Yale University Dissertation Format
The rules Yale University sets for thesis or dissertation, summarized from the official guide, plus a formatter that applies them to your Word file for you.
Try It Free on Your Paper →The Rules at a Glance
| Margins | 1 inch on all sides. (2025 PDF: left margin 1.5 in if ordering softbound copies.) |
|---|---|
| Font | 10 to 12 point; same font type throughout, including headers, footnotes, and page numbers. Title page and abstract in same font/size as body, no bold or all caps. |
| Spacing | Double: body. Single: table of contents, block quotations, bibliographic references, captions, footnotes, list of tables, list of figures/illustrations, lengthy tables, single within each entry, double between entries. |
| Title Page Number | Counted as i, not printed |
| Front Matter Page Numbers | Lowercase roman, bottom right corner, 0.5 in from edge; copyright page = ii (not printed); abstract = iii |
| Body Page Numbers | Arabic starting at 1 with body of text, consecutive to end; bottom right corner, 0.5 in from any edge |
| Chapter First Pages | Same as body (bottom right) |
| Copyright Page | Required in order of sections. Typed 3 inches below the top margin, on 2 lines: '© 20XX by [Student's Name]' / 'All rights reserved.' Do not include the word 'Copyright'. December degrees use the following year. Counted as ii, not printed. |
Title Page Wording
Lines from top to bottom, as the guide shows them. Words in brackets are yours to fill in. Title near top (subtitle follows a colon on the same line, does not start a new line); gap; degree statement block (A Dissertation … Doctor of Philosophy, single-spaced); gap; 'by' and author name; gap; adviser/chair lines; gap; month year at bottom.
Title capitalization: Title Case (capitalize every word except conjunctions and prepositions); do not capitalize 'of' and 'in' in degree statement.
Front Matter Order
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Abstract
- Lay Summary
- Table of Contents
- Front Matter (acknowledgments, list of illustrations or tables, etc.)
- Body of Text
- Back Matter (appendices, bibliography, supplemental figures and tables, etc.)
Rules Students Often Miss
- Page numbers in bottom RIGHT corner, 0.5 in from edge
- Required Lay Summary (max 250 words) after the abstract
- Title page and abstract headings must NOT be bold or all caps; title in Title Case
- Copyright notice typed 3 in below top margin, must not include the word 'Copyright'; December degrees use following year
- Title page date is month/year of conferral, not submission
- 2025 PDF placed abstract BEFORE the title page; current web guide (2026) places it after the copyright page, use current
What Style Guide Pro Does for You
- Builds the title page in Yale University’s wording, order, and spacing.
- Sets the margins and puts page numbers where the guide asks, with roman numerals in the front matter when required.
- Builds the contents page with dot leaders and the real page numbers filled in.
- Styles every heading level, block quotation, footnote, and bibliography entry.
- Gives you a short list of what only you can fix, like signature pages.
- Formatting software only. It never writes or rewrites a word of your paper.
Format Your Dissertation in About a Minute
Pick your school, drop in your Word file or PDF, and see your own title page done to these rules before you pay. Your paper never leaves your computer.
Common Questions
What margins does Yale University require?
1 inch on all sides. (2025 PDF: left margin 1.5 in if ordering softbound copies.).
Where do page numbers go in a Yale University dissertation?
Front matter: Lowercase roman, bottom right corner, 0.5 in from edge; copyright page = ii (not printed); abstract = iii. Main text: Arabic starting at 1 with body of text, consecutive to end; bottom right corner, 0.5 in from any edge.
Can Style Guide Pro format my Yale University dissertation?
Yes. Choose Yale University when you upload your Word file or PDF. Style Guide Pro rebuilds it with the title page, margins, page numbers, contents, headings, footnotes, and bibliography laid out the way the guide asks, then lists anything only you can fix. You can preview your own title page free before you pay.
Sources
- Dissertation Formatting Guide (Registrar web page) (current web page with examples dated 2026-08/2026-09, accessed 2026-10)
- Title Page Formatting Example (PDF) (2026-08)
- Title Page Example (PDF) (2026-09)
- Formatting the Doctoral Dissertation (2025) (PDF, superseded in part) (2025-05)
Summarized from Yale University’s official guide. Checked October 2026. Programs sometimes add their own rules, so confirm with your graduate school or program before you submit.