Dissertation layout

A good dissertation layout is of vital consideration. It refers to the presentation of the content an academic paper should follow. This has to do with the choice of fonts, how the graphics should be presented and the flow of the presentation of the idea throughout the entire dissertation. This is usually dictated by the university. A standard layout will ensure consistency in formats to maintain a corporate identity. At a glance one can immediately identify the paper as a product of the school’s graduate and post graduate levels. Examples of papers found in university and college libraries give the idea of the layout.

There are important issues related to dissertation layout. Some of them are: 1) size of page margins and line spacing; 2) formats of the title page which bears the thesis title, the contents list, appendices, the reference list, illustrations, figures and tables; 3) numbering systems for chapters and sections, pages, tables, captions and equations; 4) Font styles for chapter and sections headings, other text, figure and table captions, equations, quoted work, and citations; 5) how references are cited; 6) how tables, figures and equations are cited; and 7) consistency in tenses and grammar, and tone.

There is a consistency of the size of the fonts for content and citations and pagination. The layout makes the reading of the study comprehensible as all content are assigned to specific chapters. The lay-out presents a simple idea to the complex thoughts and encapsulates all of these in a summary. If there is no sensible order or arrangement of discussion, following the central thought would present difficulties in understanding the study. In brief the purpose of the study would be defeated.

If you pick up a thesis, you will note that all research citations are neatly labeled with their appropriate markings. To the trained eye, this facilitates ease for future reference. All tables and graphs, and other illustrations are properly tagged and contained in an assigned page near the end of the book. A researcher would know where to look if he is looking for the source of the citation mentioned in the Review of Literature, Methodology, and other parts of the “investigative report”.
If the reader wants to know who did the dissertation, he can flip to the Title page. If he wants to have an idea of the entire study he can go to the Abstract Page. All basic questions about the study will be answered in the earlier part of the book. As he continues to go over the major body, he will note that there are titles and sub-titles. He will appreciate this because he will not get lost in the maze of information. If he judges the book to be well articulated and presented, and original in concept, he may look up the name of the dissertation adviser on the signature page. From there he can pick up ideas for his own dissertation layout, and other important details.