thesis binding format

Format, bind and submit your thesis: general guidance

You no longer need to submit a physical copy of your thesis. Please refer directly to the “Submit Your Thesis” section below.

This information is for research students submitting a thesis for assessment. It tells you how to:

• format your thesis
• submit your thesis
• bind your thesis 
• submit the final copy of your thesis

There are different requirements for students of fine arts, design, architecture or town planning.

Find out more about these requirements

Format your thesis

UCL theses should be submitted in a specific format, this applies to both the viva and final copies of your thesis. 

View the thesis checklist

Presentation

In the electronic version of your thesis, hyperlinks (including DOIs) should be functional and resolve to the correct webpage.

We would recommend using Arial or Helvetica fonts, at a size of no less than 12.

Find out more about the accessibility guidelines

If printed, please present your thesis in a permanent and legible format.

Illustrations should be permanently mounted on A4 size paper and bound in with the thesis; you may not use sellotape or similar materials.

A4 size paper (210 x 297 mm) should be used. Plain white paper must be used, of good quality and of sufficient opacity for normal reading. Both sides of the paper may be used.

Both sides of the paper may be used.

Margins at the binding edge must not be less than 40 mm (1.5 inches) and other margins not less than 20 mm (.75 inches). Double or one-and-a-half spacing should be used in typescripts, except for indented quotations or footnotes where single spacing may be used.

All pages must be numbered in one continuous sequence, i.e. from the title page of the first volume to the last page of type, in Arabic numerals from 1 onwards. This sequence must include everything bound in the volume, including maps, diagrams, blank pages, etc. Any material which cannot be bound in with the text must be placed in a pocket inside or attached to the back cover or in a rigid container similar in format to the bound thesis (see Illustrative material ).

The title page must bear the following:

• the officially-approved title of the thesis
• the candidates full name as registered
• the institution name 'UCL'
• the degree for which the thesis is submitted

The title page should be followed by a signed declaration that the work presented in the thesis is the candidate’s own e.g.

‘I, [full name] confirm that the work presented in this thesis is my own. Where information has been derived from other sources, I confirm that this has been indicated in the thesis.'

Please see the section below entitled ‘Inclusion of published works in doctoral theses’ for more information about how to indicate when you have re-used material that you have previously published.

The signed declaration should be followed by an abstract consisting of no more than 300 words.

Impact Statement

The abstract should be followed by an impact statement consisting of no more than 500 words. For further information on the content of the Impact Statement, please see the Impact Statement Guidance Notes for Research Students and Supervisors on the Doctoral School's website. 

Find out more about the Impact Statement

Inclusion of published works in doctoral theses

If you have included any work in your thesis that you have published (e.g. in a journal) previously, then you will need to insert a completed copy of the UCL Research Paper Declaration Form into your thesis after the Impact Statement. The form, and information about how to complete it is available on the Doctoral School’s website.

Find out more about the UCL Research Paper Declaration Form

Table of contents

In each copy of the thesis the abstract should be followed by a full table of contents (including any material not bound in) and a list of tables, photographs and any other materials. It is good practice to use bookmarking within the PDF of the thesis in electronic form to allow readers to jump to the relevant section, figure, table etc. from the table of contents.

Illustrative material

Illustrative material may be submitted on a CD-ROM. If you wish to submit material in any other form, your supervisor must contact Research Degrees well in advance of submission of the thesis.

Any material which cannot be bound in with the text must be placed either in a pocket inside or attached to the back cover or in a rigid container similar in format to the bound thesis. If it is separate from the bound volume it must be clearly labelled with the same information as on the title page. Each copy of the thesis submitted must be accompanied by a full set of this material.

Submit your thesis

Viva copies.

You must submit an electronic version of your thesis to via the UCL OneDrive . You no longer need to submit a printed copy unless your examiners ask for this. 

Find out more on how to submit via the UCL OneDrive

We will check your status and if your examiners have been appointed we will forward the thesis directly to them. They will then be able to download the copy of your thesis to prepare for your exam. 

If an external examiner requests a hard copy of the thesis you will need to arrange for this to be printed and submitted to the Student Enquiries Centre during their walk-in operational hours. We will collect your thesis and post it on to the examiners. 

If your examiners have not been appointed, your thesis will be held securely until your examiners have been formally appointed by UCL.

Covid-19 Impact Form

We have developed a form for you to submit with your thesis if you wish to declare an impact on your research.   The form is optional and your choice to complete it or not will have no bearing on the outcome of your examination. It is intended to set the context of examination and is not a plea for leniency. Your examiners will continue to apply the standard criteria as set out in UCL’s Academic Manual and the joint examiners’ form. Please see the publication from the QAA on Advice on Doctoral Standards for Research Students and Supervisors for further support.

You must submit this form as a separate Word document or PDF when you submit your thesis via the UCL Dropbox as detailed in our guidance above.   We will only accept the form if you submit it at the same time that you submit your thesis.  This will apply if you are making an initial submission or a resubmission.

Download the Covid-19 Impact Form

Find out more about the Student Enquiries Centre

Your examination entry form must be received and logged by Research Degrees before you submit your thesis.

Find out more about examination entry

Re-submission

If you need to re-submit you must:

• submit a new examination entry form to the Research Degrees office at least 4 weeks prior to the expected submission of the thesis
• you must submit an electronic version of your thesis to via the UCL OneDrive . You no longer need to submit a printed copy unless your examiners ask for this.  Find out more on how to submit via the UCL OneDrive

We will check your status and confirm that your examiners are willing to review your revised thesis. We will then forward the thesis directly to them. They will be able to download the copy of your thesis for assessment. 

If an external examiner requests a hard copy of the thesis you will need to arrange for this to be printed and submitted to the Student Enquiries Centre during their walk-in operational hours. We will collect your thesis and post it on to the examiners.

Submitting as a Non-Registered Student

If you do not submit your thesis by the end of your period of Completing Research Status, your registration as a student will end at that point. Your supervisor will then need to apply for permission for you to submit your thesis in writing to the Research Degrees section, at least 3 weeks before your expected submission date. You will be charged a submission extension fee at the point you submit your thesis.

Bind your thesis

If your examiners have request a printed copy of your thesis, please read the following guidance:

Theses have to be robust enough to withstand the examination process and be easily identified. They will need to have your name on the spine to distinguish them.

All theses (whether soft or hard-bound) must:

• be covered in medium blue cloth (e.g. water resistant material) 
• be lettered in gold up the spine with degree, year, name and initials in the same form as UCL records, with letters 16 or 18 point (.25 inch) - thesis submitted for examination in November and December should have the following year lettered on the spine
• have no lettering on front cover of thesis
• have the spine text inverted if the front cover is facing up

An example of how your thesis should be presented.

Hard-bound theses must have the pages sown in (not punched) and soft-bound theses should have the pages glued in. Theses submitted in any other form of binding, including ring binding, will not be accepted.

You are responsible for making sure that your thesis is correctly bound by the company you select.

Final copies

UCL no longer requires a printed copy of your final thesis and we will award your degree once you have met the academic conditions and the Library have confirmed receipt of your e-thesis, the Deposit Agreement form, and you have cleared any outstanding fees.

You will need to deposit an electronic copy of your final thesis (and a completed E-Thesis Deposit Agreement form) via UCL's Research Publications Service (RPS). Please ensure that you remove, or blank out, all personal identifiers such as signatures, addresses and telephone numbers from the e-thesis. Any photographs that you have taken should not show identifiable individuals without their permission and any you have taken of children should mask their faces.

If you do wish to deposit a hard copy you can do so by sending it directly to the Cataloguing & Metadata department of Library Services by post, or in person at the Main Library help desk.  You will find more information about the process on the existing webpage for e-thesis submission. 

Find out more about depositing an electronic and printed copy of your thesis

Related content

• Research degrees: examination entry
• Format, bind and submit your thesis: fine art, design, architecture and town planning
• Viva examinations: guidance

Important Information:

The UCL Student Centre has now moved.  Details of their new location can be found here.  

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:

• 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 .

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.
• 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:

• 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 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.

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:

• 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

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Graduate School Updates>

The latest COVID-19 news and information is available at  Penn State's Coronavirus Information website . 

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Update

On March 11 th  the University announced that beginning March 16 th  instruction for all students will be moving to a remote delivery format. Graduate students enrolled in resident courses should plan on participating remotely, and not coming to campus specifically for face-to-face instruction. Learn more at gradschool.psu.edu/covid19 .

Internet Explorer Detected

The Penn State Graduate School website is best experienced in Firefox or Google Chrome. It is highly recommended that you use an alternative browser.

Thesis and Dissertation Information

•  /  Complete Your Degree
•  /  Thesis and Dissertation Information

The Graduate School, the University Libraries, and the graduate faculty of Penn State have established format standards that a thesis or dissertation must meet before receiving final approval as fulfillment of a graduate requirement. The Office of Theses and Dissertations is the unit of the Graduate School responsible for certifying that theses and dissertations have been prepared in accordance with these established regulations.

Every thesis and dissertation must be reviewed by the Office of Theses and Dissertations for format only and are not edited for spelling, grammar, or punctuation. Master's papers are not reviewed by the Office of Theses and Dissertations.

When a thesis or dissertation is submitted to the Office of Theses and Dissertations, it must meet the formatting and deadline requirements set forth in the Thesis and Dissertation Handbook . All doctoral dissertations and master's theses must be submitted electronically. For more information on electronic theses and dissertations (eTDs), visit the eTD website .

The following forms are available in Adobe PDF and accessible Microsoft Word (DOC) format. The Word documents are designed to be used specifically with screen reader technology.  Please use the PDF versions of these forms unless you require the use of screen reader technology.

You may need to download the latest version of  Adobe Acrobat reader  (free) to view and print the PDF documents.

Submission Requirements

• Thesis and Dissertation Handbook
• Thesis, Dissertation, Performance, and Oral Presentation Calendar
• Copying and Binding
• The Most Common Mistakes
• How To Submit a Doctoral Dissertation
• How To Submit a Master's Thesis
• Format Review Instructions
• Acknowledgement of Federal Funding
• Pay thesis fee ($10) or dissertation fee ($50)

Supporting Materials

• Survey of Earned Doctorates

Templates 

The templates for Thesis and Dissertations are available in OneDrive . Please use the "Download" option from this page to download the required template(s) to use as your local working document.  There is no need to open the file in your browser or request any additional access to the files.

The Statistical Consulting Center gives advice to graduate students working on thesis research. The Graduate Writing Center  provides consultation to graduate students in all disciplines.

Information about using LaTeX is available from the University Libraries .

Information about the Graduate School's commencement ceremony .

Questions about theses, dissertations, or Graduate School commencement should be directed to:

Office of Theses and Dissertations 115 Kern Graduate Building University Park, PA 16802 Phone: 814-865-1795

Ohio State nav bar

• The Ohio State University
• BuckeyeLink
• Find People
• Search Ohio State

Formatting Guidelines For Theses, Dissertations, and DMA Documents

Guidelines for Formatting Theses, Dissertations, and DMA Documents is intended to help graduate students present the results of their research in the form of a scholarly document.

Before beginning to write a master’s thesis, PhD dissertation, or DMA document, students should read the relevant sections of the  Graduate School Handbook, section 7.8  for dissertations and/ or  section 6.4  for master’s theses.

Candidates for advanced degrees should also confer with their advisors and members of their graduate studies committees to learn about any special departmental requirements for preparing graduate degree documents.

Members of the graduation services staff at the Graduate School are available to provide information and to review document drafts at any stage of the planning or writing process. While graduation services is responsible for certifying that theses and/or dissertations have been prepared in accordance with Graduate School guidelines, the student bears the ultimate responsibility for meeting these requirements and resolving any related technical and/or software issues . Graduation services will not accept documents if required items are missing or extend deadlines because of miscommunication between the student and the advisor.

Accessibility Features

As of Spring, 2023, all theses and dissertations will need to incorporate the following accessibility features to align with the university’s accessibility policy.  When you submit your final document to OhioLINK you will be verifying that accessibility features have been applied.

• PDF file includes full text
• PDF accessibility permission flag is checked
• Text language of the PDF is specified
• PDF includes a title

Features and Other Notes

Some features are required, and some are optional. Each component is identified with a major heading unless otherwise noted. The major heading must be centered with a one-inch top margin. 

Sample Pages and Templates

Templates are available for use in formatting dissertations, theses, and DMA documents. Please read all instructions before beginning. 

• Graduate Dissertations and Theses Templates - OSU Login Required

FRONTISPIECE (OPTIONAL)

If used, no heading is included on this page.

TITLE PAGE (REQUIRED)

The title page should include:

• the use of title case is recommended
• dissertation, DMA. document, or thesis
• Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree [insert the applicable degree such as Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Science, etc.] in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University
• Name of the candidate 
• Initials of previous earned degrees
• insert correct name from program directory
• Year of graduation
•  Dissertation, document, or thesis [select applicable title] committee and committee member names

COPYRIGHT PAGE (REQUIRED)

Notice of copyright is centered in the following format on the page immediately after the title page. This page is not identified with a page number.

Copyright by John James Doe 2017

ABSTRACT (REQUIRED)

The heading Abstract is centered without punctuation at least one inch from the top of the page. The actual abstract begins four spaces below the heading. See sample pages.

DEDICATION (OPTIONAL)

If used, the dedication must be brief and centered on the page.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

(OPTIONAL, BUT STRONGLY RECOMMENDED)

Either spelling of the word, acknowledgments or acknowledgments, is acceptable. The acknowledgment is a record of the author’s indebtedness and includes notice of permission to use previously copyrighted materials that appear extensively in the text. The heading Acknowledgments is centered without punctuation at least one inch from the top of the page.

VITA (REQUIRED)

Begin the page with the heading Vita, centered, without punctuation, and at least one inch from the top of the page. There are three sections to the vita: biographical information (required), publications (if applicable), and fields of study (required).

There is no subheading used for the biographical information section. In this section, include education and work related to the degree being received.

Use leader dots between the information and dates. The publication section follows. The subheading Publications should be centered and in title case. List only those items published in a book or journal. If there are none, omit the Publication subheading. The final section of the vita is Fields of Study, which is required. Center the subheading and use title case. Two lines below the Fields of Study subheading, place the following statement: Major Field: [insert only the name of your Graduate Program as it reads on the title page] flush left. Any specialization you would like to include is optional and is placed flush left on the lines below Major Field.

TABLE OF CONTENTS (REQUIRED)

The heading Table of Contents (title case preferred) appears without punctuation centered at least one inch from the top of the page. The listing of contents begins at the left margin four spaces below the heading. The titles of all parts, sections, chapter numbers, and chapters are listed and must

be worded exactly as they appear in the body of the document. The table of contents must include any appendices and their titles, if applicable. Use leader dots between the listed items and their page numbers.

LISTS OF ILLUSTRATIONS (REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE)

Lists of illustrations are required if the document contains illustrations. The headings List of Tables , List of Figures , or other appropriate illustration designations (title case preferred) appear centered without punctuation at least one inch from the top of the page. The listing begins at the left margin four spaces below the heading. Illustrations should be identified by the same numbers and captions in their respective lists as they have been assigned in the document itself. Use leader dots between the listed items and their page numbers. See sample pages .

BIBLIOGRAPHY/REFERENCES (REQUIRED)

Include a complete bibliography or reference section at the end of the document, before the appendix, even if you have included references at the end of each chapter. You may decide how this section should be titled. The terms References or Bibliography are the most commonly chosen titles. The heading must be centered and at least one inch from the top of the page.

Include this heading in the table of contents.

APPENDICES (REQUIRED IF APPLICABLE)

An appendix, or appendices, must be placed after the bibliography. The heading Appendix (title case preferred) centered at least one inch from the top of the page. Appendices are identified with letters and titles. For example: Appendix A: Data. Include all appendix headers and titles in the table of contents.

Other Notes

Candidates are free to select a style suitable to their discipline as long as it complies with the format and content guidelines given in this publication. Where a style manual conflicts with Graduate School guidelines, the Graduate School guidelines take precedence. Once chosen, the style must remain consistent throughout the document.

Top, bottom, left, and right page margins should all be set at one inch. (Keep in mind that the left margin is the binding edge, so if you want to have a bound copy produced for your personal use, it is recommended that the left margin be 1.5 inches.)

It is recommended that any pages with a major header, such as document title, chapter/major section titles, preliminary page divisions, abstract, appendices, and references at the end of the document be set with a 2-inch top margin for aesthetic purposes and to help the reader identify that a new major section is beginning.

The selected font should be 10 to 12 point and be readable. The font should be consistent throughout the document. Captions, endnotes, footnotes, and long quotations may be slightly smaller than text font, as long as the font is readable.

Double spacing is preferred, but 1.5 spacing (1.5 × the type size) is acceptable for long documents. Single spacing is recommended for bibliography entries, long quotations, long endnotes or footnotes, and long captions. Double spacing between each bibliography entry is recommended.

Each major division of the document, including appendices, must have a title. Titles must be centered and have at least a one inch top margin. The use of title case is recommended. If chapters are being used, they should be numbered and titled. For example: Chapter 1: Introduction. Appendices are identified with letters and titles. For example: Appendix A: Data.

PAGE NUMBERS

Every page must have a page number except the title page and the copyright page. If a frontispiece is included before the title page, it is neither counted nor numbered. The page numbers are centered at the bottom center of the page above the one inch margin. Note: You may need to set the footer margin to 1-inch and the body bottom margin to 1.3 or 1.5- inches to place the page number accurately.

Preliminary pages (abstract, dedication, acknowledgments, vita, table of contents, and the lists of illustrations, figures, etc.) are numbered with small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.). Page numbering begins with the first page of the abstract, and this can be either page i or ii (The title page is technically page i, but the number is not shown on the page).

Arabic numerals are used for the remainder of the document, including the text and the reference material. These pages are numbered consecutively beginning with 1 and continue through the end of the document.

Notation practices differ widely among publications in the sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences. Candidates should confer with their advisors regarding accepted practice in their individual disciplines. That advice should be coupled with careful reference to appropriate general style manuals.

• Arabic numerals should be used to indicate a note in the text. 
• Notes may be numbered in one of two ways: either consecutively throughout the entire manuscript or consecutively within each chapter.
• Notes can be placed at the bottom of the page (footnotes) or at the end of a chapter or document (endnotes). Once chosen, the notation style must be consistent throughout the document.
• Notes about information within tables should be placed directly below the table to which they apply, not at the bottom of the page along with notes to the text.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Tables, figures, charts, graphs, photos, etc..

Some documents include several types of illustrations. In such cases, it is necessary that each type of illustration (table, figure, chart, etc.) be identified with a different numbering series (Table 1, Table 2, and so on, or Chart 1, Chart 2, and so on). For each series, include a list with captions and page numbers in the preliminary pages (for example, List of Tables, List of Charts, etc.). These lists must be identified with major headings that are centered and placed at the two-inch margin.

Each illustration must be identified with a caption that includes the type of illustration, the number, and a descriptive title (for example, Map 1: Ohio). Numbering may be sequential throughout the document (including the appendix, if applicable) or based on the decimal system (corresponding to the chapter number, such as Map 2.3: Columbus). When using decimal numbering in an appendix, the illustration is given a letter that corresponds with the appendix letter (for example, Figure A.1: Voter Data). Captions can be placed either above or below the illustration, but be consistent with the format throughout the document. If a landscape orientation of the illustration is used, make sure to also orient the illustration number and caption accordingly. The top of the illustration should be placed on the left (binding) edge of the page.

If an illustration is too large to ft on one page it is recommended that you identify the respective pages as being part of one illustration. Using a “continued” notation is one method. For example, the phrase continued is placed under the illustration on the bottom right hand side of the first page. On the following pages, include the illustration type, number, and the word continued at the top left margin; for example, Map 2: Continued. Whatever method you choose just make sure to be consistent. The caption for the illustration should be on the first page, but this does not need repeated on subsequent pages.

If an illustration is placed on a page with text, between the text and the top and/or bottom of the illustration, there must be three single spaced lines or two double spaced lines of blank space. The same spacing rule applies if there are multiple illustrations on the same page. The top/bottom of the illustration includes the caption.

All final Ph.D. dissertations, DMA. documents, and master’s theses are submitted to the Graduate School through OhioLINK at https://etdadmin. ohiolink.edu. The document must be saved in PDF embedded font format (PDF/A) before beginning the upload at OhioLINK. During the submission process, OhioLINK will require an abstract separate from your document. This abstract has a 500-word limit. You will get a confirmation from OhioLINK that the submission is complete. The submission then goes to the Graduate School for review. After it is reviewed by staff of the Graduate School, you will receive an email that it has been accepted or that changes need to be made. If changes are required, you will need to re-submit the revised document via an amended OhioLINK submission. You will receive an “accepted” email from the Graduate School once the document has been approved.

THESIS OR DISSERTATION IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The Graduate School has no policy specifically permitting graduate degree documents to be written in a foreign language. The practice is allowed as long as it is approved by the student’s advisor and Graduate Studies Committee. Documents in a foreign language must comply with the following requirements:

• The title page must be in English, but the title itself may be in the same language as the document.
• If the title is in a language using other than Roman characters, it must be transliterated into Roman character equivalents.
• The abstract must be in English.
• The academic unit must notify the Graduate School of dissertations in a foreign language so that an appropriate graduate faculty representative can be found to participate in the final oral examination

Dissertation and Theses

The dissertation is the hallmark of the research expertise demonstrated by a doctoral student. It is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the student’s area of specialization. 

A thesis is a hallmark of some master’s programs. It is a piece of original research, generally less comprehensive than a dissertation and is meant to show the student’s knowledge of an area of specialization.

Still Have Questions?

Dissertations & Theses 614-292-6031 [email protected]

Doctoral Exams, Master's Examination, Graduation Requirements 614-292-6031 [email protected]

Community Blog

Keep up-to-date on postgraduate related issues with our quick reads written by students, postdocs, professors and industry leaders.

Thesis binding and printing options

• By DiscoverPhDs
• November 29, 2020

If you have recently completed your dissertation congratulations are in order! But the work is not finished – you now have to get your dissertation in front of examiners in a professional format. There are a number of factors to consider when producing a physical copy of your thesis :

• Type of binding (for example: helical or softback)
• Paper size (are some pages better suited for A3?)
• Print options (single or double-sided?)
• Paper quality (a range of gsm options are available)

What is Thesis/Dissertation Binding?

Thesis binding involves fastening the physical pages of your dissertation together to produce a single presentable document. As simple as it sounds, there is a lot to get right, and dissertation binding is important in giving a good impression of your work.

What are the different types of dissertation binding?

Spiral/helical/wired binding.

Spiral binding (also known as helical binding) and wired binding are very common for bachelors and masters dissertations. These options give a professional look and allow pages to be rotated 360 degrees, making for easy reading. Spiral binding uses a plastic coil, whilst wire binding uses a metal wire.

Fastback/softback binding

Fastback binding (also referred to as softback binding) uses glue to keep your dissertation pages together. This is not a very common choice for dissertation binding as it is rather formal for bachelors and masters, and perhaps not formal enough for PhD theses. Fastback binding also comes with a risk of glue losing fixity over time leading to pages falling out.

Thermal binding

Thermal binding is not very common but can be used for bachelors or masters dissertations. This type of binding is permanent (so pages cannot be easily added/removed) but is generally inexpensive. Another disadvantage of thermal bindings is that pages cannot be opened 360 degrees (as with fastback binding).

Plastic comb binding

Comb binding involves punching holes down the side of the page and binding with a plastic comb strip. This binding option is also suitable for bachelors and masters dissertations. It is a cheap option but can sometimes become difficult to navigate as pages become stuck on the plastic combing. One advantage of plastic comb binding is that it is easy to add and remove pages.

Paperback binding

Paperback binding will give your manuscript the appearance of a book and comes with personalisation options i.e. a titled cover page, spine and back. This gives a very professional appearance, too formal for a bachelors or masters dissertation, but ideal for a PhD thesis.

Hardback binding

Hardback binding again gives a book like appearance, but is expensive and typically reserved only for PhD theses. In addition to custom titling, spine and back, there is a range of material and colour options for hardback binding e.g. the gold lettering you may have seen on academic books.

What Paper Size Should I use?

Most universities will provide very clear instruction on paper sizes, most often A4. However, some pages such as technical drawings or maps may be best shown on A3. In these cases ‘fold out’ pages are an option but must be approved by your university guidelines.

Print Options:

Check your university guidelines when deciding whether to print single or double sided. If printing double sided, be careful as some pages should not be printed back to back. For example, new chapters should start on the right hand page (of a double spread) so blank pages may be required.

What Paper Quality is Suitable?

Paper thickness is measured in grams per square metre (gsm). Although there is no ideal paper thickness, too thin and you risk your dissertation feeling low quality. Too high and you risk your dissertation pages feeling like cardboard, and again pointing to low quality.

Popular UK Services:

Ryman is an affordable thesis binding service, with a range of options for dissertations and theses. Ryman often have stored on University campuses or nearby, so you can check the services provided by your local store (as an alternative to ordering online).

Doxdirect is an online service which offers a large amount of customisation when choosing a thesis binding option. The door to door service also offers a wide range of delivery and production options so you get your bound thesis in your hand as quick as possible.

Thesis Online has been around for a long time (established in 1920), and have a very good reputation. They offer an online thesis binding service and have a hand online calculator which allows you to modify your binding, printing, and deliver options and see the impact on cost in real-time.

Things to Note:

Whichever service you use to bind your thesis or dissertation, there are a few important things to remember:

When using an online service check the turnaround time. Most services take around a week to print, bind, and deliver, though faster services are available at a cost. Some universities have an onsite printing service that students can use. These services likely offer binding options which satisfy your department’s dissertation submission requirements.

An electronic copy and physical copy of your dissertation will be read differently. Whilst consecutive pages are easy to compare on a computer screen, a physical copy may have pages printed on opposite sides of a single page (if double page printed) which makes side by side comparisons difficult. This is something to consider if your text frequently refers to images or tables overleaf.

Most thesis printing services only accept PDF file formats. Ensure that when you convert your dissertation to PDF that you review the document to ensure no errors occur during conversion.

Check your university dissertation guidance on margin requirements. It is also important to factor in margins when considering binding options. Typically a minimum margin of 2.5cm is required on the side of the page to be bound.

Although it comes with an additional cost, it may be useful to purchase personal copies of your bound thesis. You can then bring your bound copy to your Viva , and ensure that what you and your examiners are looking at are identical.

Scientific misconduct can be described as a deviation from the accepted standards of scientific research, study and publication ethics.

Starting your PhD can feel like a daunting, exciting and special time. They’ll be so much to think about – here are a few tips to help you get started.

An academic transcript gives a breakdown of each module you studied for your degree and the mark that you were awarded.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Browse PhDs Now

Impostor Syndrome is a common phenomenon amongst PhD students, leading to self-doubt and fear of being exposed as a “fraud”. How can we overcome these feelings?

The answer is simple: there is no age limit for doing a PhD; in fact, the oldest known person to have gained a PhD in the UK was 95 years old.

Dr Grayson gained her PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2016. She now works in industry as an Applications Portfolio Manager and is a STEM Speaker and Advocate.

Kyle’s in the first year of his PhD at the University of Texas in Austin. His research interests are in the development of algorithms for advanced mobility for legged robotics and computer vision for exploration of extreme environments.

Join Thousands of Students

Browser does not support script.

King's College London - Homepage

• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• International Students
• Study abroad
• Professional Education
• Short courses
• International Foundation
• Accommodation
• Visit King's
• Learning & teaching
• Language Centre
• Student Services Online
• Libraries & Collections
• Student news
• Careers & Employability
• Students' Union
• Academic calendar
• King's Sport
• Research at King's
• King's Health Partners
• Arts & Humanities
• Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
• Life Sciences & Medicine
• Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences
• Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care
• Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience
• Social Science & Public Policy
• Alumni Community
• Alumni benefits
• Events & reunions
• News & features
• Mission & strategy
• Internationalisation
• Governance & Legal
• Organisational structure
• Work at King's
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Financial information
• Thesis Format

Format of thesis and Binding

• Title page – including the thesis title, the student's full name and the degree for which it is submitted
• Abstract - of up to 5,000 words
• Table of contents – including any material not bound in the book, and a list of tables, photographs and any other materials

Word limits

• PhD - not to exceed 100,000 words
• MPhil - not to exceed 60,000 words
• MD(Res) - not to exceed 50,000 words
• MPhilStud - not to exceed 30,000 words
• Professional Doctorates - at least 25,000 words and not to exceed 55,000 words

Thesis word limit inclusions and exclusions The thesis word count includes everything from the start of chapter 1 up to the end of the last chapter. This means: Including all words included within:

• Footnotes/Endnotes
• Table/figure legends
• Tables of contents/of figures/of tables/ of acronyms
• Acknowledgements/dedications
• References/Bibliography
• 'Editions of texts (except where the edition or editions themselves constitute the thesis under examination)'
• Students are only required to submit an electronic thesis for their examiners, in PDF format, this should be emailed to [email protected] no later than your deadline
• If examiners have requested a printed copy  a member of the Research Degrees Examinations team will get in touch with you
• Margins - as we no longer require printed copies of the thesis, the margin edge is at the student's discretion, however bear in mind if  examiners prefer a printed copy then it may need to be spiral bound
• Spacing - Double or 1.5 spacing (except for indented quotations or footnotes which can be single spaced)
• Font size - It is recommended to use font size 12 to ensure examiners are able to read it
• Page numbering - All pages must be numbered in one continuous sequence, i.e. from the title page of the first volume to the last page of type, from 1 onwards. This sequence must include everything in the volume, including maps, diagrams, blank pages, etc.

Illustrative materials -  May include: audio recordings and photographic slides, these can be emailed to  [email protected]

• Additional material - Any material which cannot be included in the PDF thesis maybe emailed separately to the [email protected]  

Some examiners may prefer to work from a printed version of the student's thesis rather than the PDF, if this is the case:

• The Research Degrees Examinations team will in the first instance check with the examiner if they would be happy to print the thesis themselves. If the examiner is happy to do this and is able to, they can claim back the expenses following the examination
• If the examiner is unable to print the thesis, the Research Degrees Examinations team will contact the student to make arrangements for a print version to be posted directly to the examiner(s) or via a binders
• It is the students' responsibility to get their thesis printed and bound if examiners require a copy. Students may only claim back postage costs.

PRINT COPIES MUST NOT BE POSTED PRIOR TO OFFICIAL DISPATCH BY THE RESEARCH DEGREES EXAMINATION TEAM

• Research Degrees
• Supervisors
• Oral Examinations
• Re-examination
• Coronavirus

© 2024 King's College London | Strand | London WC2R 2LS | England | United Kingdom | Tel +44 (0)20 7836 5454 

• $ 0.00 0 items

Thesis Binding

Thesis Book Binding or Dissertation Book Binding is the conversion of your thesis or dissertation document into a printed and bound book format. Getting this done correctly involves several considerations that includes the Submission of your document for printing and binding, your choice of Paper, and the Style of binding you want.

SUBMITTING YOUR THESIS OR DISSERTATION FOR BINDING:

The first consideration for Thesis Book Binding or Dissertation Book Binding is whether you want your thesis or dissertation printed and bound for official submission or for your personal use, such as gifts to professors, departments, libraries, parents, sponsors, or you just want copies to preserve for future generations.

If you are officially submitting your Thesis Book Binding or Dissertation Book Binding books to your

institution, you must follow their official guidelines for paper, margins, and type of binding. Every institution has

guidelines and your can ask your department or your graduate studies department for the guidelines. The quote/

ordering process for each of our 3 main types of binding is designed to accommodate all the options that most

schools require.

Binding Options Our 3 main binding options are:

• Fabric Hardcover Binding with Gold Embossed Lettering and Emblem on the cover https://phdbookbinding.com/fabric-hard-cover/
• Printed Hardcover Binding with wraparound full color printing on the cover https://phdbookbinding.com/printed-hard-cover/
• Perfect Binding Softcover with wraparound full color printing on the cover https://phdbookbinding.com/perfect-binding/

But if you’re getting the books for personal use, then you have the option to choose the type of paper, binding and margin size that you prefer. Here again, our quote/order process contains all the options you might want.

Digital or Paper Submission

The second consideration is whether you want to submit a file or paper document(s) for publishing your Thesis or Dissertation. You have the option to place your order with a PDF file or with a paper document. Submitting a PDF file ( https://phdbookbinding.com/digital-printing/#2 ) of your Thesis or Dissertation allows you to do the following online, sit back and forget about it, and receive your books in the mail:

• Specify the size of your book
• Choose the type of paper you want for printing ( https://phdbookbinding.com/digital-printing/#9 )
•  Specify the pages you want to print in color. ( https://phdbookbinding.com/faq/#9 ) Yes, we allow you to specify the pages you want to print in color and you’ll be charged the color rate ONLY for the pages you specify,NOT for all the pages in your document.
• Specify the exact lettering you want on the cover ( https://phdbookbinding.com/gold-foil-emblem-and-lettering/ )
•  Specify the exact lettering you want on the spine ( https://phdbookbinding.com/gold-foil-emblem-and-lettering/ )
• Specify your school emblem for the cover or request a custom emblem ( https://phdbookbinding.com/gold-foil-emblem-and-lettering/#SealList )
• Choose the shipping speed you want for getting back the completed book(s)

Digital Submission

The option for submitting a PDF file for printing and binding is available for all the binding styles that we offer, including:

• Fabric Hardcover Binding with Gold Embossed Lettering and Decoration on the cover https://phdbookbinding.com/fabric-hard-cover/
•  Printed Hardcover Binding with wraparound full color printing on the cover https://phdbookbinding.com/printed-hard-cover/

Submitting a Paper document of your Thesis or Dissertation requires you to

(1) Print your document on the paper of your choice

(2) Fill out the Quote/Order form on this site for the type of Hardcover binding you want

(3) Specify the exact lettering you want on the cover

(4) Specify the exact lettering you want on the spine

(5) Choose the shipping speed you want for getting back the completed book(s)

(6) Print a form on our site that will include the details you entered PLUS final instructions for mailing your

paper document to us

(7) Ship to us your paper document(s) with instructions on form you will print from our site.

The option for submitting a paper document for binding ONLY is available ONLY for Hardcover binding.

Fabric Hardcover Binding with Gold Embossed Lettering and Decoration on the cover

https://phdbookbinding.com/fabric-hard-cover/

Printed Hardcover Binding with wraparound full color printing on the cover

https://phdbookbinding.com/printed-hard-cover/

Paper document submission is not available for Softcover Perfect Binding.

PAPER CHOICE

The second consideration for Thesis Book Binding or Dissertation Book Binding is choosing the type of paper that you want. We offer 5 types of paper as listed below and as explained here in greater detail ( https://phdbookbinding.com/digital-printing/ )

20lb regular or standard Copy Paper. This paper is ACID-FREE and is white in color. It does not have  a watermark. Acid Free paper is made from wood pulp, and it resists yellowing and brittleness over very long periods (measured in centuries). The production of Acid Free paper is also more environmentally friendly than acidic paper.

60lb regular or standard Copy Paper (also known as 24lb Copy Paper)*. This paper is ACID-FREE and is white in color. It does not have a watermark. Acid Free paper is made from wood pulp, and it resists yellowing and brittleness over very long periods (measured in centuries). The production of Acid Free paper is also more environmentally friendly than acidic paper. (See below for why this paper has 2 different names)

20lb, 25% Cotton Paper. This white paper is ACID-FREE and ARCHIVAL. It has a WATERMARK which is visible only when you shine a bright light behind the sheet. Archival paper has all the benefits of Acid-Free paper, except that it resists yellowing and brittleness even longer than ordinary Acid-Free paper. Another difference is that Cotton Paper is made with cotton pulp.

24lb, 100% Cotton Paper . This white paper is ACID-FREE and ARCHIVAL. It has a WATERMARK which is visible only when you shine a bright light behind the sheet. Archival paper has all the benefits of Acid-Free paper, except that it resists yellowing and brittleness even longer than ordinary Acid-Free paper. Another difference isthat Cotton Paper is made with cotton pulp. PLEASE NOTE that A4 (European Letter size) is NOT available in 100% cotton.

80lb Gloss-Coated Paper. This paper is ACID-FREE and is white in color. It does not have a watermark. But unlike regular copy paper, it is also coated with a gloss finish that makes it perfect for printing photos, charts & graphs, and more.

80lb Matte-Coated Paper. This paper is ACID-FREE and is white in color. It does not have a watermark. But unlike regular copy paper, it is also coated with a matte (non-gloss coating) finish that makes it perfect for printing photos, charts & graphs, and more.

BINDING STYLE

The binding style you choose depends first on whether you’re submitting officially to your institution or for personal use. We offer 3 types of binding Fabric Hardcover Binding with Gold Lettering and Gold Emblem ( https://phdbookbinding.com/fabric-hard-cover/ )

Most institutions require Fabric Hardcover Binding with gold lettering or gold emblem for official submission. You can also choose this type of binding for your own personal copies and as gifts because it is binding of the highest quality that is impressive in look and feel. Fabric Hardcover binding is high quality, archival binding that’s fit for the most demanding public or private library. Fabric options include:

• Classic Buckram fabric that is available in different colors,
• Contemporary Levant finish fabric also available in different colors
• Cowhide available in 3 colors

Lettering and emblem are applied to Fabric Hardcover binding with gold embossing

Printed Hardcover Binding ( https://phdbookbinding.com/printed-hard-cover/ )

Institutions may also allow Printed Hardcover Binding for Thesis and Dissertations. Printed Hardcover Binding allows:

• Background color of your choice
• Lettering color of your choice
• Full color emblem
• Image and text on back cover, or
• Wraparound full-color cover design

Printed Hardcover Binding can be compared to Fabric Hardcover Binding on this page: https://phdbookbinding.com/comparison/

Perfect Binding (Softcover, Paperback binding) ( https://phdbookbinding.com/perfect-binding/ )

Perfect Binding is Softcover, Paperback binding that allows all the options available for Printed Hardcover binding

Dissertation Support: Formatting, printing and binding

• Formatting, printing and binding

Dreading the Word formatting part of your dissertation?  See our FAQ which includes help, training and a template document to drop your text into.

Printing and binding

Get advice on printing your dissertation and make an appointment to get it bound.

• << Previous: Home
• Last Updated: Mar 28, 2024 12:32 PM
• URL: https://libguides.stir.ac.uk/dissertations

• International
• Business & Industry
• MyUNB Intranet
• Activate your IT Services
• Give to UNB
• Graduate Studies
• Inside Graduate Studies
• Other Resources
• Regulations and Guidelines

Thesis Preparation and Submission

• Fee Regulations
• General Regulations
• The PhD Thesis Examination Process
• Graduate Manual
• Intellectual Property

Prior to Thesis Defence

Step 1: understand the process., step 2: format your thesis..

The thesis formatting guide  provides information on how to format and submit your completed thesis document (Master’s or PhD) to the School of Graduate Studies for final approval and archiving. It is strongly encouraged that you use the thesis templates, either in Microsoft Word or LaTeX template . Word processing support is available from the UNB Libraries .

Following Thesis Defence

Step 3: revise and review thesis format., step 4: submit your thesis and supporting documents..

After your defence and corrections are made, review the checklist for electronic submission of the thesis. Send a PDF document of your thesis/report ( not a Word or LaTeX document ) by e-mail to [email protected] so that SGS can review the formatting. The Completion Forms listed on the checklist must be sent by the Graduate Secretary to [email protected].

The thesis and supporting documents must be received by the listed deadlines to avoid future registration and fees.

Step 5: Apply to graduate.

Step 6: thesis binding (optional)..

If  you would like a bound personal copy, you can request printing and binding directly through Lehmann Bookbinding https://pageforpage.com/   If you have questions, please contact [email protected] .

Step 7: Thesis is published.

Under SGS’s policy on public access to theses, academic and research achievements of graduate students should be shared with the greater community for scholarly and scientific purposes, and access should be made freely available after convocation.

For this reason, theses submitted from UNB graduate students are included in:

• Library and Archives Canada's electronic Theses Canada Portal
• Harriet Irving Library Archives & Special Collections
• UNB Scholar Digital Repository

Although your thesis will be shared publicly, keep in mind that you as author retain both copyright and ownership of your thesis. You have the right to request an embargo of public dissemination for a period of time (up to four years). All such requests for an embargo require a detailed justification to be attached to the Thesis Deposit Form. Request for embargo will be reviewed and considered for approval by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. Requests for extension of an embargo will generally not be considered, except in very exceptional circumstances accompanied by an additional pressing rationale. Like the original embargo, they will be reviewed and approved (or not) by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

• Campus Maps
• Campus Security
• Careers at UNB
• Services at UNB
• Conference Services
• Online & Continuing Ed

Contact UNB

• © University of New Brunswick
• Accessibility
• Web feedback

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Style Guide

You are here: american university provost office of graduate & professional studies graduate studies guide to electronic theses and dissertations electronic theses and dissertations style guide.

202-885-8210

[email protected]

Back to top

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Submission and Style Guide 2011 edition, Rev. 2013

Introduction.

Graduate students, in undertaking their theses and dissertations, embark upon the culminating research experience of their degree programs. The written thesis or dissertation reflects their commitment to scholarship and creative endeavor. After publication, the thesis or dissertation reflects the quality of research contributions made by American University. As such, American University maintains specific guidelines regarding the format and appearance of these documents. As a condition of graduation, each student's thesis or dissertation must be electronically submitted for inclusion in the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database, as well as American University's Digital Research Archive (AUDRA). Responsibilities, requirements, and procedures for the preparation, formatting, and submission of theses and dissertations are described in this guide, which complements the assistance given to students by their advisory committees and their schools or colleges. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the publishing guides issued by University Microfilms, Inc. (UMI) which publishes in microformat and online all theses and dissertations approved by American University. This guidebook is not intended to provide all details on writing and submitting a thesis or dissertation and is not to be used in place of a style guide--APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. For additional information, student writers of theses and dissertations should consult the designated advisors in their schools and colleges. These guidelines have been adapted from the 1995 American University Guide to the Preparation of Dissertations and Theses, as well as ETD Style Guides issued by the graduate schools at the University of Maryland and Stony Brook University.

Chapter Two: Student Responsibilities

There are several items students are responsible for addressing as part of the thesis or dissertation submission process. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these requirements during the proposal process. The student adheres to the University requirements for the preparation of theses and dissertations as described in this guide and prepares a thesis/dissertation acceptable to University Microfilms Incorporated (UMI), which is the publisher of American University theses and dissertations. This Guide outlines the University's formatting requirements for the dissertation or thesis, to be used in conjunction with the style guide appropriate to the student's discipline (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. or the Turabian* manual, which is the default style guide for the University ) and UMI's "Preparing Your Manuscript for Submission," available on the UMI submission site at http://www.etdadmin.com/UMI_PreparingYourManuscriptGuide.pdf . The student should not use a previously published American University dissertation or thesis as a model. Format requirements may have changed, and the model may not be appropriate for the student's discipline or needs. Please note that the formatting requirements in this guide supersede guidelines in any other style manual. Students may wish to use the MS Word or LaTeX ETD templates that the University has provided. *Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007. (Available in the American University Library reference collection, call no. LB2369 .T8 2007.) The student complies with U.S. copyright law with respect to using previously published material in the thesis/dissertation and documents permission from copyright owners when needed. The fair use doctrine under U.S. copyright law provides for some exceptions to the exclusive rights of a copyright holder, but does not provide absolute guidelines. Students should perform a fair use analysis for any copyrighted material they wish to include and seek permission from the author if fair use does not seem to apply.   The student adheres to the University's published policies and procedures regarding research compliance (human subjects, animal subjects, hazardous materials, etc.) and Responsible Conduct of Research training. For more information regarding the University's research policies and necessary training, please see http://www.american.edu/research/index.cfm. The student makes modifications to the thesis/dissertation as required by the thesis/dissertation chair and other committee members and makes any formatting changes required by the school. The student must submit the final document, including committee-ordered revisions to the school on or before the published submission deadline. However, formatting changes requested by the school may be completed after the published submission deadline.  

Chapter Three: Formatting Requirements

American University now accepts theses and dissertations in electronic format only. These formatting guidelines focus on creating an electronic file that meets the standards of the University and ProQuest Information and Learning.

Formatting Resources

The university has provided thesis and dissertation templates for users of MS Word and LaTeX. Instructions for formatting in MS Word without a template are also available.

Basic Requirements

The final electronic file that the student submits to the school or college must meet the following criteria:

• Be submitted in PDF format.
• Have acceptable font, margins, line spacing, page numbering and page layout.
• Contain all required elements, in the order described below.
• Tables of contents and lists of tables and illustrations (if needed) must be complete and accurate.

File Format

ProQuest requires that thesis and dissertation text be submitted as a single PDF document, without password protection, digital signature, or security settings that would prevent printing the document. Before the document is converted to PDF, fonts must be embedded. Microsoft Word (.doc) and Rich Text Format (.rtf) files are easily convertible to PDF documents using conversion utilities provided by Adobe ( http://www.adobe.com ) and on the ProQuest thesis submission site ( www.etdadmin.com/american ). It is also possible to convert a Word file to PDF within MS Word. As ProQuest publishes the PDF received from the student without altering it in any way, the student should carefully review the PDF to ensure that it corresponds to his/her original document.

A single font should be used throughout the entire thesis or dissertation, including text, captions, references, labels and headings. Fonts must be embedded in the document. ProQuest requires TrueType fonts, which will retain their look if a reader chooses to scale the document up or down for viewing. The University recommends 10 point Arial or 12 point Times New Roman. Italic, script and ornamental fonts should not be used, except when italics are allowed for non-English words and quotations. A longer list of recommended fonts and sizes can be found in UMI's "Preparing Your Manuscript" guide: http://www.etdadmin.com/UMI_PreparingYourManuscriptGuide.pdf. Tables, captions, and footnotes should appear in the same font as the body of the text, but can be in a smaller size, not less than 10 point. Chapter and section headings may, if the student wishes, be up to 3 points larger than the main font size, but no larger than 14 point.

All pages must have margins of no less than one inch on all sides (left, right, top and bottom). Margins may be wider, but not narrower than one inch. Margins must be consistent throughout the document, except for chapter title pages, which may have wider top margins, up to two inches if desired. If chapter title page margins differ, they must be consistent across all major heading pages. Text may be either left-justified on all pages, leaving a ragged right margin, or full-justified, which will leave even margins on both sides.

Line Spacing

All text must be double-spaced, with the following exceptions (these are optional, but may enhance the readability of your document):

• Quotations that are longer than 4 lines may be indented and single-spaced.
• Scholarly references-footnotes, endnotes, bibliography or list of references-may be single-spaced, but double-spaced between entries.
• Within the text, headings, captions and table titles of two or more lines may be single-spaced.
• A triple-space may be used before subheadings within the document.

Paragraphs should be indented from the left margin.

Page Number Placement

Page numbers should be placed within the margins, at least three-fourths of an inch from the edge of the page, either at the bottom center, bottom right, or the top right of each page. If the student chooses the top right, s/he may place the page number at the bottom center when beginning a new chapter. Otherwise, the student should maintain a consistent page-number placement throughout the manuscript. On landscape-oriented pages containing graphs, figures, photos, or illustrations, the student may suppress page numbering if s/he wishes. Otherwise, the page number should be placed in the same location as on portrait-oriented pages.

Widows and Orphans

It is possible to set Word to avoid "widows and orphans," which are single lines at the end of a paragraph appearing on the top of a new page and headings or subheadings appearing on the last line of a page, with the content beginning on the next page. These are not prohibited, but avoiding them will improve the professional appearance and readability of the document.

Document Order

The formal elements of the thesis or dissertation are listed here. Specific formatting requirements for the Title Page, Copyright Page, and Table of Contents are listed in the sections below; other pages must adhere to the basic formatting requirements detailed in the above section (font, margins, justification, etc.).

The required order for the thesis/dissertation is:

• Title page (required, non-numbered)
• Copyright statement (recommended, not numbered)
• Dedication (optional, not numbered)
• Abstract (required, start page numbering on this page with lower-case Roman numeral ii)
• Preface or Foreword (optional, lower-case Roman)
• Acknowledgements (optional, lower-case Roman)
• Table of Contents (required, lower-case Roman)
• List of Tables (required if present, lower-case Roman)
• List of Illustrations (required if present, lower-case Roman)
• Body of Text (required, all numbered, Arabic numerals, beginning with 1 on first page of chapter 1)
• Appendices (if any, numbered, Arabic)
• References or Bibliography (usually required, numbered, Arabic)

Each chapter must begin on a new page and all pages must be numbered consecutively (consecutive lower-case roman numerals for the abstract through the list of illustrations and, starting over with page 1 for the first page of the first chapter, consecutive Arabic numerals for the rest of the document). The document must not contain any blank pages.

The title page MUST include the following information.

• The full title of the thesis / dissertation, typed in all capital letters and centered on the page.
• The word "By" and the student's name as it appears in university records, centered on the page below the title.
• A standard degree statement centered on the page, below the student's name (see sample page in Appendix A for proper wording). Master's degree candidates should use the word "thesis" and doctoral candidates should use the word "dissertation."
• An alphabetical list of all members of the thesis/dissertation committee, but with the Chair first (If a member is of any professorial rank, use the title "Professor"; if not, use "Dr." or other title as appropriate). Each name should be typed immediately below a signature line and the list should appear on the right side of the document, below the degree statement.
• The words "Dean of" [student's school or college], typed below a signature line and above a line for the date the page was signed. This should appear on the left side of the document, below the committee names.
• The year (not month or day) the student's degree will be granted, and the words American University, Washington D.C. 20016, centered at the bottom of the page.

Except for the title, which must be in all capital letters, the first letter of each word should be capitalized, except for articles and prepositions.

Copyright Page

Students who choose to register their copyright with the Library of Congress through UMI must include a copyright page in their documents. Students who do not choose to register their copyright are also encouraged to include a copyright page in order to indicate that they have reserved all rights to the work, but are not required to do so. The copyright page should include a copyright statement, the student's name and the year of graduation recorded on the thesis or dissertation title page.

The abstract provides a summary of the thesis/dissertation. Abstracts include a statement of the problem, a summary of methods or procedures, the results, and the conclusions. (Contents may vary according to discipline.) The abstract must be in English. Mathematical formulas, diagrams, and other illustrative materials are not recommended for the abstract.

Although the university does not place a word limit on the abstract, students should be aware of the word limits in UMI's Dissertations and Theses Abstracts indexes. Abstracts of any length will appear complete in ProQuest's Online Dissertations and Theses database; however there are word limits for the print indexes. Abstracts for the master's thesis that exceed 150 words will be truncated in the print index, as will abstracts for doctoral dissertations that exceed 350 words. If the student wishes to ensure that the entire abstract appears in the print index, s/he can choose to adhere to UMI's word limits.

The abstract page should include the title of the thesis or dissertation, centered in all capital letters at the top of the page, the author's name (centered), the word "ABSTRACT" (centered) and then the body of the abstract (left or full-justified). See Appendix A for an example.

Table of Contents

A table of contents is required in all theses and dissertations. At minimum, the table of contents must list all front matter from the abstract forward (except for the table of contents), each chapter title and all end matter (appendices, references). If desired, one or two levels of sub-headings may also be included, but must be included consistently (i.e. if one first-level subheading is listed, all first-level subheadings must be listed). Chapter subheadings may be single-spaced, but double?spacing must be used between chapters or major sections. Dot leaders may be used or not, as desired. Most software?generated tables of contents would be acceptable.

Please note that the numbering of the entries in the table of contents must be consistent with any numbering system used in the text. Thus, if the student numbers subheadings within Chapter 1 as 1.1, 1.2, and so on, this same numbering must be used in the table of contents. It is not necessary to number or label subheadings, however. Pagination in the table of contents must accurately correspond to pagination in the text, and headings should be worded in the table of contents exactly as they are worded in the text. Also the page numbers printed in the table of contents must be flush right. Appendix A contains a sample table of contents.

List of Tables/List of Illustrations

If the thesis or dissertation contains at least one figure or one table, the appropriate list or lists must be present. These lists should be formatted in the same fashion as the table of contents. A table includes written material or data, whereas a figure refers to non?textual illustrative material. Unless the Style Guide directs otherwise, student should use the table and figure captions from the text to identify these in the list. All captions and numbering must correspond exactly to those within the text.

The body of the thesis / dissertation should be typed continuously (except in cases where breaks are necessary to avoid widows and orphans), double-spaced, with each new chapter beginning on a fresh page. If desired for style reasons, the chapter title may be typed no more than three inches from the top of the page, and may be typed in a font size not more than three points larger than the base font size and no larger than 14 point.

Headings and subheadings used in the document must be formatted and labeled in a clear and consistent manner. Each level of heading or subheading should be formatted in a manner distinct from the other heading levels and the same formatting used for that level of heading throughout the document. The student should consult his/her chosen style guide for an appropriate scheme. The AU Heading styles found in the AU Microsoft Word templates, which are drawn from the Turabian manual, are always acceptable.

Charts, Graphs, Tables and Figures (Illustrations)

All illustrations must be numbered consecutively (with tables separately numbered) and should be placed as close as possible to the text that refers to them, within 1-3 pages. The student should consult his/her style manual for a consistent numbering and identification system. Illustrations and tables must be listed in the preliminary pages. All illustrations must fit within the appropriate page margins. If illustrations fall outside the margins, they should be re-sized to fit. Figure captions should be consistent with the body of the thesis / dissertation text-these, like footnotes, can be 2 points smaller than the text, but no smaller than 10 point. Figures and tables may be placed on landscape pages, if necessary, and tables may be split across multiple pages if the entire table cannot be placed on a single page. Whenever possible, however, figures and tables should fit on one page. Students should be aware that all colors will be reproduced as gray in the microform copy of the thesis or dissertation and take care to choose colors that will convert well to grayscale.

Supplementary Materials

Supplementary materials, such as audio, video, spreadsheets or computer programs, can be submitted as supplementary files during the online submission process. Media files should not be embedded in the PDF. For acceptable file formats, see the guide "Preparing Your Manuscript for Submission" available at http://www.etdadmin.com/UMI_PreparingYourManuscriptGuide.pdf . A description of each supplementary file should be included in the abstract.

Chapter Four: Submission Process

The student should submit the final version of his/her thesis or dissertation as early as possible during the semester in which s/he expects to graduate and must do so by the final submission deadline listed on the ETD website in order to qualify for the degree in that semester.

In order for the thesis or dissertation submission to be considered complete, the student must submit via the ETD Administrator site a PDF file of the thesis or dissertation containing the title page signed by the student's committee members and the Dean of the school or college. (See Appendix B for instructions on how to prepare the PDF.):

Outline of Submission Process

Please consult staff in your school or college for more information regarding the submission process, as order of steps may vary.

1. Student submits or defends thesis or dissertation to committee.

2. Student makes any content revisions required by the committee and finalizes document formatting.

3. Committee approves final version of thesis or dissertation regarding content. Student submits document to school for formatting review via the online submission system, following the instructions in the next section of this guide.

4. Student collects committee members' signatures on a printed copy of the thesis title page. This may be done in person at the time of defense or may be coordinated following approval-see school or college for details.

5. Student drops the title page off at the school or college for Dean's signature.

6. Student scans signed title page and merges the page into thesis or dissertation PDF document. After making all formatting changes required by the school, student uploads completed thesis or dissertation document via online submission system.

Instructions for Online Document Submission

American University students are required to submit their completed theses or dissertations to ProQuest/UMI via UMI's electronic submission site.

Before beginning the electronic submission process, the student should make sure that his/her file is in PDF format (if not, the student will have an opportunity to convert the file to PDF on the submission site) and that it meets the formatting guidelines detailed in this document.

Students are required to submit their thesis or dissertation to the school or college one month before the final submission deadline to allow adequate time for formatting review. Students generally should not submit their thesis or dissertation online before it has been approved or successfully defended. However, if the defense cannot be scheduled before the formatting review submission deadline, the student may submit a draft version.

• Go to American University's UMI ETD submission site: http://www.etdadmin.com/american
• Create an Account. The student should click on "My Account," located on the left side of the site's home page. S/he will be prompted to enter an email address and other information. After the student enters this information, a password will be emailed to the account s/he specifies.
• Log In. Once the student has created an account, s/he can log in and begin the submission process.
• Word to PDF conversion. If the student has not already created a PDF document, s/he can do so using Proquest's Word to PDF conversion tool, located on the left side of the site. The student should review the resulting PDF carefully to make sure that it matches the source document.

Submission Agreement. On this page, the student will select publishing options both for ProQuest/UMI and the American University Digital Repository. For more information about these options, see Chapter 5. The student should select the desired publishing type and other publishing options from UMI. To delay the release of the thesis or dissertation through UMI and/or the AU Digital Repository, the student should select this option in the "Delaying the Release of Your Work" section and choose his/her reason for doing so from the drop-down menu.

If the student has been approved for a permanent embargo, s/he should select one of the delayed release options in the menu and, in the "Notes to Administrator" box, type a note requesting that the work be placed under permanent embargo in ProQuest and/or the AU Digital Repository. The staff reviewing the submission will then apply the permanent embargo(es) and the student will receive an email confirmation of the change.

After completing this page, the student must view and accept both the UMI and AU Digital Repository publishing agreements.

Contact Information The student should enter current and future contact information in the spaces provided. It is imperative that this information be as accurate as possible, as AU or ProQuest staff may need to contact the student regarding the thesis or dissertation after the student leaves the University.

Dissertation/Thesis Details. In this section, the student will enter information regarding his/her thesis or dissertation, such as the title, abstract, degree earned, and names of committee members. The student will also choose ProQuest index terms and keywords to help researchers find the thesis or dissertation. The information entered here will not be edited by ProQuest. If the abstract contains special characters, the student will need to code these according to the instructions on the site to ensure that they display properly.

Copyright Application. For a fee, ProQuest can register the copyright on a thesis or dissertation with the United States Copyright Office on the student's behalf. The student must either accept or decline this option before the submission can be completed. The $55 registration fee can be paid by credit card as part of the submission process. See Chapter 5 for more information about thesis and dissertation copyright. Note: If the student chooses to register copyright through ProQuest s/he is required to include a copyright notice in his/her document.

Order Bound Copies. If desired, the student may order bound copies of the thesis or dissertation.

• After completing these steps, the student must click submit on the final "Submit" page.
• The student will receive a system-generated email confirming submission of the ETD. The school or college will also receive an email notification regarding the submission. After reviewing the document, staff from the school or college will notify the student if formatting revisions are required or if the format has been accepted. The submission will be unlocked to allow the student to upload a new file with the signed title page and any required formatting changes. The student must log in using the log-in and password chosen when the account was created and click on the "Revise" link on the home page. After the thesis/dissertation has been submitted, no revisions may be made to the content of the document without notifying the school. The only changes that are permitted are those related to format as directed by the school or college. Students should be aware that the version with the signed title page will be considered final and submitted to UMI without further notice to the student unless corrections are required by the school.

Chapter Five: Copyright and Publishing Options

This chapter includes information about ProQuest/UMI, the AU Digital Research Archive (AUDRA) and the publishing restrictions students can choose during the submission process. This chapter also contains information about the copyright issues related to theses and dissertations. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with this information during the proposal stage and begin doing the necessary research to make informed decisions during the submission stage.

During the submission process, and as a condition of graduation, students are required to enter into publishing agreements with ProQuest/UMI and the AU Digital Research Archive. The UMI Publishing agreement and AU Digital Research Archive license agreement are both non-exclusive licenses. The student grants American University and ProQuest a one-time, non-exclusive right to archive, release, and reprint the thesis or dissertation. The student retains all rights to publish and re-use his/her work elsewhere in the future, and can put restrictions on the release of his/her materials.

After the thesis or dissertation has been approved by the school or college, it is sent to ProQuest/UMI for inclusion in ProQuest's Dissertations and Theses database. (A record of the thesis will be searchable in the database. Depending upon restrictions chosen by the student, either a 24-page preview or the full-text of the thesis or dissertation will also be visible in the database.) A microform copy will be sent to the American University Library, where it will be made available to interested researchers for on-site use. An electronic copy will also be sent to the AU Digital Research Archive.

Publication Agreements and Options

ProQuest/UMI Agreement

ProQuest/UMI maintains, through an arrangement with the Library of Congress, the bibliographic record for master's theses and doctoral dissertations dating back to 1861. This is done through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses (PQDT) database, a popular research tool to which many university libraries, including the American University Library, subscribe. The database includes 2.7 million thesis and dissertation citations, including 1.2 million full-text theses and dissertations. Nearly 700 institutions submit titles to the database, including every accredited doctoral degree granting institution in North America.

The ProQuest/UMI publishing agreement allows the student to choose between two types of publication and, if desired, to apply for delayed release (or "embargo") of the document and/or other distribution restrictions. These choices are explained here.

Publication Types

• Traditional Publishing -This type of publishing allows ProQuest/UMI to sell copies of the thesis or dissertation and pay a portion of the proceeds to the author. ProQuest will host the work and offer it for sale through its database, offering a free 24-page preview to subscribers. The author is entitled to receive a royalty payment of 10% of all income ProQuest Information and Learning receives from the sale of the work, payable when the accrued royalties reach $25.00 (provided they do so within 25 years of publication). This option is free to students who submit electronically.
• Open Access Publishing -The full text of a thesis or dissertation published under this option will be made freely available to anyone with an Internet connection as part of the PQDT Open Access database. ProQuest/UMI may also sell copies of the work, but the author will not be eligible to receive royalties from these sales. ProQuest/UMI charges $95 for this option. Open Access distribution is available to all AU students through the American University Digital Research Archive at no additional cost.

Embargoes and Restrictions

• Embargoes -Students have the option of placing an embargo on their work. This means that the record of the work will appear in the ProQuest database, but the preview will not be visible and the work will not be available for sale until the embargo expires. Students may choose from the following embargo options during the submission process: 6 months, 1 year and 2 years. Permanent embargoes require the approval of the Dean of the student's school or college. Students who wish to request a permanent embargo should notify the ETD contact for their school or college.
• Restrictions -Students can choose to restrict ProQuest from sharing data about their thesis or dissertation with search engines such as Google. Students may wish to consider embargoes in the following circumstances: 1. Student has patents pending based on research outlined in his/her thesis or dissertation. 2. Thesis or dissertation contains sensitive or classified information. 3. Accessibility of thesis or dissertation may interfere with an existing or potential publishing agreement. (Note: It is important for students to speak with potential publishers and read the publishing agreements in order to know if posting the work elsewhere will interfere with the agreement. Many publishers take the view that works based on theses and dissertations differ so substantially from the works on which they are based that posting the thesis or dissertation elsewhere will not hurt the market for the book or article.) 4. Granting agency for research funds or primary investigator for research project may require delayed release.

AU Library Digital Research Archive Agreement

In order to support the common interest in broad, rapid and affordable dissemination of peer-reviewed literature shared by scholars and their institutions, American University Library hosts the Open Access Digital Research Archive. This repository serves as a means to archive and disseminate scholarly works, teaching tools and other literature produced by AU faculty and students. The AU Digital Research Archive makes files-including theses and dissertations-available via the Internet, with permanent URLs. Descriptive information on the available documents is distributed freely to search engines. A student may block access to his/her work by requesting an embargo. During the embargo period, the AU Digital Research Archive will contain a record of the work (title, author, abstract), but the full-text will not be accessible. In addition to choosing from the same embargo options offered through ProQuest, students can opt to make the work campus-accessible only, meaning that the item can only be viewed by authenticated AU users. Requests for permanent embargo require the Dean's approval.

Potential benefits of Open Access publishing include:

• The student's research can be found, read, and used by a global audience, including scholarly colleagues and potential publishers and employers.
• The student's research can be found by most popular search engines, such as Google or Yahoo, as well as through special repository search engines.
• Increased accessibility to the student's research may increase the likelihood of it being cited.
• Access to the student's work is maintained with a permanent URL, to which the student can refer and link from a CV, email messages, or web pages.

Resources for Students Making Publication Decisions

Students can consult many resources to help them make decisions regarding publication and copyright. Students may find it helpful to speak with mentors in their field. It is expected that students and committee chairs will discuss and reach mutual agreement regarding which embargo option, if any, the student will select. If a student's thesis/dissertation research is externally funded, the student should check with the funding source to determine if that source has any requirements or restrictions with regard to publication. For example, a student may be required to provide open access to the research if it is publicly funded, or to delay access for a certain period of time. If a student has previously published a portion of the thesis or dissertation, s/he should carefully review the existing publishing agreements to determine if it will be necessary to delay publication through ProQuest or the AU Digital Research Archive. A student who hopes to publish a work derived from his/her thesis or dissertation in the future should ask potential publishers about their policies regarding publishing works based on theses and dissertations that are available elsewhere.

Copyright Information

Copyright protects creative and intellectual original works of authorship including (but not limited to) books, journals, photographs, art, music, sound recordings, computer programs, websites, motion pictures, dance choreography, and architecture. A student's thesis or dissertation will be protected by copyright and may also involve the use of other copyrighted works. A student will need to consider how to manage his/her own copyright and will also need to ensure that s/he is not violating anyone else's copyright.

Copyright Protection for Theses and Dissertations

Copyright is an automatic protection for any "original work of authorship" that is "fixed in a tangible medium of expression." A student's thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright as soon as s/he writes it, whether or not the student chooses to include a copyright notice on the work, or register it with the U.S. Copyright Office. However, registering with the Copyright Office does offer additional protection, such as allowing the author to collect statutory damages in case of a successful infringement lawsuit. The copyright notice makes clear the name of the copyright holder to anyone who would like to request permission to use portions of a work.

If desired, the student may register his/her thesis or dissertation copyright directly through the U.S. Copyright Office or through University Microfilms for a fee during the electronic submission process.

Copyright Compliance in the Thesis/Dissertation

A student who wishes to use material created by another author in his/her thesis or dissertation must conduct an analysis to determine if the intended use qualifies as fair use or if permission is required. The fair use doctrine under U.S. copyright law provides for some exceptions to the exclusive rights of a copyright holder, but does not provide absolute guidelines as to what constitutes fair use. A fair use analysis takes into account the nature of the use (whether it is for commercial, or non-profit educational use), the nature of the copyrighted work, the proportion of the use in relation to the work as a whole, and the effect of the use on the potential market of the copyrighted work. Students can use the fair use checklist developed by Kenneth Crews of the Columbia University Copyright Advisory Office to perform a fair use analysis.

The student certifies by accepting the UMI and American University Digital Research Archive publishing agreements that s/he is not infringing or violating the rights of other authors. Accordingly, the student must obtain written permission from the copyright owner if s/he uses portions of a work that exceed fair use guidelines.

Letters of permission are also required for: Poems, Song lyrics, Musical scores, Surveys or portions of surveys, Standardized tests, Questionnaires/Responses to Questionnaires, Materials already reproduced in another work, Interviews, Letters, Speeches, Previously published portions of the thesis/dissertation, and Trademarks or logos.

Letters or permission are strongly recommended for: Maps, Tables, Figures, Charts, Cartoons, Newspaper articles, Illustrations, Photographs, Sounds files, and Video clips.

If the thesis or dissertation includes continuous or extensive quotes from a particular author, especially in such fields as fiction, drama, poetry, or criticism; or if it includes reproduced maps, charts, statistical tables, or other similar materials that have been copyrighted, the student must write to the copyright owner(s), describe the use to which s/he is putting the material, and request permission to include it in the thesis or dissertation. This practice also applies if the student cites his/her own published work(s) and his/her publisher holds the copyright.

Other important permission-related copyright scenarios include the following:

• If the student's published material lists a co-author, and if the co-author is listed by reason of having directed and supervised the research that serves as the basis of the thesis or dissertation, only the student's name should be listed as the author in the preliminary pages of the thesis or dissertation. The Acknowledgments section should state, "The text of this (thesis/dissertation) (in part/in full) is a reprint of the materials as it appears in (names of publications). The co-author(s) listed in the publication(s) directed and supervised the research that forms the basis for this thesis or dissertation."
• Copyright by (name of author/copyright owner)
• Copyright Registration Number (obtain this number from copyright certificate)
• Year copyright was obtained
• For the master's thesis or doctoral dissertation: when the copyright owner(s) is someone other than the student, a written statement from the copyright owner(s) is submitted when the thesis/dissertation is filed, granting the student permission to use the copyrighted material and authorizing American University and ProQuest/UMI to reproduce the material by photocopy or in microfilms on a one-at-a-time basis.

Each letter of permission must give permission to the thesis/dissertation author to use the materials, University Microfilms to sell copies of the thesis/dissertation containing those materials, and American University to make the thesis/dissertation containing those materials freely available via the World Wide Web. Copies of permission letters must be submitted by the student to UMI as specified in the guide " Preparing Your Manuscript for Submission " except when such letters must be retained to maintain confidentiality of survey or questionnaire respondents. In the latter case it is acceptable to submit a letter informing University Microfilms that the letters of permission are in the author's possession. University Microfilms will not publish thesis/dissertation pages containing material for which permission is not available.

The waiting period for obtaining requested letters of permission may be lengthy, and the thesis/dissertation author is advised to begin this process early. Sending a letter that includes a form with signature and date lines to the copyright owner may expedite the process.

See sample letter to copyright owner in Appendix C.

Copyright Resources

There are several excellent websites with information that can help students understand the copyright and fair use policies that affect their theses and dissertations. Some recommended websites include:

United States Copyright Office

Columbia University Library, Copyright Advisory Office

Boston College Copyright LibGuides

• Dissertation and Embargo Guidelines

• Graduate School
• Current Students
• Dissertation & Thesis Preparation

Formatting Requirements

Page layout, margins and numbering.

Your scholarly approach may call for a different presentational method. These are the requirements and recommendations for text-based theses.

For a text-based thesis, or the text portions of a thesis, the page size must be 8.5" x 11", and the text must be in a single, page-wide column. Do not use two or more columns in your thesis.

The text of the thesis is written in paragraph form.

• the first line of each paragraph should be indented, OR
• there should be a larger space between paragraphs than there is between lines.

Each chapter should generally start at the top of a new page.

Left: 1.25 inches (32 mm) is recommended if you intend to bind copies of your thesis; 1 inch minimum.

Right, top, and bottom: 1 inch recommended; 0.75 inches (19 mm) minimum

Page Numbering

Preliminary pages:.

• must be numbered in lower case Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv, etc.)
• the title page is "i" but this number must not appear on the page
• numbering begins at "ii" on the committee page
• the first page of the abstract is page iii

Body of thesis:

• must be numbered in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.)
• the first page of the text is "1"
• subsequent pages are numbered continuously throughout, including pages with tables and figures, bibliographies, appendices, and index

Whole thesis:

• every page except the title page must have a number on it
• there must be no blank pages in the thesis.

Page numberS:

• must be placed at least .5 inches (12 mm) from the edge of the page
• may be either in the lower centre or on the top or lower right of the page, when the page is viewed in portrait view. Lower right is preferred.

Landscape Pages

Landscape pages must be orientated in your PDF so that they are readable without rotation. You do not need to change the location or orientation of the page number, but may if you wish.

Facing Pages

Facing pages are not acceptable; you must use one-sided layout and pagination. If the caption for a figure, table, etc., cannot appear on the same page as its accompanying illustration, place the illustration on a separate page after the caption.

• Why Grad School at UBC?
• Graduate Degree Programs
• Application & Admission
• Info Sessions
• Research Supervisors
• Research Projects
• Indigenous Students
• International Students
• Tuition, Fees & Cost of Living
• Newly Admitted
• Student Status & Classification
• Student Responsibilities
• Supervision & Advising
• Managing your Program
• Health, Wellbeing and Safety
• Professional Development
• Final Doctoral Exam
• Final Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Life in Vancouver
• Vancouver Campus
• Graduate Student Spaces
• Graduate Life Centre
• Life as a Grad Student
• Graduate Student Ambassadors
• Meet our Students
• Award Opportunities
• Award Guidelines
• Minimum Funding Policy for PhD Students
• Killam Awards & Fellowships
• Policies & Procedures
• Information for Supervisors
• Dean's Message
• Leadership Team
• Strategic Plan & Priorities
• Vision & Mission
• Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
• Initiatives, Plans & Reports
• Graduate Education Analysis & Research
• Media Enquiries
• Newsletters
• Giving to Graduate Studies

Strategic Priorities

• Strategic Plan 2019-2024
• Improving Student Funding
• Promoting Excellence in Graduate Programs
• Enhancing Graduate Supervision
• Advancing Indigenous Inclusion
• Supporting Student Development and Success
• Reimagining Graduate Education
• Enriching the Student Experience

Initiatives

• Public Scholars Initiative
• 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
• PhD Career Outcomes
• Great Supervisor Week

Theses: Thesis format

• Description
• Thesis format
• Parts and content
• Tools for finding and managing information
• How to find theses
• Thesis' deposit
• Publication of the thesis in TDX
• Declaration by the author: step by step instructions
• Doctoral theses completed at UPF Aquest enllaç s'obre en una finestra nova

ca  | es  | en

These edition and format guidelines are compulsory , unless otherwise stated.

Recommended word processors

• Formats and templates

Paper and binding

Type and font size, margins and paragraphs.

• Microsoft Word 
• Open Office writer 
• LaTeX 

Thesis can be presented in either of these formats:

• B5 format (ISO 176 mm x 250 mm) [Recommended]
• DIN A4 format

The templates are just examples , the only compulsory requirements are the ones in this procedure.

• B5 Word template
• B5 Open Office template
• B5 Latex template
• A4 Word template
• A4 Open Office template
• A4 Latex template
• The paper should preferably be recycled (80-100 g) and must be printed on both sides
• For the cover, we recommend you use card of approximately 300 g and apply a laminate gloss finish
• The binding technique used should be perfect binding (with adhesive)

In order to print on paper to ISO B5 size (176 mm x 250 mm) you can use A4 paper and guillotine it to B5 size:  The side margins need to be trimmed by 1.7 cm and the bottom margin by 4.7 cm. 

• Times New Roman
• Arial (preferably in upper case)
• Epigraphs, chapter titles and section titles: 14 points.
• 11 or 12 points
• single or 1.5 spacing
• ​Image captions and footnotes: 10 points.
• The margins cannot be used for footnotes.
• The first line of the paragraph should not be indented. However, indentation can be used in some cases, for example for quotations.
• There should be a one-line space between paragraphs.
• If you want to separate the footnotes, you can do so in Word as follows: Format > Paragraph > Indents and space> After > 5 pt.
• ​top and bottom margins: 2,5 cm
• ​side margins (left and right): 3 cm
• Top, bottom and side margins must be 3 cm

The academic regulations  on doctoral studies indicate:

Article 13. Language of writing and defence of the doctoral thesis "The thesis may be written and defended in any of the languages commonly used in scientific communication in the relevant field of knowledge. If the language of writing and defence of the thesis is not Catalan, Spanish or English, the doctoral student must notify the academic committee of the doctoral programme of this beforehand."

The cover and the title page must show, in Catalan, the words  "TESI DOCTORAL UPF / year of presentation" and "Directors de la tesi"

• << Anterior: Writing and editing your thesis
• Següent: Cover >>
• Darrera actualització: Jan 26, 2024 2:30 PM
• URL: https://guiesbibtic.upf.edu/tesis/eng

• Research, Partnerships and Innovation
• Postgraduate Research Hub
• Thesis and Examination: The Code of Practice

Formatting and binding

Guidelines on the formatting and binding of doctoral theses.

Printed theses are normally A4 in size. Alternative sizes may be permitted where there is good academic reason (for example where the thesis includes a design portfolio) and with the prior approval of the supervisor.

Single spacing throughout the body of the text is acceptable and is essential for indented quotations and footnotes, but double or 1.5 spacing may be more easily readable for 11pt or 12pt text and is more commonly used. Print copies may be required, therefore margins at the binding edge should be not less than 20mm and other margins not less than 15mm. Where a print copy of the thesis is required, it should preferably be printed double-sided.

Pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis, including pages containing diagrams, figures, illustrations, appendices and references. Figures or images included within the thesis must be of sufficient size and clarity as to be legible.

Thesis titles should be concise. Theses should normally be word-processed, and good printing quality is essential. Other options, e.g. LaTeX may be used, where appropriate to the discipline.

Format of the title page and outside cover

The title page must include the following

• the full title of the thesis
• the author's name in full
• the degree for which the thesis is being submitted
• the department in which the work has been carried out
• the date (month and year) of submission

The front cover must show

• the name 'University of Sheffield' and logo
• the initials and surname of the author
• the degree for which the thesis is submitted
• the year of submission
• the volume number (if the thesis comprises more than one volume)

Thesis summary

It is a regulatory requirement that the thesis should include a summary or abstract, which should not exceed 300 words in length. 

Thesis binding

Should the student require a hard copy of the thesis, Print and Creative Services provides a thesis printing and binding service using a channel binding system. There are three binding packages available for theses, which include comb, wiro and hard binding and include a CD copy. All packages meet university regulations for thesis first submissions and resubmissions.

Hard binding has your details (e.g. name of student, title of thesis and date of submission) gold foiled onto the cover of the document. Full details of the three options, including prices, are available from Print and Creative Services.

It is recommended that 100gsm A4 paper is used (although 80gsm is acceptable). The maximum thickness of a bound volume is 35mm with covers (or 32mm without covers). Therefore, if the unbound copy of a student’s thesis is more than 32mm thick, the thesis will have to be bound into two volumes. Where two or more volumes are required, normal practice is for the bibliography and/or appendices to form the second volume. In such cases, the thesis will require two title pages, which specify ‘Volume 1’ and ‘Volume 2’ respectively; however, only one contents page is required in Volume 1.

If amendments are required after the oral examination has been held, volumes can be rebound by Print and Creative Services following insertion of new pages (RE bind cost applies).

Before submitting work for binding, students are advised to make sure that the material is in good order, as pages are bound strictly in the order in which they are delivered. Items for rebinding should have the new pages inserted by the author.

Binding work is usually completed within 2-3 working days of acceptance. However, at busier times it may not be possible to complete all work within the normal timescale. Students are advised to present their work in good time for binding or alteration. Under certain circumstances Print and Creative Services provides a same day/24-hour service; however, this incurs an extra charge per copy. Further information can be found on the Print and Creative Services site.

Print and Creative Services

Example of a thesis format (Word, 63KB)

Related information

myPrint online ordering

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?

In need of a unbound copy of your thesis or dissertation?

Printing Theses and Dissertations at the Copy Center:

Printing your thesis at the Copy Center ensures there is no issue with the printer, paper or payment to interfere with your print job.  

There are several ways to send your document:

• Submit it for printing via the Copy Center Digital Store Front. Pay via credit card..
• Email your pdf file to Copy Center  [email protected] . Be sure to send it from your my.fit.edu email account.
• Bring your document on your flash drive to the Copy Center.

Walk-in payments include cash, credit card or Panther Cash.

Printing costs 10¢ per page for black and white and 40¢ per page for color. Tax will be charged for your print job.

Thesis envelopes are available to purchase in person for one dollar.

The Copy Center is located in the Academic Quad 406, Room 122

321-674-7477

Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Want to Bind your Thesis or Dissertation?

• Student Guide to Binding your Thesis or Dissertation

Binding your thesis or dissertation is not required.   

Once your thesis has been accepted and approved by the Office of Graduate Programs you may submit your thesis to be bound via an online bindery.  While Florida Tech does not endorse a particular bindery, the following companies have experience working with theses and dissertations.  

Prices will vary by company, order specifications and shipping.   Please review the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) of each company online for more specific information about how to submit your order.  

If you have additional questions, please contact Nancy Garmer,  [email protected]  @ Evans Library.

Some questions to consider are:   

• How many copies would you like?  
• Is it a requirement of your sponsor to present a bound thesis upon return home?  
• How quickly do you need your bound copy?  
• Do you need international shipping? 
• Would you like to include your original signature page in your bound copy?  
• Is a scanned copy of your signature page OK?  

Most binding companies allow for the following customizations of your thesis:   

• Choice and color of cover  
• Paper type, size and quality  
• Single or double spacing 
• Color or black and white print 
• Spine lettering 
• Choice of front cover lettering  
• CD/DVD media pocket 

Florida Tech Copy Center  

• The Florida Tech Copy Center can bind your thesis with a soft cover spiral bind with a clear acetate front sheet.
• The Copy Center is in the Academic Quad, Building 406, Room 122.
• The document can be printed on 20lb, 24lb or 28lb paper.
• Students can order this product online at floridatech.edu/dsf .
• Pick-up time within three (3) days.

GradWorks Online  

• GradWorks Online will ship to multiple addresses as well as ship International Economy.  
• Only prints 8.5” x 11” with the inside pages slightly smaller.  
• Front cover lettering only.   
• Paper type is limited to standard or 25% cotton. 
• Starting price without shipping is $17.00.  
• GradWorks Online details.

PHD Book Binding

• Includes the choice to have The Florida Institute of Technology seal applied to the front cover .  Use the Gold Foil Emblem and Lettering menu to select Florida Tech’s university emblem.
• Username: 87discount and Password: $21016disc#
• On the top of the Checkout page, click the blue bar and enter coupon code : special5
• A sample bound thesis is available to review at the Library iDesk.
• If notified, PHD will hold binding until the signature pages arrive in the mail.  
• You may specify particular pages to be printed in color.  
• PHD Book Binding FAQ.

Thesis On Demand   

• Thesis On Demand ships to U.S. addresses only, no PO boxes.   
• Requires an extra order form and fee to mail original signature pages for inclusion.  
• A4 size paper can only be printed on White Vellum 60lb paper.  
• Binds in Buckram cloth only or leather (+$85.00). 
• Theses on Demand FAQs.
• << Previous: I'm ready to submit my electronic copy - now what do I do?
• Last Updated: Mar 25, 2024 10:53 AM
• URL: https://libguides.lib.fit.edu/formattingyourthesisanddissertationtoolstipstroubleshooting

• Privacy Policy

Buy Me a Coffee

Home » Thesis Format – Templates and Samples

Thesis Format – Templates and Samples

Table of contents.

Thesis Format

Thesis format refers to the structure and layout of a research thesis or dissertation. It typically includes several chapters, each of which focuses on a particular aspect of the research topic .

The exact format of a thesis can vary depending on the academic discipline and the institution, but some common elements include:

Introduction

Literature review, methodology.

The title page is the first page of a thesis that provides essential information about the document, such as the title, author’s name, degree program, university, and the date of submission. It is considered as an important component of a thesis as it gives the reader an initial impression of the document’s content and quality.

The typical contents of a title page in a thesis include:

• The title of the thesis: It should be concise, informative, and accurately represent the main topic of the research.
• Author’s name: This should be written in full and should be the same as it appears on official university records.
• Degree program and department: This should specify the type of degree (e.g., Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral) and the field of study (e.g., Computer Science, Psychology, etc.).
• University: The name of the university where the thesis is being submitted.
• Date of submission : The month and year of submission of the thesis.
• Other details that can be included on the title page include the name of the advisor, the name of the committee members, and any acknowledgments.

In terms of formatting, the title page should be centered horizontally and vertically on the page, with a consistent font size and style. The page margin for the title page should be at least 1 inch (2.54 cm) on all sides. Additionally, it is common practice to include the university logo or crest on the title page, and this should be placed appropriately.

Title of the Thesis in Title Case by Author’s Full Name in Title Case

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Department Name at the University Name

Month Year of Submission

An abstract is a brief summary of a thesis or research paper that provides an overview of the main points, methodology, and findings of the study. It is typically placed at the beginning of the document, after the title page and before the introduction.

The purpose of an abstract is to provide readers with a quick and concise overview of the research paper or thesis. It should be written in a clear and concise language, and should not contain any jargon or technical terms that are not easily understood by the general public.

Here’s an example of an abstract for a thesis:

Title: The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health among Adolescents

This study examines the impact of social media on mental health among adolescents. The research utilized a survey methodology and collected data from a sample of 500 adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years. The findings reveal that social media has a significant impact on mental health among adolescents, with frequent use of social media associated with higher levels of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. The study concludes that there is a need for increased awareness and education on the risks associated with excessive use of social media, and recommends strategies for promoting healthy social media habits among adolescents.

In this example, the abstract provides a concise summary of the thesis by highlighting the main points, methodology, and findings of the study. It also provides a clear indication of the significance of the study and its implications for future research and practice.

A table of contents is an essential part of a thesis as it provides the reader with an overview of the entire document’s structure and organization.

Here’s an example of how a table of contents might look in a thesis:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………………..1

A. Background of the Study………………………………………..1

B. Statement of the Problem……………………………………….2

C. Objectives of the Study………………………………………..3

D. Research Questions…………………………………………….4

E. Significance of the Study………………………………………5

F. Scope and Limitations………………………………………….6

G. Definition of Terms……………………………………………7

II. LITERATURE REVIEW. ………………………………………………8

A. Overview of the Literature……………………………………..8

B. Key Themes and Concepts………………………………………..9

C. Gaps in the Literature………………………………………..10

D. Theoretical Framework………………………………………….11

III. METHODOLOGY ……………………………………………………12

A. Research Design………………………………………………12

B. Participants and Sampling……………………………………..13

C. Data Collection Procedures…………………………………….14

D. Data Analysis Procedures………………………………………15

IV. RESULTS …………………………………………………………16

A. Descriptive Statistics…………………………………………16

B. Inferential Statistics…………………………………………17

V. DISCUSSION ………………………………………………………18

A. Interpretation of Results………………………………………18

B. Discussion of Finding s …………………………………………19

C. Implications of the Study………………………………………20

VI. CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………21

A. Summary of the Study…………………………………………..21

B. Limitations of the Study……………………………………….22

C. Recommendations for Future Research……………………………..23

REFERENCES …………………………………………………………….24

APPENDICES …………………………………………………………….26

As you can see, the table of contents is organized by chapters and sections. Each chapter and section is listed with its corresponding page number, making it easy for the reader to navigate the thesis.

The introduction is a critical part of a thesis as it provides an overview of the research problem, sets the context for the study, and outlines the research objectives and questions. The introduction is typically the first chapter of a thesis and serves as a roadmap for the reader.

Here’s an example of how an introduction in a thesis might look:

Introduction:

The prevalence of obesity has increased rapidly in recent decades, with more than one-third of adults in the United States being classified as obese. Obesity is associated with numerous adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Despite significant efforts to address this issue, the rates of obesity continue to rise. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between lifestyle behaviors and obesity in young adults.

The study will be conducted using a mixed-methods approach, with both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. The research objectives are to:

• Examine the relationship between lifestyle behaviors and obesity in young adults.
• Identify the key lifestyle factors that contribute to obesity in young adults.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of current interventions aimed at preventing and reducing obesity in young adults.

The research questions that will guide this study are:

• What is the relationship between lifestyle behaviors and obesity in young adults?
• Which lifestyle factors are most strongly associated with obesity in young adults?
• How effective are current interventions aimed at preventing and reducing obesity in young adults?

By addressing these research questions, this study aims to contribute to the understanding of the factors that contribute to obesity in young adults and to inform the development of effective interventions to prevent and reduce obesity in this population.

A literature review is a critical analysis and evaluation of existing literature on a specific topic or research question. It is an essential part of any thesis, as it provides a comprehensive overview of the existing research on the topic and helps to establish the theoretical framework for the study. The literature review allows the researcher to identify gaps in the current research, highlight areas that need further exploration, and demonstrate the importance of their research question.

April 9, 2023:

A search on Google Scholar for “Effectiveness of Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic” yielded 1,540 results. Upon reviewing the first few pages of results, it is evident that there is a significant amount of literature on the topic. A majority of the studies focus on the experiences and perspectives of students and educators during the transition to online learning due to the pandemic.

One recent study published in the Journal of Educational Technology & Society (Liu et al., 2023) found that students who were already familiar with online learning tools and platforms had an easier time adapting to online learning than those who were not. However, the study also found that students who were not familiar with online learning tools were able to adapt with proper support from their teachers and institutions.

Another study published in Computers & Education (Tang et al., 2023) compared the academic performance of students in online and traditional classroom settings during the pandemic. The study found that while there were no significant differences in the grades of students in the two settings, students in online classes reported higher levels of stress and lower levels of satisfaction with their learning experience.

Methodology in a thesis refers to the overall approach and systematic process that a researcher follows to collect and analyze data in order to answer their research question(s) or achieve their research objectives. It includes the research design, data collection methods, sampling techniques, data analysis procedures, and any other relevant procedures that the researcher uses to conduct their research.

For example, let’s consider a thesis on the impact of social media on mental health among teenagers. The methodology for this thesis might involve the following steps:

Research Design:

The researcher may choose to conduct a quantitative study using a survey questionnaire to collect data on social media usage and mental health among teenagers. Alternatively, they may conduct a qualitative study using focus group discussions or interviews to gain a deeper understanding of the experiences and perspectives of teenagers regarding social media and mental health.

Sampling Techniques:

The researcher may use random sampling to select a representative sample of teenagers from a specific geographic location or demographic group, or they may use purposive sampling to select participants who meet specific criteria such as age, gender, or mental health status.

Data Collection Methods:

The researcher may use an online survey tool to collect data on social media usage and mental health, or they may conduct face-to-face interviews or focus group discussions to gather qualitative data. They may also use existing data sources such as medical records or social media posts.

Data Analysis Procedures:

The researcher may use statistical analysis techniques such as regression analysis to examine the relationship between social media usage and mental health, or they may use thematic analysis to identify key themes and patterns in the qualitative data.

Ethical Considerations: The researcher must ensure that their research is conducted in an ethical manner, which may involve obtaining informed consent from participants, protecting their confidentiality, and ensuring that their rights and welfare are respected.

In a thesis, the “Results” section typically presents the findings of the research conducted by the author. This section typically includes both quantitative and qualitative data, such as statistical analyses, tables, figures, and other relevant data.

Here are some examples of how the “Results” section of a thesis might look:

Example 1: A quantitative study on the effects of exercise on cardiovascular health

In this study, the author conducts a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of exercise on cardiovascular health in a group of sedentary adults. The “Results” section might include tables showing the changes in blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other relevant indicators in the exercise and control groups over the course of the study. The section might also include statistical analyses, such as t-tests or ANOVA, to demonstrate the significance of the results.

Example 2: A qualitative study on the experiences of immigrant families in a new country

In this study, the author conducts in-depth interviews with immigrant families to explore their experiences of adapting to a new country. The “Results” section might include quotes from the interviews that illustrate the participants’ experiences, as well as a thematic analysis that identifies common themes and patterns in the data. The section might also include a discussion of the implications of the findings for policy and practice.

A thesis discussion section is an opportunity for the author to present their interpretation and analysis of the research results. In this section, the author can provide their opinion on the findings, compare them with other literature, and suggest future research directions.

For example, let’s say the thesis topic is about the impact of social media on mental health. The author has conducted a survey among 500 individuals and has found that there is a significant correlation between excessive social media use and poor mental health.

In the discussion section, the author can start by summarizing the main findings and stating their interpretation of the results. For instance, the author may argue that excessive social media use is likely to cause mental health problems due to the pressure of constantly comparing oneself to others, fear of missing out, and cyberbullying.

Next, the author can compare their results with other studies and point out similarities and differences. They can also identify any limitations in their research design and suggest future directions for research.

For example, the author may point out that their study only measured social media use and mental health at one point in time, and it is unclear whether one caused the other or whether there are other confounding factors. Therefore, they may suggest longitudinal studies that follow individuals over time to better understand the causal relationship.

Writing a conclusion for a thesis is an essential part of the overall writing process. The conclusion should summarize the main points of the thesis and provide a sense of closure to the reader. It is also an opportunity to reflect on the research process and offer suggestions for further study.

Here is an example of a conclusion for a thesis:

After an extensive analysis of the data collected, it is evident that the implementation of a new curriculum has had a significant impact on student achievement. The findings suggest that the new curriculum has improved student performance in all subject areas, and this improvement is particularly notable in math and science. The results of this study provide empirical evidence to support the notion that curriculum reform can positively impact student learning outcomes.

In addition to the positive results, this study has also identified areas for future research. One limitation of the current study is that it only examines the short-term effects of the new curriculum. Future studies should explore the long-term effects of the new curriculum on student performance, as well as investigate the impact of the curriculum on students with different learning styles and abilities.

Overall, the findings of this study have important implications for educators and policymakers who are interested in improving student outcomes. The results of this study suggest that the implementation of a new curriculum can have a positive impact on student achievement, and it is recommended that schools and districts consider curriculum reform as a means of improving student learning outcomes.

References in a thesis typically follow a specific format depending on the citation style required by your academic institution or publisher.

Below are some examples of different citation styles and how to reference different types of sources in your thesis:

In-text citation format: (Author, Year)

Reference list format for a book: Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of work: Capital letter also for subtitle. Publisher.

Example: In-text citation: (Smith, 2010) Reference list entry: Smith, J. D. (2010). The art of writing a thesis. Cambridge University Press.

Reference list format for a journal article: Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page range.

Example: In-text citation: (Brown, 2015) Reference list entry: Brown, E., Smith, J., & Johnson, L. (2015). The impact of social media on academic performance. Journal of Educational Psychology, 108(3), 393-407.

In-text citation format: (Author page number)

Works Cited list format for a book: Author. Title of Book. Publisher, Year of publication.

Example: In-text citation: (Smith 75) Works Cited entry: Smith, John D. The Art of Writing a Thesis. Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Works Cited list format for a journal article: Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, volume number, issue number, date, pages.

Example: In-text citation: (Brown 394) Works Cited entry: Brown, Elizabeth, et al. “The Impact of Social Media on Academic Performance.” Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 108, no. 3, 2015, pp. 393-407.

Chicago Style

In-text citation format: (Author year, page number)

Bibliography list format for a book: Author. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Example: In-text citation: (Smith 2010, 75) Bibliography entry: Smith, John D. The Art of Writing a Thesis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Bibliography list format for a journal article: Author. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume number, no. issue number (date): page numbers.

Example: In-text citation: (Brown 2015, 394) Bibliography entry: Brown, Elizabeth, John Smith, and Laura Johnson. “The Impact of Social Media on Academic Performance.” Journal of Educational Psychology 108, no. 3 (2015): 393-407.

Reference list format for a book: [1] A. A. Author, Title of Book. City of Publisher, Abbrev. of State: Publisher, year.

Example: In-text citation: [1] Reference list entry: A. J. Smith, The Art of Writing a Thesis. New York, NY: Academic Press, 2010.

Reference list format for a journal article: [1] A. A. Author, “Title of Article,” Title of Journal, vol. x, no. x, pp. xxx-xxx, Month year.

Example: In-text citation: [1] Reference list entry: E. Brown, J. D. Smith, and L. Johnson, “The Impact of Social Media on Academic Performance,” Journal of Educational Psychology, vol. 108, no. 3, pp. 393-407, Mar. 2015.

An appendix in a thesis is a section that contains additional information that is not included in the main body of the document but is still relevant to the topic being discussed. It can include figures, tables, graphs, data sets, sample questionnaires, or any other supplementary material that supports your thesis.

Here is an example of how you can format appendices in your thesis:

• Title page: The appendix should have a separate title page that lists the title, author’s name, the date, and the document type (i.e., thesis or dissertation). The title page should be numbered as the first page of the appendix section.
• Table of contents: If you have more than one appendix, you should include a separate table of contents that lists each appendix and its page number. The table of contents should come after the title page.
• Appendix sections: Each appendix should have its own section with a clear and concise title that describes the contents of the appendix. Each section should be numbered with Arabic numerals (e.g., Appendix 1, Appendix 2, etc.). The sections should be listed in the table of contents.
• Formatting: The formatting of the appendices should be consistent with the rest of the thesis. This includes font size, font style, line spacing, and margins.
• Example: Here is an example of what an appendix might look like in a thesis on the topic of climate change:

Appendix 1: Data Sources

This appendix includes a list of the primary data sources used in this thesis, including their URLs and a brief description of the data they provide.

Appendix 2: Survey Questionnaire

This appendix includes the survey questionnaire used to collect data from participants in the study.

Appendix 3: Additional Figures

This appendix includes additional figures that were not included in the main body of the thesis due to space limitations. These figures provide additional support for the findings presented in the thesis.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

You may also like

Delimitations in Research – Types, Examples and...

Research Design – Types, Methods and Examples

Dissertation Methodology – Structure, Example...

What is a Hypothesis – Types, Examples and...

Dissertation – Format, Example and Template

Dissertation vs Thesis – Key Differences

Press Releases

7 steps every student should follow before dissertation printing.

People spend months researching and writing their dissertations. The document accompanies various images captured during data collection, infographics, headers, footers, formatting details, etc. All of these details should be reflected in the quality of the final dissertation printing. For this purpose, opt for reliable services that care as much as you care about your thesis. 

Whenever a student considers printing his thesis, some obvious questions pop up in his mind. Right after binding it in a document form, they worry about how to get it prepared for final printing. They stress about where to go to print dissertation into book? In this regard, there are certain things to consider for students before they print their dissertation. Below is the seven-step guide to follow to print your dissertation. 

What Are The 7 Important Steps You Should Follow Before Dissertation Printing?

After you have completed your dissertation, proofread and check for plagiarism, it's time to take its print. Here, you have to choose the type of binding, colour of printing, paper type, thickness, etc. You need to choose reliable services. To make the right decision about it, we will describe all the options available in the upcoming section of the article.

Remember that the dissertation itself should be written well. If you have not taken care of formatting, font type and size, image alignment, infographics, etc., all the flaws will be reflected well in the final printing. Here, seeking dissertation writing services can be a better option. These experts are well knowledgeable about all the details to write it up to the standards.  

Let's talk about the top considerations for dissertation book printing. 

1. The Dissertation Printing Options

Some printing configurations play a key role in the quality printing of your paper. It includes details on the type of paper, colour, and formatting. If you decide on colour printing, it will cost you more. However, a colour print is not necessary unless you are studying for a creative degree program such as fine arts. In the same way, the formatting details are important. Traditionally, a dissertation is printed by following a five-chapter format. However, sometimes, the manuscript format is also followed as guided by the university. 

2. Choosing Your Dissertation Binding

The dissertation printing and binding are equally important. The most suitable dissertation printing binding depends on the type of your paper. Comparing your thesis binding with the class assignment is not justified. Completing a thesis is a major milestone. So, the binding must justify the hard work you performed during your research journey. It means that a simple spiral binding is not appropriate. However, if you want to save copies of the thesis, then spiral binding can work and be cost-effective. 

3. The Price of Printing

The cost of printing matters the most. If you blindly ask the service provider to print the document, the invoice can make you scared. Typically, the printing price depends on the paper weight, number of papers and printing colors. To get the most affordable services you can visit several shops or online dissertation printing options to compare the prices. 

4. The Paper Size 

Are you wondering about the best paper for printing a dissertation? Most of the universities ask for A4 paper size. You need to follow similar guidelines even if you find better display options. However, some specific papers of your document, such as any map or technical drawing may best be placed on A3 size. 

5. Save the Thesis in a PDF

Saving your thesis in PDF is a life changer. If you save a file this way, the paper setting remains constant no matter which system you open it in. It will keep your dissertation printing font size, organisation and page setup intact. 

6. The Paper Type 

Typically, a 115-gram G-print paper is used for printing dissertations. It is because its G print is better. For instance, a master's dissertation printing is done on 75–90 gsm paper. If you want to go with a more professional and durable paper type, then 100–130 gsm is better. A master thesis written by an expert can shine its quality uniquely in the final print. Therefore, an expert dissertation writer can better craft a quality paper. With years of expertise, they can provide you with a paper that can boost your academic excellence. 

7. Choose The Best Service Provider 

Last, but not least, look for a service provider who follows the standards given above. In the end, the paper quality is highly dependent on the source you choose. For expert advice, you can ask your friends or colleagues who have a good experience. Also, the internet is a good way to explore various options available in the market.  

How Should a Dissertation Be Printed?

The most common method used for PhD dissertation printing is thermal binding. This method is popular because of its short production time and being budget-friendly.  If you need a high-quality document, then you must consider this option. 

What Paper Is Used for Dissertation Printing?

By default, most of the print shops use 80g/m2 paper. However, there are some risks associated with using this paper. It can tear up quickly, and if you are taking a double-sided print of your paper, then the ink can leak to the other side. Here, using 100g/m2 can better protect the risk. 

Should Dissertations Be Printed Double-Sided?

You can print your dissertation one-sided or double-sided. Printing the double side of the paper will make your document half while single-side printing will make it look bulkier. It all depends on your institution's guidelines. Mostly of universities demand single-sided printing. So, checking the guidelines before printing can better help. 

Should A Dissertation Have Pictures?

If you find relevant images, you must include them in your dissertation printing. It would be helpful for the examiner to see the keen details visually. However, the snaps you captured during data collection or experimentation must be part of it. Without its inclusion, your paper will be graded as incomplete.  

Conclusion 

The dissertation printing process is as crucial as writing a dissertation. If you miss this crucial consideration, the whole quality of the paper may be overlooked. That is why we have provided the seven-step guide to help you out. These important tips can assist you get high-quality printed paper. 

The paper size, type, binding, printing technique, and, most importantly, the service provider you choose are important. Also, if you want a quality print of your document, before it the paper itself must be written professionally. To get a professional thesis write-up, seeking dissertation help online must be the top choice. These experts can take care of the details of the formatting that an inexperienced student can't.

Media Contact Company Name: The Academic Papers UK Contact Person: Albert Barkley Email: Send Email City: London State: England Country: United Kingdom Website: https://www.theacademicpapers.co.uk

Press Release Distributed by ABNewswire.com To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: 7 Steps Every Student Should Follow Before Dissertation Printing

More from The Globe

All market data (will open in new tab) is provided by Barchart Solutions. Copyright © 2024 .

Information is provided 'as is' and solely for informational purposes, not for trading purposes or advice. For exchange delays and terms of use, please read disclaimer (will open in new tab) .