A dissertation project is a complex and challenging academic undertaking which is to be completed as a compulsory requirement of degree programs. The writing of the dissertation is an important element in attaining a degree as it test a multiple array of skills in the student. It is an imperative that this document is written and submitted as per a set of rules and guidelines which are formally codified in to a dissertation guide by each educational institution. It is vital that students ensure that their dissertation studies comply with the requirements fully when it comes to design, execution, analysis and the final reporting of the study. When it comes to the reporting phase, there are many guidelines to writing a dissertation. Among them, the dissertation format is one of the most critical factors that need to be paid attention to.

Common Formatting Requirements

All dissertations regardless of type, is double spaced with the exception of the approval page, the title page, foot notes, end notes and headings and quotations. The same font size which usually is size 11 or 12 may be used for the entire length of the dissertation paper but it is advised to check with the dissertation advisor as to what size is most suitable for the dissertation. Margins for the dissertation will be set at 1.5 inches on the left and 1" margins on the other three sides of the paper. Dissertations should be printed on one side of white A4 paper.

Title Page – The title page of the dissertation will include the title of the work, the name of author, and the university name. All these text should be centered with 2-3 spaces between the title and the authors name and then the university name. The title of the work should have the first letter of each word capitalized. The degree program should be mentioned along with university name.

Acknowledgement – This section is by far the most enjoyable to write as it involves the acknowledgment of the support and contribution made by various people and organisations in the dissertation writing process. This is usually a few lines and certainly no more than half a page. Lighter language can be used but still maintaining the formality of the entire paper.

Abstract – This will consist of one paragraph which is not more than 350 words – which will summarize the contents of the dissertation. A brief description of the dissertation methodology and the findings of the study will be included in an abstract.

Table of content – This section should outline all the major headings of the dissertation, separated by chapters. The list of figures, list of tables and a list of appendices should be included within the table of contents. The front matter of the report should be numbered in lower case Roman numerals while the body will be numbered with Arabic numerals. The appendices are to be numbered as A, B, C etc…

Body – Body of the dissertation is formatted with five chapters in general including the introduction, literature review, methodology, analysis and discussion and the conclusion. Each section should have its sub headings and these headings will require to be formatted as per specified formatting systems. The in-text citations as well as quotations have their own specifications in formatting.

Reference – All information which was taken from sources should be cited in this section of the dissertation. It is vital that this section be done in compliance with the formatting style. Each system, be it APA , Harvard or Chicago will use different formatting for reference entries. Non compliance with the stipulated format can reduce valuable marks for the project.

Appendix – Any additional information and statistics which were not included in the dissertation will be presented in this section of the dissertation.

A good dissertation paper will be written conforming to all the rules of writing which are in the guide. However, simply adhering to the format rules will not be sufficient. Students need to ensure that the content and the analysis as well as the findings are impressive. If students have any concerns with their formatting they should seek the advice of the dissertation advisor or a custom dissertation writing service that can guide them in the correct path. With a good understanding of the dissertation format, students can write a dissertation that is both professional in its image and cohesive in its structure and flow.