certificate format for dissertation

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Formatting a Thesis or Dissertation

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Congratulations! You have arrived at an important step in the pursuit of your graduate degree—the writing of your thesis or dissertation. Your scholarly publication reflects the results of your research and academic pursuits at Oregon State University.

Student Responsibility

Students are responsible for:

• Meeting the deadlines associated with its preparation. Visit the master's deadlines and the doctoral deadlines.
• Submitting the necessary forms.
• Ensuring that your document conforms to all requirements in this Thesis Guide.

Your document must clearly state your objectives and conclusions, and present your results in a lucid and succinct manner. It must have a professional appearance and be user-friendly.

Ethical research practice requires you to avoid the following:

• Plagiarism: failure to acknowledge the work of others by using proper citations and obtaining written permission to use copyrighted material.
• Fabrication: the creation of fictitious research results.
• Falsification: alteration of research results by misrepresentation or selective reporting of findings.

General Format

Standard Document Format refers to one thesis document that addresses a single theme. The Pretext Pages, Introduction, Conclusion, and Bibliography are mandatory. Your committee determines the additional chapters; you choose the chapter titles. The following parts comprise the Standard Document Format:

• Pretext Pages (see model pages illustrated in Figures 2-11)
• Chapter 1 – Introduction
• Chapter 2 – Literature Review
• Chapter 3 – Materials and Methods
• Chapter 4 – Results
• Chapter 5 – Discussion
• Chapter 6 – Conclusion

Bibliography

• Appendices (optional)

Manuscript Document Format is a single thesis document made up of several scholarly manuscripts or journal articles addressing a common theme. All manuscripts/articles must be related or address a single, common theme. You must be the primary author of each manuscript. Co-authors other than your major professor must be mentioned in a Contribution of Authors page (see Figure 9) in the pretext section of the document. Formatting should be consistent for each journal article and must follow the thesis guide formatting not the separate journal formats. The following parts comprise the Manuscript Document Format:

• Chapter 1 – General Introduction (common introduction linking all manuscripts thematically)
• Chapter 2 – First Manuscript
• Chapter 3 – Second Manuscript
• Chapter 4 – General Conclusion (common conclusion linking all manuscripts thematically)
• Bibliography (common bibliography covering all manuscripts, although each manuscript may have its own reference section)
• Appendices – (optional)

Note: Within the larger Manuscript Format thesis document, Chapter Heading Pages (see Figure 1 below) precede individual manuscripts that have already been published. If not published, page is not required. Manuscripts must uniformly conform to these thesis guidelines.

MANUSCRIPT TITLE CENTERED AND ALL CAPS

Your name and other authors

Journal name Address of journal Issue manuscript appears in

Figure 1. Chapter Heading Page for Manuscript Document Format

Page Layout

Margin requirements.

The left margin must be 1 inch unless printing and binding a personal or departmental copy then change to 1.5 inch. All other margins must be at least 1 inch, preferably 1.2 for top margin. Nothing may invade a margin. Every page must meet margin requirements. Margin requirements are especially important if binding a copy of your thesis.

Page Numbering

Pretext pages: Do not add page numbers to pretext pages.

Body: The body of the text begins with page 1 and all successive pages are numbered consecutively with Arabic Numbers (e.g. 2, 3, etc.) including Appendix/Appendices and Bibliography. Page numbers should be the same size and font as the body of the text. Page numbers must appear at the top right corner of pages, approximately 1 inch from the top edge of the page and at least 1 inch from the right edge of the page. Page numbers must not invade any margins. There should be at least one space between the page number and the first line of text.

Your title must be worded exactly the same throughout the document as it appears on the Abstract page, Title page and centered on page one (optional). Titles longer than one line should be single-spaced. The document's title does not count as a heading level.

Text Requirements

Text spacing.

Line spacing must be 1.5 or double, consistent throughout the document and matching which one you choose for the body of the thesis. Use single spacing only in the following situations:

• Headings longer than one line
• Figure and table titles and associated legends
• Bibliographical and reference citations
• Direct quoted material
• Items listed within the body of the text (optional)
• Where indicated in the pretext section

Use regular, unadorned print, 10- to 12-point size for text (headings may be 14-point only if all headings are 14-point). Font size within figures and tables can be smaller but must be readable. Use the same font style and font size throughout.

Chapter names are Level 1 headings. Subheadings of a chapter are Level 2 headings. Subheadings of chapter subheadings are Level 3 headings, and so forth. Each level must look different from the other levels. Headings of the same level must look the same throughout the document. All headings, regardless of level, must be the same font size. Either number all headings or number none (See figures 10a and 10b). Single space headings that are more than one line. Use adequate and consistent spacing between the headings and the text. A minimum of two subheadings may be used within a given level. Each level 1 heading begins a new page.

Appendix Heading Page

A numbered, counted page should be inserted in front of your document's appendix/appendices. The word APPENDIX (or APPENDICES) should be centered about 1/3 down this page. This heading page and its page number should appear in the Table of Contents.

Blocked Quotes

Use Blocked Quotes for quoted material longer than three lines. Use the same font size as within the text. Single-space the quotation, and indent it evenly on both sides. Left justify the quotations.

Use the same font size as within the text. Choose a reference style with the guidance of your major professor and your committee and be consistent. Single-space each citation and use adequate and consistent spacing between citations.

Footnotes collected at the end of a chapter are called endnotes. Use the same font size as within the text. Single-space each endnote, and use adequate and consistent spacing between endnotes.

Orphan Lines, Headers, Footnotes

No orphan lines may appear at the top or bottom of a page. No headers or footers may be used. Footnotes are acceptable.

Figures and Tables

Figures and tables may be located in one of two places in your document. You must choose one system and use it consistently throughout your work.

• Insert the figure within the text, as close as possible after the first reference is made to it.
• Place your figures at the end of the chapter in which it is first discussed or referenced.

Figure Definition

The definition of a figure is quite broad. “Figures” include charts, diagrams, drawings, examples, graphs, illustrations, maps, photographs, etc. In the majority of cases, if it's not a table, it is a figure. All figures must be listed in the pretext pages' List of Figures.

Table Definition

A table is broadly defined as a compact, systematic list of data (facts, figures, values, etc.), generally arranged in columns and/or rows. All tables must be listed in the pretext pages' List of Tables.

Figure and Table Labels and Captions

A figure's or table's label denote the type of figure or table and its number, and a figure's or table's caption is its title and description. Every figure or table must have a label and caption unless there is only one of its type in the document. Use consecutive label numbers by order of appearance within the text. Each figure or table must have a unique number, i.e., Table 1.1 for the first table in Chapter 1, Table 2.1 for the first table in Chapter 2, or start with 1 and number consecutively. As always, pick one method and use it consistently throughout your document. Label and caption font size is the same as body text size. Add one space between the figure or table and its label and caption, and between the figure or table and text. The label and caption should be placed outside its boundaries, commonly above a table and below a figure.

Oversized Figures and Tables

Illustrations that take up more than one page should have the label followed by “(Continued)” on the second page. If both a figure/table and its label and caption do not fit on one page, place only the label on the page with the figure or table, and place the label and caption on a separate page that precedes the figure or table (called a legend page). Single-space the label and caption and center it 1/3 of the way down the page. Include no other text on this page. List the page number of the legend page in the pretext list.

There are two ways of managing the inclusion of oversized figures if printing personal copies:

• Reduction: Photographically reduce the size of figures to meet margin requirements.Page numbers and figure captions must remain the same font size as the text.
• Accordion Fold: If you are printing a personal or departmental copy. The final folded page must be 11 inches in height and no more than 8 inches wide. Fold the page from right to left, making the final folded width 8 inches. Fold the page a second time from left to right so the page number appears in the same position as all other pages in the text.

Landscaping

Because of their shape, some figures/tables may need to be placed crosswise on a page. If so, the top of the figure/table should be at the left margin as viewed normally (i.e. portrait orientation), and the caption should be parallel to the right margin. Reformatting pages numbers to match location of portrait oriented page numbers is not required. Margin requirements apply.

Choose high-contrast colors to differentiate lines, bars, or segments or use symbols with or without the color.

Parts of the Document (in Order of Appearance)

Regardless of general format, the thesis includes particular parts in an established order as listed below. Model pages are provided for most pretext pages. In all cases, margin requirements apply (see above) and the same font style/size must be used in the body of the text and elsewhere. All titles of pretext pages should be formatted identically with respect to font size and style.

I. Pretext Pages

Download templates for pretext pages.

An abstract is a summary of the document's purpose, methods, major findings, and conclusions. Your name (designated “Student Name”) must appear exactly the same throughout the document. In all cases, use the official name of the major as found in the OSU Catalog on the Graduate School's website under Programs. Please add underlines where indicated in the examples. (See figs. 2, 3, and 4)

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF

Thomas A. Edison for the degree of Master of Science in Physics presented on January 30, 2024 A .

Title: Upon Recording Telegraph Messages Automatically.

Abstract approved: _______________________________________

Major I. Professor B

Begin text here, using the same line spacing (either double space or 1.5), font style and font size as within the body of the text in your document.

• Use official major name, not area of concentration
• Your name must appear exactly the same throughout the document
• For defense date use month spelled out, date, and year: January 30, 2022
• Title must be the same throughout the document

Figure 2. Abstract Page for Master's Degree. A The line breaks in these four lines are single space with a space after the defense date. B Include major professor's middle initial unless there is none. Do not include their title. Co-major Professors may share the same signature line; put both names below the line.

Student Name for the degree of Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in First Concentration A . , Second Concentration , and Third Concentration presented on Defense Date B .

Title: Underlined Title Here

Major I. Professor C

• Use official major or minor name, not area of concentration

Figure 3. Abstract Page for Master's Degree. A The line breaks in these four lines are single space with a space after the defense date. B The line breaks in these six are single-spaced with a space between the defense date and title. C Include major professor's middle initial unless there is none. Do not include their title. Co-major Professors may share the same signature line; put both names below the line.

AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF

Student Name for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Official Name of Major presented on Defense Date A .

Title: Underline Title here.

Figure 4. Abstract Page for Doctoral Degree. A The line breaks in these four lines are single-spaced with a space between the defense date and title. B Include major professor's middle initial unless there is none. Do not include his/her title. Co-major Professors share the same signature line; put both names below the line with several spaces between names.

Copyright Page

Copyright by Thomas A. Edison January 30, 2022 All Rights Reserved or Creative Commons License

Figure 5. Copyright Page. Please choose either All Rights Reserved or Creative Commons License but not both. The copyright page is required. Inclusion of this page does not obligate you to go through a formal copyright process. Name must appear exactly the same throughout the document. Second line is the final defense date. Wording should begin one third down from the top and is centered.

Upon Recording Telegraph Messages Automatically

Title must match Abstract and page one title exactly. Do not boldface the title.

by Thomas A. Edison

Add two spaces after the title.  

A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University

Doctoral students may use “A DISSERTATION” instead of “A THESIS” on Title Page, Abstract, and Approval Pages.

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Follow division of this sentence ( in partial fulfillment of... ) exactly.

Master of Science

Spacing should be the same after your name, “Oregon State University,” and your degree.

Presented January 30, 2023 Commencement June 2023 A

Defense date.

Figure 6. Title Page. A Commencement date is the June following the defense date, so if defense is after the commencement ceremony it would be for the following year. Only month & year, no date or it will be rejected.

Approval Page

On the Approval Page the Major Professor represents the major. The Approval Page considers your advisor as your major professor, regardless of his/ her official rank or tenure home. Official major names and department names can be found in the OSU Catalog. Some majors and departments have the same name while others differ. Your signature constitutes consent to have your document available for public reference in Valley Library, but the signatures on this page have been replaced with the ETD Submission Approval form.

Master of Science thesis of Thomas A. Edison presented on January 30, 2023.

_______________________________________ Major Professor representing Physics

_______________________________________ Head of the Department of Physics A

_______________________________________ Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

I understand that my thesis will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my thesis to any reader upon request.

_______________________________________ Thomas A. Edison, Author

Figure 7. Standard Approval Page. A If not part of a department, please list the head/chair/dean of the school or college.

Alternate wordings for signature lines:

Wording with two major professors:

Co-Major Professor, representing Name of Major

Head/Chair of the Name of Department, School or College

Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate School

Wording with dual majors:

Co-Major Professor, representing Name of 1st Major

Co-Major Professor, representing Name of 2nd Major

Wording for MAIS:

Major Professor, representing Name of Major Area of Concentration

Director of the Interdisciplinary Studies Program

Acknowledgements

The acknowledgements page is optional but recommended. The exact content of the page is up to the student. Use same text spacing: 1.5 or double-space.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author expresses sincere appreciation...

Figure 8. Acknowledgements Page.

Contributions

Manuscript document format only. If no contributions remove this page. Use same text spacing either 1.5 or double space.

CONTRIBUTIONS

Dr. So-and-so assisted with data collection. Such-and- such was involved with the design and writing of Chapter 2. Dr. Whoisit assisted in the interpretation of the data.

Figure 9. Contributions (manuscript format only).

Table of Contents

Ensure that the page numbers accurately reflect where the headings appear in the text. Listing the chapter headings in the Table of Contents is required; listing the subheadings is optional, and you may list some levels but not others. Levels are denoted by indention in the Table of Contents. Wording, spelling, and capitalization of headings in the Table of Contents must match the heading in the body of the text exactly. If headings are numbered in the Table of Contents, they must be numbered correspondingly in the text.

List appendix or appendices (if applicable) in the Table of Contents, if more than five then create a separate List of Appendices. In either case, list the Appendices Heading Page (see page 3) in the Table of Contents. When listing an individual appendix, include its title.

If the Table of Contents is more than one page, subsequent pages should have the heading “TABLE OF CONTENTS (Continued)” and additionally "PAGE" underlined above the page numbers.

Return twice between the TABLE OF CONTENTS heading and the first item in the table.

Do not underline, bold, or italicize in the Table of Contents (unless scientific species name)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 Chapter Title

1.1 Level 2 Heading

1.2 Level 2 Heading

1.2.1 Level 3 Heading

1.2.2 Level 3 Heading

1.2.3 Level 3 Heading

1.3 Level 2 Heading

2 Chapter Title

2.1 Level 2 Heading

2.2 Level 2 Heading

2.2.1 Level 3 Heading

2.2.2 Level 3 Heading

3 Chapter Title

3.1 Level 2 Heading

3.2 Level 2 Heading

Appendix A Title

Appendix B Title

Figure 10a. Table of Contents with Numbering.

Chapter Title

Level 2 Heading

Level 3 Heading

Figure 10b. Table of Contents without Numbering.

List of Figures

Lists are required if two or more figures appear within the text. (Reference figures 11a and 11b.)

List of Tables

Lists are required if two or more tables appear within the text. (Reference figures 11a and 11b.)

Choose one of the two methods of numbering in the model pages illustrated in Figures 11a and 11b and use it for both Lists of Figures and Lists of Tables. If a list is longer than one page, subsequent pages should be headed “LIST OF FIGURES (Continued)” or “LIST OF TABLES (Continued)" along with "Figure" or "Page" underlined above the figure names and page numbers. The first sentence of the figure or table caption must be listed, and the wording must match the text exactly. List only one page number per figure or table. When there is a legend page in front of a figure (see information on FIGURES below), list the legend page only. Figures in the appendices are listed on a separate List of Appendix Figures list.

Add two spaces between the LIST OF FIGURES/TABLES heading and the first listing.

LIST OF FIGURES

Name of the figure

First sentence of the legend matches the text exactly

List only one page number

Keep numbers and words in separate columns

Figure 11a. List of Figures/Tables with Consecutive Numbering.

LIST OF TABLES

Name of the table

Spacing requirements are the same as for the List of Figures

A List of Appendix Tables would look the same

All pretext headings should look the same

Figure 11b. List of Figures/Tables with Numbering by Chapter.

List of Appendices (optional)

If list of appendices is short, it may be attached to the Table of Contents. For more than 5 appendices, or list different heading levels are listed in the appendices, a separate List of Appendices is required. If two or more figures appear in the appendices, a List of Appendix Figures and/or a List of Appendix Tables are required.

List of Appendix Figures

For two or more figures in the appendices.

List of Appendix Tables

For two or more tables in the appendices.

Other Lists

If you are including other lists, such as lists of abbreviations, nomenclature, symbols, and so forth, each list must have its own page. The elements of these lists do not need numbering or page numbers.

Dedication (optional)

If desired, you may dedicate your document to the honor of someone. Dedications are usually short. Margin requirements apply. Use the same font/font size as text body. Arrangement of page is at your discretion.

Preface (optional)

You may include a preface.

II. Body of Text

Follow standard or manuscript document format.

III. Bibliography

Iv. appendix or appendices (optional), final requirements, printing specifications.

The Graduate School no longer requires you to submit a paper copy of your thesis/dissertation.

Formatting Template

A formatting template for thesis and dissertation pretext pages can be found on our website.

Electronic Submission

Submit one PDF copy of your thesis/dissertation, without signatures, electronically to ScholarsArchive. Ensure accessibility with Adobe Acrobat Pro. For uploading and accessibility instructions refer to the library's website.

Creative Commons License

DO NOT SELECT PUBLIC DOMAIN OR CCO. You may add a Creative Commons License to your item that allows copyrighted works to be shared and re- used. Either select License Type: Creative Commons or License Type: No Creative Commons License. DO NOT assign a Creative Commons license if you plan to place an embargo on your thesis or dissertation that allows only the OSU community access to your work.

Final Documents Submitted to the Graduate School

One signed Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) Submission Approval form by your Major Professor, Head/Chair/Director/Dean of your major, and yourself. The Graduate School Dean's signature will be added after the submissions of the form.

You can request an embargo in ScholarsArchive so your work will be accessible only to Oregon State University faculty, staff and students for up to two years.

Contact Info

Graduate School Heckart Lodge 2900 SW Jefferson Way Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-1102

Phone: 541-737-4881 Fax: 541-737-3313

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What’s Included: The Dissertation Template

If you’re preparing to write your dissertation, thesis or research project, our free dissertation template is the perfect starting point. In the template, we cover every section step by step, with clear, straightforward explanations and examples .

The template’s structure is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects such as dissertations and theses. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your dissertation or thesis will have a smooth, logical flow from chapter to chapter.

The dissertation template covers the following core sections:

• The title page/cover page
• Abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary)
• Table of contents
• List of figures /list of tables
• Chapter 1: Introduction  (also available: in-depth introduction template )
• Chapter 2: Literature review  (also available: in-depth LR template )
• Chapter 3: Methodology (also available: in-depth methodology template )
• Chapter 4: Research findings /results (also available: results template )
• Chapter 5: Discussion /analysis of findings (also available: discussion template )
• Chapter 6: Conclusion (also available: in-depth conclusion template )
• Reference list

Each section is explained in plain, straightforward language , followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover within each section. We’ve also included practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required in each section.

The cleanly-formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.

FAQs: Dissertation Template

What format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).

The dissertation template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.

What types of dissertations/theses can this template be used for?

The template follows the standard best-practice structure for formal academic research projects such as dissertations or theses, so it is suitable for the vast majority of degrees, particularly those within the sciences.

Some universities may have some additional requirements, but these are typically minor, with the core structure remaining the same. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.

Will this work for a research paper?

A research paper follows a similar format, but there are a few differences. You can find our research paper template here .

Is this template for an undergrad, Masters or PhD-level thesis?

This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. It may be slight overkill for an undergraduate-level study, but it certainly won’t be missing anything.

How long should my dissertation/thesis be?

This depends entirely on your university’s specific requirements, so it’s best to check with them. As a general ballpark, Masters-level projects are usually 15,000 – 20,000 words in length, while Doctoral-level projects are often in excess of 60,000 words.

What about the research proposal?

If you’re still working on your research proposal, we’ve got a template for that here .

We’ve also got loads of proposal-related guides and videos over on the Grad Coach blog .

How do I write a literature review?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack how to write a literature review from scratch. You can check out the literature review section of the blog here.

How do I create a research methodology?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative. You can check out the methodology section of the blog here.

Can I share this dissertation template with my friends/colleagues?

Yes, you’re welcome to share this template. If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, all we ask is that you reference this page as your source.

Can Grad Coach help me with my dissertation/thesis?

Within the template, you’ll find plain-language explanations of each section, which should give you a fair amount of guidance. However, you’re also welcome to consider our dissertation and thesis coaching services .

Dissertation Writing and Filing

The following guidelines are only for doctoral students. If you are pursuing a master’s degree, please see the Thesis Filing Guide .

Ready to get started?

Research Protocols

Eligibility, fall and spring semesters, summer filing, formatting your manuscript, special page formats, organizing your manuscript, procedure for filing your dissertation, permission to include your own previously published or co-authored material, inclusion of your own publishable papers or article-length essays, copyright & your dissertation, copyright ownership and registration issues, inclusion of third-party content in your dissertation; copyright & fair use issues, publishing your dissertation; embargoes, publication requirement, embargo extensions, changes to a dissertation after filing, diploma, transcript, and certificate of completion, certificate of completion, appendix a: common mistakes, appendix b: mixed media guidelines, definitions and standards, electronic formats and risk categories, appendix c: frequently asked questions.

Filing your doctoral dissertation at the Graduate Division is one of the final steps leading to the award of your graduate degree. Your manuscript is a scholarly presentation of the results of the research you conducted. UC Berkeley upholds the tradition that you have an obligation to make your research available to other scholars. This is done when you submit your dissertation for publishing through the ProQuest online administration system and the Graduate Division forwards your manuscript to the University Library. Your dissertation is subsequently published online in the UC system’s scholarship repository ( eScholarship ) and made available within ProQuest/UMI after your doctoral degree is officially conferred by the Academic Senate.

Your faculty committee supervises the intellectual content of your manuscript and your committee chair will guide you on the arrangement within the text and reference sections of your manuscript. Consult with your committee chair early in the preparation of your manuscript.

The specifications in the following pages were developed in consultation with University Library. These standards assure uniformity in the degree candidates’ manuscripts to be archived in the University Library, and ensure as well the widest possible dissemination of student-authored knowledge.

If your research activities involve human or animal subjects, you must follow the guidelines and obtain an approved protocol  before you begin your research.  Visit our web page for more information  or contact the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects ( http://cphs.berkeley.edu/  or 642-7461) or the Animal Care and Use Committee ( http://www.acuc.berkeley.edu/  or 642-8855).

In addition to the considerations explained below, your Expected Graduation Term (EGT) must match the term for which you intend to file. EGT can be updated at any time using an eForm available in CalCentral.

To be eligible to file for your degree, you must be registered or on approved Filing Fee status for the semester in which you file. We encourage you to file your dissertation as early in the semester as you can and to come in person to our office to submit your supporting documents. If you cannot come to our office, it is helpful if you have a friend bring your documents. The deadline to file your dissertation in its final form is the last day of the semester for your degree to be awarded as of that semester.

Filing during the summer has a slightly different set of eligibility requirements. If you were fully registered during the immediately preceding Spring semester, and have not used Filing Fee already, you may file your dissertation during the summer with no additional cost or application required. Summer is defined as the period from the day after the Spring semester ends (mid-May) until the last day of the Summer Sessions (mid-August).

International students completing a degree in the Summer should consult Berkeley International Office before finalizing plans, as in some cases lack of Summer enrollment could impact visa status or post-completion employment.

If you have already used Filing Fee previously, or were not registered the preceding Spring semester, you will need to register in at least 1.0 unit in Summer Sessions in order to file.

Dissertations filed during the summer will result in a summer degree conferral.

You must be advanced to candidacy, and in good standing (not lapsed), in order to file.

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically in a traditional PDF format.

• Page Size : The standard for a document’s page size is 8.5 x 11 inches. If compelling reasons exist to use a larger page size, you must contact the Graduate Division for prior approval.
• Basic manuscript text must be a non-italic type font and at a size of 12-point or larger. Whatever typeface and size you choose for the basic text, use it consistently throughout your entire manuscript. For footnotes, figures, captions, tables, charts, and graphs, a font size of 8-point or larger is to be used.
• You may include color in your dissertation, but your basic manuscript text must be black.
• For quotations, words in a foreign language, occasional emphasis, book titles, captions, and footnotes, you may use italics. A font different from that used for your basic manuscript may be used for appendices, charts, drawings, graphs, and tables.
• Pagination:  Your manuscript is composed of preliminary pages and the main body of text and references. Page numbers must be positioned either in the upper right corner, lower right corner, or the bottom center and must be at least ¾ of an inch from the edges. The placement of the page numbers in your document must be consistent throughout.

Be Careful!  If you have any pages that are rotated to a landscape orientation, the page numbers still need to be in a consistent position throughout the document (as if it were printed and bound single-sided).

Do not count or number the title page or the copyright page. All other pages must have numbers. DO NOT SKIP PAGE ” 1 “. The remaining preliminary pages may include a table of contents, a dedication, a list of figures, tables, symbols, illustrations, or photographs, a preface, your introduction, acknowledgments, and curriculum vitae. You must number these preliminary pages using  lower case Roman numerals  beginning with the number “i” and continue in sequence to the end of the preliminary pages (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). Your abstract must have  Arabic numeral  page numbers. Start numbering your abstract with the number “1” and continue in sequence (1, 2, 3, etc.) The main body of your text and your references also use Arabic numerals. Start the numbering of the main body with the number “1” and continue in sequence (1, 2, 3, etc.), numbering consecutively throughout the rest of the text, including illustrative materials, bibliography, and appendices.

Yes! The first page of your abstract and the first page of your main text both start with ‘1’

• Margins:  For the manuscript material, including headers, footers, tables, illustrations, and photographs, all margins must be at least 1 inch from the edges of the paper. Page numbers must be ¾ of an inch from the edge.
• Spacing:  Your manuscript must be single-spaced throughout, including the abstract, dedication, acknowledgments, and introduction.
• Tables, charts, and graphs  may be presented horizontally or vertically and must fit within the required margins. Labels or symbols are preferred rather than colors for identifying lines on a graph.

You may choose to reduce the size of a page to fit within the required margins, but be sure that the resulting page is clear and legible.

• Guidelines for Mixed Media:  please see Appendix B for details.

Certain pages need to be formatted in a very specific way. Links are included here for examples of these pages.

Do not deviate from the wording and spacing in the examples, except for details applicable to you (e.g. name, major, committee, etc.)

• As noted in the above section on pagination, the abstract must be numbered  separately with Arabic numerals starting with ‘1’
• If you have a Designated Emphasis, it must be listed on your abstract.
• IMPORTANT: A physical signature page should no longer be included with your dissertation. Approvals by your committee members will be provided electronically using an eForm.
• The title page does not contain page numbers.
• Do not bold any text on your title page.
• The term and year listed on the title page must be the term of your degree. If you filed during the summer, write  Summer .
• The yellow bubbles in the sample are included for explanatory purposes only. Do not include them in your submission.
• If you have a Designated Emphasis, it must be listed on your title page ( DE Title Page Sample )
• If you are receiving a joint degree, it must be listed on your title page ( Joint Title Page Sample )

The proper organization and page order for your manuscript is as follows:

• Copyright page or a blank page
• Dedication page
• Table of contents
• List of figures, list of tables, list of symbols
• Preface or introduction
• Acknowledgments
• Curriculum Vitae
• Bibliography

Please do not include an approval/signature page.

After you have written your dissertation, formatted it correctly, assembled the pages into the correct organization, and obtained verbal approval from your committee, you are ready to file it with UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division.

• Step 0: Confirm your eligibility to file. Your Expected Graduation Term (EGT) must be current term (i.e. the term in which you expect to file your dissertation). If you need to update your EGT you can use the eForm available in CalCentral. Once your EGT is correct, you will see a number of checklist items (“Tasks”) created for you in CalCentral. You use these checklist items to proceed with filing.
• Step 1: Convert your dissertation into a standard PDF file.
• Step 2:  Upload your PDF to ProQuest/UMI ( http://www.etdadmin.com ) Follow the instructions on the site. NOTE: DO NOT UPLOAD A DRAFT.  Once your dissertation has been submitted, you will not be allowed to make changes. Be sure that it is in its final form!
• Step 3:  When you have successfully submitted the document, a message will be sent to the Graduate Degrees Office to review it on-line.  After Degrees staff has reviewed it you will either receive a message that the manuscript has been accepted or that you need to make further changes. If you need to make more changes, you will need to edit your manuscript, create a new PDF, and resubmit it to ProQuest.  Degrees staff will then need to review it again. An email approval will be sent to you once the manuscript is accepted.
• Step 4: There are two surveys to be completed:the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Graduate Division’s Survey of Doctoral Student Opinion. You will find these surveys as “Tasks”in your CalCentral dashboard (as long as you have a current-term EGT). Follow the instructions to complete the surveys and enter the verification codes. You should see the checklist items complete automatically.
• Review the your committee and email addresses listed — the form will route to each of your committee members for approval.
• If you chose to embargo your dissertation, you will not receive any copies you order from ProQuest until the embargo is lifted.
• Once the form has been filed, you may not make any changes to your embargo selections
• Attach a copy of the approval letter for your study protocol from the Committee for Protection of Human Subjects, or the Animal Care and Use Committee if your research involved human or animal subjects.

A Note on Deadlines

You must upload your electronic dissertation AND submit your final signature eform before 5 p.m. on the last day of the term. Both of these steps must be done before the deadline, regardless of whether your submission has been reviewed and approved. We can not provide a receipt of filing until your dissertation has been reviewed and accepted (which can take up to 4 business days), but you will get credit for the date of first submission.

If you plan use of your own previously published and/or co-authored material in your manuscript, your committee chair must attest that the resulting dissertation represents an original contribution of ideas to the field, even if previously published co – authored articles are included, and that major contributors of those articles have been informed.

Previously published material must be incorporated into a larger argument that binds together the whole dissertation. The common thread linking various parts of the research, represented by individual papers incorporated in the dissertation, must be made explicit, and you must join the papers into a coherent unit. You are required to prepare introductory, transitional, and concluding sections. Previously published material must be acknowledged appropriately, as established for your discipline or as requested in the original publication agreement (e.g. through a note in acknowledgments, a footnote, or the like).

If co-authored material is to be incorporated (whether published or unpublished), all major contributors should be informed of the inclusion in addition to being appropriately credited in the dissertation according to the norms of the field.

If you are incorporating co-authored material in your dissertation, it is your responsibility to inform major contributors. This documentation need not be submitted to the Graduate Division. The eform used by your committee chair to sign off on your dissertation will automatically include text indicating that by signing off they attest to the appropriateness and approval for inclusion of previously published and/or co-authored materials. No addition information or text needs to be added.

Publishable papers and article-length essays arising from your research project are acceptable only if you incorporate that text into a larger argument that binds together the whole dissertation or thesis. Include introductory, transitional, and concluding sections with the papers or essays.

You own copyright in your dissertation. Copyright is automatically created once your work is fixed in a tangible medium (such as saved on your computer hard drive or in cloud storage). Thus, you do not need to register copyright in your dissertation in order to be the copyright holder.

However, registering copyright in your dissertation has certain advantages: First, if your work is registered, you have evidence that you are indeed the author and owner. Second, registration allows greater enforcement of your copyright against an infringer or plagiarist, making available statutory damages set out in Title 17, Section 504 of the U.S. Code, which range from $750 – $150,000 plus attorney fees per copyright infraction. Accordingly, UC Berkeley recommends that you register copyright for your dissertation. You can register copyright through the Copyright Office’s website, www.copyright.gov , for a fee of $35, or through the ProQuest ETDAdmin system when you submit your PDF; doing so through ProQuest costs $55.

You continue to own copyright in your dissertation unless and until you transfer your copyright to another party. By complying with the UC Berkeley Graduate Division’s publishing policies, you are permitting the university to make available a copy of your dissertation online in eScholarship, but you are not transferring your copyright. You grant a similar permission to ProQuest/UMI, the exact terms of which are governed by the agreement with ProQuest you sign in the online submission process. You may request delays (i.e. embargoes) in the release of your dissertation both on eScholarship and in ProQuest. Please see “Publishing Your Dissertation; Embargoes”.

If you are including content in your dissertation not authored or created by you, be sure to consider copyright issues. The University Library can help guide you as you consider these questions. For more detail, please consult the Library’s helpful online guide, entitled Copyright and Publishing Your Dissertation .

To briefly summarize:

• If the content is in the public domain, then you need not get any permission to use the material. For questions about the public domain, see http://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/public-domain.html.
• If the content you wish to use is subject to a Creative Commons license of some form, you need simply abide by the term of that license. For instance, a CC-BY license means you can use the work without seeking the author’s permission, but must attribute the work to the author. For more on Creative Commons licenses, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.
• If the content you wish to use is protected by copyright and no Creative Commons license governs its use, then you must consider whether your use constitutes Fair Use under 17 USC § 107. If your use of the content is a fair use within copyright law, then you need not seek the author’s permission before using it. See http://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/fair-use.html.
• If your use of the content would exceed fair use under the Copyright Act, then you will need to seek the copyright holder’s permission in order to use the material. Be sure to request the copyright owner’s permission in writing so that you can keep track of permissions granted. Your letter to the copyright holder should make clear that you seek permission to preserve and publish the content in your dissertation through UC Berkeley’s institutional repository, eScholarship, and ProQuest/UMI. For help seeking permission, see http://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/obtaining-permission.html.

If you have additional questions about copyright and third party content in your dissertation, please contact the University Library .

UC Berkeley’s Graduate Council regulations stipulate that you have an obligation to make your research available to other scholars as part of the degree requirement.  This obligation is consistent with the long-standing principle that doctoral students share their significant scholarly contributions to advance knowledge. This requirement is fulfilled when you submit your dissertation for publishing through the ProQuest online administration system and the Graduate Division forwards your manuscript to the University Library. Your dissertation is subsequently published online in the UC system’s scholarship repository ( eScholarship ) and made available within ProQuest/UMI after your doctoral degree is officially conferred by the Academic Senate.

Making your work available to be read online immediately in eScholarship or ProQuest has many advantages. First, it clearly establishes when your work was created and published, which are powerful resources in preventing or combatting plagiarism. Others will be able to discover your prior publication. Second, it can help support your scholarly profile because people can read and begin citing your work. Citation of your dissertation by others can be offered as evidence of research significance in employment reviews. Further, research available through searches on the Internet can promote contacts that are international in scope and interdisciplinary in reach.

Occasionally, there are circumstances in which you prefer that your dissertation not be published immediately. Such circumstances may include the disclosure of patentable rights in the work before a patent can be granted, similar disclosures detrimental to the rights of the author, or disclosures of facts about persons, institutions, or locations before professional ethics would permit.

The Dean of the Graduate Division may permit the dissertation to be withheld from full-text publication in eScholarship for a specified and limited period of time. An embargo of up to 2 years can be selected on the Final Signature eForm. Once you make a selection regarding an embargo, it may not be changed. Discuss the pros and cons of withholding your dissertation with your faculty committee and departmental advisors. For more information, see the memo Advising doctoral candidates on dissertation embargoes and eScholarship repository  (PDF).

Embargoes beyond the initial 2-year option must be requested pursuant to a petition process using the E mbargo Extension Petition Form . Extensions are granted at the discretion of the Graduate Division, and are based on substantiated circumstances of the kind indicated above and with the endorsement of and an explanatory letter from the chair of the dissertation committee (or, if the dissertation chair is unavailable, the current department chair). Be sure to submit the petition form with sufficient time (at least three months) prior to the expiration of your original embargo to ensure adequate processing time prior to your dissertation’s scheduled release. If a renewal request is submitted less than three months from when the original embargo is set to expire, the Graduate Division cannot guarantee that the request will be processed and granted in time to preclude your dissertation from being made publicly available. Please note that it is your responsibility to request an extension beyond the two-year maximum from both the University and separately through ProQuest/UMI if you would like to extend your embargo both on eScholarship and on ProQuest/UMI.

Changes are normally not allowed after a manuscript has been filed.  In exceptional circumstances, changes may be requested by having the chair of your dissertation committee submit a memo to the Associate Dean and sent to Graduate Services: Degrees, 318 Sproul Hall.  The memo must describe in detail the specific changes requested and must justify the reason for the request. Such requests will not be approved for typographical errors, acknowledgments, or other minor revisions. It is your responsibility to ensure that your manuscript is in its final form before submitting it. If such a request is approved, the changes must be made prior to the official awarding of the degree. Once your degree has been awarded, you may not make changes to the manuscript.

After your dissertation is accepted by Graduate Services: Degrees, it is held here until the official awarding of the degree by the Academic Senate has occurred. This occurs approximately two months after the end of the term. After the degree has officially been awarded, the manuscripts transmitted to the University Library and to ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Posting the Degree to Your Transcript

Your degree will be posted to your transcript approximately 10 weeks after the conferral date of your degree. You can order a transcript from the Office of the Registrar (https://registrar.berkeley.edu/academic-records/transcripts-diplomas/).

Your diploma will be available from the Office of the Registrar approximately 4 months after the conferral date of your degree. For more information on obtaining your diploma, visit the Registrar’s website.  You can obtain your diploma in person at the Office of the Registrar, 120 Sproul Hall, or submit a form and pay the current mailing fees to have it mailed to you.

Unclaimed diplomas are retained for a period of five (5) years only, after which they are destroyed.

• The most common mistake is following a fellow (or previous) student’s example. Read the current guidelines carefully!
• An incorrect committee — the committee listed on your title page (and on the final signature eform you will submit) must match your currently approved committee. If you have made any changes to your committee since Advancement to Candidacy, you must request an official change from the Graduate Division. Consult your departmental adviser for details.
• Do not use a different name than that which appears in the system (i.e. the name on your transcript and Cal Central Profile ). Students are allowed to use a Lived Name, which can be updated by self-service in CalCentral.
• Page numbers — Read the section on pagination carefully. Many students do not paginate their document correctly.
• Page rotation — some pages may be rotated to a landscape orientation. However, page numbers must appear in the same place throughout the document (as if it were bound like a book).
• If you have an approved designated emphasis, it must be listed on your title page  and  your abstract.
• Do not include the signature/approval page in your dissertation. The abstract must be  unsigned .
• Do not include previous degrees on your title page.
• There should be no bold text on your title page.

In May 2005, the Graduate Council established new guidelines for the inclusion of mixed media content in dissertations. It was considered crucial that the guidelines allow dissertations to remain as accessible as possible and for the longest period possible while balancing the extraordinary academic potential of these new technologies.

The dissertation has three components: a core thesis, essential supporting material, and non-essential supplementary material.

Core Thesis.  The core thesis must be a self-contained, narrative description of the argument, methods, and evidence used in the dissertation project. Despite the ability to present evidence more directly and with greater sophistication using mixed media, the core thesis must provide an accessible textual description of the whole project.

The core thesis must stand alone and be printable on paper, meeting the formatting requirements described in this document. The electronic version of the thesis must be provided in the most stable and universal format available — currently Portable Document Format (PDF) for textual materials. These files may also include embedded visual images in TIFF (.tif) or JPEG (.jpg) format.

Essential Supporting Material.  Essential supporting material is defined as mixed media content that cannot be integrated into the core thesis, i.e., material that cannot be adequately expressed as text. Your faculty committee is responsible for deciding whether this material is essential to the thesis. Essential supporting material does  not include the actual project data. Supporting material is essential if it is necessary for the actual argument of the thesis, and cannot be integrated into a traditional textual narrative.

Essential supporting material  must  be submitted in the most stable and least risky format consistent with its representation (see below), so as to allow the widest accessibility and greatest chance of preservation into the future.

Non-essential Supplementary Material.  Supplementary material includes any supporting content that is useful for understanding the thesis, but is not essential to the argument. This might include, for example, electronic files of the works analyzed in the dissertation (films, musical works, etc.) or additional support for the argument (simulations, samples of experimental situations, etc.).

Supplementary material is to be submitted in the most stable and most accessible format, depending on the relative importance of the material (see below). Any supplemental material must be uploaded to the ProQuest website under the “Supplemental Files” section.

Note . ProQuest and the Library will require any necessary 3rd party software licenses and reprint permission letters for any copyrighted materials included in these electronic files.

The following is a list of file formats in descending order of stability and accessibility. This list is provisional, and will be updated as technologies change. Faculty and students should refer to the Graduate Division website for current information on formats and risk categories.

Category A:

• TIFF (.tif) image files
• WAV (.wav) audio files

Category B:

• JPEG, JPEG 2000 (.jpg) image files
• GIF (.gif) image files

Category C:

• device independent audio files (e.g., AIFF, MIDI, SND, MP3, WMA, QTA)
• note-based digital music composition files (e.g., XMA, SMF, RMID)

Category D:

• other device independent video formats (e.g., QuickTime, AVI, WMV)
• encoded animations (e.g., FLA or SWF Macromedia Flash, SVG)

For detailed guidelines on the use of these media, please refer to the Library of Congress website for digital formats at  http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/index.shtml .

Q1: Can I file my dissertation during the summer?

A1: Yes. There are 2 ways to file during the summer:

• Register for at least 1.0 unit through Berkeley Summer Sessions. With this option, you can file any time before the summer deadline .
• Register the preceding spring semester. As long as you were registered in the spring, and have not used filing fee before, you will be allowed to file during the summer without additional fees or applications.

Q2: If I chose that option, does it matter which session I register in during the summer session?

A2: No. You can register for any of the sessions (at least 1.0 unit). The deadline will always be the last day of the last session.

Q3: If I file during the summer, will I receive a summer degree?

A3: Yes. If you file before the end of the summer sessions, you will receive a summer degree. Remember to write “Summer” on your title page!

Q1: I’ve seen other dissertations from former students that were / that had  __________, should I follow that format?

A1: No. The formatting guidelines can be changed from time to time, so you should always consult the most current guidelines available on our website. This question is most frequently asked in regard to the issue of double vs. single spacing.

Q2: I want to make sure that my dissertation follows the formatting rules. What’s the best way to do this?

A2: If you’ve read and followed the current guidelines available on our website, there shouldn’t be any problems. You can upload your dissertation as soon as it is in its final form. If any changes are necessary, you will be given the opportunity to make them without penalties. If you’ve heard horror stories from other students about formatting changes in their manuscripts, you’ve likely been talking to past students who didn’t follow the directions and had to print out their dissertations on expensive, archival paper. Current students submit their dissertations electronically and, as such, it’s much easier and more painless to make changes!

You are also always welcome to bring sample pages into the Graduate Degrees Office at 318 Sproul Hall to have a staff member look over your manuscript.

Q3:  Does my signature page need to be printed on some special paper?

A3: Signatures are now an eForm process. A physical signature page is no longer required.

Q1: I’m away from Berkeley. Is there any way to file my dissertation remotely?

A1: Yes! The whole process is done remotely.

Q2: Can I have a friend bring my dissertation materials for me?

A2: Yes. Please see the answer above regarding filing remotely.

Q3: I read something about needing to allow 4 days to review my dissertation. So what is the actual deadline?

A3: Two things must happen before the end of the business day on the stated deadline: 1) you must have uploaded your dissertation to the ProQuest website and 2) you must have submitted the remaining forms to the Graduate Degrees Office at 318 Sproul Hall. Though it is not recommended, you can do both of these things on the very last day.

Q4: So what’s this thing about the 4 days?

A4: As you might expect, the Degrees Office receives hundreds of dissertations near the end of the term (in fact, half of all dissertations are submitted during the final week). This means that it may take several days for us to review your dissertation. Don’t worry. You’ll get credit for the date that you uploaded your dissertation. However, it may take up to 4 business days to review your submission and, if everything is acceptable, provide you a Receipt of Filing.

Q5: Can I do the Final Signature eForm before I upload my dissertation?

A5: Yes. We won’t be able to finalize your filing until everything has been reviewed and approved, but you are welcome to do those in any order.

Q6: What’s a Receipt of Filing? Do I need one?

A6: The Receipt of Filing is an official document that we produce that certifies that you have successfully filed your dissertation on the specified day and that, if all other requirements are met, the date of the degree conferral.

Some students may need the receipt in order to prove to an outside agency that they have officially filed their dissertation. Many students simply keep the receipt as a memento. Picking up your receipt is not required.

Q7: What’s the difference between a Receipt of Filing and a Certificate of Completion?

A7: A Receipt of Filing is automatically produced for all students upon successful filing of their dissertation. However, it only certifies that the dissertation has been accepted. The Certificate of Degree Completion  must be requested. It will state that all requirements  have  been met and notes the date that the degree will be conferred. This is a useful document for students who file early in the semester and need some verification of their degree in advance of its conferral (note: degrees are only conferred twice each year).

Q8: How do I know if I’m eligible for a Certificate of Completion?

A8: In order to be eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion, you must:

• Successfully file your dissertation (your online submission accepted as well as paperwork turned in)
• Have a fully satisfied Academic Progress Report (APR). The APR all the degree requirements as noted by your department. If there are requirements showing as “unmet” but you believe you have completed, please contact your GSAO.
• Pay all of your registration fees. While it may not necessarily hold up the production of your certificate, it is important that all fees are paid before the degree is conferred.

Q9: I’m supposed to bring in my approval letter for research with human subjects or vertebrate animals, but it turns out my research didn’t use this after all. What should I do?

A9: If your research protocol has changed since you advanced to candidacy for your degree, you’ll need to ask you dissertation chair to write a letter to the Graduate Division explaining the change. It would be best to submit this in advance of filing.

Q10: My dissertation uses copyrighted or previously published material. How do I get approval?

A10: The policy on this has recently changed. There is no need to for specific approval to be requested.

Q12: I uploaded my dissertation on the last day. What if I’m told I need to make changes?

A12: This won’t be a problem. If there are formatting issues that need to be resolved, you will be notified and be given the opportunity to make revisions – even if it is a few days after the deadline. As long as your dissertation was originally uploaded before the deadline. Obviously, we won’t be able to provide you a receipt (see Q above on Receipt of Filing) until everything has been finalized.

Q13: I found a typo in dissertation that has already been accepted! What do I do?

A13: Once a dissertation has been submitted and accepted, no further changes will be permitted. Proofread your document carefully. Do not upload a draft. In extreme circumstances, your dissertation chair may write a letter to the Graduate Division requesting additional changes to be made.

Q14: Oh no! A serious emergency has caused me to miss the filing deadline! What do I do? Are extensions ever granted?

A14: In general, no. In exceptional circumstances, the Head Graduate Advisor for your program may write to the Graduate Division requesting an extension. Requests of this type are considered on a case-by-case basis and, if granted, may allow you to file after the deadline. However, even if such an exception is granted you will receive the degree for the subsequent term. Your first step is to consult with your department if an emergency arises.

Graduate Student Success Center

Thesis and dissertation template.

The Graduate College offers a thesis/dissertation template that contains all required content and formatting. You can either write your document from within the template or apply the template’s formatting to your previously created work.

Need help working in the template? Schedule an appointment today.

Before You Begin

The first time you download the template, save the template file to your computer before you begin work on your document. This is important if you are composing your thesis/dissertation within the template or if you are copying and pasting your content into the template. You may need the original template file in the future.

Please note: We offer the Google Doc template for initial drafts of your thesis/dissertation to share easily with your committee chair. We do not accept Google Documents as the final document of your thesis/dissertation. Google Docs does not have the functionality we require for our final theses/dissertations. Please use the Google Doc template while keeping in mind that you will need to convert your document to Microsoft Word later.

Download Thesis and Dissertation Template (Word Doc) Download Thesis and Dissertation Template (LATEX) Download Thesis and Dissertation Template (Google Doc)

Word Template Last Updated: February 2021

Word Document Template Information

Download instructions.

• Download the Boise State Template from the orange callout ribbon above.
• Show the downloaded file in the Downloads folder.
• Right click and select Open
• Enable Content
• Click File > Save As and name the file, for instance, Boise_State_Template.dotm (note the extension is “.dotm”) and  Save as type:  Word Macro-Enabled Template (*.dotm) .  It is recommended locating this file on your desktop – it may come in handy if you need to reattach the template to your document in the future (see below).
• Close this file.

Working Within the Template

To work within the template, styles are applied throughout the document. These styles can be found by clicking the arrow in the lower right hand corner of the Styles section in the Home tab. To apply a style, simply highlight the text that you wish to format and click the appropriate name from the styles list.

When entering your own work into the template, be sure to apply the following styles to the appropriate parts of your document. Failure to do so will mean that your Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables will be incorrect.

• Format a Heading 1 in all caps, and centered
• Format a Heading 2 in title-caps, bold, and centered
• Format a Heading 3 in title-caps, underlined, and aligned left
• Format a Heading 4 in title-caps, underlined, and indented once
• Format a Heading 5 in title-caps, underlined and indented twice
• Figure Captions are bolded and centered in the template. They may also be justified.
• Table Captions are bolded and aligned left in the template. They may also be justified.
• Appendix Heading 2
• Appendix Heading 3

Formatting Landscape Pages

When setting pages of your document to landscape orientation to accommodate large figures or tables, you must reformat their page numbers so that they will still be visible after binding.

• Open the landscape page’s header by double-clicking within the header.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab. Repeat this step for the page following the landscape page.
• Delete the landscape page’s current page number.
• Click Insert → Page Number (in the Header & Footer section)→Page Margins.
• Select Landscape Page Numbers.

Note: If your other pages’ pagination disappears after inserting landscape page numbers, you likely did not turn off Link to Previous. Undo your changes to the page numbers and restart the instructions.

Replacing Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables

After your writing and editing is complete, you will need to replace the Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables.

• Right click the existing TOC, LOF, or LOT.
• Click Update Field.
• Select Update entire table and click Ok.

Note: All other lists (such as a List of Abbreviations or List of Graphs) are not updated automatically. Instead, the template includes examples of manually-created lists that can be altered to fit your needs.

Attaching the Template to a Preexisting Document. If your document is at or near completion, it may be easier for you to attach the template to your existing file than to paste your document into a new template.

Formatting Styles and Applying Styles

Before attaching the Thesis/Dissertation template to your document, you must first apply the following styles to the appropriate sections of your work. It does not matter how these styles look – when you first apply them they will not look right – only that the names of the styles match those in the following list exactly. After you have applied all the styles and attach the template the document will be formatted correctly.

These styles can be found by clicking the arrow in the lower right hand corner of the Styles section in the Home tab. Leave this menu open while you work through the document. To apply a style, simply highlight the text that you wish to format and click the appropriate name from the styles list.

Attaching Styles

• Access the Styles menu by clicking the lower-right corner of the Styles box on the Home tab in Windows. Keep this menu open on the side of your screen and apply the styles to your document as you work.
• Highlight the text you wish to format (it is often only necessary to “click in” the section you wish to format)
• Click the appropriate style from the Styles menu

Note: If the style you are looking for is not included in the list you may need to create the style (see next).

Creating Styles

Some required styles will not be listed in the premade styles, thus you will need to create them yourself.

• Highlight the text that you wish to format
• Right click the text and select Styles → Save Selection as a New Quick Style.
• Enter the appropriate style name and click OK.

Note: Remember, it does not matter how these styles look at this time, only that the style names match the names listed in the table above.

Attaching the Template

After applying styles to your document, you can attach the template, which will fix most of your document’s formatting issues.

• Download the Boise State Thesis and Dissertation Template and save it to your computer. See instructions above under “Before you Begin.”
• Open the Word document containing your thesis/dissertation, click file, click options, click add-ins, and select templates from the Manage drop down menu at the bottom of the page. Click go.
• In the Document Template section, click Attach.
• Navigate to the folder in which you saved the template and select it.
• Important: Check the box labeled “Automatically update document styles.”

Adjusting Margins

• Click Ctrl+A to select the entire document.
• In the Home ribbon, click layout, click margins and select the mirror margin option that contains inside margin 1.5″, top and bottom margins 1.”

Setting Page Numbers

Be careful that you set section breaks between front matter and body text and also between portrait and landscape-oriented pages (see Manually Formatting Your Document for instructions on setting page breaks). Each has a different way of formatting their pagination.

Front Matter

•  Set a continuous section break immediately before the Heading 1 on the first page that follows your approval pages.
• Set a continuous section break immediately before the title of Chapter 1.
• Open the footer on the first page following your approval page by clicking the Footer button in the Header & Footer section of the Insert tab and selecting Edit Footer.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab. This step is only necessary for the first numbered page in the front matter.
• Insert page numbers. Front matter page numbers should be in lowercase Roman numerals and should be centered at the bottom of each page.
• Double-click inside the footer of the first page in Chapter 1.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab. This step is only necessary for the first page in the body text.
• Delete the page numbers from the footer.
• Open the header on the same page by double-clicking inside the header.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab.
• Insert alpha-numeric page numbers, starting with 1, into the upper right-hand corner of the pages.

Landscape Pages

• Repeat step 3 on the page following the landscape page.
• Click Insert → Page Number (in the Header & Footer section) → Page Margins.

Inserting Table of Contents and Lists of Figures or Tables

Finally, after your document’s content is complete, you will need to create the Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables.

• In the Home ribbon, select References , then select Table of Contents and choose the first option.
• To build your list of tables or figures do the following: on the Home ribbon, select references, select Insert List of Table of Figures, on the options drop down select either table captions or figure captions depending on which you are creating. You will then have to manually insert the heading.

Note: The template does not include macros for automatically generating other lists such as a List of Abbreviations or List of Graphs. However, it does include example lists that can be copied, pasted, and altered to meet your needs.

Helpful Tips

• Access the Styles menu by clicking the lower-right corner of the styles box on the Home tab in Windows. Keep this menu open on the side of your screen, or on a second screen, and apply the styles to your document as you work. To make the document styles behave, use the styles in the template. For example, for all Heading 1s, use the Heading 1 style, which will automatically insert a break and a 2 inch margin, etc. As long as the styles are used, the document should behave appropriately, and the table of contents will include the headings once updated. To modify the Table of Contents, click once to highlight the table in gray, right-click and select “Update Entire Field.”
• Show formatting marks as you work in your document.  Click on the File tab, then Options, Display, and click on the box “Show all formatting marks” and OK.

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• Submit your Dissertation

What's on this page?

Step 1: format your dissertation according to the harvard griffin gsas policies.

• Step 2: Attach your Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC) as the first page of your dissertation.
• Step 3: Add required documents to ProQuest ETD
• Step 4: If applicable, request a delayed release of your dissertation.
• Step 5: Submit your dissertation using ProQuest ETD
• Step 6: Check the status of your submission
• Related forms

Who is this for?

Harvard Griffin GSAS students who are currently writing their dissertation or preparing to submit one

• After you submit your dissertation through ProQuest, the Registrar's Office will review your dissertation for formatting compliance. We will email you directly if  your dissertation does not meet the requirements. A sample dissertation can be viewed here .

Step 2: Attach your Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC) as the first page of your dissertation.

• Check to confirm that your DAC is complete and electronically signed.
• You must also upload the DAC to ProQuest ETD separately from your dissertation as indicated in Step 3. 

Step 3: Add required documents to  ProQuest ETD .

• Upload the DAC to the Administrative Documents section of ProQuest ETD. 
• Complete the Harvard Griffin GSAS Employment Exit Survey.
• Complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates.

Step 4: If applicable, request a delayed release of your dissertation. 

If you would like to request a delayed release of your dissertation longer than 2 years :

• Upload a signed  Dissertation Delayed Release Request  to the Administrative Documents  section of ProQuest ETD. The form should show Director of Graduate Studies approval of your request.
• If you do not have a completed document when submitting your dissertation, you must ask your Director of Graduate Studies to email  [email protected] , acknowledging approval of the delayed release request. 

Step 5: Submit your dissertation using ProQuest ETD .

• Harvard Griffin GSAS requires dissertations to be submitted using ProQuest ETD.
• You must submit your dissertation by 11:59 pm on the  deadline date  for the given degree period.
• NO EXTENSIONS ARE PROVIDED.

Step 6: Check the status of your submission.

• You can check the status of your dissertation submission at anytime by logging in to ProQuest ETD . 

Related Forms

Dissertation – delayed release request, dissertation acceptance certificate, need assistance, dissertation support.

Visit :  ProQuest Support

•  for assistance with printed copies of your dissertation such as order status and order changes

Email :  FAS Registrar's Office – Enrollment Services Team

•  with questions about submitting your dissertation

Harvard Griffin GSAS – Dissertation Formatting Guidelines

Harvard Griffin GSAS Degree Calendar  

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Notes From a Writer's Desk: Demystifying the Dissertation Finish Line

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As a doctoral candidate in your final year, you’re likely juggling various responsibilities—finishing the dissertation, navigating the job market, completing lab work, possibly teaching, and trying to maintain some semblance of a personal life. In these last few months of the dissertation process, the journey can range from feeling like a well-oiled machine to experiencing well-ordered chaos. Amidst this whirlwind, it is crucial to establish clear expectations with your committee and prioritize tasks to ensure success on the road to graduation. As you try to manage your academic and personal obligations, a primary step is to plot out your remaining time and strategize how to allocate that time effectively. Consider breaking down your time into reasonable chunks, dedicating specific periods to producing the final draft(s) and making revisions, preparing for the defense, and formatting your dissertation document for submission.

Final draft(s) and revisions

Take inventory of the revisions you still need to make for your dissertation. Prioritize tasks based on their importance and feasibility within your timeline. For example, you may need to incorporate additional critical literature into various chapters, clean up citations and your bibliography, build in transitions that move between chapters, alter the structure of a couple of sections within a chapter, and/or hone the framing of your goals and argument(s) in your introduction. Set aside specific time for each of these revisions, thinking about which ones will require the most attention and which you can accomplish when you are less focused. Furthermore, seek out feedback from your advisor and committee members to ensure that your work meets the prescribed standards. Remember that maintaining clear communication with your advisor is essential for a smoother final stretch, especially if you find yourself needing to make compromises in order to meet deadlines. 

Preparing for the defense

Depending on your department’s requirements, the dissertation defense may take various forms. Many defenses will be public presentations, in which the candidate is given the chance to present their research to an audience of peers, members of the faculty, and their committee. Others might be a private final conversation with your committee. Reach out to the committee and to your department administrator to make sure that you are all on the same page. But no matter what kind of defense you have, preparation is key. Practice your presentation (perhaps with us at the FWC!), anticipate potential questions, identify areas you hope to improve upon or develop further in future iterations of the project, and ensure that you are well-versed in discussing and defending your research. Finally, make sure to schedule your defense with ample time before the submission deadline—ideally two or three weeks—to allow you to address any late-stage revisions, including crucial questions that might be brought up at the defense itself.

Submission process

Staggering the defense and submission dates will also provide sufficient time to format your dissertation according to the  registrar’s guidelines . Familiarizing yourself with the formatting requirements early on in the process will help minimize stress during the brief post-defense period. Pay close attention to the guidelines regarding the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC) and the document’s front matter, including the title page, copyright page, abstract, table of contents, acknowledgements, and any lists of illustrations or figures you may require. Strive to submit your dissertation earlier than the deadline just in case you need to make minor adjustments based on feedback from the registrar.

Long-term considerations

Remember to think carefully about your long-term plans for the material in your dissertation. Are you planning to revise the entire dissertation for publication as a monograph? Or are you going to publish elements of it in a series of articles? Should you embargo your work, and if so, for how long? This should also prompt some reflection on how your dissertation will fit into your broader academic and professional goals.

As you approach the dissertation finish line, remember that it is not just about reaching the end and checking that last box. It should be a celebration of your academic journey and the achievements you have amassed along the way. By formulating a well-structured plan, you can navigate these last few months with confidence and alleviate at least some of the stresses of the home stretch. And trust me, once you hit the submit button and get that final confirmation email—after, of course, the inevitable email asking you to fix a formatting issue—you will feel an immense weight lifted from your shoulders.

Ready to book an appointment with FWC staff? Access the  FWC intake form .

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Notes From a Writer's Desk: Finding Focus

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Notes From a Writer's Desk: Collecting Your Own Mid-Term Feedback

Just as teaching evaluations can help you to reflect on the choices you make in the classroom, a writing evaluation—conducted by you, for you—can help you to reflect on how you are organizing and spending your time. 

Notes From a Writer's Desk: Approaching Your Work with Fresh Eyes

“After you submit your dissertation, don’t look at it for a year.”

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Graduate Studies

Thesis and dissertation formatting guidelines.

The following format guidelines are intended to help you prepare your master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation and should be used in conjunction with the specific style adopted by your academic program. It is your responsibility to conform to the following format requirements and ensure that your manuscript’s presentation is of the highest quality. Because requirements may change over time, students should not use existing library or departmental copies of manuscripts as examples of proper format.

Graduate Studies strongly suggests that your committee chair review a draft of your entire manuscript before you electronically submit it to the UNM Digital Repository.

The Manuscript Coordinator is available to help you with issues related to format. You may contact the Manuscript Coordinator at (505) 277-1206 or by email, [email protected] . If you are calling from out of state, you may call 1-800-225-5866, press 5 for the Graduate Office and ask to speak to the Manuscript Coordinator. Please click on each section below for more information.

Note: Paid editing and/or formatting services are available from people not employed by the Graduate Studies office. Check the bulletin board located outside the Manuscript Coordinator's office at Graduate Studies, Humanities Building, Room 107, for listings.

General Regulations

Rights of the author and the university:.

Your graduate unit has the right to require that you provide them with a copy of your thesis or dissertation, and that certain original records and materials be retained as the property of the University. Publication rights to the thesis or dissertation are reserved to you as the author.

Deadline Dates

The final version of your thesis or dissertation must be submitted to Graduate Studies by:

• November 15 for Fall (Check with Graduate Studies for the date of graduation)
• April 15 for Spring (Check with Graduate Studies for the date of graduation)
• July 15 for Summer (Check with Graduate Studies for date of graduation)

Writing a Thesis or Dissertation in a Language Other than English

With the approval of a student’s thesis or dissertation committee and the Dean of Graduate Studies, a manuscript may be written in a language other than English. However, the manuscript must be accompanied by an abstract in English approved by the committee.

Accompanying Forms

The following forms must be submitted before your manuscript will be accepted by the Dean of Graduate Studies.

• A Certificate of Final Form : You must submit this with your manuscript.
• An Information Cover Sheet : This is a Graduate Studies form that is submitted before electronic manuscript submission.
• A "Survey of Earned Doctorate" (doctoral students only excluding MFA/EDD) - the survey is completed  online .
• A Doctoral Dissertation Agreement Form-University Microfilms International (UMI) booklet entitled "Publishing your Dissertation" (see below): This is required for dissertation students only, and is optional for thesis students. The form is completed online .
• If your department requires, a  Report on Thesis or Dissertation  ("gray sheet"), completed by each member of your committee: These are often sent separately after the defense by the graduate unit; if given to the student for submission with the manuscript, they should be sealed in an envelope by the graduate unit and marked "Confidential." Ask your department for more information.

You may use the template for the front matter pages, on our  Templates Page .

Submitting to ProQuest (Doctoral Students Only)

If you are a doctoral candidate (excluding MFA/EDD), you are required to have your dissertation published by ProQuest (formally known as UMI). This will bring your work to the attention of researchers in your field in a variety of ways. Your abstract will appear in Dissertation Abstracts International, which is considered the authoritative source for concise summaries of current doctoral research. Your entire dissertation will be published by ProQuest.

ProQuest Publishing does not require payment of a registration fee for doctoral students who submit via the ProQuest ETD Administrator website.  Doctoral students must select the "traditional publishing" option and not the "open access" option to activate the no registration fee feature, otherwise they will be charged as shown below.

Students are responsible for the associated fee, which is currently $65 for traditionally published dissertations that are not submitted via the ProQuest ETD Administrator website and $160 for open access dissertations; $55 for traditionally published and $150 for open access theses. Both the ProQuest registration form and fee must be submitted with your dissertation electronically. The registration fee is payable by credit card.

ProQuest provides copyrighting of dissertations as a supplementary service when the work is being registered with them. The current fee for copyrighting is $65.

The publication or copyrighting of master’s theses by ProQuest is optional.

Registering Your Copyright

Registering your copyright in your thesis or dissertation is optional. Under current United States copyright law, the moment you reduce a work to a tangible medium (i.e., write it on paper, save on hard drive or other storage device, take the photograph, record the music, etc.) your thesis or dissertation is copyrighted. This applies to unpublished manuscripts as well. There is no longer the need to register your work for copyright. Furthermore, there is no longer the requirement of putting a copyright notice on a work for it to be copyrighted. You may register your copyright either by having ProQuest do so (see above) or on your own by submitting a registration form, which you can pick up at Zimmerman Library Government Publications or download from US Copyright Office's web page, with a check for $35, and two copies of your thesis or dissertation. Additional information can be obtained by calling 202-287-8700 or visiting the US Copyright Office website .

Including Copyrighted Material in Your Manuscript

You should remember that if you quote or otherwise reproduce in your thesis or dissertation material previously copyrighted by another author, beyond brief excerpts, you must obtain written permission from the copyright owner. Keep in mind that if a work was created in or after 1989, there is no requirement that it have a copyright notice to be copyrighted. This includes foreign works and foreign works for which the copyright has been reinstated pursuant to international treaty.

Copyright law is extremely complex and it can be difficult to determine what action you need to take and where to begin looking for permissions. The web sites listed below contain a great deal of information and have been helpful to students. Graduate Studies does not provide copyright advisement.

• The Copyright Clearance Center
• U.S. Copyright Office Home Page
• (ProQuest) Copyright and Your Dissertation or Thesis - Ownership, Fair Use, and Your Rights and Responsibilities  
• The University of Texas at Austin Copyright Crash Course
• UNM Office of University Counsel
• Boston College Information on Copyright

Preparing Your Manuscript

All manuscript pages must be 8.5"x11" ("letter size"). 

The left margin of each page must be 1 1/4 or 1 1/2 inches, and the top, right, and bottom margins 1 inch. Additional information is available  here .

Placement of Page Numbers

There are only two ways to paginate your manuscript: upper right hand corner and bottom center. If your page numbers are at the bottom, leave two blank line spaces between the last line of text and the line on which the page number is placed. Whether they are at the top or the bottom, page numbers should appear just outside the 1-inch margins (.5 to .8 inches from the top or bottom edge of the page. Whichever method of pagination is selected, it must be followed consistently. Use lower-case Roman numerals for the front matter (which is all pages before the body of research), create section break and continue (beginning again with page "1") with Arabic numerals for the remainder of the manuscript, including the text, illustrations, appendices and references. Additional information is available here . 

Type and Font

Your manuscript should be double-spaced (one and a half spaces can be used if approved by the chair of your committee) and single-sided. References may be single-spaced with a double space between each reference. Indented quotations may also be single-spaced. Use a professional quality font (e.g., Arial, Times Roman, Courier or Helvetica). Font size for your text should be 12 point; headings may be up to 14 point. Fonts for tables, figures, and appendices may range from 8 to 12 point.

The style of your thesis or dissertation may follow any one of many standard style guides, as preferred by your graduate unit, or the style considered standard in your particular discipline. You should consult your advisor for preferences or additional requirements your department may have. In any case, your manuscript must be internally consistent.

Thesis or dissertation manuscripts are generally divided into three sections: the Front Matter, the Body of Research, and the Reference Matter. Detailed information about each section is provided below.

Front Matter

For a visual reference to format the Front Matter, reference the examples of completed front matter here . A  Thesis Example  and a  Dissertation Example  will help you format the Front Matter for pagination and the placement of the proper order of the Front Matter pages.

Approval Page

The Approval Page is the first page of the Front Matter and the manuscript. Count this as page "i". Type the names of the committee members on the lines provided at the center of the page. No signatures are required. Additional information is available  here .

The Title page contains the title of your manuscript, your name, your previous degrees (including your majors, institutions and years centered on the page). Count the title page as page "ii". The degree you will be receiving at UNM, and the month and year of your graduation should be listed toward the bottom of the page (check with Graduate Studies for the graduation date). When listing the degree to be awarded, please refer to the Master’s and Doctoral  Degree List . Do not use abbreviations. Additional information is available  here . 

Dedication Page

(Optional) This is an optional page. If you use one, number it in appropriate sequence with a lower-case Roman numeral. The title must be in capital letters, centered just below the top margin of the page. The dedication itself may be single or double-spaced.

Acknowledgement Page

(Optional) This is also an optional page. If you use one, number it in appropriate sequence with a lower-case Roman numeral. The title must be in capital letters, centered just below the top margin of the page. The acknowledgment itself may be single or double-spaced.

Abstract Page

On the Abstract page first list the title of your manuscript, your name, all degrees you have already earned (in chronological order), and the degree to be awarded. These lines should be centered on the page, beginning just below the top margin. Then double-space, and on the following line, center the word ABSTRACT. Double-space again before beginning the text of your abstract. Use paragraph indentation as appropriate. The text itself should be either one and a half spaces or double-spaced. Number the Abstract Page in appropriate sequence with a lower-case Roman numeral.

Dissertation/Thesis abstracts are limited to 150 words. 

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents page is counted and numbered with a lower-case Roman numeral. If you have used a List of Figures (optional) and/or a List of Tables (optional) , they must be included in your Table of Contents. Tab leaders should be used between the heading levels and the page numbers. (DO NOT simply type dots across the page--the spacing will not work properly. Instead, set a dot leader tab. Check "dot leader tab" in Microsoft Word in the "help" for more information. If you have multiple appendices, they must each be listed (see section on Appendices).

List of Figures

(If Applicable) Use a separate page after the Table of Contents. This page is counted and numbered with a lower-case Roman numeral. It may be single- or double-spaced. Tab leaders should be used between the title of the figures and page the numbers. This page should be listed at the beginning of the Table of Contents.

List of Tables

(If Applicable) Use a separate page after the Table of Contents. This page is counted and numbered with a lower-case Roman numeral. It may be single- or double-spaced. Tab leaders should be used between the title of the tables and the page numbers. This page should be listed after the List of Figures at the beginning of the Table of Contents.

Preface Page

(Optional) This page is counted and numbered with a lower-case Roman numeral.

Body of Research

Beginning with the first page of text in the Body of Research (begin again with page "1"), pages are numbered with sequential Arabic numerals through the end of your manuscript. Each chapter/major division of the text must start on a new page. Each of these lead pages should be counted and numbered.

Figures may include diagrams, charts, drawings, schematics, photographs, etc. Each of the two required copies of your manuscript must contain its own original figures, with the exception of photographs, in which case both may be high-quality copies either in color or black and white. Figures should be inserted as near as reasonably possible to the text to which they relate. They should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals as part of the continuing text.

Figures and their captions must appear on the same page, within the required margins. If captions are more than one line long, they may be single-spaced. They should be placed on paper of the same size and weight as the rest of the manuscript. Colored materials are acceptable, but since color does not reproduce on microfilm, an alternate key should be provided if it will be needed for interpretation of the figure in black and white.

Tables that are a half-page or shorter in size may be placed at the top or the bottom of the page, or in the center, with text above and below. Tables may also be placed alone on the page immediately following the page that refers to them. The placement of tables should be consistent throughout the manuscript. Tables continuing for more than one page should be labeled [e.g., Table 1 (cont.)], and oversized tables should be treated in the same way as oversized figures (see above).

Reference Matter

Reference Matter may include notes to the text, appendices, a glossary, a list of references, and an index. The appendices and references are the two most commonly used categories. Detailed information about these sections is provided below.

The appendix (or a series of appendices) usually follows the main text, and contains material that is useful for a detailed review of the study, but is not essential to an understanding of the text. For example, an appendix is the appropriate section in which to place material such as raw data, the results of individual laboratory analyses, or sample forms. This may be useful supporting data even though it is not specifically utilized in the text. Note, however, that some reference should be made in the text to the fact that these materials appear in the appendix. The pages of the appendices are numbered in sequence with those of the text. Although it is preferable, you do not have to meet margin requirements for the material in your appendix, except for the left-hand margin.

After the last page of text, include a list of appendices on a separate page. Individual appendices should start on a separate page and should be clearly marked.

The list of appendices should also be included in the Table of Contents. To list appendices in your Table of Contents, use "Appendices" as your major heading. On the next line, indent five spaces, and begin listing each appendix with its title (e.g., "Appendix A. Survey Data") and page number.

No manuscript is complete without a full listing of the necessary bibliographic information about the sources upon which the study is based. In most cases, only those sources actually cited in the study are listed. This section will be called "List of References", "References Cited", or simply "References", and all pages are counted and numbered. The list is most often arranged alphabetically, although it may follow some other logical plan. It will follow the appendices.

Formatting Aids

Ms word template.

Templates for the Front Matter of your manuscript are available at the Front Matter Templates  section of this site. This page also includes samples of completed front and reference material. This section is a valuable visual reference to format the Front Matter with the proper lowercase Roman numeral pagination.

LaTeX Style

The LaTeX Style is popular with specific research disciplines, such as Engineering and the Math sciences. For a LaTeX Style File for formatting theses and dissertations, connect to  LaTeX Template and Style Files . 

Please note that computer-generated manuscripts are subject to the same formatting requirements as other manuscripts.

Common Problems

The problems listed below are among the most common, but manuscripts can be returned for other problems as well.

Formatting on Front Matter is very detailed. Make sure that formatting matches examples (especially red-bordered pages) and that pages are numbered correctly. (A sample of completed Front Matter is available on this web site.)

Margins for the entire manuscript must be:

• Left: 1.25 or 1.5 inches
• Top, Right, Bottom: 1 inch

Exceptions: Top, right and bottom margins may vary in the Appendix pages, but the left margin must be 1.25 or 1.5 inches throughout the ENTIRE manuscript (including Front Matter, References, and Appendices). Page numbers in the Appendices must also appear consistently as in the rest of the manuscript.

Landscape-oriented Figures and Tables

Margin requirements must be met, and page numbers must be placed consistently as in the rest of the manuscript.

Table of Contents/Headings & Subheadings

Your Table of Contents will be checked against the body of your manuscript.

• Page numbers must be correct.
• All headings and subheadings that appear at the same level should have the same appearance in the body of the manuscript and be distinguished from other heading-levels by appearance or numbering.
• All headings and subheadings (as many levels as you include in the Table of Contents) should appear in the Table of Contents. If you have some third-level headings in the Table of Contents, then ALL third-level subheadings should appear in the Table of Contents.
• The major section headings (usually Chapter headings) should each begin on a new page. Other levels should not be started on a new page.

All required manuscript forms must be submitted to Graduate Studies manuscript coordinator before submitting manuscript to UNM Digital Repository by graduate degree deadline. The forms to be submitted are attached below.

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Preparation and Submission

The University of New Mexico encourages open access to all theses and dissertations produced for graduate degrees. Therefore, all theses and dissertations are submitted electronically in PDF format to Graduate Studies. These electronically submitted theses and dissertations (ETDs) are uploaded on a server housed in the UNM Digital Repository, where they are accessible for search and download through web search engines such as Google.  In most cases, students submitting ETDs benefit from having their work available in the open access repository. In some special cases, however, students may want to delay making their work available for varying lengths of time.  For this reason, UNM has implemented an embargo policy that enables students, with approval from their advisers and Graduate Studies, to delay public-wide access to their work in the UNM Digital Repository. While under embargo the manuscript nonetheless remains available to the University of New Mexico academic community in order to satisfy requirements for the degree. Before submitting your thesis or dissertation, please consult with your committee chair and review the embargo restriction policy to determine whether or not you should release your work to open access or petition for an appropriate embargo option. If the decision is made to request an embargo restriction then the form must be submitted to Graduate Studies at the same time as you submit the  Announcement of Examination form   at least two weeks before your dissertation defense.

Steps for Submitting Your Manuscript

Once your thesis or dissertation committee approves your final manuscript and you have made all necessary revisions and corrections, you are ready to submit your work as a single pdf file to the  UNM Digital Repository  and, for dissertation writers, the  ProQuest ETD Administrator archive  following the  instructions below . At the minimum, you must submit your thesis or dissertation to Graduate Studies within (90) ninety days of your final defense or by the graduation deadline for the term in which you are graduating, whichever comes first.

Submission Instructions by Degree:

• Doctorate of Education
• Doctorate of Philosophy
• Master of Fine Arts
• Master of Arts or Master of Science

Note: You must submit the manuscript as a pdf file, thus you will need to convert your Microsoft Word document or any other document to the pdf format. As of May 2011, Graduate Studies has learned that when using either a PC or Macintosh platform with recent versions of Microsoft Office you may lose some formatting when converting your Word document into pdf or when submitting your pdf document to the UNM Digital Repository. To protect against such problems, it is important that you create and save all changes to your document on the same computer platform and using the same version of Microsoft Office. Thus, when you complete your final manuscript do not shift between computers and different versions of Word. If you encounter these problems, contact the Manuscript Coordinator at Graduate Studies for assistance.

Steps to Create Your Manuscript (Microsoft Word)

If you need help creating a single file for your manuscript,  click here .

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Thesis Dissertation Guidelines

Steps to Graduation

Graduate Studies Deadlines

Continuous enrollment policy, graduate writing support, academic probation, ▷ thesis / dissertation guidelines, apply to graduate, pay graduate fees online, graduate program specialists, frequently asked questions.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Students are required to use Microsoft Word unless otherwise approved by the academic department.

All students enrolled full-time or part-time in a degree granting program at SF State (i.e., matriculated students) are eligible for a  free copy of Microsoft Office 365 Education for Students .

FORMATTING & SUBMISSION Q&A

Watch the recorded session of a Q&A offered by the Division of Graduate Studies:

• Instructional Video/Slides

Formatting Guides and Checklist

• Microsoft Word accessibility  /  Adobe Accessibility
• Thesis Dissertation, Written Creative Work and Music Composition Checklist

1. To Begin, Download the Appropriate Template

• EdD Dissertation Template
• Master’s Thesis/Creative Work Template
• Latex template (provided by department)

Note: The Thesis/Dissertation and Creative Work templates include instructions related to making your document accessible in Microsoft Word. For further guidance, consult the relevant  Microsoft Office documentation for accessibility . Students using the Latex template provided by their department can consult the  Adobe Accessibility guide .

2. Preliminary Format Check

While writing your Thesis/Dissertation/Written Creative Work make sure to keep  Microsoft Word accessibility  /  Adobe Accessibility  in mind.

• Before submitting, run the  Accessibility Checker  /  Adobe Accessibility  and make sure to clear all errors.
• If revisions are required, we will return the thesis by email along with feedback regarding required changes. Once changes are addressed, email the latest draft to your  Graduate Program Specialist .
• When approved, Graduate Studies will notify students by email to proceed with Final Format check instructions.

3. Final Format Check

• Student must title the Thesis/ Dissertation/ Written Creative Work as:  Full Name_ Student ID_Dept_Thesis/Dissert_WCW .
• Make sure the Certification of Approval page on your Thesis/ Dissertation/ Written Creative Work does not have signatures.
• Run the Word  Accessibility Checker  /  Adobe Accessibility  and make sure that all errors are cleared (including feedback given during the preliminary format check).
• If revisions are required, we will return the thesis by email along with feedback regarding required changes. Once changes are addressed, email the latest draft to your Graduate Program Specialist.
• When approved, your Graduate Program Specialist will notify students by email to proceed with Certification of Approval and Submission instructions.

4. Certificate of Approval - Obtain Electronic Signatures

You can use our DocuSign Powerform to route the Certificate of Approval for your committee to sign. To begin the process, follow these steps:

a. You will need your committee’s name and email address. SF State email address preferred . Note: You can use another email address. However, it must be a professional email address not a personal email address. Example of acceptable email address: @ucsd, @calacademy. Personal email addresses are not be acceptable: @gmail, @yahoo, @outlook, etc.

b. Once you enter the required information click on “ Begin Signing ” to be directed to the Certificate of Approval form. You will need to  complete the requested information , then click “ Finish ”.

Your committee members will receive an email requesting their signatures. Once it is complete, you will receive a copy of the form.

c. The signed document will need to be uploaded as a separate document during the final submission process.

d. To begin routing: Certificate of Approval Powerform Routing

5. Submit your Thesis/Dissertation/Written Creative Work Guidelines and Certificate of Approval to the Library

Note:  Considering an Embargo? IF you would like to delay the publication of your Thesis, Dissertation, Written Creative Work or Music Composition, make sure to discuss the timeline of release with your Committee Chair prior to final submission.

• Once the final version of your thesis has been cleared for submission, you will see a new “To Do List” item titled “Submit Scholarly Work.” Click on “Details” to access the link and submit your work
• You will need to upload your final and accessible Thesis/ Dissertation/ Written Creative Work (Word Document) as well as the signed Certification of Approval.

Thesis, Dissertation, or Written Creative Work submitted without approval from a  Graduate Program Specialist  will be rejected.

📜 Thesis / Dissertation Guidelines FAQs

Q: What will the Division of Graduate Studies look for when conducting the preliminary and final format check?

A: We will be reviewing that all guidelines included in the template are followed, that standard size and font is used, and the work has 1-inch margins all round. Most importantly, we will be reviewing for accessibility. We want to see that all titles and subtitles are using built in headings, that all tables, figures, and images have alternative text and that page breaks are used throughout your work eliminating unnecessary blank spaces.

For Adobe users, we will also review that the reading order on your document has been corrected.

Q: Does my thesis need to be completed for a Preliminary Format check?

A: No, your thesis does not need to be completed for the preliminary check. To be able to conduct the preliminary format check, we will need all preliminary pages (title page through lists of appendices) as well as only a few pages of your thesis content. We want to make sure that you are on the right track and make sure we address any issues before your thesis is complete.

However, the final format check requires a completed and accessible version of your work.

Q: If I already have Microsoft on my computer, do you recommend downloading the universities Microsoft 365?

A: No, if you have a recent version of Microsoft and you have access to the Accessibility Checker you should be okay.

Q: Are students required to use a legal name on their thesis?

A: Students can use their legal name or their preferred name. However, we required that your name is formatted in the same way throughout your thesis.

Q: Is there a specific way in which the student name needs to be entered?

A: You can enter your name in the format you prefer:

• First Name, Middle Name, Last Name
• First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name
• First Name, Last Name

However, we require that your name is formatted in the same sequence throughout your thesis.

Q: Is there a required font type or font size?

A: We require students to use 10 to 12 font sizes. Standard proportional fonts such as Times New Roman or Ariel are also required.

Q: Where can I find a guide to building a Table of Contents, List of Tables and/or List of figures?

A: For detailed instruction on building a Table of Contents you can visit: Microsoft Support-Insert Table to Contents

For detailed instruction on building a list of tables and/or figures you can visit: Microsoft Support – Insert tale of figures

Also visit How to number chapters, appendixes, and pages in documents that contain both chapter and appendix headings in Word

Q: Is there a maximum amount of tables I can include in my thesis?

A: The Division of Graduate Studies does not require or restrict the number of tables, figures, or images in the student’s work. The format check will only review that each table, figure and/or image is properly formatted and contains alternative text.

Q: Is using Hyperlinks throughout our work required?

A: If you need to include a link within the content of your thesis, we recommend that you use a hyperlink rather than including the entire address. However, it is not a requirement. In addition, this is not applicable for your Work Cited. Please make sure to follow the academic style recommended by your discipline (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).

Q: What needs to be completed by the May/December/August deadline?

A: All requirements need to be completed by the final deadline; this includes your thesis. The final deadline is the last day in which you can submit your final, approved, and accessible thesis to the library.

Please make sure to plan ahead and submit your work for final format check at least a week before this deadline to prevent graduation delays. (If you are unable to meet the deadline, you will need to apply and graduate in the next semester).

Q: I have submitted my work to my Committee Chair, do I also need to submit it to the Division of Graduate Studies?

A: Yes, your committee will approve the content of your thesis as well as academic style recommended by your discipline (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). We will be reviewing overall formatting and accessibility. Upon completion of your preliminary and final format check you will be given access to the online thesis submission to the library. Without preliminary checks, you will not be able to submit your work. In addition, any works submitted without approval from the Division of Graduate Studies will be rejected from the library.

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Defense and Dissertation Overview

Once a student’s box is checked, the BPH student should set up a one-on-one “Defense Packet Meeting” with the BPH Associate Director to review the Defense and Dissertation Process, which includes reviewing all required materials, logistics, timing, FAS/Harvard Griffin GSAS Form of the Dissertation, sample forms, and to answer student questions related to these processes.

• Defense Committee Chair: One member of the student’s DAC, often the DAC chair, is required to chair the oral defense. This required holdover from the DAC serves the purpose of providing insight to the examiners regarding the path the student has taken in completing the dissertation research. Their primary role is to assess committee satisfaction with the written dissertation, administer the exam, arbitrate any problems that may arise, and make final recommendations for completion of necessary corrections and additions to the dissertation. No other DAC members can serve on the defense committee .
• At least one member must be a BPH faculty member, often from the same academic department.
• One member of the examination committee must be from outside of Harvard University.
• The fourth member may be from either BPH or another Harvard-affiliated program.
• Co-authors and collaborators cannot be members of the Defense committee

DEFENSE TIMING AND FORMAT

• Students should notify the BPH Program as far in advance as possible with the details of the exam. 
• The student is required to notify the BPH office no later than 3 weeks in advance of the defense with the final dissertation title.
• At least two weeks before the date of exam, defense members should be sent copies of the dissertation for review. A copy of the dissertation should also be sent to the BPH program.
• If any defense committee member foresees problems with the exam, they should contact the chair of the defense committee in advance of the meeting. If major problems are found with the written document, the Committee can decide to postpone the oral defense until satisfactory changes are made. While rare in our program, these occasions can involve the insufficient or improper use of statistical methods, grossly overstated conclusions, insufficient background or discussion, or evidence of plagiarism.
• More details about the timing and format are provided in the “Defense Packet Meeting” held with each student.

STIPEND GUIDELINES

If a student successfully defends the dissertation before the 15th of the month, the stipend will be terminated at the end of that month. If the student successfully defends on or after the 15th, the next month’s stipend will be the final month the student is paid, at the discretion of their advisor.

Students are encouraged to speak to their advisors directly about how they should be paid as they complete their graduate work. If an advisor wishes to pay the student for one additional month, beyond what has been explained above, the advisor must notify the department’s financial administrator. For administrative reasons, a stipend cannot be issued to a student after their graduation/degree conferral date.

ORAL DEFENSE PROCEDURES

Part 1: Public Seminar As part of the exam, the PhD candidate will present a public seminar followed by a private oral examination.  The public presentation lasts no longer than 1 hour, which includes time for the advisor’s introduction, the student’s oral presentation and acknowledgements, and time for audience questions and answers.  The Defense Committee is required to attend the public seminar; however, it is customary for members of the defense committee to hold their questions until the private oral exam.

Part 2: Private Oral Examination A private oral examination follows the public seminar.  Initially, the student will be asked to leave the room for several minutes, along with the dissertation advisor if the dissertation advisor has decided to remain for the private exam.  During this time, the committee will discuss the merits of the dissertation, any issues with the dissertation, and areas they may want to focus on during the oral exam.  The student (and advisor if present) is then asked back into the room for the exam.

Each member of the defense committee will direct questions to the candidate based on their review of the dissertation and presentation of the seminar. The Defense Chair will moderate the discussion between the panel and the student.  The closed defense takes up to two hours and involves detailed technical questions as well as broader questions on the conclusions, impact, and limitations of the research.  Dissertation advisors may be present, but they must not participate in the exam (e.g., answer questions posed by the committee).

At the end of the examination, the student (and advisor if present) is once again asked to step out of the room for several minutes.  The Committee will discuss any revisions needed for the thesis and whether these revisions need to be reviewed and by whom.  Once the committee determines the outcomes, the student will be asked back into the room and the Committee provides the student with any [minor] changes needed to the dissertation. While it is extremely rare for the student to fail at this stage, the committee will provide recommendations to the student on their research, communication skills, and development as a scientist, as well as delineating the required changes to the dissertation.

PREPARING FOR THE DEFENSE/WRITING THE DISSERTATION

Students preparing to write and defend their dissertation must review University requirements as outlined in “ Dissertations ” with guidelines published at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Students are also welcome to visit the BPH Student Lounge (Building 2, Room 113) to look at copies of previous BPH bound dissertations.

Writing the Dissertation Each student must write a comprehensive PhD dissertation on their research topic and the original results of their research. There are a variety of ways a dissertation can be composed, but the core elements described below must be included. The dissertation must show original treatment of the subject, contain a scholarly review of the pertinent literature, provide evidence of independent research of publishable quality, and be clearly, logically, and carefully written. In addition to a compendium of the student’s research, including detailed methods and results, the dissertation must contain a thoughtful discussion of the conclusions, impact, and limitations of the research. The completed work should be critically reviewed by the dissertation advisor before being submitted to the Dissertation Defense Committee.

In some cases, the student has done all of the work in the dissertation; more often portions of the dissertation result from collaborative research. In all dissertations containing collaborative results, the dissertation should indicate concisely who contributed to the work and how.  For example, a chapter containing multi-authored, published work must include a complete reference of the publication and a brief description of the candidate’s and the colleagues’ contributions. For work that is not published but which resulted from multiple researchers, the contributors must be named and respective attributions made clear. This policy allows stylistic flexibility; depending on the amount of collaborative work in the dissertation and the status of publication(s), the attributions can be, preferably, on or accompanying the cover page for each chapter or within an extended acknowledgements section at the end of each chapter. It is recommended that if figures or figure panels are included that are the work of others that the figure panels be clearly identified and the work properly attributed. It is permissible for more than one student to include work from the same collaboration or publication as long as the required attributions are clear, justified, and complete.

Individual chapters can be that of published articles as long as there are also comprehensive Introduction and Conclusion chapters written by the student. While the text can be the same, use of journal reprints as a chapter is not permissible. A word document of the published article must be used, and the pages in the dissertation must be consecutively numbered. Furthermore, the figures and accompanying figure legends must be integrated into the main body of each chapter, preferably following the first mention of the given figure, not clustered at the end of the chapter. Any dissertation that varies significantly from the Graduate School or FAS guidelines, or is not neat and readable, is subject to required stylistic revision before acceptance by the University. (For further information, please visit https://gsas.harvard.edu/academics/dissertations ).

DEFENSE FORMS AND PAPERWORK

Dissertation Acceptance Certificate Before the examination, the BPH Program Office will provide the Defense Committee Chair with a copy of the official Dissertation Acceptance Certificate. This certificate must be signed by all readers of the dissertation at the end of the examination and returned to the BPH Program Office. This certificate will be scanned and sent to the student so it can be inserted as page one of the dissertation prior to the online submission. The student must submit the one original, official copy to the Registrar’s in Cambridge by the appropriate deadline.

If extensive corrections are to be made, the BPH Program Office will hold the certificate until the Defense Committee Chair, and/or assigned reviewer(s) provide a written notification to the BPH Program to confirm that the corrected work has been reviewed and approved.

Dissertation Defense Exam Report The Dissertation Defense Exam Report is completed by the members of the Dissertation Defense Committee to provide a record of any comments or recommendations they may have. The report must be signed by all members immediately after the private exam. The completed report must be submitted to the BPH Program Office at the same time as the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate.

Sample Dissertation Title Page Please click here to see a sample BPH Dissertation Title Page.  Again, please refer to the Dissertation website for guidelines about how to format your dissertation.

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• Thesis & Dissertation Acknowledgements | Tips & Examples

Thesis & Dissertation Acknowledgements | Tips & Examples

Published on May 3, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The acknowledgements section is your opportunity to thank those who have helped and supported you personally and professionally during your thesis or dissertation process.

Thesis or dissertation acknowledgements appear between your title page and abstract  and should be no longer than one page.

In your acknowledgements, it’s okay to use a more informal style than is usually permitted in academic writing , as well as first-person pronouns . Acknowledgements are not considered part of the academic work itself, but rather your chance to write something more personal.

To get started, download our step-by-step template in the format of your choice below. We’ve also included sample sentence starters to help you construct your acknowledgments section from scratch.

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Table of contents

Who to thank in your acknowledgements, how to write acknowledgements, acknowledgements section example, acknowledgements dos and don’ts, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the acknowledgements section.

Generally, there are two main categories of acknowledgements: professional and personal .

A good first step is to check your university’s guidelines, as they may have rules or preferences about the order, phrasing, or layout of acknowledgements. Some institutions prefer that you keep your acknowledgements strictly professional.

Regardless, it’s usually a good idea to place professional acknowledgements first, followed by any personal ones. You can then proceed by ranking who you’d like to thank from most formal to least.

• Chairs, supervisors, or defense committees
• Funding bodies
• Other academics (e.g., colleagues or cohort members)
• Editors or proofreaders
• Librarians, research/laboratory assistants, or study participants
• Family, friends, or pets

Typically, it’s only necessary to mention people who directly supported you during your thesis or dissertation. However, if you feel that someone like a high school physics teacher was a great inspiration on the path to your current research, feel free to include them as well.

Professional acknowledgements

It is crucial to avoid overlooking anyone who helped you professionally as you completed your thesis or dissertation. As a rule of thumb, anyone who directly contributed to your research process, from figuring out your dissertation topic to your final proofread, should be mentioned.

A few things to keep in mind include:

• Even if you feel your chair didn’t help you very much, you should still thank them first to avoid looking like you’re snubbing them.
• Be sure to follow academic conventions, using full names with titles where appropriate.
• If several members of a group or organization assisted you, mention the collective name only.
• Remember the ethical considerations around anonymized data. If you wish to protect someone’s privacy, use only their first name or a generic identifier (such as “the interviewees”)/

Personal acknowledgements

There is no need to mention every member of your family or friend group. However, if someone was particularly inspiring or supportive, you may wish to mention them specifically. Many people choose to thank parents, partners, children, friends, and even pets, but you can mention anyone who offered moral support or encouragement, or helped you in a tangible or intangible way.

Some students may wish to dedicate their dissertation to a deceased influential person in their personal life. In this case, it’s okay to mention them first, before any professional acknowledgements.

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After you’ve compiled a list of who you’d like to thank, you can then sort your list into rank order. Separate everyone you listed into “major thanks,” “big thanks,” and “minor thanks” categories.

• “Major thanks” are given to people who your project would be impossible without. These are often predominantly professional acknowledgements, such as your advisor, chair, and committee, as well as any funders.
• “Big thanks” are an in-between, for those who helped you along the way or helped you grow intellectually, such as classmates, peers, or librarians.
• “Minor thanks” can be a catch-all for everyone else, especially those who offered moral support or encouragement. This can include personal acknowledgements, such as parents, partners, children, friends, or even pets.

How to phrase your acknowledgements

To avoid acknowledgements that sound repetitive or dull, consider changing up your phrasing. Here are some examples of common sentence starters you can use for each category.

Note that you do not need to write any sort of conclusion or summary at the end. You can simply end the acknowledgements with your last thank you.

Here’s an example of how you can combine the different sentences to write your acknowledgements.

A simple construction consists of a sentence starter (in purple highlight ), followed by the person or entity mentioned (in green highlight ), followed by what you’re thanking them for (in yellow highlight .)

Acknowledgements

Words cannot express my gratitude to my professor and chair of my committee for her invaluable patience and feedback. I also could not have undertaken this journey without my defense committee, who generously provided knowledge and expertise. Additionally, this endeavor would not have been possible without the generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, who financed my research .

I am also grateful to my classmates and cohort members, especially my office mates, for their editing help, late-night feedback sessions, and moral support. Thanks should also go to the librarians, research assistants, and study participants from the university, who impacted and inspired me.

Lastly, I would be remiss in not mentioning my family, especially my parents, spouse, and children. Their belief in me has kept my spirits and motivation high during this process. I would also like to thank my cat for all the entertainment and emotional support.

• Write in first-person, professional language
• Thank your professional contacts first
• Include full names, titles, and roles of professional acknowledgements
• Include personal or intangible supporters, like friends, family, or even pets
• Mention funding bodies and what they funded
• Appropriately anonymize or group research participants or non-individual acknowledgments

Don’t:

• Use informal language or slang
• Go over one page in length
• Mention people who had only a peripheral or minor impact on your work

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In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.

Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.

Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation .

Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.

The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis , directly after the title page and before the abstract .

In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.

You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements , but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.

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