TOPICS

Preliminary Pages

Except for the title page and signature page, all preliminary pages are numbered in sequence with lower case Roman numerals centered and placed .75 inches from the bottom of the portrait page. The page after the signature page begins with number “iii.” Samples of a MS Word and LaTex formatted thesis and dissertation are available online and may be used as templates. Please note that using one of the templates does not guarantee that formatting (especially page margins and numbers) will be correct. The varying software versions and editing documents can alter the format.

Title Page (Required, double-spaced)

  • The name of the institution conferring the degree – University of California, Santa Barbara – should appear at the top of the title page. See templates for sample title page.
  • The title should be specific, unambiguous, and descriptive of the research, with easily identifiable key words that will ensure electronic retrieval. The title should not be overly lengthy, and generally speaking, should not contain more than 50 words.
  • Scientific titles must use words, not symbols, formulas, or Greek letters in the title. Subscripts and/or superscripts may be used, but will not appear correctly on your UCSB Official Transcript (e.g. X2 would appear as “X2”).
  • The student must use a brief summary title when the manuscript is a compilation of two or more publishable papers that are referenced in the title.
  • Master’s students should refer to their manuscript as a thesis. Doctoral students should refer to their manuscript as a dissertation or for DMA students, a supporting document.
  • The degree major listed should be the degree that UCSB will confer (e.g, Chemistry, not Chemistry & Biochemistry). Please see the UCSB General Catalog for graduate degree majors.
  1. Students may use their preferred/lived name (first name, middle name and/or last name or surname) as recorded with the Office of the Registrar in lieu of their legal name.
  2. Students may use their middle initial in lieu of their full middle name.
  • Legal First Name, Legal Middle Name, Legal Last Name
  • Legal First Name, Legal Middle Name Initial, Legal Last Name
  • Preferred/Lived First Name, Preferred/Lived Middle Name, Preferred/Lived Last Name
  • Preferred/Lived First Name, Preferred/Lived Middle Name Initial, Preferred/Lived Last Name
  1. Affiliated with UCSB, but is not ladder faculty, list the member as “Dr.” and include member’s affiliation. If highest degree is not a doctorate, list highest degree after member’s name:
  • Dr. Jane Doe, Lecturer/Adjunct Professor/Researcher
  • John Doe, M.S., Lecturer/Adjunct Professor/Researcher outside of academia, include the member’s highest degree and company (optional) *Jane Doe, B.S., Microsoft *John Doe, M.A.
  1. Outside of academia, include the member’s highest degree and company (optional):
  • Jane Doe, B.S., Microsoft
  • John Doe, M.A.
  1. For a committee member who is a professor at another UC or university, list the member as “Professor” and include the member’s institution:
  • Professor Jane Doe, Stanford University
  • Professor John Doe, University of California Santa Cruz
  1. A deceased committee member may be listed on the title page, but typically not on the signature page, following the above naming policy, with the words “in memoriam” after the member’s name
  • Professor John Doe, in memoriam

 

 

  • Date on the title page must be month and year of degree conferral: December for a Fall degree; March for a Winter degree; June for a Spring degree; September for a Summer degree.
  • The title page is not numbered, although it is counted as page “i” in the sequential numbering of the preliminary pages. The title and signature pages are the only manuscript pages without visible page numbers.

Signature Page (Required, double-spaced)

Students must obtain, an 8.5 x 11 sized paper, either original committee member signatures in permanent black or blue ink, or electronic signatures (DocuSign recommended). The signatures must correspond to the names of committee members listed on the title page, but the committee chair is listed last and signs on the bottom line. The signature page must include the month and year that the committee signs, indicating their approval and acceptance of the entire document. An copy of the signed signature page (original “wet” signatures or electronic signatures) along with submission of the e-filed manuscript is required to meet a filing deadline.

As with the title page, the signature page is not numbered (although it is counted sequentially as page ii). Preliminary page numbering, following the signature page, will vary depending on which of the optional pages (described below) the student chooses to include.

Students can include a separate page for the statement of copyright. The use of a copyright notice is no longer required under U.S. law, but is considered important and beneficial because it informs the public that the work is protected by copyright, identifies the copyright owner, and shows the year of first publication. Additional information on copyrighting appears in Chapter III. Students should use the same form of their name that appears on the title page (full legal name as recorded with the UCSB Office of the Registrar). See the copyright notice example in the sample thesis and dissertation.

Dedication and/or Acknowledgements (Optional, single spacing allowed)

Students may use this section to dedicate their manuscript to someone or to acknowledge particular persons in their lives. Within the usual margin restrictions, any format is acceptable for these pages. The acknowledgements, along with any other preliminary sections or parts of the thesis or dissertation, must be reviewed and approved by the student’s committee.

Vita (Required ONLY for doctoral students, single spacing allowed)

A biographical notice, or vita, is required only of doctoral candidates. The vita should contain the following:

  • Name (as recorded with the UCSB Registrar’s Office)
  • Colleges attended and degrees earned.
  • Professional appointments (may include military assignments).
  • Publications (may include the title of an unpublished master’s thesis).
  • Fields of study and names of faculty who supervised research. Group fields into related teaching or research headings where possible.

See sample dissertation for vita example.

Abstract (Required, double-spaced)

The abstract is required for both theses and dissertations, and must include:

  • The title of the thesis or dissertation
  • The student’s legal name (as recorded with the UCSB Registrar’s Office)
  • A brief statement of the problem
  • A description of the methods and procedures used to gather data or study the problem
  • A condensed summary of the findings

Table of Contents (Optional, single spacing allowed)

Very brief works need not have a table of contents, but most theses and all dissertations are easier to use with a table of contents. If images or illustrations such as maps, diagrams, charts, and photos are scattered throughout the document, include an optional “List of Figures” or “Table of Illustrations” to follow the table of contents. Include page numbers.

The Main Body of the Manuscript (Required, double-spaced)

Except where specified otherwise in these requirements, the organization, presentation, and documentation of the student’s thesis or dissertation should meet the standards for publishing journal articles or monographs in the field of inquiry. For general information, consult a standard style guide such as the Chicago Manual of Style. Students who have discipline-specific questions should consult style sheets from journals in the field of inquiry, as well as their committee members. The first page of the main body of text must be numbered as an Arabic “1.”

Notes (Optional, single spacing allowed)

Footnotes, citations, and bibliographic references will vary by discipline. Footnotes may be embedded in the text, placed at the bottom of each page, or collected at the end of each chapter or at the end of the entire work, preceding the bibliography. Students should consult their committee regarding the format specific to their discipline and use it consistently throughout the document.

Bibliography (Optional, single spacing allowed)

Some disciplines put bibliographic notes at the end of each chapter; others collect extensive bibliographies at the end of the work. Committee members and disciplinary formatting guidelines should be consulted regarding the form and organization to be used in presenting bibliographic material.

Appendices (Optional, single spacing allowed)

Appendices typically contain supporting material such as data sheets, questionnaire samples, illustrations, maps, charts, etc. Students may need to shrink some items to less than 100% in order to fit them within the margins. See Chapter IV, Special Handling for Oversize, Illustrative, and Special Materials for additional information.

Questions? Email us graddiv-gradacademics@ucsb.edu