Your finished manuscript is a scholarly work that is the product of extensive research and related preparation. The University shelves the approved thesis in the University Library, thus making the work publicly available to other students, faculty, and outside researchers. The thesis will then become a visible and permanent measure of the quality of scholarship expected at California State University, San Marcos. As such, theses must adhere to a uniform standard of format and construction to preserve the work and to prepare it for binding.

Thesis Placement in the Library

Students must submit two copies of their approved thesis to the Library, one of which includes the original of the signature page. This page is the faculty approval page and includes the signatures of all thesis committee members. ALL SIGNATURES MUST BE IN DARK BLUE OR BLACK INK. One copy of the thesis will be kept in the Library archives, the other will become part of the circulating collection . A fee is charged for binding the library copies (costs will change as contract with binder changes). Separate arrangements must be made with a bookbinder of the student's choice for the binding of any personal copies.

NB: When you are approaching the thesis defense, go to Maria Valko, the Department's Academic Coordinator, for assistance in preparing official pages that must be inserted into the document before submission to the library.  These must be done exactly to University specifications or the library will not accept the thesis.

FORMAT GUIDELINES

Paper

The two copies to be submitted to the Library must be printed on 8 1/2" x 11" white paper of 20-24 lb. weight. The paper must also meet the specification of 100% cotton content (i.e. acid free) and must not contain lines, smudges, spots, or shaded background. Copies from a laser printer or commercial copier service are highly recommended as they produce the best results. Copies done on departmental or self-service copy machines are rarely clean enough to meet the University's quality standard.

Photographs, maps, charts, color copies, and some special illustrative materials may be placed, prepared, or reproduced on paper different from that of the regular text. (For example, color copies on cotton paper will smudge; use paper specifically made for color copying.) Students should include one extra sheet for the front and back of the thesis.

Margins

The following margins must be used throughout the manuscript:

Left margin: 1.5"
Right margin: 1.25"
Top margins:
-   Page numbers: 1"
-  Text: 1.25" minimum, 1.5" maximum
Bottom margin:
1.25" minimum; 1.5" maximum.

Every effort should be made to use a reduced version (copy reduction) of oversized material; however, letters and numbers must be legible. Some material may fit within the required oversized margins by turning the material 90 degrees.

Material that cannot fit feasibly within regular or oversized margin requirements may be placed on 11" x 17" paper. Page numbers must be placed in the upper right corner in the same position as the rest of the text. Do not fold these pages prior to submittal; the bindery will fold them as appropriate.

Fonts

The type size must be 10 to 12 characters per linear inch (not point size!). To evaluate your typeface, use a ruler to count the number of characters per inch along the width of the line of type. In many wordprocessing programs, all typefaces look the same on the screen; print out a sample and measure it to insure that it is 10 to 12 characters per linear inch. Examples of acceptable fonts are:
- Microsoft Word: Palatino 12pt, New York 12pt, Times 13pt, Courier 12pt
- WordPerfect: Courier 10cpi, CG Times 13pt, Univers 12pt, Palatino 12pt

Style

A style book or manual prescribes the established and widely-accepted style for a given discipline. It offers instruction on formatting and citing sources in your thesis. The following are examples of style manuals:
- the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA)
- the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers
- the Chicago Manual of Style
- Turabian's Manual for Writers of term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

NOTE: Theses submitted in the LTWR - Program should conform to the MLA Handbook.

Pagination and Printing

Printing should be one-sided throughout.
The page number should be placed in the upper right-hand corner.

PROJECTS

Some programs allow students to present a project as an alternative to the thesis as the culminating academic experience for an advanced degree. The reason is that the nature of research in some disciplines does not lend itself easily to the presentation of a thesis as usually understood. Examples of projects might be a novel or collection of short stories, a technical manual, business plan, curriculum plan, or software program.

Written Reports for Projects

Although the project is complete in itself, the university requires that it be presented in an academic context. The intent is to provide the student with an opportunity to demonstrate how the project represents the culmination of an advanced course of study that warrants the award of a master's degree. In addition to the project itself, therefore, the student must submit a written report approved by the faculty committee and presented in a format suitable for shelving in the University Library.

 Projects tend to vary broadly in form and presentation and so, too, does the content of the written report that accompanies the project. At a minimum, the report must follow the mechanical format prescribed for theses and must include title and signature pages; a table of contents, which may list sections rather than chapters where such is the case; an introduction that describes the project and its purpose; and an abstract.

 Other elements that should be included as appropriate are a description of the research procedures and strategies, a statement of conclusions reached, and suggestions for further research. Particularly desirable in most cases is an assessment of the place of the project within the academic discipline. This might take the form of a review of the disciplinary literature relevant to the project. A bibliography or reference list might also be appropriate.