Q. How should I format my research paper, research proposal or thesis?

There is no standard template for research papers at AMU or APU. When writing, you will rely on your degree program’s preferred style guide to help you format the body of your text: margins, headings, page numbers, references page, citations, etc. 

Graduate students will also refer to the End of Program Assessment Manual for formatting specifics (see more information below).

Here are some helpful links to formatting recommendations for each style guide used at APUS:

APA

• APUS ePress APA Guide:  Formatting
• APA Style: Paper Format

Bluebook

• Bluepages
• APUS Legal Studies Program Writing Guide

Chicago

• See Section 2 of the Chicago Manual of Style Online:  Manuscript Preparation, Manuscript Editing, and Proofreading

MLA

• APUS ePress MLA Guide:  Formatting
• MLA Style Center:  Formatting a Research Paper

Turabian 

• Turabian is based on the Chicago Manual of Style, so you can feel confident in referring to it for format guidelines. If you have the hard copy of Turabian, look at Appendixes A.1 General Format Requirements and A.2 Format Requirements for Specific Elements.

Graduate students:

If you are working on a research project proposal or thesis, the End of Program Assessment Manual for Graduate Studies (EOP Manual) will guide you in formatting aspects of your paper that may not be specified in your style guide. The EOP Manual can be downloaded here.

• Chapters 2 -5 explain the process for thesis and capstone options, from proposal to final submission.
• Appendixes 1- 3 list the required sections of the thesis or capstone, and describe what those sections should contain.   The remaining Appendixes will demonstrate the correct way to format the various pieces of front matter:

• Appendix 4: Title Page
• Appendix 5: Sample of Copyright Page
• Appendix 6: Sample of Dedication Page
• Appendix 7: Sample of Acknowledgments Page
• Appendix 8: Sample of Abstract of the Thesis
• Appendix 9: Sample of a Table of Contents
• Appendix 10: Sample of a List of Tables
• Appendix 11: Sample of a List of Figures

If you have any questions about the policies or information provided in the EOP Manual, contact GraduateStudies@apus.edu.

See also:

• I am having problems formatting my paper in Word. Where can I find help?
• Where can I find a sample research paper, research proposal or thesis?
• Where can I have my paper proofread or reviewed?
• Does the library have a writing center or a writing help tutorial?
• Where is the Graduate Writing page in Writing@APUS?