Undergraduate honors theses – formatting FAQs

How do I structure and organize my thesis?

Title Page (click here for sample)
Dedication (optional)
Acknowledgements (optional)
Introduction or abstract
Table of contents, including page numbers
Text
Appendix (optional)
Endnotes (if using)
Bibliography

How do I format page numbers and pages on my thesis?

Use small case Roman numerals (i,ii,iii,iv,v) for preliminary pages (prior to first page of text); use Arabic numerals (1,2,3,4,5) for remaining pages.
The title page is considered the first page but do not put a page number on title page. (The next page will be numbered ii.).
Here are instructions on how to NOT number the first page.

Number all pages, including those with photographs, charts, appendices, etc.
Page numbers can be placed in the upper right hand corner, 0.5 inch from the top, or in the bottom center, 0.5 inch from the bottom.

What about fonts, spacing, margins, or paper types?

Must be wordprocessed, double-spaced, have 1 inch margins, and use a 12 pt. easy-to-read, non-serifed font.
Examples of non-serifed fonts are Arial, Corbel, and Calibri
Margins for the archival copy: 1 inch margins all the way around.

Submitting your theses

NOTE: Begin this process only AFTER your honors thesis has been approved by your directing professor. To submit your thesis, you will need to create an account on the Hollins Digital Commons site. Click on “Submit Research” to begin the process. Before beginning the submission process, we recommend that you use the checklist below to make sure you are ready.

Honors thesis checklist

If you have any questions about the process, please contact your liaison librarian.
[ ] I have all documents, including my final thesis and any supporting files that I plan to upload ready.
[ ] I have the title of my document exactly as it appears on the title page.
[ ] I have selected key words (no more than 10) for my document that represent the subject matter of the thesis/project.
[ ] I have my abstract (up to 300 words) available to be inserted into the submission form.
[ ] I have considered whether I wish to make my thesis available for download by anybody, or if I wish to restrict access to the only the Hollins community. By default, your thesis will be only accessible on the HDC to Hollins community members, unless you choose otherwise.

Submitting a physical copy (English & Creative Writing)

Guidelines provided by the Department
Paper should be printed double-sided.
Corrections. Do not use correction fluids on the final copy. If correction fluid is necessary, make the correction and then photocopy the page on the same paper as the rest of the thesis. Discard the page with the correction fluid.
Paper for the archival copy: 70 lb. white cougar paper, available from Printing & Mailing on the lower level of Main. Please contact: print-mail@hollins.edu or call (540) 362-6044 for assistance. Optionally, Staples carries a paper that fits this requirement: “Bright White” (#733333). (Due to paper variance, this 70 lb is comparable to 28 lb in other brands.)
Non-print or mixed formats: see Isabel Folck, in Library (x6232) for more information.