Dissertation Formatting Guides by University
Help Me Bro’s dissertation formatting guides explain how specific universities and style systems expect a dissertation to look. Pick your school below, or start with a general guide on APA 7, Word, Chicago or Turabian. Whatever you read here, your graduate school’s own guide governs, so get a copy of it first.
See our dissertation formatting service
We format, edit and give feedback on work you have already written. You make every change and stay the author. Always check your institution’s rules, and use the current version of its formatting guide.
Which university guides do you offer?
We publish formatting guides for five universities, each summarizing what to check against that school’s official requirements.
FSU dissertation format
Margins, front matter and submission checks to confirm against Florida State’s graduate school guide.
MSU dissertation format
What to confirm against Michigan State’s formatting requirements before you submit.
Baylor dissertation format
Key layout and front matter points to check against Baylor’s graduate school rules.
CSU dissertation format
A checklist of layout items to verify against Colorado State’s thesis and dissertation guidelines.
UNC dissertation format
Formatting points to compare with the UNC Graduate School’s requirements.
Which general formatting guides can I use?
If your school is not listed, these guides cover the style systems and tools most dissertations rely on.
APA 7 dissertation format
How APA 7 applies to a dissertation, from headings to references.
Formatting a dissertation in Word
Styles, page numbers and a table of contents built in Microsoft Word.
Chicago style formatting
Notes, bibliography and layout conventions under Chicago style.
Turabian formatting
Turabian’s approach to papers and theses, and where it differs from Chicago.
Which guide do I need?
Your school’s rules come first, then your style system, then the tool you write in. This table shows where to start.
| Your situation | Start here |
|---|---|
| You attend FSU, MSU, Baylor, CSU or UNC | The matching school guide above, then your graduate school’s official guide |
| Your school requires APA | APA 7 dissertation format |
| Your school requires Chicago or Turabian | Chicago style or Turabian |
| You are building the document in Word | Formatting in Word |
| You want a person to check your formatting | Dissertation formatting service |
How does formatting help from Help Me Bro work?
Help Me Bro’s process has four steps, and you approve each one. The full process is on our How it works page.
Send your document and your school’s guide
Deliverable: confirmation of scope. Approval gate: you approve the scope before work starts.
We check formatting against your requirements
Deliverable: comments and feedback on your document. Approval gate: you decide what to change.
You make the edits
Deliverable: your revised document. Approval gate: you remain the author and approve every change.
What does formatting feedback cost?
Document work is priced per 1,000 words, by turnaround.
| Turnaround | Price per 1,000 words |
|---|---|
| 24 hours | $25 |
| 48 hours | $15 |
| 72 hours | $10 |
See pricing for details, or get a quote for your document.
Who reviews formatting at Help Me Bro?
Help Me Bro’s founder, Ahsan Irfan, holds an MS in Finance from the University of the Punjab. Engineering and medical or health-science papers are outside our current scope, and we say so honestly in a quote. Learn more on his editor profile.
Where can I read more?
Browse every article in our guides library, or read how dissertation editing works alongside formatting.
Where do I find my university’s dissertation format?
Look on your graduate school’s website for a thesis and dissertation guide or formatting manual. Many schools also publish a template and a submission checklist. If you cannot find it, ask your graduate school office or your advisor. Use the current version, because requirements change, and keep a copy before you start formatting.
Do school rules override APA or Chicago?
Yes. Your graduate school’s requirements take priority over a general style guide. APA, Chicago or Turabian usually governs citations, headings and references, while the school sets margins, page order, front matter and submission rules. If the two conflict, follow your school and confirm with your advisor or graduate school.
Which universities do you cover?
We publish guides for FSU, MSU, Baylor, CSU and UNC. For any other university, we can still give feedback on your formatting if you send us your school’s guide. Tell us your school when you get a quote.
Can you format to my template?
Yes, if you send us your template and your school’s requirements. We give comments and feedback on how your document matches them, and you make the changes yourself. We do not write or rewrite your work. See our dissertation formatting service for details.
Ready to have your formatting checked against your school’s rules? Get a quote.