Formatting Requirements
Source: https://www.library.jhu.edu/library-services/electronic-theses-dissertations/formatting-requirements/ Parent: https://www.library.jhu.edu/library-services/electronic-theses-dissertations/
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Formatting Requirements
In this section
Electronic Theses & Dissertations (ETDs)
Required formatting for submission to be completed.
Elements of an Electronic Thesis or Dissertation
Title Page
The most important page to get right.
- What to include
- How to format it
Front Matter
- Table of contents, abstract, lists, etc
- Guidelines for deciding what to include and in which order
General Formatting
- Order of required content
- Spacing and type
- Margins
- Pagination
- PDF/A export
Title Page
| Element | Required Formatting |
| Page Layout | - Center within left and right margins - Hide page number |
| Title | - Approximately 1 ½ inches from top of page - All capital letters - Single or double spaced - No special characters |
| Author | - Approximately 1 inch below the title and type the word “by” - On the next line below “by” (single spaced) type your name |
| Statement | - Include approximately 1 ½ inches below your name - Do not include additional information such as your school or department name. Masters Thesis “A thesis submitted to Johns Hopkins University in conformity with the requirements for the degree of [your Masters degree]” Dissertation “A dissertation submitted to Johns Hopkins University in conformity with the requirements for the degree of [your doctoral degree]” |
| Publishing Location | - Include approximately ½ inch below the statement - Type “Baltimore, Maryland” (regardless of your campus location) - Do not abbreviate the word “Maryland” |
| Submission Date | - Include on the next line below the location (single spaced) - Month Year format (e.g. April 2019) - Must match the month and year in which you submit your ETD via the submission tool - Do not include any additional information such as a day |
| Copyright Notice (optional) | - Include 1 to 2 inches from the bottom of the page - Copyright symbol (©) Year Name format on first line (e.g. © 2019 Jane Doe) - “All Rights Reserved” on the second line (single spaced) - Do not include any additional information |
Annotated Title Page Example
Front Matter
| Element | Required Formatting |
| Abstract | - Required - Must directly follow the title page - Double-spaced - Not more than 350 words - Includes a statement of the problem or theory, the procedure or methods, summary of results, and conclusions - Include name(s) of readers and/or advisors after body text - Must be in English, even if the thesis or dissertation is in a language other than English - Include in pagination |
| Preface | - Optional - Includes acknowledgements and quotes - Place each element on a separate page - Include in pagination |
| Table of Contents | - Required - Include chapter titles and page numbers - Start with Abstract |
| List of Tables | - Required if any tables are included in the document - Must be on its own page; do not combine with other lists - Include titles and page numbers |
| List of Figures | - Required if any figures are included in the document - Must be on its own page; do not combine with other lists - Include titles and page numbers |
| List of Plates | - Required if any plates are included in the document - Must be on its own page; do not combine with other lists - Include titles and page numbers |
Download Annotated Front Matter (PDF)
General Formatting
| Element | Required Formatting |
| Order of Content | - Title Page - Front Matter (in order shown above) - Main Text - Larger divisions and more important minor divisions indicated by suitable, consistent headings - References - Appendices - Bibliography |
| Spacing & Type | - Main text and abstract must be double-spaced except for footnotes or long quotations - Other content elements may be single- or double-spaced at author’s discretion - Acceptable fonts include Arial, Calibri, Helvetica. This list is not exhaustive – but sans serif fonts that are commonly found on most computers are preferred for accessibility - The same type must be used for all body text (headers, captions, and footnotes excluded) - The font size must be 10pt or larger and footnotes must be two sizes smaller than the text but no smaller than 8pt - Chapter, section, or other headings should be of a consistent font and size throughout the ETD, as should labels for illustrations, charts, and figures |
| Margins | - 1 inch on all sides for digital-only documents - If you intend to produce print copies, 1 1/2 inches are required on the left binding side - Applies to all portions of document including footnotes/endnotes, pages containing charts, graphs, tables, photographs, etc. and appendices |
| Pagination | - Hide the page number on the title page; begin pagination with ii on the Abstract - Front matter (abstract, table of contents, etc.) should be in small Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv, etc.) - Text and all subsequent pages should be in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc), beginning with Introduction - Notes: - Each page in the manuscript, including all blank pages, must be assigned a number - You must print on each blank page “Intended to be blank.” - Page numbers must be located within the page margins - Page numbers must be centered at the bottom of the page - Do not use suffixes to the Arabic numerals, such as 12a - If the description of an illustration or table is too long to be placed on the same page, it should be placed on the previous page and numbered accordingly - Pages containing charts, graphs, tables, or photographs must be numbered consecutively with the text |
| Footnotes & Endnotes | - The arrangement of footnotes or endnotes should conform to the established practice in a given field - Consult with your department or use a standard manual of style such as A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, or the MLA Style Manual - Footnotes must in font size two point sizes smaller than the text, but no smaller than 8pt |
PDF/A Export
PDF/A is an ISO-standardized version of the Portable Document Format (PDF) specialized for the digital preservation of electronic documents. You need to save your dissertation as a PDF/A file and upload it as your official submission. For more information, see the Wikpedia article on the format.
Note for Mac users: that while you can save a Word for Windows document as a PDF/A (see below for instructions) you cannot do so directly from Word for Mac. If you are a Mac user, consider saving your Word document as a PDF/A using a Windows computer, such as at the library, or use Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Notes about PDF/A format
- you cannot include audio and video content; still images are fine
- you cannot include JavaScript or executable files
- fonts must be embedded
If you need to include audio, video, or other files, you can submit them as supplementary files. Contact us at [email protected] for more help with PDF/A or supplementary files.
Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Select “PDF Standards” in the Tools menu
- Select “Preflight” in the right hand column
- Select “PDF/A Compliance”
- Double-click “Convert to PDF/A-1b” then “Save”
- Review your document to ensure it appears as you expect it to
Word for Windows
- Select “File” then “Save as Adobe PDF”
- Make sure file type is “pdf files”
- Select “Options” and a box with “PDF Options” will open
- Check the “Create PDF/A” box, then select “OK” and “Save”
- Review your document to ensure it appears as you expect it to
LaTeX
- Follow the instructions for using a LaTeX template
- The Library does not provide support for LaTeX. Access a student-created template on GitHub
Contact ETD Office
Milton S. Eisenhower Library\ [email protected]
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Need Help?
Please start by reviewing the formatting requirements and submission checklist.
If you have additional questions, email [email protected] for the fastest response.
If we are unable to resolve your inquiry via email, you may request an in-person meeting. Due to the volume of ETDs, we cannot meet on deadline days, or the two days before deadlines.
Please note we do not provide formatting reviews by email, only via the submission system.