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Guidelines for Formatting the LL.M. Thesis or S.J.D. Dissertation

Paper. The thesis or dissertation must be laser printed, with print no smaller than 12 point type.  Use black print with a sharp, dark image.

Use white, acid-free (with a minimum of 2% alkaline reserve) paper of at least 25% rag or cotton fiber content and of at least 20-pound weight, standard size (8.5"x11"). Such paper is available at book and stationery stores (such as University Bookstore) and at duplicating centers.

Photocopies. A photocopy is acceptable if it is made from a clearly-printed original and the photocopy image is clean, clear, dark, and sharp. The copy should be free of lines, shadows, and other marks. Paper used for a photocopy to be submitted to the Law Library must meet the same requirements specified in the previous paragraph.

Spacing, margins, and pagination. Double-space the body of the document; long quotations, footnotes, bibliographies, or extracts may be single-spaced with a double space between entries or paragraphs.

Margins. Leave a margin of at least 1.5 inches at the left side of each page; leave a margin of 1 inch on the top, bottom, and right side of the page.  LL.M. (but not S.J.D.) theses may be double-sided; if you choose this option, both left and right margins should be 1.5 inches.

Pagination.  All pages must be numbered with the exception of the title page.  

Acknowledgment pages and the table of contents page may be numbered as i, ii, iii, iv, etc. so that page 1 is the actual first page of your thesis or dissertation.

Title page. Follow the sample title page shown below for the format of the title page. Use the sample LL.M. title page if you are completing your LL.M. thesis; the S.J.D. title page if you are completing your S.J.D. dissertation. The actual title page in your document is to be 8.5" x 11". Replace the sample title DEVELOPMENT OF AGENCY LAW IN NEW YORK 1880-1900 with the title of your thesis or dissertation. (And replace the "John D. Doe" or "Jane S. Doe" with your own name, of course.)

Do not number the title page.

Footnotes. Follow the citation format given in The Bluebook:  A Uniform System of Citation.  Footnotes are to be single-spaced. They may be placed at the bottom of the page or grouped at the ends of chapters (or at the end of the document).

When in doubt about particular matters of arrangement, consult style books in the General Reference Department of the Memorial Library or look at the theses and dissertations in the Law Library for a general overview of format.

Plates, tables, or graphs. Plates and tables are to be mounted on numbered blank sheets of the document, while continuing to conform to the margin and paper requirements. If the plates, tables, or graphs are too large to fit within the margins, the sheet may be folded and mounted on a blank sheet.

Scanning. Scans of photographs, tables, and graphs may be included as part of the document, provided that margins are properly observed, the print is sharp, clean, clear, and dark, and the print size is comparable to elite type or larger.


SUBMISSION OF THE THESIS OR DISSERTATION

Two UNBOUND copies of the final document, as approved by the candidate's reading committee, are to be submitted to the Graduate Programs Administrative Office with the correct processing fee.

Some students desire to make a third copy for their personal use and want to have their personal copy bound. If you wish a bound copy for yourself, make arrangements on your own with a commercial bookbinder or a photocopy service.

Sample Title Page for LL.M. Thesis

[Center the following on 8.5 x 11 inch page, using your own thesis title and your own name:]

DEVELOPMENT OF AGENCY LAW IN NEW YORK 1880-1900

by

JOHN H. DOE

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

MASTER OF LAWS

(LL.M.)

at the

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

LAW SCHOOL

2010

Sample Title Page for S.J.D. Dissertation

[Center the following on 8.5 x 11 inch page, using your own dissertation title and your own name:]

DEVELOPMENT OF AGENCY LAW IN NEW YORK 1880-1900

by

JANE S. DOE

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR OF JURIDICAL SCIENCE

(S.J.D.)

at the

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

LAW SCHOOL

2010

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Last Updated: Friday, September 30, 2011 | Copyright © 1998-2013 The University of Wisconsin Board of Regents. All Rights Reserved.