvard Community and the Office of the General Counsel's Copyright and Fair Use: A Guide for the Harvard Community .

What are my options if I don’t have a strong fair use claim?

Consider the following options if you find you cannot reasonably make a fair use claim for the content you wish to incorporate:

Seek permission from the copyright holder.
Use openly licensed content as an alternative to the original third-party content you intended to use. Openly-licensed content grants permission up-front for reuse of in-copyright content, provided your use meets the terms of the open license.
Use content in the public domain, as this content is not in-copyright and is therefore free of all copyright restrictions. Whereas third-party content is owned by parties other than you, no one owns content in the public domain; everyone, therefore, has the right to use it.

For use of images in your dissertation, please consult this guide to Finding Public Domain & Creative Commons Media , which is a great resource for finding images without copyright restrictions.

Who can help me with questions about copyright and fair use?

Contact your Copyright First Responder . Please note, Copyright First Responders assist with questions concerning copyright and fair use, but do not assist with the process of obtaining permission from copyright holders.

Pages should be assigned a number except for the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate . Preliminary pages (abstract, table of contents, list of tables, graphs, illustrations, and preface) should use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages must contain text or images.

Count the title page as page i and the copyright page as page ii, but do not print page numbers on either page .

For the body of text, use Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) starting with page 1 on the first page of text. Page numbers must be centered throughout the manuscript at the top or bottom. Every numbered page must be consecutively ordered, including tables, graphs, illustrations, and bibliography/index (if included); letter suffixes (such as 10a, 10b, etc.) are not allowed. It is customary not to have a page number on the page containing a chapter heading.

Check pagination carefully. Account for all pages.

A copy of the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC) should appear as the first page. This page should not be counted or numbered. The DAC will appear in the online version of the published dissertation. The author name and date on the DAC and title page should be the same.

The dissertation begins with the title page; the title should be as concise as possible and should provide an accurate description of the dissertation. The author name and date on the DAC and title page should be the same.

Do not print a page number on the title page. It is understood to be page i for counting purposes only.

A copyright notice should appear on a separate page immediately following the title page and include the copyright symbol ©, the year of first publication of the work, and the name of the author:

Alternatively, students may choose to license their work openly under a Creative Commons license. The author remains the copyright holder while at the same time granting up-front permission to others to read, share, and (depending on the license) adapt the work, so long as proper attribution is given. (By default, under copyright law, the author reserves all rights; under a Creative Commons license, the author reserves some rights.)

Do not print a page number on the copyright page. It is understood to be page ii for counting purposes only.

An abstract, numbered as page iii , should immediately follow the copyright page and should state the problem, describe the methods and procedures used, and give the main results or conclusions of the research. The abstract will appear in the online and bound versions of the dissertation and will be published by ProQuest. There is no maximum word count for the abstract.

double-spaced
left-justified
indented on the first line of each paragraph
The author’s name, right justified
The words “Dissertation Advisor:” followed by the advisor’s name, left-justified (a maximum of two advisors is allowed)
Title of the dissertation, centered, several lines below author and advisor

Dissertations divided into sections must contain a table of contents that lists, at minimum, the major headings in the following order:

Front Matter
Body of Text
Back Matter

Front matter includes (if applicable):

acknowledgements of help or encouragement from individuals or institutions
a dedication
a list of illustrations or tables
a glossary of terms
one or more epigraphs.

Back matter includes (if applicable):

bibliography
supplemental materials, including figures and tables
an index (in rare instances).

Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the end of the dissertation in an appendix, not within or at the end of a chapter. If additional digital information (including audio, video, image, or datasets) will accompany the main body of the dissertation, it should be uploaded as a supplemental file through ProQuest ETD . Supplemental material will be available in DASH and ProQuest and preserved digitally in the Harvard University Archives.

As a matter of copyright, dissertations comprising the student's previously published works must be authorized for distribution from DASH. The guidelines in this section pertain to any previously published material that requires permission from publishers or other rightsholders before it may be distributed from DASH. Please note:

Authors whose publishing agreements grant the publisher exclusive rights to display, distribute, and create derivative works will need to seek the publisher's permission for nonexclusive use of the underlying works before the dissertation may be distributed from DASH.
Authors whose publishing agreements indicate the authors have retained the relevant nonexclusive rights to the original materials for display, distribution, and the creation of derivative works may distribute the dissertation as a whole from DASH without need for further permissions.

It is recommended that authors consult their publishing agreements directly to determine whether and to what extent they may have transferred exclusive rights under copyright. The Office for Scholarly Communication (OSC) is available to help the author determine whether she has retained the necessary rights or requires permission. Please note, however, the Office of Scholarly Communication is not able to assist with the permissions process itself.

Missing Dissertation Acceptance Certificate. The first page of the PDF dissertation file should be a scanned copy of the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC). This page should not be counted or numbered as a part of the dissertation pagination.
Conflicts Between the DAC and the Title Page. The DAC and the dissertation title page must match exactly, meaning that the author name and the title on the title page must match that on the DAC. If you use your full middle name or just an initial on one document, it must be the same on the other document.
Abstract Formatting Errors. The advisor name should be left-justified, and the author's name should be right-justified. Up to two advisor names are allowed. The Abstract should be double spaced and include the page title “Abstract,” as well as the page number “iii.” There is no maximum word count for the abstract.
The front matter should be numbered using Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, …). The title page and the copyright page should be counted but not numbered. The first printed page number should appear on the Abstract page (iii).
The body of the dissertation should be numbered using Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, …). The first page of the body of the text should begin with page 1. Pagination may not continue from the front matter.
All page numbers should be centered either at the top or the bottom of the page.
Figures and tables Figures and tables must be placed within the text, as close to their first mention as possible. Figures and tables that span more than one page must be labeled on each page. Any second and subsequent page of the figure/table must include the “(Continued)” notation. This applies to figure captions as well as images. Each page of a figure/table must be accounted for and appropriately labeled. All figures/tables must have a unique number. They may not repeat within the dissertation.
Any figures/tables placed in a horizontal orientation must be placed with the top of the figure/ table on the left-hand side. The top of the figure/table should be aligned with the spine of the dissertation when it is bound.
Page numbers must be placed in the same location on all pages of the dissertation, centered, at the bottom or top of the page. Page numbers may not appear under the table/ figure.
Supplemental Figures and Tables. Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the back of the dissertation in an appendix. They should not be placed at the back of the chapter.
Permission Letters Copyright. permission letters must be uploaded as a supplemental file, titled ‘do_not_publish_permission_letters,” within the dissertation submission tool.
DAC Attachment. The signed Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must additionally be uploaded as a document in the "Administrative Documents" section when submitting in Proquest ETD . Dissertation submission is not complete until all documents have been received and accepted.
Overall Formatting. The entire document should be checked after all revisions, and before submitting online, to spot any inconsistencies or PDF conversion glitches.
You can view dissertations successfully published from your department in DASH . This is a great place to check for specific formatting and area-specific conventions.
Contact the Office of Student Affairs with further questions.

CONTACT INFO

Katie riggs, explore events.

COMMENTS

Formatting Guidelines
Footnotes. Format footnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines: Footnotes must be placed at the bottom of the page separated from the text by a solid line one to two inches long. Begin at the left page margin, directly below the solid line. Single-space footnotes that are more than one line long.
Formatting your thesis: Overall layout and specifications
The final copy of the thesis must be converted to .pdf (PDF/A format) for submission to the Library (maximum 600 mb). ... Line spacing The default template line spacing is 1.5 for text, with single-spaced block quotations. Margins. Margins should be set to: 1.25" left/right;
Line Spacing
Spacing Issues on Signature Page . Highlight the text you are wanting to change then on the Home Ribbon, choose the line spacing symbol, select the desired spacing typically 1.5 for Thesis and 2.0 for Dissertations. Using the Add Space or Remove Space options as needed.
PDF Formatting your dissertation/thesis
At 'Style for following paragraph', select Normal [2]. Select the same formatting that you applied previously to your Heading 1 style [3]. Click on the Format button [4] to access the Paragraph box, where you can amend paragraph 'Spacing' and 'Line spacing' as required [5].
Format Requirements for Your Dissertation or Thesis
Spacing. The main body text of the manuscript should be one-and-a-half or double-spaced lines, except where conventional usage calls for single spacing, such as footnotes, indented quotations, tables, appendices, etc. Word and Text Divisions. Words should be divided correctly at the end of a line and may not be divided from one page to the next.
PDF Student Paper Setup Guide, APA Style 7th Edition
Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.
Dissertation layout and formatting
Next go to "Page layout" and then "Breaks". Next, choose the submenu "Next page". Switch to the side, where the numbering should begin (in this case, page 2). In the edit mode of the header or footer, choose "link to previous", after that click on "Move to footer" and click on the "Link to previous" again.
Line spacing
Line Spacing. In general, double-space all parts of an APA Style paper, including the abstract; text; block quotations; table and figure numbers, titles, and notes; and reference list (including between and within entries). Do not add extra space before or after paragraphs. Exceptions to double line spacing are as follows:
Line Spacing
Line Spacing. The majority of your thesis/dissertation should be double-spaced. There are sections, however, that can and/or must be single-spaced. Double-Spaced: Dedication; ... in the Section-Specific Formatting Guidelines, we note the line spacing needed for each section. Paragraph Button. Turn on the Paragraph button to view spaces, tabs ...
How to Format Your Master Dissertation: Line Spacing, Margins ...
In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the process of formatting your master dissertation to meet the required academic standards. We'll cover important f...
PDF Introduction to Thesis Formatting Guidelines
Text same size as main text, but lines may be in single line spacing Fonts Times New Roman or Trebuchet MS for the body of the thesis Arial or Trebuchet MS for Headings Line Spacing 1.5 line spacing Headings Used to indicate the hierarchical structure of the text Normally not more than 4 levels - including chapter headings as first level
KU Thesis and Dissertation Formatting: Fonts and Spacing
Information for University of Kansas graduate students on required content order, page numbering, creating headings, formatting table of contents, adding captions, creating a table of figures and embedding fonts for theses and dissertations. Information about fonts and spacing for theses and dissertations.
MLA 9 Formatting: Step-By-Step Guide + Free Template
Here's how you can set your first page up for MLA 9th edition. On the first line, write your full name (flush left) On a new line, write your professor or instructor's full name. On a new line, write the course code and course name. On a new line, write the full date spelt out (e.g., 15 June 2023)
Preparation of your Thesis
The monograph-based template provides a standard (or "traditional") thesis layout while the manuscript-based template provides a layout that is made up of a series of scholarly papers. ... Spacing and Margins. All straight text should be single, one-and-one half, or double spaced. ... The line should be short of the margin and the whole word ...
Line Spacing and Margins
This video gives a brief tutorial on how manage line spacing and margin settings for your thesis, dissertation, or synthesis project according to the UL Lafa...
PDF GUIDELINES FOR THESIS PREPARATION
2.1.2 The thesis must be printed or photocopied on both sides of white paper. All copies of thesis pages must be clear, sharp and even, with uniform size and uniformly spaced characters, lines and margins on every page of good quality white paper of 75 gsm or more. 2.1.3 Thesis should be free from typographical errors.
Formatting Your Dissertation
If you are converting to PDF using Acrobat Professional (instructions courtesy of the Graduate Thesis Office at Iowa State University): Open your document in Microsoft Word. Click on the Adobe PDF tab at the top. Select "Change Conversion Settings." Click on Advanced Settings. Click on the Fonts folder on the left side of the new window.
Guidelines for the General Format of a Ph.D. Thesis
Use the standard A4 format and set the same margins all around (e.g. 2.5 cm, top/bottom, right/left). Remember that the thesis will be printed and boud and that margins should thus be large enough. Text size and line spacing. The text should be in 11 or 12 point character and 1.5 spaced lines. Footnotes should be in 10 point character and ...
PDF ET-BE: Rules and Guidelines for Writing a Thesis
Preferably each chapter in a thesis starts on a new page, which is the odd numbered right page. This can indeed lead to some empty pages. Be consistent with use of line breaks between paragraphs. Do not equalize column length in a two-column paper unless a journal requires it. Tab indents for each new paragraph are recommended but not required ...
Change line spacing inside the document
A friendly reminder for everyone using the memoir class that it provides its own mechanisms for line spacing: \begin{Spacing}{0.9} tightly spaced text \end{Spacing} There are also SingleSpace , OnehalfSpace and DoubleSpace environments; starred versions of those that do not automatically add \vskip\baselineskip at the end; various crutches to ...
How do I change my margins and spacing to fit the PhD thesis ...
For line spacing, use the setspace package, and for not having indents at the start of paragraphs use the parskip package. Share. ... Need help making sure a given thesis template is in line with my uni's style requirements (margin, spacing, font, etc) 3. Margin on a4 paper is too big. 0.
Utm thesis format (margin)
Teach you how to set up the Dissertation and thesis format for utm. Especially the margin and its line spacing. Set the ms word's margin to 2.5 cm for right...
Experimental Study on Spacing Effect in Arrays of Draft-Varying ...
This study examines the impact of the spacing parameter on the efficacy of an array of hybrid modules functioning as both floating breakwaters and wave energy converters. The dual functionality is ensured by the ability of the device to autoadjust its submergence. The behavior of multiple 1:40 scaled modules was tested in the wave tank of the University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli".