THESIS/ESSAY FORMAT

Follow these guidelines from the beginning of your first draft. Please understand that you are responsible for the accuracy of your title page and margin formatting and should be confirming that you are adhering to these guidelines throughout the writing process. 

The Title Page

About the Template

The title page is a Microsoft Word Document. Do not convert the template to any other word processing program, or you will lose the alignment and spacing. However, this does not mean that you have to convert your thesis to MS Word. The title page does not have to be numbered and can remain a separate document from the rest of your thesis, as long you include it in the final PDF version of your thesis/essay.

How To Download and Use Your Thesis/Essay Title Page Template

  1. Click on the appropriate template, depending on whether you are writing a thesis for General Scholarship, one or more Departments, a College or Program. It is very important that you select and use the correct template

  2. Wait while the file downloads to the hard disk of the computer you are currently using.

  3. Locate the file and place it with the rest of your thesis/essay files.

  4. Replace the title, name, and department in the template with those of yourself and your thesis/essay.

  5. Do a trial printing of the title page.

Tip, Merging Title Page into Thesis: Convert the rest of your document to a PDF file and then create your title template in Word and convert it to a separate PDF file. Then, using Adobe Acrobat Pro, insert the title page into the thesis document as the first page.

Title Page Templates

Title Page Template, Honors in a College

Title Page Template, Honors in a Department

Title Page Template, Honors in a College and a Department

Title Page Template, Honors in Two Departments

Title Page Template, Honors in General Scholarship

Title Page Template, Honors in a Program

Margins

All type (page#, footnotes, photos) must be within these margins.*Do not use your word program's default settings.

  • Left: 1.5 inch
  • Right: 1.5 inch
  • Top: 1 inch
  • Bottom: 1 inch
  • Page #s: At least 1/2 inch from the bottom of the page (centered)

Spacing

Standard policy is to double space throughout (except poetry, quotations, footnotes). See MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition for information on specific spacing issues concerning Endnotes versus Footnotes; extracted and indented quotations, including poetry and poetry quotations.

Note:  The PDF version of your thesis/essay should be submitted as a double-sided manuscript.   

12 pt or larger (except footnotes, use your judgment). You choose style.

These standards are set by the bindery to insure a good appearance of the final bound thesis. The manuscript will be trimmed in the binding process and each bound page will be slightly smaller than the original 8 1/2 x 11 size.

Note:

Word processing programs handle the commands to embed page numbers differently. Print a sample sheet early on to check margin and page number placement. Please refer to GUIDELINES FOR CREATING A PDF FILE for information about converting a file to a PDF and printing from it.  When you convert your file, be sure to preserve margins and embed fonts.

Saving

Be sure to save your thesis/essay frequently. It is a good idea to save your work on both disk and hard drive.