School of Humanities – Doctoral dissertation

Information on preparation for printing

The final dissertation, which is submitted when the opponents have approved it, is in B5 size (which is 86% of A4). It is simplest to reduce an A4 document down in size when it is printed. Another option is to layout the dissertation in B5 size. However, this method is more time consuming and results in only slightly better print quality. Under most circumstancesthe Centre for Research in the Humanities recommendsreducing A4 documents.

  • Doctoral candidates are responsible for the layout of their theses.
  • Dissertationprinting must be ordered in consultation with the The Centre for Research in the Humanities(Hugvísindastofnun). The Centre covers the cost of those copies the University needs (for office/department/opponents/committee/dean etc.).
  • This document is under 1500 words. Itsaves time to be familiar with it well in time for the final printing.

The following points must be kept in mind:

  • The font must be sufficiently large to be legible printed at 86% (B5 dimensions). This applies to the font for the body text, footnotes, tables and figures. Also make note of a suitable font size for pagination.
  • It is best to first decide font size and check font sizes on a photocopier. Both 12 pt. and 13 pt. Times New Roman are suitable sizes for the body of text. Make sure that other parts of the text (particularly footnotes) are not too small.
  • If the dissertationis close to ready when this is done, it is best to see if the chosen font of the document works and not change it unless necessary.
  • Line spacing and font size must fit together. A small font and large line spacing go badly together in a reduced document. Try this in a photocopier. It is possible to have a 12 pt. font and 1.5 line spacing, however it is still better to have the line spacing set to 18 pt.
  • It is not suitable to have large indentation in a new paragraph; 0,7 cm to 1 cm is appropriate. Ensure that the indentation is the same throughout the manuscript. The same indentation depth should be used with indented quotations.
  • Make sure that all footnotes are executed in the same way and that the font is always black in colour (copy/paste from the web sometimes results in grey font and web addresses are often different in colour)
  • Page margins should be consistent with the font area, neither too broad nor too narrow. Pay attention to this with photocopies and observe that part of the margin sits under the spine.
  • The page margins above and below the text may not be too broad. Pay close attention to this, especially below the text (it is often 2,5 cm by default in Word; this is too much).

Various points concerning layout and completion:

  • Layout of the cover and binding is obtained through Háskólaprent or The Centre for Research in the Humanities (Hugvísindastofnun) if printed somewhere other than Háskólaprent.
  • The first page in yourdocument is the title page, and the colophon is the second page.
  • The title page is standardized; it is best to copy the model and fill it in. Divide the title appropriately between lines if it is long (i.e., do not have the first line run long and one word on the second line).
  • The colophon is standardized, it is best to copy the model.
  • The ISBN and date for the colophon need to be obtained. The title page includes month and year of the defence. Onthe colophon, the date when the department approves the dissertation should be included. The department'sproject managerprovides information about this date. Obtain the ISBN number from the National Library (Landsbókasafn).
  • Text is justified on the right side. Watch for large spaces between words and fix them with line breaks.
  • Sections normally start on a recto (right-side) page. When text ends on a recto page and the next verso (left-side) page is empty, it is good to choose: “Page layout”, then “Breaks” and “Odd page”.
  • Pagination is lowest on the page, and centred.
  • The title page and colophon do not have pagination.
  • Text-free pages must be without pagination.
  • Make sure the same spacing is used before and after the same type of chapter heading. Chapter heading font size, centre or left-justified, with or without chapter numbering, etc.
  • New paragraphs shall use one style, that is with indentation or increased line spacing. It is recommended to use indentation to make the most of the page. Do not use both methods.
  • Before the final printing, make sure that no page starts with a line space (for example when the preceding page ends with indented quotation).
  • At the final stage, it is important to eliminate single lines or stubs on the top of a page, that is, the last line of a paragraph should not stand alone at the beginning of a new page.
  • To manipulate the layout, it is good to know how to condense or expand text, i.e. to eliminate single lines on the top of a page. Instructions:

The following is a model/template for the first two pages and a summary of the order of chapter headings.

Title (Arial 20) – This is a title page, not a cover

Subtitle (Arial 18)

Author’s name (Arial 16)

Dissertation towards the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

University of Iceland

School of Humanities

[Department name]

[Month and year of the defense, e.g. August 2016]

[Department in Icelandic] Háskóla Íslands

hefur metið ritgerð þessa hæfa til varnar

við doktorspróf í [subject, e.g. íslenskum bókmenntum]

Reykjavík, [date and year in Icelandic, contact your department project manager]

[Dean – name]

deildarforseti

[Department name]

at the University of Iceland

hasdeclared this dissertationeligible for a defence

leading to a Ph.D. degree in [subject, e.g. Icelandic Literature]

Doctoral Committee:

[Name], supervisor

[Name]

[Name – the subsequent two are in alphabetical order]

[Title – italic]

© [Author’s name]

Reykjavik [20XX]

Dissertation for a doctoral degree at the University of Iceland. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form

without written permission of the author.

ISBN [received from the National Library (Landsbókasafn); it is best to send the staff an email]

Printing: Háskólaprent

Abstract

Begin on the recto page. Theses in Icelandic place the Icelandic abstract first, with the English abstract printed beneath. The opposite is true for theses in English.

Ágrip

Begin on the recto page.

Table of contents

Begin on the recto page. If Abstract ends on the recto page is the next page empty and the table of contents thus begins on the recto page.

Table of figures/tables

Table of figures or tables if applicable. Does not need to begin on recto page and if both tables fit on one page that is fine.

Preface

Begin on the recto page. Note that funding and collaboration, if any, need to be mentioned in the preface.

Introduction

[Main body]

Summary

See „Regulation on doctoral study and doctoral degrees at the University of Iceland School of Humanities“: „Generally, the thesis must be written in Icelandic or English, with a short summary in both languages. The student must also compose a more detailed abstract in Icelandic if the thesis is written in another language, or in English if the thesis is written in Icelandic. If the thesis is written in a language other than Icelandic or English, the student must also include a summary in that language.“

Bibliography