Our intent in these Guidelines is to provide for a certain level of uniformity of style across the University, while allowing a reasonable degree of flexibility to accommodate the discipline-specific needs of each academic field. These Guidelines are based on the view that dissertations and theses are in themselves final products. Hence, some of the specifications for dissertations and theses do differ from those that traditionally pertain to manuscripts submitted to journals or to book publishers.

These Guidelines list manuals of style as selected by each department, prescribe the format for the preliminary pages, specify margins and spacing, indicate acceptable ways for handling figures and tables, give formatting directions for the reference pages, and address the process of approval and electronic submission of dissertations and theses.

As always, you (the graduate student) will work with your professors and the Graduate School to achieve a professional word-processed document on paper that meets disciplinary and Graduate School specifications. The Guidelines explain the necessary details related to style and format.

Starting Points
These will provide you with a fuller understanding of what our expectations are of you during this process.

Main areas of the Dissertation and Thesis
Read each step carefully as each component is important.

1. Style and Format of the Document

2. Components and Body of the Document

3. Processing of the Document

Submission Checklist
Checklist for dissertation/thesis students for final steps to defense and electronic submission.

Forms Needed for the Process
Please note that there are many forms needed throughout this process. The guidelines will guide you through printing and completing them correctly.

Converting to a PDF
You will need to convert your final Dissertation or Thesis to a PDF document. Learn how here.

Fall 2012 Formatting Workshop Powerpoint Slides
If you are interested in viewing the Fall 2011 Formatting Workshop PowerPoint presentation, click above to view it in PDF format.

No doubt, even after reading through all of these processes, there will be plenty of questions . . . so, visit our FAQ Page.