Formatting Your Thesis or Project Report

The University Guidelines Manual

and Engineering Style

Thesis and Dissertation Office University Library, Room 501email: lib-thesis@csulb.edu

phone: (562) 985-4013web: http://www.csulb.edu/library/guide/serv

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

Format Evaluators:Vivian Reed and Laurie Welch

Administrative Assistant:Sue Joshee

Research HelpFor help with doing research, contact the librarian/subject specialist in Engineering

Hema Ramachandran(562) 985-5749http://www.csulb.libguides.com/ENGhema.ramachandran@csulb.edu

Role of the Thesis and Dissertation Office

We’re here to help you prepare your manuscript according to the University Guidelines Manual and the formatting style guide approved by your department.

Plan to submit as soon as possible if your official transcript with degree posting is required by a specific date for a graduate school application, a job or a raise, or if you’re leaving the country or anticipate some other major event in your life.

Format Evaluation Process Submit your manuscript to the Thesis and Dissertation Office before 5 p.m. of the submission

deadline date. Be sure that: your manuscript is printed on standard printer paper, your signature page is complete with all signatures, your manuscript is in a manuscript (or thesis) box, and all three sections of the AUTHOR LOGIN are complete.

Formatters read through manuscripts on a first come first served basis. Pages are flagged and corrections are noted on the pages. It may take up to 6 weeks from when you submit your manuscript to when you receive an email to pick it up.

Once you’ve made corrections, return the revised manuscript to the Thesis and Dissertation Office. Set a 2 week turnaround time for yourself to ensure completing the process within the term deadline.

Once the formatting is “cleared,” you take the manuscript to the Copy Center located on the south side of the University Bookstore building. You will be asked to fill out the UMI/ProQuest Open Access Publishing Agreement Form and to pay fees for reproduction of your manuscript in microfiche and online. The University Library now maintains permanent copies of theses and dissertations on microfiche in the library archives and on an online database rather than keeping bound copies.

IMPORTANT LAST STEP: Email or call the Thesis and Dissertation Office and tell us your receipt number. We cannot send out the clearance letter to you, your thesis advisor (committee chair), and Enrollment Services until we receive the receipt number. Until

your clearance letter has been sent, your requirements for graduation will be incomplete.

University Guidelines Versus Departmental Style Manuals

The University Style and Format Guidelines for Master’s Theses, Project Reports and Dissertations ALWAYS takes precedence over citation format style guides (IEEE, IEEE Computer Society, ASCE, and ASME) required by your department

Current Style GuidesUse the style approved by your department or committee:Civil–ASCE; http://www.asce.org/Audience /Authors,--Editors/Books/General-Book-Information /Author-Date-References/Computer Science—IEEE Computer Society; http:// www.computer.org/portal/web/publications/styleguideElectrical—IEEE; http://www.ieee.org/documents /ieeecitationref.pdfMechanical & Aerospace—ASME; http:// journaltool .asme.org /Help/AuthorHelp/WebHelp /JournalsHelp .htm#Guidelines/Getting_Started.htm

Thesis and Dissertation Office Web Pages

NEW!

Thesis and Dissertation Office Web Pages The easiest access to our web page is from the University Library homepage. Click

on the link on the list on the left side of the page. From our homepage, link to the “Format Guide” webpage, which gives access to a pdf of the newest version of the official University Guidelines Manual

Besides the official University Guidelines Manual, there is a mini-manuscript with examples of formatted pages and a guidelines checklist that includes most of the points made in this slide show

The pages of the mini-manuscript can be hard to navigate. See page 7 (of the pdf, NOT the page numbers in the document) for a title page, page 10 (of the pdf) for a signature page, and pages 15 and 16 (of pdf) for a table of contents

The Thesis and Dissertation Office now has Research Guide web pages with PowerPoints. From the University Library homepage, click on “Research Guides,” then click on gold-colored “Other Guides” tab, and click one more time on “Formatting Your CSULB Master’s Thesis or Doctoral Dissertation.” Templates for a signature page, a title page and a two-page table of contents are available to download

Formatting Essentials Submit manuscripts printed on 20 lb. (standard

weight) white printer paper in a thesis box

Only these 4 font styles allowed: Times Roman, Times New Roman, Courier, or Courier New in 12 point font size

Margins: 1 ½ INCH LEFT MARGIN IS USED THROUGHOUT THESIS; one inch margin on top, right, and bottom except on the first page of every major section where a two inch top margin is used

Use TWO SPACES AFTER PERIODS and other punctuation ending sentences and TWO SPACES AFTER ALL COLONS

Two Important Details

Overlooking either of these details could mean that you have to revise and reprint your entire manuscript:

Center page numbers just ABOVE the one inch bottom margin (footer setting between 0.7 and 0.9 inch for good placement) and match the font size and font style of page numbers with text

Use paragraph format with uniform double line-spacing (one empty line between two lines of text) with no additional line space between paragraphs and around chapter titles or subheads. Select text above and below wide blank space and set line spacing to “0 pt.” to eliminate wide gaps

Order of Elements Abstract—If only one page, do NOT use page number, otherwise use Arabic numerals (1, 2)

for page numbers; 2 inch top margin for first page Guard Sheet (blank page) Title Page Signature Page Copyright Page (optional) Acknowledgements (optional)—Use lowercase Roman numerals (begin with iii) for page

numbers; 2 inch top margin for first page Table of Contents—Use lowercase Roman numerals (begin with iii if there is no

acknowledgements page); 2 inch top margin for first page List of Tables, List of Figures, List of Works, and so on (as needed)—Use lowercase Roman

numerals; 2 inch top margin for first page of each Chapters—Use Arabic numerals for page numbers from here to the end of the manuscript

(Chapter 1 starts with page 1); 2 inch top margin for first page of each chapter Appendices (optional)—Each one begins with a title page; if there is more than one

appendix, begin with a title page with APPENDICES centered on the page followed by title page for appendix A

Reference List or Bibliography—Begins with a title page with REFERENCES or BIBLIOGRAPHY centered on page; 2 inch top margin for first page

Guard Sheet (blank page)

Preliminary Pages

Preliminary Pages Check the formatting of your preliminary pages carefully. Refer to the

University Guidelines Manual or check out the mini-manuscript online for visual examples of formatting for your title page (page 7 of the pdf) and signature page (page 10 of the pdf)

Research Guides web page (www.csulb.libguides.com /thesisformat) has detailed format rules for title page and signature page and templates for these pages (links to templates are found at bottom left corner of format rules web pages)

Use double line-spacing for the blocks of text on the title page, except use single-line spacing for the names of committee members on title page

The title of your manuscript on the abstract, title page, and signature page must match exactly in wording and line breaks and be formatted in an inverted pyramid (longest line first)

Your name must also match on those pages as it is listed in your official university records

Table of Contents

One inch top margin or second and subsequent pages

Table of Contents Example of correctly formatted table of contents on pages 15-16 of mini-

manuscript pdf Include headers—CHAPTER (on left margin) and Page (on right margin). On

the first page, they are located within the other elements. On all other pages, they are located at the top of the page

Include all chapter titles and first level subheads. Match the wording of chapter and subhead titles in table of contents with the wording of titles in text; double check that page numbers match too. If you choose to include even one second level subhead, then ALL second AND third level subheads must be included in the table of contents

Subheads and multiple-lined chapter titles are single line spaced, but leave a blank line before and after chapter titles and appendix titles as well as other elements using all uppercase letters like ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and LIST OF TABLES

Dot leaders end in alignment 3-4 spaces before the longest page number (programmed as a right-aligned tab)

Page numbers must be right aligned (a right-aligned tab also) The Thesis and Dissertation Office Format Guide web page also has

instructions on setting tabs for the table of contents, and links to the table of contents page template

Big No-NosNo bold font

No font color other than black

No contractions

No outlines

No bullets

No right justification

No uniform left indentation of numbered items

Right Wrong

1. Microsoft Word automatically

formats numbered items with uniform

left indentation.

2. The University Guidelines Manual

requires paragraph format.

3. University Guidelines Manual

wins! Indent the first line of each item,

including the number, like a paragraph,

and start all other lines at the left

margin.

1. Microsoft Word automatically formats

numbered items with uniform left

indentation.

2. The University Guidelines Manual

requires paragraph format.

3. University Guidelines Manual wins!

Indent the first line of each item,

including the number, like a

paragraph, and start all other lines at

the left margin.

Subheads

SubheadsFIRST LEVEL SUBHEAD Underlined Headline Style of Capitalization On a line by itself Centered SECOND LEVEL SUBHEAD Underlined Headline Style of Capitalization On a line by itself Begins at left marginTHIRD LEVEL SUBHEAD Underlined Sentence style of capitalization Paragraph indentation On the same line as text Ends with a periodSPACING For first or second level subheads, subheads of two

or more lines are single line-spaced

Tables and Figures

Tables Table titles are placed ABOVE the table Each line of the table title begins at the left margin. The table title begins

with the header TABLE (all uppercase letters) then the number of the table, a period and two spaces

The wording of the table title uses Headline Style of Capitalization (first word and all significant words capitalized). Multi-line table titles are single line spaced

Align all numbers in each column by decimal or assumed decimal and use commas in numbers 1,000 or more

Do not box tables; there should be no lines on the left or right edge Notes can be placed underneath tables. Each line of a note begins at the

left margin. Use single line spacing if a note for a table is more than one line

Tables must fill a complete page before continuing to another page. For subsequent pages of a table, include the column headers used on the first page of a table and use the title:

TABLE [# of table]. Continued

Figures Each line of the figure caption begins at the left margin. The

caption begins with the header FIGURE (all uppercase letters) then the number of the figure, a period and two spaces

The wording of the figure caption uses Sentence style of capitalization (first word capitalized plus anything that would be uppercase in a sentence) and ends in a period. Multi-line figure captions are single line spaced

Figure captions end with a period but do not have to be grammatically correct sentences

To simplify the list of figures, begin captions with a short descriptive phrase ending with a period and then add as much information as needed. In the list of figures, you only need to include the words of each caption up to the first period

A figure must be complete on one page Figure captions are placed BELOW the figure

Placement of Tables and FiguresOPTIONSTables and figures can be placed in an appendix OR on pages by themselves (one, two, or three on a page) OR on pages with textIN APPENDIXPlacement of tables or figures in sequence with no text in between makes them easy to find

ON PAGE WITHOUT TEXTIf a table or figure appears on a page without text, center the table or figure on the page; that is, use the same amount of blank space above and below the table or figure

ON PAGE WITH TEXTIf a table or figure appears on a page with text, then there should be extra spacing—3 to 4 blank single line spaced lines (from ½ to ¾ inch of blank space)—between the text and the table or figure. Add extra spacing above if text is above the table or figure, add extra spacing below if text is below the table or figure, and add extra spacing above and below if text is above and below the table or figure

Mind the GapExtra blank space cannot be left at the bottom of a page of text to accommodate the placement of a table or figure. If more text remains in the chapter following a table or figure, then move that text forward to fill blank space at the bottom of a page, even if that means separating a table or figure from the text that describes it or even if that text includes a new subhead

WRONG PLACEMENT

Too much blank space

OPTION ONE

OPTION TWO

Avoid Other Common Mistakes Use 12 point font size for page

numbers, footnotes, table titles and table notes, and figure captions

Periods and “commas,” inside “quotation marks.”

Use two hyphens—with no space before or after—to create “em” (long) dash

Widows and orphans (single lines at top or bottom of page) are not allowed

The first time each acronym (or abbreviation) is used in text, write out the complete term followed by the acronym in parentheses; after that, the acronym can be used in all text that follows without the term being written out

Use consistent style for quotation marks: "straight" versus “smart” (curved)

For ellipsis . . . use 3-4 period dots with a space before and after each dot

In-Text CitationsIf you use reference numbering—[1] or (1)—the numbers go

before periods or commas within the text. References should be numbered in numerical order according

to their order of appearance in the text. The citations in the references list at the end of your paper should be numbered to match and be arranged in this same numerical order

Refer to a source by author or title of work in a sentence, not by the number

Example: A key principle is explained in Smith’s dissertation [5].

NOT A key principle is explained in [5].

Appendices

Appendices Title pages are used to introduce appendices. Titles use all uppercase letters and

double line spacing and are centered on the page

If there is only one appendix, begin the title page with APPENDIX and then the title on the next line

For more than one appendix, begin with a separate APPENDICES title page followed by the first appendix title page which contains the words APPENDIX A, then a blank line and then the title of Appendix A on the next line

Each page of the appendices as well as the appendix title pages have page numbers (in sequence following the last page of the text). The page number of the appendix title page is the page number listed in the table of contents

All material within appendices must maintain the 1 ½ inch left margin and one inch top, right, and bottom margins

Consider blocking out or omitting personal email addresses and phone numbers if included on flyers or forms within appendices

References

References A separate title page comes before the list of citations with REFERENCES or

BIBLIOGRAPHY (in all uppercase) centered on the page. The page number of this title page is the page number listed in the table of contents

Begin the first page of citations with a title (such as REFERENCES) in all uppercase letters and centered on the first line; use a two inch top margin for the first page

Format each citation with a hanging indent. The first line begins at the left margin with subsequent lines indented. Increase the amount of hanging indentation if needed so that the text of lines that follow the first line begins 3-4 spaces further to the right than the text (not the number) of the first line

Single line space within the citations and leave a blank line between citations Do not break up a citation onto two pages. Move it to the next page if needed List all references used in your manuscript Be consistent with spacing: single spacing following periods and colons is

acceptable; use one space or zero space between initials

Plagiarism and Copyright PermissionPlagiarismIf you are unsure about giving credit to a source, then for your own protection you should cite the source

Copyright Information A brief discussion of copyright is available at the Thesis and Dissertation Office web page: http://www.csulb.edu/library /guide/serv/copyr.html

Copyright Permission (Contact Author or Publisher)Samples of copyright permission forms are also available at the Thesis and Dissertation Office web page. Keep copies of any permission forms you obtain and bring to Copy Center with your manuscript

Using Other Theses as Samples and Getting Outside HelpReferring to Other ThesesPeople often refer to theses on the ProQuest database, but do not base your own thesis formatting completely on these samples. Use the University Guidelines Manual

Working with a TypistIf you hire a typist or editor or formatter, make sure that they follow the appropriate guides. Agree on this from the beginning or you may find yourself having to pay twice to fix the problems caused by miscommunication

Don’t Forget the Author Login

Don’t Forget the Author Login Check our home page http://www.csulb.edu/library

/guide/serv/prior to submitting your manuscript for the link to the online Author Login

All three sections of the Author Login must be complete before we can accept your manuscript for format evaluation. Contact us if you have problems entering information

You will receive an email verification after you complete the Author Login. Please check to be sure all the information is correct, especially your email address and your committee chair’s email address

It’s Not the End of the WorldDon’t let your frustration level get too high. Contact

us with any questions or problems. We are here to help and we love specific questions

Many people hire a typist or editor or formatter if the task becomes too overwhelming

You are responsible for your manuscript being formatted in a professional manner that adheres to all university and departmental formatting guidelines. The manuscript should be formatted to the best of your ability when it is submitted, but there will be opportunities to correct errors after is it submitted