Preparation of your Thesis

There are two Microsoft Office Word templates available: A monograph-based template and a manuscript-based template. The monograph-based template provides a standard (or "traditional") thesis layout while the manuscript-based template provides a layout that is made up of a series of scholarly papers. The thesis templates have been pre-formatted to follow the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS) requirements as outlined in the Preparation of your Thesis guide below. Both templates are also AODA-compliant and will support you in creating an accessible document.

Note: Using either of these templates does not guarantee that your thesis will be properly formatted for immediate acceptance into the Atrium Institutional Repository, especially if you make any changes to the formatting. It is your responsibility to review your thesis prior to submission, to ensure it meets all formatting requirements as outlined by the OGPS. 

Using the Thesis Templates

Whether you use the monograph or manuscript style template, please be aware that:

• Double brackets have been used to indicate areas where you should insert your own text, or have been used to provide instruction about the formatting or content for a section.
  • To retain formatting, insert your text within the double brackets. 
  • Once you have added the appropriate content, the double brackets and any instructional text should be removed.
• If there is a section in the template that is not applicable to your thesis, you should delete that section. 
• The Table of Contents and Listings (e.g. listing of tables, listing of figures) have been pre-generated in the template. Remember to update the Table of Contents and Listings to reflect any changes that you make.
• Make sure to modify the file properties so that the document title and author reflect your thesis. This information will be embedded in the final PDF document that you will create with the template (To modify the file properties, in Microsoft Word, select "File," then "Info," and then "Properties.")
• Save your final PDF as a tagged PDF to maintain the formatting and tagging features of the thesis template.

Additional support

If you are using Microsoft Office (Windows or Mac), please refer to the Formatting in Microsoft Office Word guide. This guide includes specific instructions for using the built-in tools in Microsoft Word to format your thesis and to save your thesis as a tagged PDF (which supports a more accessible document).

If you are using LaTeX, Michigan State University Libraries' Creating Accessible LaTeX Documents guide and Lancaster University's Accessibility Checklist for LaTeX Documents provide basic instructions and best practices for improving the accessibility of documents created using LaTeX.

Since writing style can vary greatly in different disciplines, you are expected to learn the appropriate style for your field. You are also advised to follow the recommendations of your Advisory Committee on all matters not covered here, including the content of your thesis.

It is the responsibility of your Advisory Committee to judge your thesis from all standpoints, including neatness, mechanics, and technical and professional competency. Therefore, it is important that you provide them a copy of your thesis before your defence.

Preparing a thesis is similar to the process of preparing a manuscript for publication. For both, the student must prepare the information for the document, present it in a structured format, undergo a review cycle, and finally, achieve publication. One difference, however, is that you must complete the electronic publication process (usually the responsibility of the publisher) by submitting your thesis according to the following guidelines:

Formal Style

The Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies accepts theses either in monograph or manuscript format. A thesis written in monograph format organizes chapters around a central problem, for instance, with an Introduction, a Literature Review, and chapters on Methodology, Results, and Conclusions. In the manuscript format, the chapters treat separate elements of the research program, typically incorporating several discrete articles suitable for journal publication. Theses written in manuscript format may include the following:

        Published articles
        Submitted articles
        Unpublished work in publication format

Publication or acceptance for publication of research results before presentation of the thesis in no way supersedes the University’s evaluation and judgement of the work during the thesis examination process. Theses written in manuscript format must include the following:

        Connecting materials that integrate across the different chapters/articles, including at minimum an overarching introduction and a concluding discussion chapter.
        The student must be the principal or sole author of any included manuscripts and must have had a major or sole role in the design of the research, and the preparation and writing of the manuscripts.

If the college/school or department does not specify points of style, the latest style manual information may be obtained in the McLaughlin Library through one of the following:

    The Research Help Desk
    Writing Services

The format of your thesis will vary depending on your discipline and which style manual you use. The following are suggestions for how to organize the sections of your thesis but please work with your Advisor/department to determine the most suitable format for you.

Note: The information below is reflected in the thesis template provided above.

Document Divisions

•     The document is divided into front matter, body matter, and back matter.

A thesis normally contains the following parts:

Front Matter

• Title Page, including international copyright symbol ©
• Abstract
• Dedication (optional)
• Acknowledgments
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables (if any)
• List of Figures, Illustrations, Plates (if any)
• List of Symbols, Abbreviations, or Nomenclature
• List of Multimedia Objects or Files

Body

• Introduction
• Review of Literature
• Text of Investigation
• Summary and Conclusions
• Recommendations

Back Matter

• Bibliography
• Appendix

    At the beginning of each chapter, place the word "Chapter," the chapter number, and the chapter title in large type.
     
    A Certificate of Approval page with approval signatures should not be included in your thesis. You must submit this separately to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

Title

Because library retrieval systems use words in the title to locate manuscripts, it is essential that a title provide a brief description of the contents of the work. Words should be substituted for formulas, symbols, Greek letters, and so on.

The title page should include the following:

• Title
• Author
• Type of Manuscript (thesis)
• University
• Degree Conferred (Ph.D., M.A., M.S., etc.)
• Degree Program (as listed in the University of Guelph Graduate Calendar or latest update)
• Field of Specialization (optional, if your program has an approved field, and your department has confirmed you have met the requirements)
• Collaborative Specialization (optional, if you are graduating with a collaborative specialization)
• Place of Publication
• Year of Publication (year submitted for graduation)
• Copyright Notice

To view a version of the title page, see sample title page .

Gender pronouns are not typically included, but should a student choose to include, please do so next to the Author name on the title page. The gender pronoun should not be included with the author name field on the Atrium form.

Abstract

• The abstract should be a concise and accurate summary of your work.
• The maximum length of the abstract must not be more than 150 words in length for the master's and not more than 350 words in length for the doctoral theses.
• The abstract must have centered at the top of the first page the word "Abstract", the exact full title of the thesis as it appears on the title page, followed on the next line by the full name of the candidate as it appears on the title page (see the illustration below).
• The following parts are found in an abstract, although not identified with subheadings: Statement of Problem, Procedure or Methods, Results, and Conclusions.

Acceptable File Formats for University of Guelph ETDs

Your main thesis file should be saved as a tagged PDF document. In addition to being a widely used and stable file format, a tagged PDF format is also the format required by Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Saving your thesis file as a tagged PDF will ensure that LAC can harvest your thesis from the Atrium for inclusion in the Theses Canada database.

Multiple Files and Alternative Submission Formats

As of May 1, 2024, the Atrium Repository can only hold one main file per submission: the tagged PDF version of your final thesis.

If you wish to include supplemental files with your submission, such as video files, audio files, infographics, or high-resolution images, then you must contact the Research & Scholarship Team (lib.research@uoguelph.ca). They will arrange for your additional files to be uploaded separately.

Supplemental Data Files

In addition to the data files themselves, descriptive information (metadata) that describes the data, and all supplemental documentation necessary for the data to be discovered, understood, and reused (e.g., readme file, codebook, data dictionary, user guide) should be included with your data deposit.

To improve the findability, accessibility, interoperability, and reusability of your research data, we strongly encourage that datasets be deposited in the University of Guelph Research Data Repositories. Datasets deposited in the U of G Research Data Repositories receive a persistent identifier (DOI) that can be used to share, access, and cite your data. For more information regarding depositing your data in the U of G Research Data Repositories, please see How to deposit research data in the Agri-environmental Research Data Repository or the University of Guelph Research Data Repository or contact the library's Research and Scholarship Team.

If you are unsure about the long-term accessibility and readability of your file format(s), please contact the library's Research & Scholarship Team for guidance.

To promote reuse, use with other software/systems, and long-term access, supplemental files submitted in the Atrium should be in open, software-agnostic, non-proprietary file formats. The following is a list of open and/or widely supported file formats that are recommended for supplemental files:

Fonts

• The preferred font size is 10 to 12 ( characters per horizontal inch).
• The preferred font style is Time New Roman (traditional) or Arial (modern).
• If necessary, different typefaces (font sizes or styles) may be used within headings, tables, figures, and appendices. Non-standard typefaces, such as script, are generally not acceptable except for commonly accepted symbols.

 Reproduction

• Electronic copies presented must be clean, clear, and uniform, with high contrast for quality screen and print resolution.
• You must use a computer and applicable software to produce theses where applicable.
• Keep in mind that because of duplicating and microfilming needs, the print must be letter quality with dark characters that are consistently clear and dense.

Spacing and Margins

• All straight text should be single, one-and-one half, or double spaced. Keep in mind that single spacing is preferable for electronic documents. A good compromise would be 1-1/2 spacing.
• The preferred number of lines is 6 (single-spaced) or 3 (double-spaced) text lines per vertical inch.
• Separate paragraphs by a line of horizontal space. Indent block quotes on the left and right.
• Single-space long tables, long quotations, footnotes, multi-line captions, computer programming, and bibliographical entries.
• All pages should have a minimum margin of 1 inch on all sides of the page. This applies to the average text, illustration or table arrangement, where a professional and consistent format should be retained. Exceptions could be, for example, artistic renderings requiring full margin bleed.
• A left margin of 1.5 inches (binding offset) is also acceptable, if you and your committee desire
• Electronic formats should normally be able to be reproduced on standard paper sizes such as 8 1/2" x 11".
• The placement of the footnotes at the bottom of the page or at the end of the manuscript is optional but must be consistent throughout. A form acceptable for publications in the discipline is recommended.
• All footnotes must conform to the margin requirements.
• All tables and figures should conform to the margin requirements. Photographic reduction may be necessary. Not more than 3 to 5% reduction is suggested to prevent indistinct print quality.
• A subheading at the bottom of the page must have at least two full lines of type below it. Otherwise, the subheading should begin on the next page.
• The last word on any page should not be hyphenated. The line should be short of the margin and the whole word typed on the following page.

Page Numbering

• Each and every page in a thesis, including all blank pages, should normally be assigned a number with no duplications in the numbering systems.
• The preliminaries must be numbered with lower case Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, etc.). The numbers should appear in the upper right-hand corner or as indicated by your style manual, no closer than 1.9 centimetres from the edge of the page.
• The title page counts as page i, but suppress the display (the number should not appear on the page).
• The abstract page counts as page ii, but suppress the display ( the number should not appear on the page).
• The remainder of the text (body) should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, starting with Chapter One or the Introduction. Numbering should begin with page "1" centered at the top or bottom of the page, or as indicated by your style manual, no closer than 1.9 centimetre from the edge of the page.
• Avoid the use of letter suffixes as 10a, 10b, etc.
• Electronic multimedia presentations may not always be reproducible with conventional pagination and should be used with some caution. However, formats other than pdf are acceptable for the body, appendices, or other supplementary material.

Footnotes

• Tradition suggests that you use footnotes (as opposed to end notes).
• Place any footnotes on the same page as the items that refer to them. Footnotes in main body text should be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, starting with 1.
• ETDs: With electronic documents and the possibility of hyperlinks, this issue becomes less relevant since navigation around the document is facilitated.

Supplementary Materials

• Supplementary files, those secondary to the main document, may be used for a variety of requirements, such as high-resolution or specialized image files, audio files, video files, or other presentation materials. File formats should be in open, non-proprietary formats where possible. Please refer to the Electronic Format Requirements section of this guide for more information on recommended file formats.

Tables and Figures

• The word "Table" designates tabulated numerical data used in the body of the thesis and in the appendices. Tables consist of an arrangement of facts, figures, and values in an orderly sequence usually in rows or columns. The word "Figure" designates all other nonverbal material used in the body of the thesis and in the appendices, such as charts, graphs, maps, photographs, plates, drawings, diagrams, etc.

 
Illustrations and Charts

• All illustrations and charts must be drawn in dark, opaque fashion and be of sufficient size to be readable. Remember that microfilming and duplicating are black and white photographic processes and colours will appear in varying shades of gray. Thus, cross-hatching and labels are often essential.
• If a title or description of an illustration or graph is too long to be placed on the same page, it should be placed on the previous page.
• Photocopies, computer scans and reduced text must be readable when reproduced.
• Wide tables or figures may be placed broadside, (landscape orientation). The table should be placed so that the top of the table is nearest the binding side (left margin). The placement of the table or figure, vertical or horizontal, does not alter the position of the page numbering requirements set forth in this guide, and should remain consistent with pagination structure adjacent in the document.
• Electronic formats: the preference is to rotate all wide illustrations, tables or figures so that they appear in landscape orientation for ease of screen viewing.
• Oversize pages complicate duplicating procedures and should be avoided. Often a different layout or the use of photographic reduction will resolve the problem.
• If oversized maps or charts are used, they should capable of reproduction on standard paper size, or otherwise scalable.
• See the Electronic Formats page for multimedia tables and illustrations.
• See the example of the addition of tables, illustrations and charts  to a thesis by permission of Adam Mark, 2011.

Suggestions

We encourage the use of all of the available options in Adobe Acrobat Exchange. By doing so, your ETD will be easier to view and browse and will encourage users to navigate through your entire ETD. These options will add to the look and feel of the document.

Some of these include:

• Adding Bookmarks
• Adding Thumbnails
• Adding Yellow Stickies
• Adding Links to the List of Figures
• Adding Links to the List of Tables
• Adding Links to the Table of Contents
• Linking to Internal Multimedia Objects
• Linking to External Multimedia Objects
• Adding Hyperlinks

Please use one of the following methods to save your thesis as a tagged PDF document:

• Adobe Acrobat Pro: Select "File" then "Create" and finally "PDF from File." In the Open window, navigate to and select the desired document to convert. Click on "Open" to begin the file conversion.
• Adobe Acrobat add-in for MS Word (Windows): Click on the Acrobat tab in the main navigation tool bar. Click on "Create PDF" and then click on "Options." In the Adobe PDFMaker window, make sure that the radio button for "Enable Accessibility and Reflow with tagged Adobe PDF" is checked.
• MS Word for Windows: Select "File" and then "Save as." Select "PDF" from the "Save as type" drop down list. Click on the "Options" button and make sure the radio button for "Document structure tags for accessibility" is checked. Click on "OK" and then "Save."
• MS Word for Mac: Open the "File" application and select "Save As." Select "PDF" from the "File Format" list. Make sure the radio button for "Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service)" is checked. Then click on "Export."

For access to software and assistance, the following information may be helpful:

• Adobe Acrobat is available in various campus locations
• Check with your college, program or department to see if they have a local copy of Adobe Acrobat available.
• You can buy your own copy of Adobe Acrobat at a reduced academic pricing from the CCS Software Distribution Site
• Adobe.com offers limited free trial and fee-based document conversion services*.
• Open Office offers a shareware word processing program that converts files to the pdf format. Versions are available for Windows, Linux and Apple platforms.
• PDFzone offers a plethora of links to freeware and commercial software to convert to the PDF format.

PDF Formatting Support:

Contact CCS Help Centre.

IT help in the McLaughlin Library at the IT Help Desk.

The following file naming convention is mandatory for electronic thesis submissions:

familyname_firstname_finalsubmissionyearmonth_degree.pdf

Example: If your last name is Li, your first name is Alex, and you are submitting your MSc thesis in March of 2012, you should name your file as follows:

Li_Alex_201203_Msc.pdf

You may be required by the department to produce a paper copy your thesis or you may wish to have a personal copy. The paper format requirements in this section are listed for use with printed and bound documents, and applies only to individuals granted an ETD exemption (granted only in rare instances) or to bound copies which may be required by some departments and/or committee members and desirable for personal use. For electronic format information, access to the Electronic Formats page above.

Paper

• White, acid free, 20-pound paper (most paper manufactured today has acid free content).
• White bond paper with 25% or higher rag content is recommended.
• 8.5 inches x 11 inches in size.
• Erasable bond, recycled, or perforated paper are unacceptable.

Reproduction

• Copies of theses must be printed on only one side of the paper, except when the facing-page format is used (see Illustrations and Charts section for pagination details).
• Check with your department regarding the numbers of copies they may require.
• Paper and electronic copies presented must be clean, clear, and uniform, with high contrast print resolution.
• Keep in mind that because of duplicating and microfilming needs, the print must be letter quality with dark black characters that are consistently clear and dense.
• The preferred typeface includes 10 to 12 characters per horizontal inch.
• The preferred number of lines is 6 (single-spaced) or 3 (double-spaced) text lines per vertical inch.
• If necessary, different typefaces may be used within tables, figures, and appendices. Non-standard typefaces, such as script, are generally not acceptable except for commonly accepted symbols.

Unacceptable:

• Overstrikes, interlineations, cross outs, defective lines from paste-ups, dots and shading in the background, smudges and smears, careless erasures, and white-out.
• Use of photo-mounting corners, staples, or transparent tape, or other non-archival material.

Spacing and Margins

• All straight text is to be double spaced, but single-space long tables, long quotations, footnotes, multi-line captions, computer programming, and bibliographical entries.
• All pages must have a minimum margin of 1 inch on all sides of the page.
• A left margin of 1.5 inches (binding offset) is also acceptable, if you and your committee desire.
• The placement of the footnotes at the bottom of the page or at the end of the manuscript is optional but must be consistent throughout. A form acceptable for publications in the discipline is recommended.
• All footnotes must conform to the margin requirements.
• All tables and figures should conform to the margin requirements. Photographic reduction may be necessary. Not more than 3 to 5% reduction is suggested to prevent indistinct print quality.
• A subheading at the bottom of the page must have at least two full lines of type below it. Otherwise, the subheading should begin on the next page.
• The last word on any page should not be hyphenated. The line should be short of the margin and the whole word typed on the following page.

Page Numbering Format

• Each and every page in a thesis, including all blank pages, must be assigned a number with no duplications in the numbering system.
• The preliminaries (table of contents, list of tables, etc.) must be numbered with lower case Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, etc.). The numbers should appear in the upper right-hand corner or as indicated by your style manual, 0.75 inches from the edge of the page.
• The title page counts as page i, but the number should not appear.
• The abstract page counts as page ii, but the number should not appear.
• The remainder of the text (body) must be numbered consecutively in Arabic numerals, starting with Chapter One or the Introduction. Numbering must begin with page "1" centered at the top or bottom of the page, or as indicated by your style manual, within the 1 inch margin (0.75 inches from the edge of the page).
• Avoid the use of letter suffixes as 10a, 10b, etc.

    For multi-volume theses:

• The maximum advisable size for a binding unit is 2.5 inches in thickness (approximately 550 pages). Beyond this size, you must separate the manuscript into volumes.
• Multiple volumes should be identified as Volume I, II, or Volume 1, 2, etc.
• Page numbering may either follow consecutively or begin again with Arabic 1.
• Multiple volumes should each contain a title page.
• All preliminary pages should remain in the first volume.

Non-Conforming Theses

• The Atrium can accept a variety of file formats (e.g., video/audio recordings, artistic works, etc.). However, the main submission must normally follow the formatting of the template provided. Any proposed non-conforming thesis must be approved by your college/school or department and then by the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies before final production. If you wish to submit a non-conforming thesis, then please provide written support from your Advisor and Graduate Program Coordinator to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.

Illustrations and Charts

• All illustrations and charts must be drawn in dark, opaque ink and be of sufficient size to be readable. Remember that microfilming and duplicating are black and white photographic processes and colors will appear in varying shades of gray. Thus, cross-hatching and labels are essential.
• If a title or description of an illustration or graph is too long to be placed on the same page, it should be placed on the previous page.
• Photocopies, computer scans and reduced text must be readable when reproduced.
• Wide tables or figures may be placed broadside, (landscape orientation). The table should be placed so that the top of the table is nearest the binding side (left margin). The placement of the table or figure, vertical or horizontal, does not alter the position of the page numbering requirements set forth in this guide.
• Some disciplines prefer the title or description to face the illustration or graph, which is called the facing-page format. If this is done, be sure to number the blank side of the page, but do not number the description side of the page.
• Oversize pages complicate duplicating procedures and should be avoided. Often a different layout or the use of photographic reduction will resolve the problem.
• If oversized maps or charts are used, they should be folded as few times as possible, but in such a way as to give 0.25 inches minimum clearance on the front right-hand edge of book.
• Maps or charts inserted in a pocket of the inside back cover must be folded to a size not larger than 6.5 inches x 10.5 inches.
• A binding pocket should be included before the manuscript is presented to the binder.

Photographs

• Photographs in a thesis may be in black and white or color. Keep in mind that maximum clarity for microfilming and duplicating is attained when there is good black and white contrast.
• Color photographs should be used when they are essential for understanding the methods or results of the research.
• If color photographs are used, appropriate labels must be provided to assist the readers of reproduced copies.
• Digital reproductions (computer scan) or other color photo-duplication methods often produce more desirable results than mounted photographs.
• Photographs smaller than 8.5 inches x 11 inches must be firmly affixed to pages with Kodak (or equivalent) Dry Mounting Tissue, rubber cement, or professional spray mounting, to ensure permanent adhesion. Photographs which are 8.5 inches x 11 inches in dimension may be inserted and numbered like a regular page.

Supplementary Materials

• Software (i.e.CD, DVD.) or other unbound materials (i.e., maps, realia, etc.) must be clearly labeled with author and title information.
• The material should be placed in an envelope or other appropriate pocket, no larger than 6.5 inches x 9.5 inches, one per copy.
• Master's Theses Only: The pocket should be firmly affixed to the inside back cover of the bound copies.

Restrict Circulation of Thesis

• If you wish to apply for restrictions on the circulation of your thesis due to patents pending or other circumstances, the submission must be accompanied by a Request to Restrict Circulation of Thesis and the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies will secure the documents from public access; paper submissions will remain in the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies until the requested date of release.

Submission Process

• If an ETD exemption has been granted, you must present your thesis (unbound), required forms, and payment to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. Exemptions are granted only in rare instances.

ProQuest Publishing Services

• The University of Guelph does not participate in the Proquest Abstract and Microfilming Services. In other words, the master's and doctoral thesis abstract, microfilming, and copyright application to Proquest is independent of the library submission process.
• The student will be responsible for the cost of publishing the abstract and microfilming thesis. In the rare instance of an ETD exemption, the $50.00 fee is payable by cash, certified check, or money order to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies. This fee must be presented to the Enrolment Services at the time of delivery of the one copy of the thesis.
• Theses Only: If you wish to take advantage of the UMI abstract service, see the explanation in the section above, and see Proquest. The student is responsible for his or her own submission, independent of the library submission process.

Certificate of Approval

• The copy of the thesis in its final form must be presented to the Office of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies with original signatures of committee members on the Certificate of Approval. Reproductions are not acceptable.

Abbreviated Title

• In cases where the title is excessively long, you must provide the University Libraries with an abbreviated title of not more than 55 spaces (i.e., a maximum of 55 printed characters and spaces between words) which will be printed on the spine of the bound copies.

Binding

• There are two options for binding theses if a print copy is desired. Please refer to the submission checklist for these options.