THESIS FORMATTING GUIDELINES
Thesis formatting information is available in the latest edition of A Manual for Writers of
Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian, 7th Edition. Before you begin
typing your paper, please take some time to read pages 373-404, which provide thesis formatting
information. For Source Citations, see pages 133 – 280.
PARTS OF THE PAPER
FRONT MATTER
- Title page, copyright page, abstract, dedication, etc. All pages are counted in
the pagination but do not have page numbers on them - 377 - 391.
Title page format - Title begins 2 ½” from top of page, centered, double spaced,
uppercase. Date is 1” from bottom of page. No page number is shown on title page, but
counts as page i. (Sample attached - this is the Drew University thesis title page
format.)
- Copyright page - optional – see page 386 for format and placement in
paper. No page number shown.
- Dedication – optional
- Abstract – The abstract should be typed, double-spaced. It recapitulates the main
ideas and indicates the supporting evidence in three or four paragraphs, and should
be no more than 350 words. Make sure to include the name and location of your
church. In writing the abstract, please note the following:
- Every word is counted, including words like “a”, “to”, “it”, “the”, etc.
- Hyphenated words are counted as one word.
- One and one-fourth pages usually falls within the 350 work limit.
- Table of Contents - Can be headed CONTENTS. The word Chapter appears on
left; chapter numbers align beneath. (page 381 - Figure A.4)
Roman numerals appear centered at bottom of page. No page numbers appear on the
matter before the Table of Contents and are not listed in the Contents, even though they are
counted in the pagination. The Contents begins with the front matter which follows it.
For those pages in the front matter which are numbered, use consecutive lowercase roman
numerals in front matter, centered at bottom of page.
In Table of Contents, insert tab leaders after chapter titles leading to the page numbers, which are
flush right.
Other front matter
Includes List of Illustrations, List of Tables, Preface, etc. (see pages 388 – 390)
TEXT
- Left margin should be 1 1/2”; do not justify right margin.
- Avoid using outline style.
- Double space text and between paragraphs (don’t double double space between
paragraphs).
- Allow 3 lines between end of text and next subhead.
- Chapter titles, headings, etc. must be listed in the Table of Contents the same way
they appear in the text.
Laying Out the Text - (pages 391 – 404)
- Introduction - See page 391.
- Chapters
- CHAPTER 1,2,3, etc., (uppercase) begins 2” from top of page.
- Double space to CHAPTER TITLE (uppercase)
- Page number on first page of chapter is centered at bottom; on following pages
of chapter, number is at top right.
- Sections and subsections – (page 397-398)
- Block quotations - (page 350 – 25.2.2)
- Footnotes and Bibliography – (chapters 16 and 17)
- Footnote numbers start over with 1 in each chapter.
- Separator line between text and footnote.
- Indent first line of footnote the same number of spaces as first line of
paragraphs in text.
- Single spaced with a blank line between notes.
- Author’s name appears in normal order.
- Use of Ibid. – (page 157)
- Elements are separated by commas; however, no comma appears
before the parenthesis around the publication information.
- Use a period at the end of the footnote.
- Italicize book titles; p is not required before the page number(s)
- Electronic Citations – (pages 137 – 140) - also available on
CampusWeb; click on Drew University Library. In the search
box, type in “Basic Citation Forms for Electronic Resources.”
BACK MATTER (pages 399- 404)
- Appendixes - appear before the bibliography (page 399 – 403)
- Bibliography – last part of the thesis (page 404)
- First line is flush left with margin; second line is indented 5 spaces, single
spaced. (401 – Figure A.15)
- Single line between entries.
- Author’s last name appears first; two or more authors, only first is in inverted
order.
- Elements are separated by periods.
- Succession of works by same author – 8 underscore lines followed by a period.
Your thesis should be collated as follows:
(No page numbers appear on these but they are counted in the pagination.)
- Title page
- Copyright page
- Abstract
(Lower case Roman Numerals appear on these pages.)
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgements
- List of Illustrations; List of Tables
- Text - Begin the Arabic numbering of your paper with the first page of the text;
bottom center on first page of each chapter; top right on following pages.
- Appendixes
- Bibliography