Electronic Theses & Dissertations (ETD) Formatting Support subjectId: 690120

The University of Miami Libraries supports the University’s Electronic Thesis and Dissertation (ETD) database submission program by providing assistance with the final steps of the process.

The ETD Formatting Support service focuses on helping students properly format their thesis and dissertations to meet the University of Miami's Graduate School formatting requirements.

Our team helps with the technical aspects of Microsoft Word formatting, offering guidance and troubleshooting support for common and complex formatting issues such as:

• Pagination and layout inconsistencies (page breaks, margins, etc.)
• Table of Contents formatting errors
• Setting up headings and applying consistent styles
• Converting a Word document into a properly formatted PDF

Please note:

We do not conduct initial formatting reviews. These are completed by the Graduate School’s Senior Editor. Please contact the Senior Editor for the intial formatting review: grad.dissertation@miami.edu

After the initial review, our team is available to help students implement any formatting corrections recommended.

This template is designed to meet the Graduate School’s official requirements for most University of Miami theses and dissertations. It includes properly formatted front matter (Title, Signature, Copyright, Abstract) and a structured main body with correct margins, font, spacing, and pagination styles.

This general template can be used to ensure consistency and compliance with the latest formatting standards as outlined by the Graduate School’s guidelines. Download the following template to ensure your document meets the Graduate School’s formatting requirements.

ETD Formatting Template (Front Matter + Main Body)

• To maintain the correct formatting settings, this template requires you to use the Microsoft Word desktop application and not the 365 browser-based version.

For discipline specific front mater formatting, please view the templates listed on the Graduate School website.

Before you begin writing your thesis or dissertation, download the latest version of Microsoft Word to ensure full compatibility with formatting suggestions.

Be sure to begin formatting early—this makes it easier to maintain consistency and can significantly reduce time spent on troubleshooting later!

Be sure to visit the Graduate School's website for the most up-to-date formatting guidelines 

Useful Links:

Workshop Recording - ETD Formatting Made Easy

Before You Begin Writing

Templates and Formatting Guidelines 

• View and download the "Organization, Formatting, and PDF Conversion Guidelines for Theses, Dissertations, and Doctoral/Lecture Essays" PDF

Post-Defense

Margins

• Left: 1.5 inches
• Top, Bottom, Right: 1 inch

Font

• Use 12-point font throughout (including appendices)
• Acceptable fonts: Arial, Times New Roman, Courier New

Spacing

• Double-space all text
• Single-space footnotes, block quotes, figure/table legends, and references

Pagination

• Front Matter:
  • Unnumbered pages (Title, Copyright, Signature, Abstract): N/A
  • Numbered pages (Table of Contents, Lists, Dedication, etc.) : Lower case Roman numerals starting from iii (centered bottom)
• Main Body:
  • Arabic numerals starting at 1
  • First page of each chapter: centered at bottom
  • Other pages: top right
• End Matter:
  • References, appendices, figures/tables are paginated like chapters
  • VITA page: no page number, not included in total page count

*Landscape pages must maintain portrait-style pagination and margins

Chapters

• Begin each chapter on a new page
• Label as “Chapter 1,” “Chapter 2,” etc.

Templates

• Use official ETD templates for Title, Signature, Copyright, Abstract
• Match font style and size across all sections

Tables & Figures

• Must fit within margin limits
• Legends/captions should be on the same page when possible

References & Footnotes

• Use consistent citation style
• Single-space each citation, with one line between
• Footnotes: 10-point font, numbered consecutively throughout manuscript

Other Style Notes

• Avoid running headers and decorative page numbers
• Use American spelling unless content requires otherwise
• Do not cite Wikipedia or unstable sources like YouTube

Make an Online Appointment

For ETD formatting suport, you can book an appointment with a member of our ETD Formatting Support team via Zoom. Please describe any issues you are experiencing and upload a document, if applicable, when arranging an appointment.

To schedule an appointment, please use the following form: Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Formatting Assistance

Email

Contact the ETD Support Services at dfs@miami.edu. Someone will respond to your email within 24-48 hours.