Contents
[hidetoc]In addition to the following guidelines, graduate students have found two addtional documents to be extremely useful in their thesis-writing experience:
After you submit your thesis to the Graduate School, it will be forwarded to the University Library and converted to portable document format (pdf) for access on the World Wide Web. It is important that the online version which is accessible to scholars throughout the world match the version submitted to your advisory committee. The thesis may be submitted as one document in paper format. Use the guidelines below to help with basic formatting.
Before starting a thesis or paper it is a good idea to think ahead to the requirements that need to be followed. By setting the margins, spacing, indentations, etc. before actually writing a thesis you will save yourself time, effort, and frustration so that when the thesis is submitted you will not have to correct your thesis at the last moment. The following hints/suggestions are common areas that students have had problems with in the past.
The Graduate School has provided information regarding thesis requirements for Plan A's, Plan B's, and Ed.S. papers. Access these requirements via the Graduate Studies page.
For more information on how to conduct research using library resources consult the Graduate Student Thesis Research page available from the WWW Reference Resources page off of the Library Home Page.
The library has numerous manuals on how to use MS Word as well as several copies of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (BF76.7 .P83). Do a search in the Stout Library Catalog using the keywords, Microsoft Word. In addition, the Microsoft Corporation provides a template page for numerous types of papers, letters, theses, PowerPoint presentations, etc. This site called the Template Gallery will require the downloading of the templates onto your computer.
If you need help with the instructions below contact the reference desk, phone 715-232-1353 or via the Ask a Librarian form.
CONVERSION INTO MS WORD
Library lab computers as well as other campus computers offer MS Word. If, however, you do not have MS Word you may, as students, purchase the Microsoft Office Suite via a UW System license agreement with Microsoft. For more information on this, access the Wisconsin Integrated Software Catalog (WISC).
If you began using a different word processing software, e.g. Microsoft Works, and want to convert your thesis document to MS Word, follow the following procedure. Save your file in Rich Text Format while you are in the non-Word software. Rich Text Format allows the file to be retrieved and opened in MS Word.
Saving in Rich Text Format
- Save the file by clicking on File/Save As in the upper toolbar while in your non-MS Word program.
- Type in a filename.
- In the Save As Type box, click on the Down Arrow, then on Rich Text.
- Click on Save and save the file to a floppy disk, zip disc, CD-R disc or hard drive.
- Go to a PC that has MS Word.
- Open the Rich Text file in Word.
- Save the file by clicking on File/Save As in the upper toolbar.
- In the Save As Type box, click on the Down Arrow, then on Word Document.
- Click on Save and save the file to a floppy disk, zip disc, CD-R disc or other storage medium.
TABLE OF CONTENTS/PAGE NUMBERING
Using Microsoft Office XP
Theses require a table of contents and several pagination styles; roman numerals, arabic, letters, etc. It is usually easiest to begin by creating a Table of Contents (TOC) and immediately numbering the pages because changes and additions to a thesis are automatically updated when using the outlining tool in creating your TOC.
Creating a Table of Content using "Outlining"
- In a new Word document turn on the Outlining tool via View/Tools/Outlining
- From the Outlining tool, select a level one heading.
- Type the constants in your thesis using a level one heading which include:
- ABSTRACT
- LIST OF TABLES (If there is one)
- LIST OF FIGURES (If there is one)
- CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
- CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW
- CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY
- CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS
- CHAPTER 5 DISCUSSION
- REFERENCES
- APPENDIX (If there are some)
- Reference the list you have just typed via Insert/Reference/Indexes and Tables
Pagination by Section
- At the end of a section insert a section break. Click on Insert/Break/Section Break/Next Page.
- Scroll to the top of the page (Control-Home) and select View/Header and Footer in the upper toolbar.
- Click on the Format Page Numbers icon from the displayed Header and Footer Toolbar.
- At the top of each section choose the type of numbering system required for that section; e.g. i, ii, iii; 1,2,3; a,b,c, etc.
- Select the Start At option so that the pagination style for the section is used only for that section -- otherwise it will continue upwards.
- The Start At option will let you start numbering at any number, 1 is the only default.
- The Continue from Previous Section is used to continue the numbers in linear progression from section to section when there are multiple section breaks for inserting graphs or other graphics. Turn off continue from previous section to begin alternate pagenation.
- Next click on the Insert Page Number icon from the Header and Footer toolbar.
Omit Page Numbers
- To leave the first page without a page number, click on Insert/Page Numbers.
- Click in the check box (to uncheck) by Show Number on First Page. It must be unchecked to leave the first page without a page number.
MARGINS
The Publication Manual of the APA recommends that margins be set at 1" (2.54 cm) at the top, bottom, left and right on each page. Margins for the title page have been set by the Graduate School on their Graduate Studies page.
Setting Margins
- Click on File/Page Setup.
- Set the margins to 1" (2.54 cm) at the beginning of the text or place your cursor at the location you want to change margins.
- Use the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right boxes to increase or decrease margins.
- To select text, click on the Down Arrow in the Apply To box. You may select Whole Document or Selected Text.
- Click on OK.
SET INDENTATION / TAB
The Publication Manual of the APA recommends that the first line of every paragraph and the first line of every footnote be indented. Five to seven spaces (1/2 inch) should be used. Most word processors' default settings are acceptable, e.g. MS Word.
To Indent/Tab
- To indent using the default settings, press the Tab key on the keyboard.
- To indent so that the text will continue at the same place with the present line, click on the Decrease or Increase Indent buttons located on the Formatting Toolbar.
LINE SPACING
Double-space all text throughout the manuscript, including the title page and reference page as per APA guidelines. To set line spacing:- Click on Format/Paragraph from the upper toolbar.
- Click on Double in the Line Spacing box (drop down menu) when starting the thesis or paper. If this was not set initially, you will need to highlight the text that you want double spaced and then select the spacing.
FONTS
For best readability, normal body text should be twelve-point (12 pt) size, using a common font available in most word processing or Web browsers, such as Times Roman or Arial.The Publication Manual of the APA recommends that the font (typeface) be serif, e.g. Times Roman for text and a sans serif type in figures, e.g. Courier or Arial.
- The font may be selected by using the Font drop down menu. Click on the Down Arrow and highlight the font.
- Select the size by clicking on the Down Arrow in the Font Size drop down menu. Click on the font size, e.g. 3 (12 pt).
- Fonts or Font Size may be changed at anytime by highlighting the text, then clicking on the font or font size menus.
If the fonts or font size menus are not listed, click on View/Toolbars in the upper toolbar and click on Formatting to display the menus.
BOLD/ITALICS/UNDERLINE
To emphasize certain text in the thesis/paper use the bold, italics or underline features.
- To bold/italicize/underline text before typing, click on one or more of the buttons in the upper toolbar labeled, B, I, U. For example you may italicize or bold at the same time.
- To emphasize the text after it is typed, highlight the text and then click on the Bold/Italic/Underline buttons.
If the buttons are not listed, click on View/Toolbars in the upper toolbar and click on Formatting to display the formatting toolbar.
GRAPHICS
A graphic, usually a photograph, drawing, or other type of image, may be inserted into a document.
- Place the cursor in your document where the graphic is to be placed.
- Click on Insert/Picture from the upper toolbar.
- Retrieve a picture from either:
- Clip Art
- From File
- Double-click on the picture's filename and it will be inserted into the document.
- To adjust the size of the graphic after it has been inserted into MS Word, click in the picture so that handles (black squares) appear in the border around the picture. Click on one of the handles and drag it out or in to resize.
- To adjust the location, click within the graphic so the handles appear, then click on one of the Alignment (Align Left, Center, Align Right) buttons in the upper toolbar.
- To adjust the contrast or brightness of the graphic, click on View/Toolbars/Pictures in the upper toolbar.
INSERTING FILES
Tables, graphs, Excel spreadsheets and other files may be inserted into the thesis or paper.
- Place the cursor in the area where the other file will be inserted or insert a page break if the text is to be on another page.
- Click on Insert/File from the upper toolbar.
- Click on the drive where the file is located, e.g. floppy disk, zip disc, hard drive, etc.
- Double-click on the Filename and it will be inserted.
CUT/COPY/PASTE
Graphics or portions of text may be inserted into the thesis or paper. To cut means that the text/graphic will be removed completely from one area and moved (pasted) to another area within the thesis or from another file. To copy means to duplicate the text/graphic to another area or from another file without removing what is being copied from the original.
- Highlight the text or graphic to be moved.
- Click on Edit in the upper toolbar, click on Cut (Control-X) or Copy (Control-C) from the text/graphic within or from another file.
- Position your cursor where you want the cut or copied text/graphic in the document.
- Click on Paste (Control-V) from the Edit pull down menu.
Edit buttons are also available using the scissors, double page and brush icons in the Standard toolbar. Click on View/Toolbars in the upper toolbar and click on Standard to display the toolbar.
CITING RESOURCES
For information and examples on how to cite resources in APA or MLA style consult the Citing Resources page on the Library Home Page/E-Reference page.
COPYRIGHT
For information concerning copyright consult the Copyright guide available via the Library Home Page.
WWW Search Engines
The search engines that are available on the WWW vary in depth and coverage. Explore the search options to find relevant WWW sites. For a list of available search engines and WWW directories, e.g. Google or Yahoo, use Searching the Web from the Library Home Page.
Citations
To cite online resources in appropriate bibliographic style see: Citing Resources
To organize citations and create bibliographies and papers in APA, MLA and other styles see: RefWorks and Other Citation Management Tools
Last Updated: 06/13/2008 and Last Revised: 3/6/07
Contact Denise Madland for more information or help on this topic.