Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
Based on the template offered by the College of Graduate and Professional Studies (CGPS),
Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana for (required) use as of January 2010. The
template is available online at www.indstate.edu/graduate/current-students/td-submitting
NOTES
• The template is intended to satisfy the minimum requirements of the College of Graduate and
Professional Studies (CGPS). If you have questions about these requirements, please contact
the CGPS office at 812-237-3005 or [email protected].
• Be sure to consult your committee and the appropriate style guide for any additional
requirements.
ISU REQUIREMENTS
If you have questions about these requirements, please contact the CGPS office at 812-237-3005 or
[email protected].
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Margins: Left; Right, Top, Bottom = 1.0 inch
Font face: Times New Roman OR Courier New; font size: 12 points
Line spacing: double spacing
Text begins 1 vertical space (blank line) under page number (i.e., press Enter
once)
Date on Title and Approval Pages match (= graduation date)
All headers are 3 double spaces from top (i.e., press Enter 3 times, header
appears on 4th line)
Table of Contents
o Allow for 2 levels of headings. (More levels are optional.)
o Item (entry) uses same text as main text (page numbers, titles, headers,
font, etc.) [Can be generated from headings.]
o Leader dots are identical. [Set right tab with leader dots. Do NOT type
dots manually.]
Do NOT end a page with a heading. If necessary, bottom margin may be greater.
[Use Paragraph > Line and Page Breaks to group lines together.]
Within tables, decimal points line up. [Use decimal tab.]
VITA is limited to one page, does not contain personal information
(address, birthdate, etc.)
STYLE POINTS (see appropriate style manual)
• No widow / orphan lines.
• Do NOT allow a reference item (entry) to be split by a page break.
Last revised: 3 February 2012.
Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
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Align a table or figure at left margin (not centered), above the caption.
If table splits over a page break, see style manual for how to handle.
Format table and figure captions correctly, per discipline.
Do NOT use bold font for emphasis.
TIPS AND CAUTIONS
• In APA style, headings vary depending on number of levels. Check style manual
for proper usage.
• Citation Manager in Word is not perfect, but is useful. (Other bibliographic
software is available through the ISU Library.)
o Be careful how you enter information (especially titles).
o Be sure to include ALL your sources.
• To include more than one reference in a citation, place cursor between 1st date
and closing parenthesis, then add 2nd reference.
• When performing copy-and-paste from a web source, line spacing is often set to
"normal web". Reset line spacing to "normal".
• Adding a page number of a landscape page (e.g., a large table) will require a
special procedure. [See sample page in the template.]
Using the Template in Word 2007
The document begins with the FRONT MATTER.
• Page numbers appear in small Roman numerals. The page numbering will
continue from the previous page within the front matter.
• The page title appears on fourth double-spaced line of the page (i.e., press Enter
3 times).
Title Page
• Per Grad Studies, this page ONLY is formatted to be centered vertically.
• This is considered to be the first page (i.e., page i), but the page number is not
displayed on the page. The first page header is different than the rest of the
section.
• Lines on this page were made with underscores.
• Spell out the name of the degree; do not abbreviate.
• Use the month and year of graduation, not date of defense or other event.
• Copyrighting your work is optional. If you do copyright it, you must include the
copyright statement
• Insert a Section Break (Next Page) at the end of the page.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
• This page is for electronic submission of a thesis/dissertation. Electronic theses
and dissertations require only the Approval of thesis or dissertation form.
• This page title should be in Normal style so it will not be included in the Table of
Contents.
Last revised: 3 February 2012 .
Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
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It is acceptable to use abbreviations for degrees, e.g., Ph.D.
Committee member institution should be spelled out in full; do not use
abbreviations.
Insert a page break at the end of the page.
ABSTRACT
• This page title should be in Heading1 style so it will be included in the Table of
Contents.
• Insert a page break at the end of the abstract.
NOTE: You must include a Preface OR Acknowledgments; you may include both (optional).
PREFACE
• This page title should be in Heading1 style so it will be included in the Table of
Contents.
• Insert a page break at the end of the Preface.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• This page title should be in Heading1 style so it will be included in the Table of
Contents.
• Insert a page break at the end of the Acknowledgments.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• For this page title, use Normal style or a special FrontHeading style, not
Heading1 style, so it will not appear as an item in the Table of Contents itself.
• The table following this title can be generated by Word, based on heading styles.
(See instructions elsewhere in this document.)
• Chapter titles and heading levels are required to level 2 only; heading levels
deeper than that are not required by the College of Graduate and Professional
Studies). Consult your committee and the style guide about possible additional
requirements.
• Insert a page break at the end of the Table of Contents.
LIST OF TABLES
• The List of Figures may, but is not required to, appear in the Table of Contents. If
this page title is to appear as an item in the Table of Contents, use Heading1
style; if not, use Normal style or a special FrontHeading style.
• The list can be generated by Word, based on caption styles. (See instructions
elsewhere in this document.)
• Insert a page break at the end of the List of Tables.
LIST OF FIGURES
• The List of Figures may, but is not required to, appear in the Table of Contents. If
this page title is to appear as an item in the Table of Contents, use Heading1
style; if not, use Normal style or a special FrontHeading style
Last revised: 3 February 2012.
Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
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The list can be generated by Word, based on caption styles. (See instructions
elsewhere in this document.)
There should be a Section Break (Next Page) at the end of the page.
THIS IS THE END OF THE FRONT MATTER.
Now the TEXT SECTION begins.
• Page numbering will now appear in Arabic numerals, beginning at 1.
NOTE: Be sure to consult your committee and the appropriate style guide for any additional requirements.
CHAPTERS
• The word CHAPTER and the chapter number (e.g., CHAPTER 1) appear on
fourth double-spaced line of the page (i.e., press Enter 3 times). Use Normal
style so it does not appear in the Table of Contents.
• The chapter title appears on the next double-spaced line. Use Heading1 style.
• For subheadings at the next level down, use Heading2 style.
• For subheadings at lower levels, you may use the appropriate heading style(s)
for consistency.
• Insert a page break at the end of each chapter.
TABLES
• Use the caption feature to label each figure. (See instructions elsewhere in this
document.
• All numbers in a column should be aligned by the decimal point. (Use a decimal
tab to facilitate this.)
FIGURES
• Use the caption feature to label each figure. (See instructions elsewhere in this
document.
LANDSCAPE Pages
• If a table or figure will not fit on a page in portrait orientation, you may use
landscape orientation for it. The same margins must be maintained at the
appropriate edges.
• To change from portrait to landscape, insert a Section Break (Next Page), then
change the page orientation.
• The table or figure appears in landscape, but the page number must appear as if
in portrait, and in the same location on the page as other portrait pages. This has
already been formatted for you on the example page in the template. You may
simply substitute your table or figure and caption in the appropriate areas.
• To return to portrait orientation, insert a Section Break (Next Page), then
change the page orientation.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Last revised: 3 February 2012 .
Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
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The page title appears on fourth double-spaced line of the page (i.e., press Enter
3 times).
This page title should be in Heading1 style so it will be included in the Table of
Contents.
The page title may vary (see style guide).
If Appendixes follow and page numbers continue (see style guide), insert a page
break at the end of the bibliography page.
If Appendixes follow and page numbers start over at 1 (see style guide), insert a
Section Break (Next Page) at the end of the bibliography page.
APPENDIXES
• The page title appears on fourth double-spaced line of the page (i.e., press Enter
3 times).
• This page title should be in Heading1 style so it will be included in the Table of
Contents.
• TIP: Putting the appendix designation and the appendix title on the same line
(e.g., APPENDIX A: APPENDIX TITLE) allows both to appear in the Table of
Contents, which the College of Graduate and Professional Studies prefers.
• Insert a page break at the end of each appendix (except the last one).
FILE FORMAT
• See "Submitting an Electronic Thesis/Dissertation," available online at
< www.indstate.edu/graduate/current-students/td-submitting >
(or follow the link on the CGPS Students page), or contact the CGPS for the
proper file format for submission of an electronic thesis or dissertation.
Last revised: 3 February 2012.
Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
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INSTRUCTIONS FOR SOME AUTOMATIC FORMATTING FEATURES
(MS Word 2007)
To create a caption for a figure:
1. Click the References tab.
2. On the ribbon, click Insert Caption (about 2/3 to the right).
3. In the popup window,
a. *The Label dropdown selection should be Figure.
b. In the Caption text box (top), the text "Figure" and a number already appear.
You want to keep that.
c. Click in the Caption text box after the number. If the caption and title appear
on the same line in the text, enter a space if desired, then the desired caption
for the figure. If the caption and title should not appear on the same line in the
text, press Shift-Enter (to enter a line break), then enter the desired caption
for the figure.
d. Click OK.
*To create a caption for a table:
Follow the same steps, except:
3a. The Label dropdown selection should be Table.
To generate a Table of Contents from Heading styles:
Before you begin, review your document to be sure all necessary headings are in the
correct heading style, else the Table of Contents will not include them.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Go to the appropriate place in the document.
Click the References tab.
On the ribbon, click Table of Contents, then click Insert Table of Contents.
In the Table of Contents Options popup window,
a. In the Print Preview section on the left,
i. The Show page numbers box should be checked.
ii. The Right align page numbers box should be checked.
iii. The Tab leader dropdown selection should be leader dots.
b. In the General section near the bottom,
i. The Formats dropdown selection should be From template.
ii. The Show levels value should be 2. (If you choose to include deeper
levels, choose the appropriate number.)
c. Click the Options button.
i. The Styles box should be checked.
ii. In the list of Available styles, styles that have a TOC level will
generate entries in the Table of Contents. Heading1 should have a
TOC level of 1; Heading2 should have a TOC level of 2. (If you
choose to include deeper levels, choose the appropriate TOC level for
each.).
Last revised: 3 February 2012.
Notes on Thesis/Dissertation Formatting
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iii. Unless you are using other special features, no other available styles
should have a TOC level indicated. If necessary, remove the TOC level
from any other available style (e.g., FrontHeading1) so it will not
generate entries in the Table of Contents.
iv. Click OK.
d. Back in the Table of Contents popup window, click OK.
To generate a List of Figures from captions:
Before you begin, review your document to be sure all captions were created using the
proper process, else the List of Figures will not include them.
1. Go to the appropriate place in the document.
2. Click the References tab.
3. On the ribbon, click Insert Table of Figures. (You would click this same icon to
insert a list of tables as well.)
4. In the Table of Figures popup window,
a. In the General section (bottom),
i.
The Formats dropdown selection should be From template.
ii.
**The Caption label dropdown selection should be Figure.
iii.
The Include label and number box should be checked.
b. In the Print Preview section (top),
i.
The Show page numbers box should be checked.
ii.
The Right align page numbers box should be checked.
iii.
The Tab leader dropdown selection should be leader dots.
c. Click OK.
**To generate a List of Tables from captions:
Follow the same steps, except:
4a.ii. The Caption label dropdown selection should be Table.
Last revised: 3 February 2012.