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Graduate Review

Final Manuscript Preparation Guidelines

Authors are not required to format according to guidelines on initial submission; however, they are required to format according to the Graduate Review guidelines on their final revision. Authors, please omit author and mentor names, as well as any other identifying information, from initial submission. Manuscripts that contain identifying information will be returned to the authors for revision. This may delay the review process.

Formatting Requirements

  • Include your abstract directly underneath the title.
  • Do not include page numbers, headers, or footers. These will be added by the editors.
  • Submit your manuscript, including tables, figures, appendices, etc., as a single file (Word, RTF, or PDF files are accepted).
  • Page size should be 8.5 x 11-inches.
  • All margins (left, right, top and bottom) should be 1.0 inch.
  • Single space your text.
  • Use a single column layout with both left and right margins justified.
  • Font:
    • Main Body—12 pt. Times New Roman
    • Title— 14 pt. Times New Roman
    • Footnotes—10 pt. Times New Roman
  • If figures are included, use high-resolution figures.
  • Copyedit your manuscript.

Additional Recommendations

Indenting, Line Spacing, and Justification

  • Single space text.
  • Indent all paragraphs except those following long quotes if the paragraph continues after long-quote.
  • Right and left justification:
    • All text should be left-justified.
    • We prefer flush right margins as well. However, it is better to have jagged right margins than to have flush right margins with awkward intra- and inter-word spacing. Make your decision on whichever looks best.
  • 6 pt. spaces between each paragraph, between each citation within the bibliography, and between headers and text.

    • Article Length

  • Selection is based on quality, not quantity.

Colored Text

  • Set font color to black
  • Authors are encouraged to use color in the production of figures, maps, etc. Be mindful of readability, legibility, and accessibility.

Emphasized Text

  • Whenever possible, use italics to indicate text you wish to emphasize rather than underlining it or bolding it.

Font Size

  • Text: 12 pt.
  • Title: 14 pt.
  • Footnotes: 10 pt.

Title Above Abstract

  • TITLE: BOLD, ALL CAPITALS, TIMES NEW ROMAN 14 PT FONT, CENTERED
  • 2 spaces
  • AUTHOR NAME: TIMES 12 PT, BOLD, ALL CAPS
  • No space
  • DEPARTMENT NAME; AUTHOR (UNI) TIMES 12 PT, ALL CAPS (e.g., DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH; UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AT KEARNEY)
  • Follow the same formatting for additional authors.
  • If applicable, MENTOR (12 PT, BOLD, ALL CAPS): MENTOR NAME (12 PT, CAPS) (e.g., MENTOR: Dr. Earl E. Bird)
  • 2 spaces after abstract text (without 6 pt. space) before text when no header occurs at beginning of text

Headings

  • Main headings (e.g., ABSTRACT, INTRODUCTION, METHODS, REFERENCES, etc.) should be bolded, centered, and 6 pt. space before the text, all caps, Times New Roman font.
  • Subheadings should left-justified, bold, Times 12 pt.

References

It is the author's obligation to provide complete references with the necessary information. After the last sentence of your submission, please insert a page break and begin your references on the next page References should appear right after the end of the document, beginning on the last page if possible. References should have margins that are both left and right- justified. You may choose not to right-justify the margin of one or more references if the spacing looks too awkward. Follow the guidelines of formatting references according to discipline-specific citation style (e.g., Chicago, MLA, APA, etc.) Format consistently, and each citation begins with the last name of the first author. Use hanging indents for citations. Citations should be single-spaced with 6 pt. between citations.

Footnotes, where applicable

  • Footnotes are preferred over endnotes (i.e., references on the bottom of the page where they are referenced rather than at the end of the paper).
  • Footnotes should be in 10 pt. Times, single-spaced, and separated by a footnote separator rule (line).
  • Footnote numbers or symbols in the text must follow, rather than precede, punctuation. All footnotes should be left and right-justified (i.e., flush with the right margin), unless this creates awkward spacing.

Tables and Figures

  • Should appear in the document near where they are referenced in the text.
  • Fit within 1.0” margins on all sides.
  • Label figures and tables with titles above in Times 12 pt. italics, centered