MSSE Formatting Checklist

Title page

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Add 30 pt spacing before your capstone title if your title is 3 lines in length
• Add 48 pt spacing before your capstone title if your title is 2 lines in length
• Your title should be in ALL CAPS
• Put 24 pt spacing before the word “by”
• Put 84 pt spacing before the words “A thesis…”
• The sentence “A thesis…” should be single spaced
• Replace “A thesis” with “A professional paper...”
• Put 24 pt spacing before and 12 pt spacing after the word “of”
• Put 42 pt spacing before “MONTANA…” and single space “Bozeman, Montana” on next line.
• Put 30 pt spacing before “[Insert date]
• Add a page break after the date
• The title page should not contain page numbers

Copyright Page

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Add 96 pt spacing before the word “©COPYRIGHT”
• All text on this page should be double spaced
• Add a section break after “Reserved.” This section break will allow you to put roman numerals on the next pages.
• The copyright page should not contain page numbers

Dedications/Acknowledgments Page

Video Explanation

You can include:

• A dedication page AND an acknowledgements page
• Only a dedication page
• Only an acknowledgments page
• Neither page

Checklist:

• Your paragraphs on the dedications and acknowledgments pages should be left aligned.
• The text on the dedications page should be single spaced and one page in length.
• The text on the acknowledgments page should be double spaced and one page in length
• At the end of both pages, you should add a page break.
• The dedications or acknowledgments pages should begin your use of roman numerals. The roman number for the first page should be ii.
• Your roman numerals will be different depending on if you include both pages, only one, or none.

Table of Contents

Video Explanation

Resources:

• Automating the Table of Contents process
• Dot leaders (instructions)
• Word Quick Tip: Inserting Dot Leaders (video)
• Settings:

Checklist:

• The roman numeral on this page will be one of the following: ii or iii or iv
• Your title should be TABLE OF CONTENTS. Use Ch. Title in the style pane.
• Your first chapter should look like this 1. FIRST CHAPTER TITLE
• Put four spaces at the beginning of your first level heading. Your heading should be in Title Case.
• For a second level heading, you will do one full indent. The text should be in Title Case.
• For a third level heading, you will do two full indents. The text should be in Title Case.
• Your second chapter should look like this 2. SECOND CHAPTER TITLE
• Put REFERENCES CITED flush left.
• Put APPENDICES flush left.
• For each appendix, put one full indent. You’ll use single spacing for each Appendix listed. It should look like this: APPENDIX A: Title Case
• Add a page break at the end of the page.

List of Tables

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Your title should be LIST OF TABLES using Ch. Title from the style pane.
• Put the word Table flush left.
• Put the word Page flush right in the same line as Table.
• List your first table like this using Title Case: 1. Table Name
• List your second table like this using Title Case: 2. Next Table Name
• This page should include roman numeral page numbers.
• Add a page break at the end of the page.

List of Figures

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Your title should be LIST OF FIGURES using Ch. Title from the style pane.
• Put the word Figure flush left.
• Put the word Page flush right in the same line as Figure.
• List your first figure like this using Title Case: 1. Figure Name
• List your second figure like this using Title Case: 2. Next Figure Name
• This page should include roman numeral page numbers.
• Add a page break at the end of the page.

Abstract

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Your spacing for the title ABSTRACT should be 12 pt after the title. Use Ch. Title in the style pane for the correct spacing.
• Your abstract paragraph should be single spaced.
• Your paragraph should be no more than 350 words in length.
• The first line of your paragraph should be one full indent.
• The abstract must contain the following elements: (1) statement of the problem, (2) procedure or methods, (3) results, and (4) conclusions.
• Add a section break at the end of the page. This section break will allow you to add new page numbers (1, 2, 3, etc.) to the next page.

Chapters

Video Explanation

Checklist:

You’ll want to reference the MSSE Chapter Outline below as you build this section.

• Your chapter title should be in all capital letters and use the Ch. Title in the style pane. It will look like this CHAPTER TITLE.
• Add 12 pt spacing after your CHAPTER TITLE.
• Check to make sure there is no space (enter or return) before the chapter title after doing a page break on the previous page.
• For your first level heading, use the First Level style in the style pane. All First Level headings should be centered, underlined, and Title Case.
• Capitalize the first letter of each heading word except articles, conjunctions, and prepositions and underline.
• Add 12 pt spacing after and before the first level heading. If you use the First Level style in the style pane, this should already be set for you.
• For your second level heading, use the Second Level style in the style pane. All Second Level headings should be flush left, underlined, and Title Case.
• Add 12 pt spacing before and after the second level heading. If you use the Second Level style in the style pane, this should already be set for you.
• If you have third level headings, use the Third Level style in the style pane. All Third Level headings should be one full indent, underlined, and have a period at the end. All text immediately starts after the period.
• The page numbers in the chapters start with (1, 2, 3…).
• Add page breaks between all chapters.

MSSE Chapter Outline

• Chapter 1 = Introduction and Background
  • Level 1 heading: Context of the Study
  • Level 1 heading: Focus Statement/Question
• Chapter 2 = Conceptual Framework
  • Level 1 headings: Up to 5-6 headings based on the theme titles from the literature
• Chapter 3 = Methodology
  • Level 1 heading: Demographics
  • Level 1 heading: Treatment
  • Level 1 heading: Data Collection and Analysis Strategies
• Chapter 4 = Data Analysis
  • Level 1 heading: Results
• Chapter 5 = Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning
  • Level 1 heading: Claims from the Study
  • Level 1 heading: Value of the Study and Consideration for Future Research
  • Level 1 heading: Impact of Action Research on the Author

Block Quotes

Video Explanation

Direct quotes of four lines or more must be single-spaced and “blocked.” This means the text is indented on both sides and is justified.

Figure Captions

Video Explanation

Sample Size:

• Use N when you are talking about your entire sample.
• Use n when you are talking about a subset of your sample.

Checklist:

• Make sure that your Figures are in numerical order throughout the paper.
• Here is an example of what a Figure Caption should look like:
  • Figure 3. A screenshot of the format styles, (N=19)
• Please do not italicize Figure 3.
• Your figure caption should appear directly under the Figure. Use the caption below style in the style pane.
  • 0 pt spacing before the caption
  • 24 pt spacing after the caption
• Make sure your Figure is within the page margins. 

Table Captions

Video Explanation

Sample Size:

• Use N when you are talking about your entire sample.
• Use n when you are talking about a subset of your sample.

Checklist:

• Make sure that your Tables are in numerical order within the paper.
• Here is an example of what a Table Caption should look like:
  • Table 1. Physical characteristics and trout of 11 watersheds sampled in the headwaters of the Colorado River, (n=11).
• Your table caption should appear directly above the Table. Use the caption above style in the style pane.
  • 12 pt before caption
  • 0 pt after caption (sits on table)
• Do not include bold text in any of your tables.
• Make sure you use Sentence case text except when referring to names, places, or instruments in your tables.

References Cited

Video Explanation

Resources:

• According to the 7^th edition of APA, you should:
  • include the names of up to 20 authors for references who have 20+ authors (1:00 in this video)
  • format DOIs as URLs (1:08 in this video)
  • not include retrieved from in front of URLs (1:18 in this video)
  • include the website name unless it is the same as the author name (1:25 in thisvideo)

Checklist:

• Put 180 pt spacing before the words REFERENCES CITED. These words should appear almost in the middle of the page.
• Center the words REFERENCES CITED
• Add a page break after REFERENCES CITED
• Start all references on the next page. You will not include a title at the top of this page.
• References should be single spaced with a double space between references.
• If a reference goes on to the second line, a word hanging indentation should be present on the second line. You’ll do this by putting your cursor in front of the first word on the second line and hitting command+t or control+t on your keyboard.

Appendices

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Put 180 pt spacing before the word APPENDICES. This word should appear almost in the middle of the page.
• Center the words APPENDICES.
• Add a page break after APPENDICES.
• Within the document, all appendices appear in alphabetical order.
• On a separate page, put 180 pt spacing before the words APPENDIX A. Be sure to underline APPENDIX A. You’ll do this for all Appendix XYZ.
• Add an APPENDIX TITLE using triple spacing below APPENDIX A.
• Add a page break after the appendix title.
• The next page(s) should contain the content for Appendix A.
• Add a page break after the content.
• You’ll follow the same steps for all appendices.

Parenthetical and In-Text Citations

Video Explanation

APA 7 Resources to help in this section:

• MSU Citations Style Guide
• 17 Most Notable Changes - APA 7th edition (page)
• 17 Most Notable Changes – APA 7^th edition (video)
• Reference checker (run this when you’re close to being done with your paper)

Examples:

• One Author
  • First citation (FC) in-text citation: Walker (2007)
  • FC and subsequent parenthetical citations: (Walker, 2007)
• Two Authors
  • FC in-text: Walker and Allen (2004)
  • FC and subsequent parenthetical citations: (Walker & Allen, 2004)
• Three or More Authors
  • FC in-text: Bradley et al. (1999)
  • SC in-text: Bradley et al. (1999)
  • FC Parenthetical (Bradley et al., 1999)
  • SC Parenthetical (Bradley et al., 1999)

Abbreviations

Video Explanation

Checklist:

• Abbreviations are introduced in each new chapter.
• Abbreviations match the actual abbreviation for the words.

Accessibility Check

Video Explanation

Resources:

• Accessibility for Electronic Theses and Dissertations at MSU (Video, Reading)
• Adding alternative text to figures and images (Video)

Checklist:

• No accessibility issues (Review > Check Accessibility)

Focus Question/Focus Statement

Video Explanation

Template:

• My focus question was, [Insert focus question]; no quotation marks
• Indented – My sub-questions include the following:
• 1. [Insert sub-question]
• 2. [Insert sub-question]