Reference Guide for Content and Formatting Thesis

 

3.1 General Formatting Rules

 

 

The master’s thesis is a carefully argued scholarly paper of approximately 70-80 pages in length before appendices.

The master’s thesis shall be typed on a computer, printed or typewritten on standard paper and then bound in hardcover, signed on the back by upper-case characters (year of defense, full name of master student). The title list of Master’s Thesis and composition of the topic should respond to requirements.

The same type font must be used throughout the thesis. Choose a standard type font, such as Times New Roman. A 13-point or 14-point font is appropriate for a thesis. The same font size must be used for all text with the following exceptions:

- larger type, up to 16 point, must be used for headings of chapters, but subheadings must be of the same font size as the text body;

- smaller type, down to 13 point, must be used for tables and figures titles, but down to 12 point, for table bodies and figures;

- smaller type, down to 10 point, may be used for page numbers; text footnotes should be smaller than the text body font (usually 10 point).

- bold face must be used in headings and subheading of text, tables, figures, appendices;

- bold face, italics, and underlining may be used in tables, figures, and specific words in text, but extensive use should be avoided.

Margins are defined as the white space surrounding the printed matter. Margin requirements:

- 3 cm on the left;

- 1 cm on the right;

- 2 cm on the top and bottom;

- margin requirements apply to all materials in the thesis, including figures, tables, etc., and all material in appendices;

- margins must be uniform on all pages.

As for spacing requirements all regular text must be formatted with one-line spacing, but there are some specifics:

- single space within all text;

- double space between heading and subheading; between subheading and body text; before and after all tables, figures, formulas;

- triple space between subsections.

Table titles and captions for figure, schemes, etc. should be placed closer to the table or figure than they are to any text occupying the same page. Effective use of white space means using less white space between elements that should be tied together (such as a figure and its caption) and more white space between elements that should be separated.

Text should be full page justified with paragraph indents.

Avoid windows and orphans in text. Widow lines occur when the last line of a paragraph appears alone at the top of a page. Orphan lines occur when the first line of a paragraph appears alone at the bottom of a page. Rules to skip them:

- a subheading at the bottom of a page must have two lines of text below it. Otherwise, the subheading should begin at the top of the next page.

- a new paragraph at the bottom of a page must include two lines of text. Otherwise, the entire paragraph should begin at the top of the next page.

- when ending a paragraph at the top of a page, there must be at least two lines of text.

Some general formatting requirements can be found in appendix G, table G.

The body of the thesis should be organized into chapters (sections), accompanied by an introduction, conclusion, a literature review that defines objectives of the research, a concluding chapter that ties the results together and bibliography. Master’s thesis should include the following:

- a title page (appendix H);

- a one-page abstract;

- the list of symbols and abbreviations (optional);

- a table of contents with page numbers;

- an introduction;

- the body of the text, with appropriate headings for chapters, sub-sections or other parts;

- summary or conclusions;

- a complete bibliography;

- appendixes;

- a copy of adoption certificate (if available).

Each items starts at new page. Do not begin any subheading or other divisions on separate pages. If a subheading falls at the end of a page, move it to the top of the next page unless at least two lines of text can follow the subheadings.

All page numbers should stand alone without any form of punctuation. Pages must be numbered using Arabic numerals starting at 1 for the title, placed in a footer, centered at the bottom of each page.

Sections are numerated in series within the ambit of the thesis. Example — 1, 2, 3 etc. Subsections are numerated in series within the ambit of the section. Don’t put the word “Section” or “Chapter” before the number or punctuation after the number and the heading.

See example of text formatting, headings and subheadings.

Example —

INTRODUCTION ¶ ¶ Text of introduction, text of introduction, text of introduction, text of introduction, text of introduction, text of introduction …

…………………………………………..Rupture of page………………………..…..

1 Theoretical foundations of strategic trade policy ¶ ¶ 1.1 The approaches for the definition of strategic trade policy ¶ ¶ Text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection … ¶ ¶ ¶ 1.2 The characteristics of strategic trade policy ¶ ¶ Text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection, text of subsection…

 

Abstract

The abstract should be the last part to be written. It should show the reader both the context and content of the work and must include the purpose of the work, embracing any hypothesis to be tested or major question asked; the approach used; the main findings; and the conclusions.

The abstract must not include internal headings or author citations.

Mathematical formulas, diagrams, and other illustrative materials must be avoided at all costs.

An abstract has a typical form and must include the following elements:

- total thesis volume (number of pages including bibliography and appendices), number of figures (diagrams, schemes, graphs), tables, sources, appendices;

- key words (5-10 words, not phrases in upper-case characters);

- object, subject, purpose, methodology of master research;

- enumeration of elements of scientific innovation made during research;

- characteristics of obtained results from the point of view of scientific newness (originality of topic, idea, problem formulation etc.);

- area of the possible practical applications (spheres of economics where obtained results are applicable what kind of results they are, the quantity and quality of results and prospective receiver of it);

- approbation (information about conferences where student reported his (her) research results; recommendations or developments adopted in practice; show the perspective or achieved economic effects);

- implementation’s results are indicated if there is a certificate of adoption (noticing the economic effect resulted from student’s research);

- economic and social significance of implemented developments must be demonstrated separately;

- at the end, the master student should confirm the correct use of all cited sources by signature.

See the sample of abstract in appendix J.

Contents

The Table of Contents contains chapter titles, headings within chapters, and appendices. The wording of each entry in the Table of Contents must exactly and completely match that in the text, including heading numbers. Page numbers must be specified for all entries.

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