General guidelines for the layout of the master's thesis

1. Title Page

2. Layout

  • Number of pages: 80 -120 (front page, index, appendix and bibliography not included)
  • Line spacing: 1.5
  • Margin: approx. 2.5 cm
  • Gutter: 1.5 cm
  • Alignment: left
  • Page numbering: bottom center (top center if many footnotes)
  • Font style: Times New Roman
  • Font size: 12 points

How to format the gutter (innbindingsmarg) in Word: Choose from the top menus: “File -> Page Setup -> Where it says “Multiple pages”, choose “Mirror margins” from the drop down menu. Where it says “Apply to”, choose “Whole document” from the drop down menu. Now set the margins to 1.5 cm. and click “OK”. The use of pictures/photographies in the thesis should be avoided when not absolutely necessary. If photos are to be used, try to respect the following limitations to avoid the file becoming too large: Max size pr picture: 1 mb. Max 5 mb pictures.

3. Page numbering and order

Order: Pagenumber Contents Use page number?
Page i Title page no
Page ii   Blank page (back of title page) no
Page iii Table of Contents yes
Page iv- a) list of tables, figures, maps yes
b) preface (optional) yes
c) acknowlegdements (optional) yes
d)contributors (optional) yes
Page 1 Introduction yes
Page … Chapter … yes
Page …. Endnotes (if used) yes
Page…… Reference List yes

Odd number pages should be on the right. This means there should be a blank and unnumbered page after the (also unnumbered) title page. To make the blank page in Word, insert the cursor on top of page 2 and choose from the top menus: “Insert -> Break -> Page break -> OK”.

4. Tables, Figures & Maps

Tables, figures and maps shall be given a separate number in each group. Refer to this number in the text.

Example:

  • Table 1. / 2. / 3. (....)
  • Figure 1. / 2. / 3. (....)
  • Map 1. / 2. / 3. (.....)
  • Figure 3 shows that.....
  • Women’s work participation has increased 1970 (Table 4) ..........

Tables shall be as simple as possible. The text shall be placed over the table, and under the figures and maps.

If the table information is collected from external sources, the references shall be placed under the table Ex. Source: ………..

5. References

6. Footnotes or Endnotes

Notes shall be used for supplementary information that is not a (natural) part of the text. The number of notes should not be excessive. Notes can be put as footnotes (bottom of the page) or endnotes (at the end of the chapter or the end of the paper). References to works in footnotes and endnotes should follow the same guidelines as for Reference Lists (see above). Letter size for notes: 10 points.

17.1.2012 ERTB

Revidert 21.6.2012 og 8.11.2012

Published Apr. 19, 2016 10:41 AM - Last modified Apr. 19, 2016 11:15 AM