Basic thesis layout

Please see also Model layout

Avoid hyphenation of words between two lines but use margin justifications on both sides. When the text is ready to be bound in covers, print it on A4 paper, on one side only.

Typeface
Times Roman or Arial or another typeface with very similar appearance. Always use Arial on the title page.
People often regard a long text as more easily readable when it is written in a serif typeface, such as Times Roman. Arial is a sans-serif typeface.

Font size
– text, headings of tables and figures, table of contents 12
– main headings 14, IN UPPERCASE LETTERS
– title page 14
– tables and figures 10

Headings
– do not use more than three levels of headings (1 MAIN HEADING, 1.1 Heading, 1.1.1 Subheading)
– there should be at least two headings on each level (e.g. 2.1 and 2.2 or 1.1.1 and 1.1.2)
– a new main chapter may begin either on the page where the preceding chapter ends or on the following page (but be consistent throughout the text)

Use either the model layout and styles or line feeds (line feeds are an automatic feature in styles)
1) Model layout/styles: Use spacing according to the model layout.
or 2) Line feeds: Separate the main heading from the preceding text with three empty lines. Separate the main heading from the following text with two empty lines. Separate the headings and the subheadings from the preceding text with two empty lines and from the following text with one empty line.

Margins
– top and bottom margins 2.5 cm
– left margin 4 cm (due to binding)
– right margin 2–3 cm

Spacing
– abstract, tables and figures: single spacing
– all other text: spacing 1.5, also long direct quotations that are indented (if you want, you can use single spacing; in this case, use it in all corresponding places)

Other layout aspects
Avoid hyphenation of words between two lines but use margin justifications on both sides. (The right margin in these instructions is not justified due to web-related settings.)

Start new paragraphs from the same vertical without indentation. Separate paragraphs from each other with an empty line in the same way as in this guide.

Page numbers
– the first numbered page is the title page
– page number should first appear on the first page of the body of the text
– place the page numbers at the top right corner of the page without a full stop
– title page, abstracts, list of symbols and terms and table of contents are included in the total number of pages, but page numbers are not marked on these pages
– pagination continues in the list of references but not in the appendices.

Model layout
You can also finalise your thesis with desktop publishing software.

Exceptions
It is advisable to compress the layout so there are no pages with just one single line of text. This applies to the table of contents, as well as other parts of text (which can be shortened). In such situations, these instructions can be adapted.