Paper

                    The quality of paper for submission of the final copy of the thesis or dissertation is white, 25% cotton, bond, 20 or 24 pounds. Please note that no other quality or color of paper will be accepted. Examples of acceptable papers are Southworth, 25% cotton fiber, fine business paper (403C); and Hammermill, 25% cotton, laser bond paper. Computer tractor paper, "Ezerase" or other similar erasable paper, and commercially available preprinted thesis paper (with non-reproducible blue lines) will not be accepted. If the student has any doubt about the paper, please take a sample to the University Graduate School.

                    Standard size of 8-1/2 x 11 inches.

                    The same kind of paper must be used throughout the entire manuscript. This includes the preliminary pages, appendices, and vita (if applicable). Always generate a sample page to check margins.

Bond for Oversize Pages

Bond paper of the same quality measuring 11 x 17 inches may be used in preparing oversize pages. (See Oversize Material to Be Folded, section C in this chapter.)

Vellum for Oversize Pages

Vellum paper, available off campus, can be used for the original manuscript where oversize pages are needed (e.g., certain maps). (See Reproduction of Architectural Drawings, section E in this chapter.)

Graph Paper

Drawings, text, and gridlines must be kept within the FIU required margins. The gridlines on blue grid tracing paper usually do not reproduce; green gridlines reproduce lightly, and red gridlines reproduce as dark lines. Visible gridlines are acceptable. Lines on a graph should be identified by labels or symbols rather than colors.

B. Preparing the Original Copy

Appearance - Corrections

The manuscript must be neat in appearance and without error. It is the responsibility of the candidate to proof and make sure the manuscript does not have typographical or content errors before submission to the University Graduate School. All corrections must be made before the manuscript is brought to the University Graduate School. No handwritten corrections, or insertions or interlineations are permitted. The use of any correction fluid is not acceptable. Copies that have dark shading, lines or any other marks caused by the copying process are unacceptable as well as off-centered, unevenly copied pages. Type only on one side of each page. It is strongly recommended that students submit a complete draft copy of their thesis/dissertation to the University Graduate School to be checked for format.

Fonts

All typing must be done on a word processor with typeface of 10 to 12 point type sizes. Examples of acceptable typefaces are: Courier, Times, Times New Roman, and New Century Schoolbook.  Script or other ornate typefaces are not acceptable.

Do not use bold face or Italics for the core manuscript text. Italics may be used--in lieu of underlining--for scientific names of biological organisms, when typing foreign words, or in those portions of the manuscript where underlining or capitalization of titles would normally be used for purpose of emphasis.

Typing of entire manuscript must be done on the same word processor and with the same typeface. Charts, figures and long tables may be typed in a different typeface if necessary.

Printers

The manuscript must be printed on a laser printer, or on a printer which produces the same letter-quality. The print must be letter-quality with consistently clear, dark, and black characters. Check toner frequently. The candidate may bring a sample of the printing to the University Graduate School, if he/she has any questions about its quality.

Non-typed Material

Signatures on the committee approval page (page ii) and other non-typed matter, such as line drawings, handwritten symbols, formulae, and diacritical marks, should be in black ink for clear reproduction. Hand-written insertions are acceptable only when a computer program cannot make the symbols or when the hand-written symbols are superior in quality.

Spacing

The text of the manuscript must be double-spaced throughout, but long tables and long quotations may be single-spaced. References and notes should be single-spaced with double spacing between entries. Text within a chapter should be continuous. No short pages are acceptable unless it is the last page of the chapter or if there is a table or figure in it.

There are special spacing requirements for some of the preliminary pages. (See sample pages for the dissertation and thesis in Appendices 6 - 17). The layout for these pages must be followed carefully as departures from the standard format are not acceptable.

Margins

Copy machines enlarge type size. When typing the original manuscript, stay well within the margin guides.

Left: 1 1/2 inches        (This margin is wider because of binding requirements.)

Top: 1 inch

Right: 1 inch

Bottom: 1 1/4 inches

With the exception of page numbers, all other manuscript material must fit within these margin requirements. This includes tables, figures, graphs, and appendices. When oversized pages are used, the same margin measurements are maintained. (See Materials and Oversize Material, sections A and C in this chapter).

Page Numbers

Page numbers must always be centered at the bottom of the text. Place the number no lower than 1/2 inch above the page bottom and no higher than 3/4 inch above the page bottom. No dashes, periods, underlining or other marks may appear before, after, or under the page number. Page numbers must appear at the same height throughout the document. When using landscape mode to print charts or tables, the page number may be placed on the center of the right margin.

                                                                                                            bottom of text

            1 ¼”

                                                                                    ½” page number

                                                                                                                        page bottom

Pagination

Every sheet of paper in the manuscript must be numbered except for one: the title page.  This includes references, appendices, and vita (if applicable). The title page is counted but not numbered.

Roman numerals are used for the preliminary pages (from title page to the last list of figures page), but since the title page is counted but not numbered, "ii" is the first number used and appears on the committee approval page.

Arabic numerals are used for all other manuscript pages. Every single remaining sheet of nonpreliminary material (including references, appendices, and vita) submitted as part of the manuscript must be numbered. The next sheet of paper following the last preliminary page, no matter what is printed there, is numbered "1" and then so on to the last manuscript sheet.  Letter suffixes (e.g., 10a, 10b, etc.) must not be used.

ATTENTION! Correct pagination--no missing pages, no duplicate numbers or pages, no blank pages--is required for the manuscript to be acceptable.

C. Oversize Material

FIU margin requirements (see section B in this chapter) are to be observed for all oversize, illustrative, and special material described in the following paragraphs, unless an exception is noted. For further directions on materials not described in the following paragraphs, the candidates should contact the University Graduate School.

Landscape Mode

Where computer output, tables, or other illustrative materials need to be printed in landscape mode, they must still fit within required margins. The top of the material belongs at the 1 ½ inch margin. Placement of the page number is always no lower than 1/2 inch from the bottom of the page. (See section B in this chapter).

Reducing Oversize to Standard Required Margins

A copy of page that has been reduced on photocopying machines to fit within required margins for the 8 x 11 inches page must be legible. Usually, the easiest method is to reduce the material to the appropriate size, trim the page, and mount it on a separate page to fit within the required margins. Use this "pasted up" version to make copies on the bond paper which will serve as originals.

Oversize Material to be Folded

Some oversize materials are not reducible to standard-page margin requirements, and must be submitted on a larger-than-standard page. Bond paper measuring 11 x 17 inches may be included in the manuscript by converting the page to manuscript size with pleat-like folds. With these pages, the left (11 inches) edge will have a 1 ½ inch margin, the top (17 inches) edge will have a 1 inch margin, the right (11 inches) edge will have a 1 inch margin, and the bottom edge will have a 1 ¼ inch margin. The page number is placed no lower than 1/2 inch from the bottom edge of the page, and about 4 inches from the right-side paper edge.

The folds of the 17 inches wide paper must be at least 1 ½ inches from the edges of the page to assure that the illustration is not cut when the edge of the page is trimmed in the binding process. When the oversize page is properly folded, the page number will appear in the position where it appears on the standard-size page. When submitted, the oversize page must be one continuous sheet, with nothing glued or taped.

"Pocket" Oversize Material

Oversize material larger than 11 x 17 inches is either bound at the end of the manuscript or folded by the bindery for insertion into a special pocket that will be supplied when the manuscript is bound. The oversize page is filmed in segments at the end of the microfilm. The candidate's name is to be typed or neatly block lettered within the text area (not in the margins) in the lower right-hand portion of the oversize page. Such material is to be referred to in the text, and noted in the Table of Contents or List of Figures or Tables, e.g., "Plates 1 through 7 in pocket."

When filing the manuscript, present "pocket" oversize pages wrapped around a cardboard tube (or rolled inside a map tube) with an extra copy of the title page on the outside.

Very Large Oversize Material

Very large maps and other very large submitted pages are to be presented in the manner described for "pocket" oversize material, rolled, not folded, and labeled with an additional copy of the title page. The candidate's name must be typed or neatly block lettered in the lower right portion of the oversize page (not in the margins).

D. Illustrative and Special Material Color in Maps, Photographs and Illustrations

Although copies of maps, photographs and other illustrative materials may be submitted in color, the use of color is discouraged, as it does not reproduce well in the black and white microfilm process. Color variations alone must therefore not be used to identify specific information in the illustration but rather color should be identified by labels, symbols, or by the use of a specific control key. Shaded areas--such as countries on a map--will have better contrast if cross-hatching is used instead of color.

If, in light of these disadvantages, the use of color is still desired, the candidate is encouraged to investigate color photocopying as a substitute for the more expensive photographs. The illustration to be photocopied in color may be mounted on white paper within required margins and the photocopy made from this page. Color illustrations must conform to requirements for margins and page number placement, as must all illustrative material.

Photographs

Photographs should be professional-quality black and white. Color photographs should be reprinted in black and white by a photo lab. Photographs should be mounted on sheets of paper of the same quality as the ones used for the text in a way that fits within the required margins.

Mounting of photographs should be done using the "dry mounting" method with tissue pressed properly to exclude all air bubbles. Do not mount any material using rubber cement, glue, tape, staples, or photo mounting corners.

Photo page-number placement follows standard requirements. (See Preparing the Original Copy and Illustrative and Special Material...Photographs and Illustrations, sections B and D in this chapter). Photo captions may be placed on the subject and shot as part of the original negative. Captions may be typed on the facing page to the photo, typed below the photo paper on the manuscript page (and within page-number margins), or typed on the back of the photo manuscript page (the verso page). No captions or page numbers may be typed directly on the printed photo used in the manuscript or on the photo paper.

Please be advised that photographs and photocopies of photographic prints generally do not reproduce well on microfilm. Consequently, copies generated from the microfilm are likely to be of poor quality.

The copies of the manuscript submitted to the University Graduate School, for Library archives, must have original photographs unless the student is able to use a high quality, high contrast copying machine to reproduce photographic material for submission in lieu of photographs.

Quality black and white reproductions can be made of charts, graphs, micrographs, chromatography, electrophoretic plates, geological structures, bar graphs, and other special illustrative materials.

Reproduced Published Material

Photocopy reproduction of previously published material must be legible and conform to margin and page numbering requirements (see section B in this chapter.) When published material is included in the thesis or dissertation, it is essential that the candidate follow instructions for permission to reproduce copyrighted material (see Chapter III, sections C, D, E, and F).

E.  Architecture Manuscripts

The standard paper size for architecture manuscripts which requires oversize pages for drawings or other graphic materials is 11 x 17 inches. Page numbers in pages with either text or drawings must be placed at the bottom right corner of the paper. The margins for architecture manuscripts must be 1½ inch along the bound 11-inch left edge and ½ inch along the other edges. Text for title, committee approval, copyright, dedication, acknowledgements, and abstract pages should appeared only on the right hand side of the paper. Otherwise, the architecture manuscript must comply with all other applicable requirements in this Manual.

Reproduction of Architectural Drawings

Oversize architectural drawings may be prepared on vellum paper and reproduced on double-weight 60-pound bond paper, by oversize photocopying on 60-pound bond paper, or by oversize photocopying on 20-pound bond paper. If the manuscript is photocopied on 60-pound bond paper, the manuscript may be printed on both sides of the page. If 20-pound bond paper is used, print on one side of the paper only. The architecture manuscript on overweight paper is the only manuscript where both sides of the page may be used.

If both sides of the page are printed, reverse the margins on the left-side page to allow for binding. When the drawing is turned on the page, observe the margins described previously in this section. If the student has questions about these requirements, he/she should contact the University Graduate School.

F. Typing and Reproduction Services

University policy prohibits the University Graduate School from recommending typists, editors, computer services or reproduction services. It is recommended that students have a clear understanding from the beginning about who is responsible for what in preparing the final manuscript. While the student may employ a professional typist, the ultimate responsibility for its correctness lies with the student. The manuscript should be proofread carefully before and after submission to the typist, who should not make editorial changes. The writer should examine the manuscript for proper and complete pagination. The student is solely responsible for compliance with these rules and regulations.