Top-notch and in the end everything in the right format? Why this is a bad idea and which specifications are almost always valid, we explain here.
When formulating bachelor theses, there are generally valid regulations for the writing of scientific papers. At some universities there are special requirements that you should inquire about in advance. The most important formatting specifications concern the margins of your bachelor thesis, the font and size as well as the citation in the footnotes. If you make mistakes during the bachelor thesis formatting, you have to expect deductions. That’s why you should deal with the common formatting rules before writing your bachelor thesis. So you can set everything in advance beforehand to avoid elaborate formatting of your bachelor thesis in hindsight. Which specifications you have to comply with, you will learn in this article.
Margins of the bachelor thesis
Before you begin writing your bachelor thesis, you should clarify whether there are any formatting requirements for bachelor theses specified at your university or department. If there are no special requirements for the formatting of your bachelor thesis, you must adhere to the common guidelines for writing scientific papers. Your word processor is best set up before writing. This not only saves you unnecessary formatting effort after writing your bachelor thesis, but the number of pages written also corresponds to reality. If you carry out the formatting of the bachelor thesis afterwards, the scope will be corrected significantly upwards or downwards. If you have strict specifications regarding the minimum or maximum number of pages, you may need to rethink your entire text.
Regarding the margins, you should note the following:
- upper and lower edge 1.5 cm each
- right edge 2.5 cm
- left margin 3.5 cm, so that there is still enough space for the binding of the printed copy
Choose your sentence for your thesis. So all paragraphs are clearly visible and a clear layout is guaranteed.
Attention: Often students try to enlarge the margins to make their bachelor thesis appear longer. Anyone who regularly reads theses as a reviewer knows these tricks and generally reacts by deducting points.
Bachelor Thesis: Insert page numbers
The page numbers are integrated in the bachelor thesis formatting – according to taste – in header or footer. The cover sheet itself does not get a page number. The numbering starts on the following page. All directories of your thesis (table of contents, list of abbreviations, table and list of figures as well as bibliography and appendix) are numbered with Roman numerals, starting with I. The pages in the body text, on the other hand, get Arabic page numbers, starting with 1.
The best way to create a so-called section formatting in advance. This means that you divide your text into individual parts, for each of which you can set your own formatting, including your own page numbering (pagination). In Word you simply go to “Insert”, “Manual change”, “Section break”.
Formatting Bachelor Thesis: Select font
With the font you should pay attention in any case, to use a common kind, z. Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri.
If your bachelor thesis is printed in hardcopy on paper, a serif typeface like Times New Roman is recommended, as the eye gets tired less quickly when reading. Serifs are the small hooks or feet, with which individual letters are provided on upper and lower lengths. These support the reading flow. For works that are corrected on the PC, you should use a sans serif typeface. B. Arial use.
Generally, you should not use more than two different fonts in your bachelor thesis formatting. So you can z. For example, set the main text in Times New Roman while selecting Arial to label your tables and graphics. Within the text you should not switch between the fonts, as it disturbs the reading flow.
Bachelor Thesis: Quote right
It is quoted with the help of footnotes. These are used in the form of superscript numbers after the respective punctuation of a quoted sentence, a paragraph or even directly after the cited word itself. All footnotes are numbered consecutively. These are whole sentences, which therefore always begin with a capital letter and complete with a period. Footnotes should always be in the same font as the body text and should be on the same page as the corresponding reference in the text. Outline headings should not be footnoted.
The most common citation methods for different sources at a glance:
The American citation (Harvard system) is rarely used and works with short documents directly behind the respective quote. Here is a source note in brackets, which contains the following information: author, year of publication, page number: (Kloppel 2015: 13).
Finally, it should be noted: To avoid deduction of points by incorrect formatting in your bachelor thesis, you should use a uniform citation form! You should always quote only from the respective original sources. Reciting is usually inadmissible!