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Style Guide
It is the responsibility of the student's advisory committee to judge the
acceptability of the thesis/dissertation/major paper from all standpoints, including
writing quality, neatness, mechanical considerations, technical and professional
competency. Committee members attest to acceptability when they sign the ETD Approval Form.
Therefore, it is important that they be provided with a copy of the thesis,
dissertation, or major paper before the student's defense. it is highly recommended
that committee members read and review an electronic version of your thesis or
dissertation. Students are urged to consult with the Graduate School before final
submission.
Each department is requested to specify or develop an acceptable style or styles
for theses/dissertations/major papers prepared by its graduate students. Generally,
the style should conform to the major professional or scientific journals in the student's
area of study.
Overall, it is important to submit an ETD that has a consistent appearance
throughout. All the pages of your ETD should follow a general form regarding page
numbering, margins, and line spacing.
For general information about formatting and style,
Virginia Tech's University Libraries has several
excellent links:
Note: Do not
rely on a thesis/dissertation previously
submitted by another student as a style guide. There are many appropriate books
that deal specifically with writing style. Among those not specifically limited to
style for a particular area are the following:
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