Dissertation Formatting Errors to Avoid

Dissertation Formatting Errors make your write-up look unprofessional. From formatting errors to grammatical missteps, learn how to avoid these Dissertation Formatting Errors common mistakes before submitting your doctoral dissertation for review.

Dissertation Formatting Errors

Avoiding mistakes When Writing Your Dissertation vital because you eliminate the chances of delivering substandard work.  Avoid using too much jargon. Lastly, probe respondents when collecting data.

What should you avoid in a dissertation?

One of the formatting errors to avoid is selecting too broad or too narrow a topic. Secondly, don’t select a topic you aren't interested in. Thirdly, don’t start too late. Do research before writing. Ensure chronological connectedness of ideas across all chapters. Use correct references.

Missing Dissertation Acceptance Certificate.

The DAC and the dissertation title page must match exactly to avoid Dissertation Formatting Errors. Meaning that the author name and the title on the title page must match that on the DAC. If you use your full middle name or just an initial on one document, it must be the same on the other document.  

Abstract Formatting Errors

The advisor name should be left-justified, and the author's name should be right-justified. Up to two advisor names are allowed. The Abstract should be double spaced and include the page title “Abstract,” as well as the page number “iii.” There is no maximum word count for the abstract.  

Pagination 

The front matter should be numbered using Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, …). The title page and the copyright page should be counted but not numbered. The first printed page number should appear on the Abstract page (iii). The body of the dissertation should be numbered using Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, …). The first page of the body of the text should begin with page 1. Pagination may not continue from the front matter. All page numbers should be centered either at the top or the bottom of the page.  

Figures and tables

This is another Dissertation Formatting Errors to Avoid. Figures and tables must be placed within the text, as close to their first mention as possible. Avoid this Dissertation Formatting Errors to achieve quality work. Figures and tables that span more than one page must be labeled on each page. Any second and subsequent page of the figure/table must include the “(Continued)” notation. This applies to figure captions as well as images. Each page of a figure/table must be accounted for and appropriately labeled. All figures/tables must have a unique number. They may not repeat within the dissertation.  

Horizontal Figures and Tables 

Any figures/tables placed in a horizontal orientation must be placed with the top of the figure/ table on the left-hand side. This is a Dissertation Formatting Errors you should avoid. The top of the figure/table should be aligned with the spine of the dissertation when it is bound.  

 Supplemental Figures and Tables

Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the back of the dissertation in an appendix. They should not be placed at the back of the chapter.  

 Permission Letters Copyright

Permission letters must be uploaded as a supplemental file, titled ‘do_not_publish_permission_letters,” within the dissertation submission tool.  

DAC Attachment

The signed Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must additionally be uploaded as a document in the "Administrative Documents" section when submitting in Proquest ETD. Dissertation submission is not complete until all documents have been received and accepted.  

Overall Formatting

The entire document should be checked after all revisions, and before submitting online, to spot any inconsistencies or PDF conversion glitches. What is the most common formatting error?  

Manual Hanging Indent

This is by far the most common formatting error we see, and the most egregious  

What are formatting errors in writing?

9 painful blog formatting mistakes (that annoy the hell out of your readers) Too long paragraphs. Too many consecutive one-sentence paragraphs. Highlighting too much text. Screwed-up space between paragraphs. Long sentences that are difficult to visually process (and, thus, understand)  

Structuring a dissertation or thesis

The introduction chapter presents the core research questions and aims. The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question. The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.   https://www.studyhelpus.com/dissertation-formatting-errors-to-avoid/