ISTANBUL COMMERCE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF FOREIGN TRADE
GUIDELINES FOR THE PREPARATION
OF THESES AND DISSERTATIONS
ISTANBUL, May 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
1. GENERAL FORMATTING.……..…………………………………………………………………………………….1
2. PARTS OF A THESIS/DISSERTATION …………………………………………..………………………..…1
2.1. Front Matter…………………………………………………………………………………….. 2
2.1.1. Cover Page and Title Page (Inner Cover Page)…………………………………………..2
2.1.2. Approval Page……………………………………………………….………………….2
2.1.3. Abstracts………………………………………………………………………………..3
2.1.4. Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………3
2.1.5. Lists of Tables, and Figures………………………………………………………………3
2.1.6. List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………4
2.2. Main Text………………………………………………………………………………………..4
2.3. Back Matter………………………………………………………………………………………4
2.3.1. Appendices……………………………………………………………………………….5
2.3.2. References………………………………………………………………………………..5
3. TABLES AND FIGURES…………………………………………………………………………..5
4. QUOTATIONS AND CITATIONS………………………………………………………………..6
4.1. Citing Referencing in the Text………………………………………………………………….7
4.2. Creating A List of References ………………………………………………………………….9
APPENDICES ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..15
REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..32
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1. GENERAL FORMATTING1
Use Times New Roman size 12 throughtout the thesis.
The content of tables and figures may be smaller than size 12 but must be at least size 8.
The text of footnotes is to be size 10.
Margins:
o Left margin: 3.5 – 4 cm.
o Top margin: 3.0 cm.
o Right and bottom margins : 2.5 cm.
The body of the thesis must be 1.5 spaced, with the exception of footnotes, entires in
references list, and block quotations, all of which are single-spaced.
Paragraphs must be uniformly indented, approximately 1.25 cm.
The cover page is not counted as a “page” in the context of the thesis. Pagination therefore
starts with the title page and continues to the last page of the thesis.
The title page is counted in the pagination, but its page number does not appear on the
page.
The front matter pages are numbered in lower – ‐case Roman numerals (e.g. i, ii, iii . .).
The main text pages and back matter pages are numbered using Arabic numerals, (e.g. 1,
2, 3 . . .), starting with “1”. That is, starting with the main text, numbering is re – ‐started.
Page numbers are to be placed at the bottom of the page, centered.
Each chapter must begin on a new page, be centered at the top of the page, and be all in
capital letters. Chapters are to be designated with a number in Arabic numerals, followed
by the title of the chapter on the next line.
2. PARTS OF A THESIS/DISSERTATION2
A thesis can be viewed as having three principal sections: “Front Matter”, “Main Text” and
“Back Matter”.
1 It is cited direct quates retrieved from BÜ, 2015.
2 It is cited direct quates retrieved from BÜ, 2015.
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2.1. Front Matter
Front mattters includes such elementsas the title page,abstracts, table of contents, lists of tables
and figures.
Table 1. Front Matter Elements, in the Order in Which They Must Appear
Page Heading Page No.
1 COVER PAGE Required –
2 TITLE PAGE (INNER COVER PAGE) Required (hidden)
3 APPROVAL PAGE Required (hidden)
4 ABSTRACT (IN ENGLISH) Required iv
5 ÖZET (IN TURKISH) Required v
6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Optional vii
7 TABLE OF CONTENTS Required viii
8 LIST OF TABLES Required ix
9 LIST OF FIGURES Required x
10 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Required xi
11 PREFACE Optional xii
Source : (Boğaziçi Üni., 2015).
2.1.1. Cover Page and Title Page (Inner Cover Page)
Each element on the page is centered horizontally.
Name of advisor must on the inner cover page.
2.1.2. Approval Page
Signatures: Committee members’ names, followed by lines for signatures on the same
line, are listed in a single column, with the thesis supervisor’s name at the top of the list.
Titles: The professional titles of committee members are to be designated as follows:
Prof. ABC (not Prof. Dr. ABC); Assoc. Prof. DEF; Assist. Prof. XYZ (not Ass. Prof.).
When using Prof.,
Assoc. Prof., or Assist. Prof., do not include “Dr.”.
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2.1.3. Abstracts
An abstract is a concise summary of the thesis, intended to inform prospective readers
about its content.
It usually includes a brief description of the research, the procedures or methods, and
the results or conclusions.
An abstract should not include sub – ‐headings or footnotes – citations are generally not
used.
Two abstracts are required – one in English, with a maximum of 250 words, and an
equivalent one in Turkish. The Turkish abstract (“Özet”) must reflect the content and
approximate length of the English abstract.
The abstract page headings are to be “Abstract” and “Özet”, centered at the top of the
page, all capitalized.
2.1.4. Acknowledgements
An acknowledgements page can be used to recognize people who have provided special
guidance or support during your research, and any grant support you may have received.
Acknowledgements should be expressed simply, preferably on a single page, double – ‐
spaced.
2.1.5. Lists of Tables, and Figures
Create separate pages for each list: tables, figures.
The word “Tables” (or “Figures”) must appear as the page heading, all in capital letters,
centered.
List the table or figure numbers, their title or caption, and the page number where each
occurs in the text.
Align all page numbers to the right, with dotted lines extending from the end of the last
word to the page number.
