Formatting/ Final Copy

Formatting:

Style Manuals: A style manual tells you the correct form of footnotes, bibliographies, tables of contents, title pages, etc., for your discipline. Every discipline uses a different style manual. For example, English uses the MLA Handbook. You should find out which one manual your discipline uses as soon as possible and consider formatting issues as you gather data.

Manuscript Guidelines: You will submit your manuscript to the Barrett Advising relative to the appropriate deadlines given your graduation date. Please ensure that the manuscript conforms to the style guide for your discipline (e.g., the MLA style for English, APA for Psychology) and is free of spelling and punctuation errors. The integrity of your manuscript is very important so please do not submit it torn, wet, with coffee stains, already bound, etc….It is also very important, for example, to understand the correct format for the signature/title page. Please note the following formatting requirements:

Typing:

Unbound manuscript (no staples, clips, hole punches or bindings)

White, 8 ½ x 11 inch, 20 pound paper – same brand, weight, and color throughout. Acid-free paper is not required.

10-, 11-, or 12-point font size or 10 to 12 typewriter pitch (consistent throughout text)

Typeface must be consistent throughout except for items in appendices. Double-spaced throughout, except for block quotations, footnotes, itemized or tabular material, and certain creative manuscripts.

Margin on 1 ½ inches on left side, 1 inch on all other sides

Style consistent with style manual guidelines for your discipline

No spelling or punctuation errors

No ink or pencil corrections

No widow lines at top or bottom of page.

Title Page: A title page must accompany the manuscript and bear the original signatures of all committee members. Photocopies are not accepted. To download this form click here.

Last Step: Before the thesis/creative project is considered fully complete, students must submit to the Barrett Advising office:

An unbound copy of the approved manuscript, project, or activity that meets the criteria outlined in the Manuscript Guidelines section.

A title page with the original signatures of the committee

Barrett keeps a bound copy of your thesis/creative project in the Conference Room 124 library and many Barrett honors students refer to these copies in navigating their own thesis topics. Some additional guidelines are available in the Barrett Advising office for particular majors (such as English).