For Submission of
Master's Theses (Plan A) and Doctoral Dissertations

This Formatting Guide sets forth the requirements for the electronic submission of theses and dissertations at Michigan State University.

The formatting rules in this guide for electronic submission take precedence over previous publications issued by the Graduate School or issued by departments/colleges.

The review of theses/dissertations by the Graduate School is limited to formatting requirements and does not extend to discipline-specific content. It is in the author's best interest to perform a spelling and grammar check before submitting the document via ProQuest for review. Questions regarding this Formatting Guide may be directed to the staff of the Graduate School who will be pleased to give assistance by email msuetds.approval@grd.msu.edu or by calling 517-353-3220.

The signed Approval Form for electronic submission serves as evidence that the document has been examined and approved by the major professor (or thesis/dissertation director) and guidance committee. The electronic approval form is received by The Graduate School after the major professor (or thesis/dissertation director) has signed off on it. IRB or IACUC letters are to be uploaded to the Approval Form.

ProQuest website for Electronic Submissions: www.etdadmin.com/grad.msu

FORMAT REQUIREMENTS AND GUIDELINES

Name

• Your name must match in all aspects of your submission. This includes the Title page, Copyright page (if applicable), Approval form and ProQuest Account contact details.
• The name you list is to be the name as it is recorded on the student's official university record at Michigan State University.

Margins

• All regular margins must be between 1 and 1 ½ inches and consistent on all sides. The only text permitted to be in the margins are the page numbers.

Spacing

• The text of the Abstract, Acknowledgements, Preface, and general text of the body of the manuscript may be 1.5-spaced or double-spaced and must be consistent throughout the document.
• Table of Contents: Single-space within chapters. Follow the spacing guidelines above for spacing between major section headings and between chapters.
• List of Symbols and/or List of Abbreviations: single-space within multi-line entries. Follow the spacing utilized in the body of the document between entries.
• Single-spacing is acceptable for titles, headings, footnotes, endnotes, lengthy quotations, bulleted/numbered lists, figure/table captions, and/or material in an appendix.

Font and Font Size

• Font size for page numbers, table/figure/scheme/algorithm names and captions, preliminary pages, reference/appendix pages, and general text may be from 10- to 12- point and must remain consistent in the entire document. Headings and subheadings in the body of the document may be up to a 24-point font size and must remain consistent in the entire document.
• A 12-point font is the norm for regular text. A 10-point font is the norm for superscripts, subscripts, and footnotes.

• Script, small caps, and ornamental fonts will not be accepted. Fonts strongly suggested include Times New Roman, Calibri, Arial, Garamond, and Cambria. The font must remain consistent throughout the entire document. Glossed examples may be in small caps and computer program names may be in a different font.

  Glossed examples (Linguistics):

  Computer Program name examples:

• Font Color: All general text, headings, and subheadings must be in black text. Text within tables, figures, schemes, algorithms, and computer code may be any color. URLs or hyperlinks may be in blue and must be consistent throughout the document.

Page Numbering & Location

• Page number placement begins with the Dedication page or the next page in the document if there is no dedication. The previous pages are counted but not numbered.
• A public abstract (if included) is neither counted nor numbered.
• All preliminary pages, beginning with the Dedication page (if applicable), are counted and numbered using lower case roman numerals (iii, iv, v, etc.).
• The body of the document, which begins with the Introduction or Chapter 1 (if there is no introductory chapter), is to be numbered with Arabic numbers beginning with 1.
• Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) are placed on all pages consecutively throughout the body of the document, bibliography, and appendices.
• The same font and font size used for the text in the document is also to be used for the page numbers to maintain consistency.
• Page numbers are to be ½ inch to an inch from the bottom of the page (in the footer) regardless of page orientation (portrait or landscape).

Sequencing, Sample Pages, and Pagination

Page Size

• All pages in the document are to be 8 ½ inches by 11 inches.

Chapters/Chapter Equivalents

• The text is to be divided into chapters or chapter equivalents (example: INTRODUCTION, MATERIALS AND METHODS, RESULTS, CONCLUSION, etc.). Any of the methods recommended in professional style manuals may be used to divide or sub-divide your document, provided consistency is maintained throughout the entire document.
• New chapters or chapter equivalents are to begin on a new page.

Blank Pages

• There are to be no blank pages in the entire document.

Footnotes

• Michigan State University has no overall requirement beyond consistency, and all footnotes must conform to margin requirements. Footnotes should adhere to the standards and practices of the author’s discipline and be in the same font as the general text.

If the Document is in a Foreign Language

• English versions of the title page and abstract are to follow the title page and abstract in the foreign language.
• The English version of the title page and abstract are not to be counted or numbered.
• The student’s advisor must send an email to msuetds.approval@grd.msu.edu granting permission for the document to be in a foreign language.

Use of Reprints

• Students using reprints of previously published copyrighted material must obtain permission from the appropriate publisher to use that material in their thesis or dissertation.
• The permission letter/memo/screenshot/etc. must be uploaded to the copyright section in the student’s ProQuest account. It is up to the student to determine if the permission they have obtained is adequate for reprinting the material.
• If students are unable to obtain permission to reprint, they must have a 1–2-page summary of the work in addition to detailing their contribution, the citation, and DOI. The summary should be placed where the reprinted material was intended to be.

Digital Media

• Links to outside resources such as: QR Codes, YouTube videos, audio/video interviews, web link to videos, etc. that are not embedded within the document must be maintained in perpetuity.
• QR codes/YouTube videos/etc. will need to be transcribed within the document for accessibility purposes.
• If the media is a product the student created, a summary/transcription must be provided. The summary should immediately follow the digital media.

Embargo

• Students choosing to have an embargo placed on their document need to complete an Embargo Form. This should be completed and submitted to the Graduate School prior to submission to ProQuest. Please follow the directions on the form for further instruction.
• If you need to change or extend an embargo, the request may be made here.

Supplemental Files

• Supplemental files may be included with the electronic version of the thesis or dissertation in the student’s ProQuest account ONLY if the files have been approved by the faculty advisor/guidance committee on the Approval Form.
• Do not attach the Approval Form, Embargo Form, IRB letter or IACUC letter as supplemental files in your ProQuest account.
• Supplemental files’ formatting WILL NOT be reviewed by the Graduate School.

Preliminary Pages

• Preliminary pages include the pages preceding the body of the thesis/dissertation. They include the Title page (required), Abstract page(s)(required), Copyright page (if applicable), Dedication (if applicable), Acknowledgements (if applicable), Preface (if applicable), Table of Contents (required), List of Symbols (if applicable), and List of Abbreviations (if applicable), and List of Tables/Figures/etc. (if applicable).
• If you choose to bold any headings in the preliminary pages (i.e., ABSTRACT or TABLE OF CONTENTS) then all the headings in the preliminary pages should be in bold type to maintain consistency.
• Preliminary pages may not contain any tables/figures/schemes/etc.

Body of the Document

• Whatever formatting choices are made for one chapter must be followed in all chapters to maintain consistency.

SPECIFIC PAGE FORMATTING INSTRUCTIONS

Title Page (Required)

• Please download a Title Page Template to correctly format your thesis/dissertation Title Page and refer to the additional instructions below. You may also consult the sample Title Pages for further assistance.
  • Master’s Title Page Template
  • Master’s Title Page Sample
  • Dissertation Title Page Template
  • Dissertation Title Page Sample
  • Dissertation Title Page with Dual Major Template
  • Dissertation Title Page with Dual Major Sample
• Do not use boldface type on the Title Page.
• The title is to be in all capital letters and single-spaced.
• Capitalize “By” and Your Name.
• “A THESIS” or “A DISSERTATION” is to be in all capital letters.
• The text block beneath A THESIS or A DISSERTATION should be centered, left to right, and appear as follows:
  1. Submitted to
  2. Michigan State University
  3. in partial fulfillment of the requirements
  4. for the degree of
  5. <type the name of the Graduate Degree Granting Unit/Program> - <degree that is being conferred>
  6. <type the year of degree conferral>
• If there is a dual major, the degree granting units and degrees are to be written with the main degree on the first line, then single-space once and type the second degree on the next line.
• The year in line 6 must match the year listed in the ProQuest account in the following areas: Year Manuscript Completed and Degree Date.
• A complete list of Graduate Degree Granting Units and Programs may be found on the Registrar’s website. Only the units/programs listed here are approved by Michigan State University. You will also encounter this same list in the ProQuest website for submission.

Abstract (Required)

• Type “ABSTRACT” in all capital letters, centered at the top margin.
• Then, following the spacing guidelines, begin the text of the Abstract.
• A Public Abstract (optional) should precede the standard Abstract and follow the same formatting guidelines as the Abstract. The heading should read “PUBLIC ABSTRACT”. The Public Abstract page(s) should not be counted or numbered.
• The abstract must not exceed two pages.

Copyright Page (If Applicable)

• If the author intends to register for a copyright, a Copyright Page is to be inserted immediately following the abstract page(s).
• The copyright registration notice may be placed anywhere on its own page.

• The copyright notice is to be formatted in the following way with the text left aligned:

  Copyright by
  MARY JONES
  2017

• At the ProQuest website, you will have the option to allow ProQuest to register for a copyright on your behalf. Note: If you intend to have ProQuest file a copyright on your behalf, it must be done when you first create your ProQuest account because there is a fee that must be paid up-front. The fee is currently $75.
• ProQuest can only file a copyright on your behalf if you are the SOLE AUTHOR of your document.

Dedication (If Applicable)

• If included, the dedication should be brief and centered (top to bottom and left to right) on the page and must be single-spaced. There should not be a heading on this page.

Acknowledgements (If Applicable)

• Most theses/dissertations include a brief statement of appreciation for, or recognition of, any special assistance. Type “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” in all capital letters centered at the top margin.
• Then, following the spacing utilized in the body of the document, begin the text of the Acknowledgements.

Preface (If Applicable)

• If a Preface to the thesis/dissertation is included, it should immediately precede the Table of Contents.
• The Preface must not exceed two pages.
• Type “PREFACE” in all capital letters, centered at the top margin.
• Then, following the spacing utilized in the body of the document, begin the text of the Preface.

Table of Contents (Required)

• No material preceding and including the Table of Contents is to be listed in the Table of Contents.
• Type “TABLE OF CONTENTS” in all capital letters, centered at the top margin.
• Then, following the spacing utilized in the body of the document, list the first entry.
• The titles of all the chapters and chapter equivalents must be listed in the Table of Contents, and they must be worded, capitalized, and punctuated exactly as they appear in the body of the document. Subheadings within chapters are not required to be listed. The Graduate School strongly encourages students to keep the Table of Contents as simple as possible.
• Leader dots from the final word of each title to the page number for each entry are required. No lines in an entry should be made up entirely of leader dots.
• All page numbers for entries are to be lined up at the same point at the right margin.
• List only the page number of the first page of the chapter or section. Do not list a range of page numbers.

List of Symbols and/or List of Abbreviations (If Applicable)

• Type “LIST OF SYMBOLS” or “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS” all capital letters, centered at the top margin.
• Then, following the spacing utilized in the body of the document, list the first entry.
• Any form acceptable to the department, college, or style manual may be used, but must comply with margin requirements and be single spaced within entries and double-spaced between entries.
• The List(s) should not be in table format as there are to be no tables in the preliminary pages. The List(s) should appear as the first entry/entries in the Table of Contents.

Bibliography (Required)

• Any thesis/dissertation that makes use of other works, either in direct quotation or by reference, must contain a bibliography listing these sources.
• Type the heading “BIBLIOGRAPHY” (or you may use “LITERATURE CITED”, “WORKS CITED” or “REFERENCES” as alternatives to “BIBLIOGRAPHY” if that is the standard in your discipline) in all capital letters, centered at the top margin. Bolding and font size should match that of the preliminary page (Abstract, Acknowledgements, etc.) headings.
• Then, following the spacing utilized in the body of the document, list the first entry.
• The Bibliography may be placed at the end of each chapter or at the end of the document, but there must be consistency. If you place it at the end of one chapter, you must do the same for ALL chapters.
• Standards for the presentation of bibliographies are set forth in the style manuals, or will be prescribed by the student's major professor, but formatting must be consistent across all entries.

Appendix or Appendices (If Applicable)

• The appendix (or appendices) is usually added to contain supplementary illustrative materials, original data, and quotations too lengthy for inclusion in the text or not immediately essential to an understanding of the text.
• Appendices always follow Bibliographies, whether within a chapter or at the end of the document. There must be consistency. If you place it at the end of one chapter, you must do the same for ALL chapters. If your bibliography is at the end of the document, your appendix must follow it.
• Tables, figures, schemes, and algorithms that appear in the appendices must be numbered and captioned.
• Type the heading “APPENDIX” along with its title in all capital letters (i.e.: APPENDIX A: APPENDIX TITLE), centered at the top margin. Bolding and font size should match that of the preliminary page (Abstract, Acknowledgements, etc.) headings.
• Then, following the spacing utilized in the body of the document, begin the text of the Appendix.
• When multiple Appendices are used, each individual Appendix (i.e.: APPENDIX A with title, APPENDIX B with title, etc. and corresponding page number is to appear as a heading in the Table of Contents. For a single Appendix, it should just read APPENDIX with the corresponding page number.

TABLES AND FIGURES

Definitions

• The word “Table” designates tabulated numerical data used in the body of the thesis/dissertation and in the appendices. Tables consist of an arrangement of facts, numbers, and values in an orderly sequence, usually in rows and columns.
• The word “Figure” designates all other non-verbal material used in the body of the thesis/dissertation and in the appendices, such as charts, graphs, maps, photographs, plates, drawings, diagrams, etc. Syntax trees and NMR spectra images do not need to be labeled as figures.

Preparation of Tables and Figures

• A LIST OF TABLES, LIST OF FIGURES, LIST OF ALGORITHMS, or LIST OF SCHEMES is/are not required, and it is recommended that they not be included.
• If included, the LIST(s) should be formatted like the LIST OF SYMBOLS/LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS and appear immediately following the Table of Contents. Each Table/Figure/Algorithm/Scheme must be listed with a number and a title and/or caption as it appears in the document. Within the document the title may be denoted as being different from the rest of the caption by whatever means chosen if consistency is maintained throughout the entire document (i.e.: bold type, italics, underline, etc.). If the title is denoted as being different from the rest of the caption, then only the “title” would need to appear in the LIST(s). If you do not denote a difference between the title and caption, then the entire title and caption would need to be included in the LIST(s).
• Leader dots from the final word of each caption to the page number for each entry are required. No lines in an entry should be made up entirely of leader dots.
• All page numbers for entries are to be lined up at the same point at the right margin.
• Computer printouts or screenshots used as tables or figures must be given numbers and titles/captions.
• Tables/Figures/etc. should start with the word “Table”/ “Figure”/etc.
• Tables/Figures/etc. should have a professional appearance and they should be clear and easy to read.

Placement of Tables, Figures, Algorithms, and Schemes

• Tables, Figures, Algorithms, and Schemes are to be inserted as close as possible to the text they illustrate in the document. Otherwise, Tables/Figures may be grouped at the end of the chapter/major section and should be labeled “Tables”, “Figures”, etc. Alternatively, they may be placed in an appendix.
• If they are grouped at the end of the chapter/major section, the heading “Tables”, “Figures”, etc. should be centered at the top margin. Then, following the spacing guidelines, begin the Tables/Figures/etc. These headings do not need to appear in the Table of Contents.
• Tables/Figures/etc. may appear on the same page as text. Two or more small tables/figures/etc. may be placed together on a single page, providing they meet margin requirements.
• The name and caption for each Table may be above or below the Table, but your Table names and captions must be consistent throughout the entire document with regards to caption placement. These guidelines also apply to Figures, Algorithms, Schemes, etcetera.

Numbering of Tables and Figures

• Tables/Figures/Algorithms/Schemes/etc. are to be numbered in a separate series and are to be numbered consecutively. (i.e.: Figure 16, Figure 17, etc. OR Table 14, Table 15, etc. OR Figure 1.1, Figure 1.2, Figure 2.1, etc.)
• Each table/figure/etc. must have its own distinct number. There cannot be any duplication of numbering throughout chapters.
• If any table/figure/etc. continues onto subsequent pages, the figure/table name and caption must be placed on the first page the figure/table appears on (with the figure/table). The top line of the next page is to have a continuation statement, by itself. As an example, that statement can read “Table 16 (cont’d)”, “Figure 16 (continued)”, “Table 16 (cont.)”, etcetera. The formatting of the continuation statement must be consistent throughout the document.
• Tables/Figures/etc. can be numbered to correspond with the Chapter they are in. If, for example, Figures begin in Chapter 2 (with none in the previous chapter) you may number them in accordance with chapter numbers. (i.e.: Figure 2.1).
• Tables/Figures/etc. in an appendix can be labeled with the corresponding appendix letter or an “S”. Example: Appendix A can have Figure A1.1 or Figure S1.1 or Figure 1.1 if that figure number has not been used before in the document.