Required. Along with your title, list your degree, graduation month and year, and committee members' names correctly on the title page. Include the designation 'Thesis Supervisor' after your thesis supervisor's name. See our thesis templates for the correct layout of this information.

Optional. List your graduation year as the copyright year on this page.

Optional. If you choose to include a dedication, top align the text and use the line spacing present throughout the rest of the thesis.

Optional. If you choose to include acknowledgments, top align the text and use the line spacing present in the rest of the thesis.

A scholarly abstract ('Abstract') is required of all theses except those written by DMA and MFA students. Top align the text and use the line spacing present in the rest of the thesis.

Required. A public abstract is required in every thesis. Aim for 250 words or fewer. Top align the text and use the line spacing present in the rest of the thesis.

Required. See our readability standards and thesis templates for guidance on generating one.

If you have more than one table / figure, a list of tables / list of figures is required. See our readability standards and thesis templates for guidance on generating one.

Optional. If you have other elements that you would like to represent in a list, you may do so.

Required. Chapters are the most typical way to organize your thesis content. Number each chapter, and include a descriptive title.

Required. You may place your references at the end of each chapter or at the end of the manuscript. No matter the style guide, entries should be consistently presented.

Optional. If you include more than one appendix, assign each a letter (Appendix A, Appendix B, and so on). This is unnecessary if there is only one appendix.

• Font must be a readable size (10-12 point) and be presented using an appropriate color contrast level.
• For hyperlinks, use descriptive link text that allows the reader to understand the purpose of the link from that text alone.

• Left align paragraph text. Do not set the line spacing at justified.
• Extra space between paragraphs should be added by modifying paragraph settings, and not manually.
• Line spacing may be either 1.5 or double-spaced. Line spacing should be consistent throughout the thesis.

• Page numbering must begin with an Arabic numeral 2 on the first page following the title page.
• Page numbers may be located in the upper or lower right-hand corner or the bottom center of the page. They must be consistent throughout the manuscript.

• Margins must be a minimum of 1 inch on all sides and on all pages, including the preliminary pages.
• Margins must be consistent throughout the entire text.

• When using Microsoft Word, format headings and subheadings using styles.
• The heading 1 style should be used for the following headings: Dedication, Acknowledgments, Abstract, Public Abstract, Table of Contents, List of Tables / List of Figures, chapter titles, References / Bibliography, and Appendices.
• If a range of heading levels is used to subdivide your thesis content, make sure they are correctly nested (heading 1, then heading 2, then heading 3). Do not skip levels.
• Extra space above and/or beneath headings should be added via modifying styles, and not manually.

• Tables and figures must include descriptive captions.
• If using Microsoft Word, generate captions using the caption tool.
• Number tables and figures consecutively. You may include the chapter number in the caption numbering system, but it's not required.

• Tables and figures may be located above, below, or adjacent to the manuscript text.
• Gaps around tables and figures are allowed if the table or figure is larger than half a page.
• Figures must include descriptive alt text. This does not apply to decorative images.
• Format tables as simply as possible. Avoid complex tables—those with merged cells, multiple header rows, or tables nested within tables.
• Tables must designate at least one row and/or column header. Data cells must be tagged, and color cannot be the only means of conveying meaning.

• All major headings (formatted as a heading 1 style) must be included. Include all preliminary page headings. Entries for subheadings are optional.
• Entries must match and link to their respective headings in the text.
• Page numbers must be correct.

• Entries listed must match corresponding captions in the text, and page numbers must be correct.
• Entries must link to their respective table / figure captions in the text. Use Word's caption function to do so.

• Bookmarks must be included when you convert your document to a PDF. Check the right side of the PDF to make sure these are included.

• Include metadata in your thesis, including author, title, subject, and keywords.
• Set the language of the thesis.
• Make sure the thesis title you’ve set—and not the file name—appears when you open the PDF.