A-manual-for-writers-of-research-papers-theses-and-dissertations

A.2.1Front MatterA.2.2TextA.2.3Back MatterA.3 Submission RequirementsA.3.1Preparing Your FilesA.3.2Submitting Hard CopyA.3.3Submitting Electronic FilesWhen you are writing a thesis, a dissertation, or a class paper, you must observe certainformat and style requirements for the paper. For a thesis or dissertation, these requirementsare set by your department or your university's office of theses and dissertations; for a classpaper, they are set by your instructor. You may also have to follow specific procedures forsubmitting the paper, whether in hard copy or electronically.Be particularly aware of these requirements if you are writing a thesis or dissertation. Youwill be judged on how well you follow the academic conventions of your field. Also, many ofthe rules for format and submission are intended to make the preserved copy, bound orelectronic, as accessible as possible for future readers.The guidelines presented here are widely accepted for the format and submission of thesesand dissertations, but most universities have their own requirements, which are usuallyavailable from the office of theses and dissertations. Review the specific guidelines of yourdepartment or university before you submit your thesis or dissertation. They take precedenceover the guidelines suggested here.In general, the requirements for a class paper are less extensive and strict than those for athesis or dissertation. Such papers usually have fewer elements, and since they are not likelyto be bound or preserved electronically, there are fewer submission requirements. Even so,you should observe the conventions of your field for formatting the paper, because thoseconventions help your reader quickly identify items such as footnotes and long quotations. Ifyou have questions about the format of your paper, ask your instructor or consult yourdepartment.This appendix assumes that you will prepare your paper on a computer. Although wordprocessingprograms vary, most can automatically set margin size, number pages, and placeand number footnotes. If, however, you must follow specific guidelines, particularly regardingmargins and other placement issues, check the printout of your paper (preferably with ruler in