Thesis Guidelines for Inclusion in the Arnold Bernhard Library: Page Arrangement

Please consult with your department and/or advisor to determine their requirements for layout and formatting.  ABL does not have a required format.  The following are only suggestions for basic thesis/professional project page layout.

Please use the links or see below for more detail:

                                                                                          Title Page

                                                                                          Copyright Page (optional)

                                                                                          Abstract

                                                                                          Signature Page

                                                                                          Dedication Page (optional)

                                                                                          Acknowledgement Page (optiona)

                                                                                          Table of Contents

                                                                                          Lists (optional)

                                                                                          Body

                                                                                          References

                                                                                          Appendix(es) (optional, please see Appendix box, MLA order is different)

Your title page should include:

1. [Title of thesis/professional project] should be spaced, 14 point font, bold, all text centered on this page
2.  "by [your name], Previous Degree abbreviated, school of degree, year of degree",12 point font, bold
3. "A Thesis" or "Professional Project" 12 point font, bold
4. "Presented to the School of [enter school name here] and Quinnipiac University" 12 point font
5. "In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of " 12 point font
6. "Master of [Name of degree earned, do not abbreviate]" 12 point font
7. "Quinnipiac University" 12 point font
8. "Month Year" 12 point font
9. Do not place a page number on this page

Example:

**This page is optional**

If you choose to copyright your thesis, the copyright page should be your second page.  Do not place a number on the page, but do count it in the pretext.  Text should be centered on the page and include "Copyright by  [your name] and the year".

Example:

1. Your Abstract should be the third page (second if no copyright page), with pretext numbering (Roman Numerals) placed at the bottom of the page (iii).  Top of the page should be "Abstract" in bold 14 point font, centered. 
2. Your thesis title should be next, bold, 14 point font, double spaced and centered.
3. Student's full name and degree sought abbreviated, 12 point font, centered.
4. Quinnipiac University
5. Month and Year
6. Your abstract should be a concise statement of the nature and content of your thesis.  Your abstract should not exceed 350 words.  Your abstract should be double spaced, 12 point font, and justified to the left.

Example:

1. The title of your thesis should be at the top, 14 point, double spaced, bold and centered.
2. "This thesis is approved as creditable and independent investigation by a candidate for the degree of [enter degree here], and is acceptable as meeting the thesis requirements for this degree, but without implying that the conclusions reached by the candidate are necessarily the conclusions of the major department"
3. You should have signatures from your thesis advisor(s), a reader(s), and the Department Chair.  Please refer to you specific department to confirm names on the signature page.
4. Use pretext numbering (Roman Numerals) placed at the bottom of the page (iv).

Example:

The Dedication page is optional.

1. "Dedication" should be 14 point, bold and centered.  
2. Text should be 12 point and justified to the left.
3. Use pretext numbering (Roman Numerals) placed at the bottom of the page (v)

Example:

The Acknowledgements page is optional.

1. "Acknowlegements" should be 14 point, bold and centered.  
2. Text should be 12 point and justified to the left.
3. Use pretext numbering (Roman Numerals) placed at the bottom of the page (vi)

Example:

1. "Table of Contents" should be 14 point, bold and centered.
2. Actual table of contents should be 12 point, justified to the left.
3. Do not list prepages in table of contents, but do place pretext page number at the bottom of the page (vii)

Example:

There are generally two sets of Lists you can include in your thesis.  All are optional. 

The order to include them is List of Tables, then List of Figures.

1. "List of [name of list]" should be 14 point, bold and centered.
2. In actual list, write "Table 1. " or "Figure 1. " bold12 point, justified to the left, in sequential order.  After "Table 1. " add a brief description of the table or figure, followed by the page number the table is on.
3. Place a pretext page number at the bottom of the page (viii)

Example:

The body of your thesis should be 12 point and double spaced and start with an introduction.

The works cited/references page(s) follow the body of your thesis. Please be sure to check with your school of study for citation format requirements before setting up your thesis.

APA "References" Layout (from the Purdue Owl Website)

• Your references should begin on a new page separate from the text of the essay; label this page "References" centered at the top of the page (do NOT bold, underline, or use quotation marks for the title). All text should be double-spaced just like the rest of your essay.

MLA  "Works Cited" Layout (from the Purdue Owl Wesite)

• Begin your Works Cited page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper.
• Label the page Works Cited (do not italicize the words Works Cited or put them in quotation marks) and center the words Works Cited at the top of the page.

1. For both APA and MLA "Appendix" should be 12 point and centered. (If you have more than one Appendix, use "Appendix A", "Appendix B" etc.)
2.  Add your Appendix title below "Appendix".

***Please Note that the Appendix comes BEFORE your Works Cited page(s) in MLA***