5 undergraduate thesis formatting tips

When it comes to formatting your thesis there are several things to look out for. Some students make the mistake of not allowing enough time to format and check for errors. You can format your work but in order to obtain full credit you should go back over your content and double check it before submission. You may have guidelines set for formatting your paper you should follow closely. The following tips can help ensure your paper is formatted according to specific standards set for your paper.

1. Check your document for misspellings and make changes as needed. You can use software programs to help you catch grammar and spelling errors, but you should also review the document yourself to make sure nothing was missed. Try not to have headings and subheading start at the bottom of a page.
2. Check page numbers and margins for correct positioning. Make sure you know which page starts at number 1. In many cases the introduction should be the first page but this may vary depending on guidelines. Arabic numerals may be used for page numbering instead of roman numerals. Check margins to make sure they are set correctly.
3. Review presentation of figures and tables included. Make sure content is clear, easy to read and legends appear for tables. A figure may have a legend that appears below it and a table will have a legend appear above it.
4. Check bibliography/references and citations. Make sure citations appear once and delete any duplicates. Check names to make sure they are correct and citations should not be missing information. Citations may be double spaced with references having a single space between each.
5. Double check the content on all pages. You may or may not have certain pages included but check spacing, page number appearance, and titles appear correctly. Any signatures should be original. Make sure Ph.D. and degree titles are properly written, noted and abbreviated as necessary.

Other Information to Consider for Formatting Your Thesis

Your formatting structure should be consistent throughout the entire thesis. You should check each page to make sure information is correctly stated, presented and organized according to your guidelines. Sections and chapters should be solid and consistent. It may help to view samples of how to format your paper based on the formatting style you are required to use.