Formatting Guide
Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

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Formatting Guide - Complete (pdf)

Payment for submitting your Thesis/Disseration must be a US check or money order. We cannot accept cash or credit cards.

Graduation and Commencement Information
Information on important dates, graduation requirements, application for graduation, and commencement.

Checklist for Leaving Campus (pdf)

Introduction (pdf)

Musical Performance/Composition (pdf)

Manuscript (pdf)

Format Requirements and Guidelines (pdf)

• Paper
• Word Processing
• Printing/Copying
• Fonts
• Symbols
• Spacing/Margins
• Divisions and Subdivisions
• Footnotes

Font and Margin Reference (pdf)

Page Numbering and Placement (pdf)

Formatting Instructions (pdf)

• Preliminary Pages Title Page, Abstract, Copyright Page, Dedication, Acknowledgments, Preface, Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, Keys
• Formatting Text
• Formatting Reference Materials (Appendices Cover Sheet, Appendices, Bibliography Cover Sheet, Bibliography)

• Definitions
• Captions
• Preparation of
• Color Images in
• Other Images in
• Oversize
• Placement of
• Numbering of
• Citations of
• Facing Pages of

Use of Reprints in Theses/Dissertations (pdf)

• Policy on Use of
• Formatting Theses/Dissertations Using Reprints
• Sample of a Reprint Cover Page

• University Microfilm's International (UMI) Dissertation Services
• Thesis/Dissertation Submission Packet
• Materials to be Presented to the Graduate School
• How to Avoid Delays
• Most Common Mistakes in Submitting a Final Copy

• Responsibilities of the Student
• Responsibilities of the Graduate School
• Responsibilities of the Department
• Responsibilities of the Registrar's Office
• Degree Completion Flowchart

Check Sheet for Theses/Dissertations (pdf)

• Title Page (pdf)
• Abstract (pdf)
• Table of Contents (pdf)
• Bibliography (pdf)
• Additional Title Page (pdf)
• Bookplate (pdf)

Welcome to the Web Version of the
Thesis/Dissertation Formatting Presentation

This PowerPoint presentation is meant to be used concurrently with the Formatting Guide manual which is available above.

This version of the Formatting presentation covers information about how to prepare your documents and all the paper work needed for graduation. All the necessary forms that are mentioned in this presentation are available at http://grad.msu.edu/current/packet.htm

The first slide of the presentation provides important tips on how to view the slide show. Please read those instructions carefully.

The purpose of this Web version of the Formatting presentation is to make available the necessary information to degree candidates who are unable to attend the Theses/Dissertation Formatting Workshop sponsored by the Graduate School each semester. Information about workshops is available at http://grad.msu.edu/stuwork.htm.

Download the Formatting Tutorial
Powerpoint Presentation - Requires Microsoft Office 2003

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