The dissertation cover page is the first thing that a reader will encounter in your dissertation. Consider it like a first impression about paper. What can make the title page intriguing? Generally speaking, a title page should tell the key details of the paper. With a single glance at your cover page, the reader decides whether to explore the paper for more details or not. It involves the relevance of the reader with your research topic or if he finds an answer to a research question. So, you must include these details in the hook to highlight what the paper is actually about.
Various universities have different criteria for formatting their thesis cover pages. They may follow up with the APA, MLA, Chicago, or any other design format. All of these ideas are useful, but you have to pick one as directed by your institutions. In the guide below, we will discuss various ideas for the dissertation cover page. It can help you in formatting your title page effectively. Again, the more presentable the title would be, the better it can grab the attention of the reader.
Continue reading to learn about these designs and gain a basic understanding.
What Is a Dissertation Cover Page?
The dissertation cover page provides the key highlights of your document. These details include your thesis title, name of author and affiliation, supervisor, etc. It is a stand-alone paper that provides an overview of the constituents of the paper. The title page must be formatted by following an appropriate writing style. However, the researcher should ensure the inclusion of all the key features to retain the readers’ attention on the paper.
How to Format Your Dissertation Cover Page?
As we discussed, the dissertation cover page is one of the most essential elements of a dissertation, which is why understanding how to design one is important. Whether you are writing it as a student or a professional, a basic understanding of formatting, style, design, and other related details can assist in crafting an impressive cover. Here, we will present the top ideas so that you can choose from various styles. Also, choose the best one as directed by your supervisor.
However, if the cover page design and dissertation writing are stressful for you because of your lack of expertise in writing such documents, contacting a dissertation writing service can be your final resort. These experts are efficient in styling and formatting these papers.
1. Title Page Formatting in APA Style
There are two versions of formatting the dissertation cover page in APA style. One is the student version and the other one is the professional title page.
Student Title Page
A researcher will include the details below.
- Title of your dissertation
- Researcher name
- Course name
- Name of supervisor
- Date of submission
- Page number
Simple Psychology shows the formatting details of these components in the following manner.
Professional Title Page
A professional dissertation cover page will accompany the details, including,
- Thesis title
- Name of the student
- Author affiliation
- Note
- Running head
- Page number
The Montclair State University presents an example of a professional title page, which is displayed below.
Title Page Formatting in MLA Style
If you are writing a thesis in MLA 9th edition style, it is compulsory to include the dissertation cover page. So, how do you make it by adhering to the MLA guidelines? This context will cover all the related details. Find below the step-by-step instructions on how to create the perfect MLA title page.
- The institution’s name will be placed at the top of the page.
- Write the thesis title in title case approximately after skipping one-third of the paper.
- If there is a subtitle, write it on the line following the main heading.
- The author’s first and last name will be written at the bottom of the page.
- Finally, you will write the submission date of your paper.
Chegg provides a related template to help you in formatting your dissertation cover page correctly.
Title Page Formatting in Chicago Style
Many of the researchers are asked to follow the Chicago writing style while formatting their research papers. If you need help with how to format your paper accordingly, find below the key instructions. Here, you will include the dissertation cover page,
- The title of the thesis will be placed in the centre, which is approximately one-third down the page.
- The name of the student is placed at the centre, following the paper title.
- In the same alignment, the course title is written below.
- The name of the supervisor.
- Date of submission.
An example from Southern New Hampshire University tells about the paper title formatted by following this style.
Title Page Formatting in Harvard Style
Do you need help understanding the peculiarities of Harvard formatting style? If you are also looking for an answer to this question, there is no need to worry. We have gathered helpful material so that you can overcome this formatting complexity. Let’s understand these rules for formatting the dissertation cover page.
- The title of the thesis needs to be capitalised and centred.
- The title is placed almost 33% below the top of the cover page.
- The student’s name is placed in the middle of the page.
- Write the course name almost 66% below the page.
- The name of the supervisor will be written in the new line afterwards.
- The name of the institution.
- Due date of submission.
See the sample provided by Study Crumb.
After analysing various writing styles for formatting your dissertation cover page, you may be wondering about the design ideas. Remember, at the start, we talked about the attractive design of the cover. So how you can make the hook attractive while following the above-mentioned writing formatting guidelines? Find below the key tips from experts.
Top 6 Tips to Design Your Dissertation Cover Pages
Certain elements come into play when you intend to design your master’s dissertation cover page. It includes formatting details to abide by the university guidelines. Although the details can vary, certain elements must accompany this. So, having a basic understanding is a must. There are certain tips from experts that can make your cover page presentable.
1. Select a Relevant Design
Choosing the design that interests you is a deeply personal thing to do when designing a cover page for a dissertation proposal. It is about reflecting a unique perspective. Selecting a design topic that aligns with your interests seems rational. For this purpose, you can identify the aspects of your topic that are captivating for you. The South African Journal of Botany uses pictures of a tree on the dissertation cover page for binding so that readers can know its plant sciences journal at a glance.
2. Balance Visual and Contextual Content
If you want to communicate your findings effectively, there must be a balance between the visual and textual elements of your paper. However, the visual elements will do more than the text. For instance, if you are using graphs to cover large amounts of information, the reader will get some ease in digesting complicated information.
However, if you overburden the paper or dissertation cover page with such visuals, it can make the context ambiguous. So, keep a balance when using both forms. Also, if you doubt your expertise in making these visuals or formatting the dissertation itself, then buy dissertation online. Get expert help if you want the quality to shine in your paper exceptionally.
3. Make a Design Concept of Your Topic
First comes the idea of taking inspiration from art, nature, music or technology for a cover-page dissertation. This way, you can discover your unique vision about the topic. Also, if you want to be very specific about the topic, then think about the topic-related graphics. For instance, if you are writing about “Life cycle of mushroom”. Now, the topic is related to plant sciences, but being specific, you can use the mushroom picture.
4. Communicate Design Effectively
The dissertation cover page is not merely about text. It encompasses more than words. With the unique design idea, you can communicate with the reader effectively. The cover page of the dissertation design should not only focus on making it attractive but can convey the message, too. For instance, the design should address the specific needs of the reader to enhance their relevance to the topic. Consider the above example of using a picture of a mushroom such as “Death Cap Angel”. This way, the reader will surely pick up the book, especially if they are looking for signs of poisonous mushrooms.
5. Make Dissertation Cover Page Design Presentation Clear
We are continually focusing on the effective communication of the message via the cover page of a dissertation. On the Cambridge dissertation cover page, the design presentation matters the most. It needs to be clear and easily understandable so that the reader remains close to the main idea. Make a design that takes them from the initial process to the final product. This is how you can add a sense of involvement and completion.
6. Don’t Over Decorate It
The PhD dissertation cover page decoration indeed needs to be attractive. However again it is specific to the discipline. For instance, if you are making a fine arts cover, it makes sense to make an aesthetic cover of your paper. But if you are writing a biology or math dissertation, the cover-over decoration will cost your grades even. Rather, being specific to the point will make it look more professional.
Dissertation Cover Page Examples
Before crafting a dissertation cover page, you need to have a look at the examples of already published papers. The DiscoverPhds presents a dissertation cover page template written to investigate the impact of temperature change. Here is the image of cover page from where yo can get an idea.
Similarly, Office Templates Online provides dissertation cover page ideas for environmental science and law theses.
Suppose the design ideas seem attractive but challenging to implement on your own. In that case, asking for dissertation help online from professionals can aid you present your thesis in an appealing manner. After all, you can’t compromise here, so professional assistance can be a safer solution.
Conclusion
The dissertation cover page is the hook of your thesis. The more appealing and presentable it is, the more readers will grab your paper to read. It showcases the main theme of the paper and provides details about the authors and their affiliations. Various writing styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago or Harvard can be considered for formatting the cover page of your thesis. Each style is unique in its specifications and equally important. However, you are supposed to keep an eye on the one as instructed by the university. If you don’t stick to the given guidelines, the quality of the paper will be overlooked here.
Furthermore, we have discussed the top ways to communicate your message effectively with a unique cover design. Select a design idea that is highly relevant to your research findings so that the reader remains focused. Be cautious about overusing these visuals on your cover page unless you are writing for a discipline like fine arts, etc. Understand your objectives, keep the above points in mind and then make an informed decision about your title page.
