Margins

All (right, left, top, and bottom) margins should be set at one inch. Use these margins throughout the manuscript. Text should be left justified only (leave the right margin ragged).

Page Numbers

Page numbers must be placed in the top right corner, except for facing pages (see Tables, Figures, Illustrations, above) which are numbered in the top left corner. The page number should be set against the 1" right margin and approximately 3/4" from the top of the paper. With the exception of the title page and copyright page, every page of the manuscript must have a page number in the top right corner. The preliminary pages—excluding the title page and copyright page, which are not numbered—are numbered beginning with the lower-case Roman numeral "ii" if there is no copyright page and "iii" if there is one. Page number 1 is assigned to the first page of text.

Spacing

Manuscript text must be double-spaced throughout, without extra spaces between paragraphs, unless otherwise specified by your style manual. The text should be more or less continuous, without hard page breaks between sections (with the exception of new chapters). Each new chapter is to begin on a new page.

Headings

Chapters or their equivalents (e.g., METHOD, RESULTS) are often divided into sections, and sometimes further divided into subsections, each preceded by a heading. Chapter/major section headings are always written in all capital letters, both in the text and the Table of Contents. The format of subsection headings varies by style manual, but it must be consistent throughout the manuscript, and once they have been determined, heading levels should not be skipped.

Some style manuals, such as that of the American Psychological Association, require specific formatting for heading levels. Others (e.g., MLA) have no specific requirements, but do not support word-level formatting such as italics or bold type. Check your style manual to see if specific heading formats are required. If not, a scheme such as the APA's would be appropriate:

CHAPTER/MAJOR SECTION: CENTERED UPPERCASE HEADING

First Level: Centered Uppercase and Lowercase heading

Second Level: Centered, Italicized, Upper and Lowercase Heading

Third Level: Left Margin Flush, Italicized, Upper and Lowercase Side Heading

          Fourth level: indented by half an inch, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading ending with a period.

Tense and Point of View

A typical thesis or dissertation describes something that has already taken place and, therefore, requires consistent usage of the past tense. The "historical present" is customarily used in English and the humanities: events that have already occurred are described in the past tense and written or audio/visual works in the present tense. In the sciences and other disciplines, the past tense is almost always used. Present and future tense may be used, provided you make it clear that the statement is true at the time it is read or will be true in the future; otherwise, the reader may assume that the material is based purely on your opinions.

A dissertation or thesis is most often a report of a study which has been made in accordance with objective principles, and so is normally written in the third person. Be as objective as possible, using impersonal ("one," "the researcher") rather than personal ("I," "we") pronouns when these are needed. However, use of the first person is becoming increasingly popular in the humanities and the first person plural in the social and natural sciences.

Quotations

Most style manuals list individual requirements as to the use and format of quotations. If yours does not, use the following rules of thumb: enclose a quotation less than three typewritten lines in length in quotation marks and work it into the existing paragraph. If the quotation is more than three typewritten lines in length, delete the quotation marks and give it its own separate, block-indented paragraph.

Footnotes, Endnotes, and Parenthetical Citations

Consult your style manual to see whether the preferred method for attributing quotations is footnotes (which appear at the bottom of the page), endnotes (which are grouped together at the end of the chapter or manuscript) or parenthetical citations (which appear in the text, immediately after the quote or reference). Use the same method and formatting throughout the manuscript.

Abbreviations, Acronyms, and Symbols

The use of abbreviations, acronyms, or symbols is acceptable provided that proper clarification is given the first time they are used. Except for extremely common examples, proper form includes the term or phrase given in full immediately followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, e.g., "electron volts per molecule (ev/m)." The abbreviation "ev/m" would then be used throughout the manuscript without explanation or parentheses. A preface or appendix may also be added listing all abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols with their meanings.

Foreign Words and Phrases

Except in a thesis or dissertation written in a language other than English, it is customary to underline or italicize words taken directly from a foreign language (including Latin). Certain exceptions are permitted for words that have been completely absorbed into the language, e.g., "etcetera." Consult an unabridged dictionary or your style manual if you are uncertain whether a foreign term has been accepted into common American English usage.

Use of Numbers

Consult your style manual to see whether it dictates using numerals at all times, or spelling out numbers under certain conditions.

Spelling, Grammar, and Punctuation

It is expected that BGSU students will produce theses and dissertations free of errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Prior to printing the final copy, run the entire manuscript, including the preliminary pages, reference list, and appendices, through a computer spell-checker. (Do not use Correct All, Automatic, or their equivalent, which can replace unfamiliar or misspelled words with inappropriate substitutes.) Before submitting your thesis or dissertation to the Graduate College, you and your committee should carefully proofread it—using the checklist provided in this Handbook—and make all corrections needed. If you are uncertain about whether your grammar, spelling, and punctuation are correct, you may wish to hire a professional copy editor. See "Professional Assistance in Preparing the Manuscript," below.

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