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Suggested Writing Style


The student's thesis/dissertationcommittee is responsible for judging the acceptability of the thesis/dissertation from all standpoints, including writing quality, neatness, mechanical considerations, and technical and professional competency. Committee members attest to acceptability when they sign the Approval Form.

Each department has an acceptable style or styles for theses and dissertations prepared by its graduate students. Students should become thoroughly familiar with their department's acceptable style before they begin preparing their thesis/dissertation.

Department and Style

Biology - Council of Biological Editors
Communication - APA
Communication Sciences and Disorders - APA
Computer Science - APA
Counseling - APA
Educational and Interdiscipinary Studies - APA
Educational Leadership - APA
Engineering Technology - APA
English - MLA
Geography - Chicago
History - Chicago
Instructional Design and Technology - APA
Kinesiology - APA
Law Enforcement and Justice Administration - APA
Mathematics - APA; LaTeX Processor
Political Science - APSA
Psychology - APA
Recreation, Park & Tourism Admininstration - APA

(APA: American Psychological Association Publication Manual; APSA: American Political Science Association ; MLA: Modern Language Association Handbook for Writers of Research Papers)

Students not given special directions by their departments regarding style are referred to the following publications:

  • Campbell, William Giles and Stephen Vaughan Ballou, Form and Style-Theses, Reports, Term Papers. 8th edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co, 1990.
  • Turabian, Kate L., A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 6th edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996.


Formatting Guidelines

(DO NOT USE COPIES OF THESES AND DISSERTATIONS IN THE LIBRARY FOR FORMAT SINCE POLICIES CHANGE)

Formatting At-A-Glance

Electronic and Non-electronic Theses and Dissertations

Font
Type should be Times New Roman, or a typeface that approximates it, and either 10 or 12 point size.

Spacing
The body of the document must be double spaced. Extended direct quotations should be presented consistently with the style manual selected.

Margins
Leave a 1 1/2 inch margin on the left side and a 1 inch margin on the right side, the top, and the bottom. These margins are needed to allow for margin loss in the binding process.

Numbering of Pages
Number each page, except the copyright, title and abstract pages. Preliminary pages are numbered with small Roman numerals and centered at the bottom of each page 1 inch from the edge. In the text and reference topics sections, place the number in the upper right-hand corner, 1/2 inch below the top edge and 1 inch from the right side edge. The first page of each chapter/section should be numbered at the bottom, center of the page, 1 inch edge.

Preparation of Abstract
The major purpose of the abstract is to give information which will enable the scholar to decide whether to read the complete work. The following information is generally included:

  • A brief description of the problem
  • A description of the methods, techniques, and data used
  • The major finding of the study

The abstract should not exceed 350 words. The word "ABSTRACT" should appear centered 1 inch from the top edge of the page followed gy three spaces before the beginning of the abstract text.

Composition
A thesis or dissertation is usually composed of three main parts: preliminaries, text, and references. Preliminaries are paginated with small Roman numerals. Text and references are paginated with Arabic numerals.

Preliminaries (Thesis samples) (Dissertation samples)

Thesis

  • Title page of abstract
  • Abstract page - not numbered
  • Approval page - not numbered
  • Title page - not numbered (assumed to be "i")
  • Acknowledgments - small Roman numeral (assumed to be "ii")
  • Table of Contents (including appendixes) with page references - paging follows consecutively in small Roman numerals
  • List of Tables with page references - paging follows consecutively in small Roman numerals
  • List of Figures with page references - paging follows consecutively in small Roman numerals

Dissertation

  • Title page - not numbered
  • Copyright
  • Approval page - not numbered (assumed to be "ii")
  • Abstract - not numbered (assumed to be "iii")
  • Dedication- small Roman numeral
  • Acknowledgments - small Roman numeral
  • Table of Contents (including appendixes) with page references - paging follows consecutively in small Roman numerals
  • List of Tables with page references - paging follows consecutively in small Roman numerals
  • List of Figures with page references - paging follows consecutively in small Roman numerals

Text

  • Introduction (start with page 1)
  • Main body, with large divisions and more important minor divisions indicated by suitable headings (use consecutive Arabic page numbers)

Reference Topics

  • Bibliography of Literature cited (continue with Arabic pagination)
  • Appendixes (continue with Arabic pagination)

Non-electronic Theses

NOTE - Effective Fall 2012 filing non-electronically will not be an option.

Paper Size/Printing
The size of the paper to be used is 8 1/2 x 11 inches. The original copy of the thesis must be on one side of white acid-free paper (also called "ph neutral" or "archival quality"). This paper must be a minimum 20-pound weight. This acid-free paper is available in the University Union Bookstore and Chapman's Book and Office Supply. If you have difficulty finding suitable paper, contact University Archives in the library for additional information, such as brand names, etc.

A thesis must be printed from a computer. The original copy must be of letter-quality with an evenly dense and dark print line. Laser printers are preferred. However, other printers are acceptable, as long as the print produced has an even line density. If in doubt, bring an example to the Archives prior to the final printing. Print composed of uneven line density reproduces poorly and is not acceptable. The original must be on the paper specified above and not on regular computer paper.

Number of Copies
Students are required to provide the University Archives with the original copy of their thesis with the approval page signed and dated by the members of the thesis committee. Prior to accepting the thesis, the Archives personnel will check the thesis for compliance with these instructions.

Additional required and requested copies of the thesis can be printed at the student's expense. The original copy is always placed in the collection of the University Archives.

Binding and Fees
The Archives Department of the Library assumes the responsibility for sending theses to the bindery. At the time the approved copies (each copy accompanied by the approval sheet signed by the appropriate committee members) are delivered to the Archives Department, the student will pay the current binding and photocopying fees and provide a list of addresses to which the bound theses are to be mailed. The Archives and Department copies are bound in a thesis binding.

Upon completion of submitting the thesis to the Archives and receipt of payment for processing the thesis, a copy of the abstract will be sent to the School of Graduate Studies to indicate that the student has completed his thesis requirements.

Charts, Tables, Figures
Generally captions should appear at the bottom of the tables. Check with your departmental thesis/dissertation committee for the preferred style to be used.

Style 1 Center the word "TABLE" in capital letters, followed by an Arabic numeral. Center the caption two lines below the table number, and type the caption in capital letters. If the caption is more than one line (48 spaces) in length, single space the succeeding line(s) in inverted pyramid style.

Style 2 (alternate) Type the word "Table" in capital and lower case letters, followed by an Arabic numeral, a period, two spaces, and the table caption. The caption should have only the first word and proper nouns capitalized.

Charts, graphs, diagrams, drawings, and photographs may be in black and white or color. To minimize reproduction costs, the needed number of color pages (on acid-free paper) may be provided by the author for inclusion in the thesis. If an illustration must be turned on the page, the top must be on the left.

Illustrations
Oversized illustrations, such as maps, tables, etc. may be photographically reduced to fit the 8 1/2 x 11 inch sheet, allowing for the correct margins. The University's Copy Centers are equipped to reduce or enlarge images and make clear copies.

Folded Pages
Folded pages are discouraged. However, maps, drawings, and tables may be folded if they cannot be presented on regular-size pages. Approval for this must be obtained from the departmental thesis committee, and in special cases the student may wish to consult with the Archives staff on how best to include the oversize item in the bound thesis.

CDs and DVDs
When a student includes a CD or DVD as part of the thesis, it is the responsibility of the student to also provide a CD or DVD for each requested copy of the thesis.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Additional resources and guidelines for submitting a thesis or dissertation electronically can be found at www.etdadmin.com/wnill. Fees must be paid to ProQuest at time of submission.