KU Thesis and Dissertation Formatting: Formatting Specifics

Information for University of Kansas graduate students on required content order, page numbering, creating headings, formatting table of contents, adding captions, creating a table of figures and embedding fonts for theses and dissertations.

Formatting Specifics

This libguide provides helpful hints and quick tutorials in regards to most aspects of thesis/dissertation formatting.

For specific requirements, please see the KU Office of Graduate Studies Thesis or Dissertation Formatting Guidelines. These can be accessed by visiting https://graduate.ku.edu/etd-formatting-and-working-multimedia-files

Formatting FAQ

Q: What citation and formatting style (e.g. MLA, APA, Chicago) should I use?
A: This a decision that you are allowed to make, keeping in mind what style is common in your field, and what style your chair/committee thinks is most appropriate. The important thing is that you use your chosen style consistently.

Q: Which sections do I need to include in my thesis/dissertation?
A: See below.

Q: What should my margins be?
A: Margins should generally be one inch on all sides. Margins can be wider, but they cannot be smaller. If you are unsure if you need standard or wider margins, consult with your chair/committee.

Q: What font should I use?
A: The Office of Graduate Studies recommends 11- or 12-point Times New Roman. However, students can generally work with other, non-Times New Roman fonts as long as they are commonly-used (e.g. Arial, Helvetica, Garamond). If you are unsure as to what fonts to use, or if you need to use a non-standard font for a specific purpose, consult with your chair or your committee. If you use a non-standard font, make sure you embed it before submitting.

Q: How should my lines be spaced?
A: Double-spacing is preferred, although single-spacing in the table of contents, footnotes, endnotes, charts, graphs, tables, block quotations, captions, glossary, appendices, and bibliography is acceptable. If you need to use single-spacing throughout your thesis/dissertation, you must secure prior written approval from your dissertation committee and your graduate division.

Q: How should my headers be formatted? Footers?
A: Your dissertation—even if it is formatted according to APA rules—should not have any headers. Likewise, the only thing that should appear in the footer is a page number.

Q: Do I include faculty signatures when I upload my PDF to ProQuest?
A: To decrease the risk of identity theft, do not upload pages with original signatures to ProQuest. Committee members' signatures will instead be included on the physical copy of your thesis or dissertation that is turned in to your department upon completion.

Q: Should I include spaces in my filename?
A: Do not include spaces in your filename. Underscoring is allowed.

Thesis and Dissertation Content

Your thesis/dissertation should include the following sections in the following order:


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