Formatting Cliff Notes: Dissertation/Thesis
Document Settings
1. Set left and right margins to 1.25 inches.
2. Set top and bottom margins to 1 inch.
3. Use a serif font in body and footnotes (e.g. Times New Roman).
4. Use 12-point font for body of document.
5. 10- or 12-point font is acceptable for notes, tables, figures, and footnotes.
6. Check paragraph settings to make sure that spacing points are set to 0.
7. For PC: Right click bottom toolbar and check vertical page position to see the top
margins throughout the document. For Mac: Select Word, Preferences, check
vertical ruler and then go into Publishing view. Vertical ruler will be on the left.
Important Terms and Tips
1. Triple space—a return of two empty single spaces followed by writing on the third
line.
2. Front Matter—material prior to Chapter One.
3. Title Case—capitalize the first letter of all major words, but do not capitalize
articles or short prepositions unless they begin the title or are the first word after a
colon.
4. Sentence case—normal capitalization as you would in a sentence.
5. Switch from double-space to single-space with Control 1.
6. Switch from single-space to double-space with Control 2.
Page Numbers and Sections Breaks
1. The Front Matter page numbers begin on the Table of Contents page, but you must
count all previous pages, including the Signature Page.
2. Insert a Section Break (Next Page) at the bottom of the Copyright Page.
3. Then on the Table of Contents page, click in the footer.
4. Make sure “Link to Previous” is NOT selected in the Header/Footer Toolbar.
5. Then input your Roman numeral page numbers using the Page Number drop-down
in the toolbar.
6. Center your page numbers.
7. Make sure the page number font style matches the font style of the body of your
document.
8. At the bottom of the Dedication Page (or the last page of your Front Matter), insert
another Section Break (Next Page).
9. Follow the same steps above regarding page numbers, but input Arabic numeral 1
on the first page of Chapter One.
Do NOT Do Any of the Following:
1. Bold text (unless math or science citations require bold text).
2. Underline text.
3. Enter “Masters Degree” on Signature Page (correct entry is “Master Degree”).
4. Enter “Doctorate of Philosophy” on Signature Page (correct entry is “Doctor of
Philosophy”).
Heading Formatting:
1. Level 1: all caps in regular font and centered. All level 1 headings are set to a 1.5
inch top margin; exception is the Abstract page (2.5 inch top margin for level 1).
2. Level 2: Title Case in regular font and centered.
3. Level 3: Title Case in italics and centered.
4. Level 4: Title Case in italics and left justified.
5. Level 5: Sentence case in italics and indented as a new paragraph ending in a
period followed by two spaces with the text of the paragraph beginning on the
same line.
Formatting Cliff Notes: Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
1. Abstract level 1 heading 2.5 inch top margin.
2. Double-space between: level 1 and title; title and student name; and student name
and mentor name.
3. Title should be in Title Case and match the title on the Signature Page.
4. If title is 2 lines or more, the title should be single-spaced.
5. Triple space between the mentor name and the text of the abstract.
6. Student name should match on the Abstract, Signature Page, and Copyright Page.
7. After student name, insert the degree you are seeking with appropriate
abbreviations (e.g. M.A., M.S., M.S.M.E, Psy.D., Ph.D., Ed.D.).
8. Mentor’s/Chairperson’s name should match the faculty listing (including middle
initial if used) and should be referenced the same on the Signature Page.
Signature Page
1. Use the fillable Signature Page provided online (see sample page in Guidelines
[24]).
2. The Signature Page should not be recreated, copied, or inserted into Word.
3. Complete the necessary entries in the fillable PDF form.
4. The title should be broken at a reasonable place if it carries to 2 lines.
5. The title should be in Title Case.
6. The professors’ names should match the faculty handbook and appear the same
every time referenced.
7. In order to insert your Signature Page into your completed PDF, you must first
save the document in a different format using Adobe Acrobat (Not Reader). Click
File, then Print. For Printer Name, choose Adobe PDF. A “Save As Window” will
either pop up or appear at the bottom or your screen. Save the document. Then you
can insert it in the PDF of your Thesis/Dissertation using Adobe Professional.
Copyright Page
1. This page should correspond to the sample page in the Guidelines (25).
Table of Contents
1. Table of Contents level 1 heading should be 1.5 inch top margin.
2. Triple space after level 1 heading.
3. The page numbers should be right aligned at the 1.25 inch margin.
4. Subheadings are listed at least through level 3, designating the different levels by
indention.
5. This is the first page with a page number showing.
6. The page numbers should be Roman numerals and the top of the page number
should fall at .75 inches from the bottom of the page.
7. Remember to account for the Signature Page when you input your page numbers.
List of Figures/Tables (separate lists)
1. List of Figures/Tables level 1 heading should be 1.5 inch top margin.
2. Each table/figure must be listed in a style similar to the Table of Contents with the
page numbers right aligned at the 1 inch margin.
Acknowledgments
1. We use the spelling “Acknowledgments” not “Acknowledgements.”
2. Triple space after the level 1 heading.
Dedication
1. The title “Dedication” is optional, but if used it should be at a 1.5 inch top margin.
2. The text begins at a 3 inch top margin, single-spaced and centered. Begin text with
“To.”
Formatting Cliff Notes: Dissertation/Thesis
Body
1. All level 1 headings in the body of the text are at a 1.5 inch top margin.
2. Chapters will always have a level 1 (Chapter One, Chapter Two, etc.) and level 2
(chapter title) heading. Double space between the level 1 and level 2 heading.
3. Following the level 2 heading, triple space. This triple space can be followed
directly by the text or a level 3 heading.
4. Above all level 3-5 headings there is a triple space.
5. When text directly follows a level 3 or a level 4 heading, there is a double space
between the heading and the text.
6. Text continues on the same line as a level 5 heading.
7. The numeral of chapter titles should be spelled out in both the title and when
referenced in the text (Chapter One, Chapter Two, etc.).
Figures
1. A figure must be mentioned in the text before it appears.
2. A triple space precedes and follows figures.
3. There should be no extra white space around a figure unless it is alone on a page.
4. The figure legend is at the bottom of the figure with a double-space above
(between the figure and the legend). It should be centered if it is 1 line. If it is
longer than 1 line, it should be left aligned.
5. Figures should be centered on the page.
6. A figure may occupy its own page if it takes up more than ¾ of the page.
Tables
1. A table must be mentioned in the text before it appears.
2. A triple space precedes and follows tables.
3. There should be no extra white space around a table unless it is alone on a page.
4. The table caption should always be centered and single-spaced regardless of
length.
5. A double space comes between the heading and the table.
6. Tables have 3 horizontal lines (no vertical lines). One horizontal line should be
above and below the column headings and the third line should be at the very
bottom of the table. No borders around the table.
7. Each column must have a column heading.
8. Tables should be centered on the page.
9. A table may occupy its own page if it takes up more than ¾ of the page.
Appendices
1. Insert a separator page for the appendices with a heading in all caps (APPENDIX
or APPENDICES) centered horizontally and vertically on the page.
2. Each new appendix should have a level 1 heading (APPENDIX A, B, C, etc.) at a
1.5 inch top margin.
3. If content directly follows the level 1 heading, insert a triple space after the heading
and before the text.
4. If a level two heading directly follows the level 1 heading, insert a double space
between the level 1 and level 2 headings and a triple space after the level 2 and
before the content of the Appendix.
Bibliography
1. Level 1 heading on first page: 1.5 inch top margin followed by a triple space.
2. Single space individual entries and double space between entries.
3. Use hanging indent for each entry. Set content to your departmental style guide.
4. Do not split an entry between pages.
5. The first entry of following pages should start at the top 1 inch margin.