American University of Beirut Thesis Formatting Guide

Introduction

American University of Beirut (AUB), the Middle East’s leading research institution and a pioneer in higher education, maintains comprehensive thesis formatting standards across all graduate programs. These guidelines ensure consistency and professional presentation of research. This guide provides detailed formatting instructions for Master’s theses and doctoral dissertations at AUB.

Page Setup and Margin Requirements

Paper and Page Configuration

AUB requires A4 paper (210mm × 297mm) with these margin specifications:

• Top margin: 25mm
• Bottom margin: 25mm
• Left margin: 25mm
• Right margin: 25mm

The uniform margins provide balanced page appearance suitable for both digital and printed formats.

Line Spacing

Use 1.5 line spacing throughout your thesis, including body text, block quotations, and footnotes. This spacing improves readability while maintaining professional appearance.

Font and Typography Standards

Font Selection for English Content

• Body text: 12-point Times New Roman or Arial
• Headings: 12-point or larger, consistent with body text
• Footnotes: 10-point, same font as body text
• Captions: 10-point, can be single-spaced

Font Selection for Arabic Content

• Body text: 12-point Arabic fonts (Traditional Arabic, Arial Arabic, or Simplified Arabic)
• Headings: 12-point or larger, Arabic Bold
• Footnotes: 10-point, same font as body text

Maintain consistent fonts within each language section throughout your document.

Text Formatting

Use bold for chapter titles and major section headings. Italics are appropriate for book titles, journal names, and emphasis. Underlining should be avoided in favor of bold or italic formatting.

Preliminary Pages Structure

Title Page Format

Your thesis title page must include:

1. AUB logo and name: American University of Beirut
2. Faculty name (English and Arabic)
3. Department name (English and Arabic)
4. Degree type: Master’s Thesis or PhD Dissertation
5. Complete thesis title (English and Arabic)
6. Your full name
7. Supervisor name(s)
8. Month and year of submission

The title page should be clean and centered. Do not include a page number on the title page.

Declaration of Authenticity

Include a signed declaration confirming:

• The work is your own original research
• It has not been submitted to any other institution
• All sources have been properly cited
• Understanding of academic integrity policies

The declaration must be signed and dated by you.

Abstract in English

Provide an abstract of 150-300 words in English summarizing:

• Research objectives and significance
• Methodology employed
• Key findings and results
• Conclusions and implications

Abstract in Arabic

Provide an equivalent abstract in Arabic (الملخص) containing the same information.

Keywords

Include 4-6 keywords in both English (Keywords) and Arabic (الكلمات المفتاحية), arranged alphabetically.

Thesis Structure and Organization

Required Components

A complete AUB thesis includes:

1. Title page
2. Declaration of authenticity
3. Abstract in English (Abstract)
4. Abstract in Arabic (الملخص)
5. Keywords in both languages
6. Acknowledgments (optional)
7. Table of contents
8. List of figures (if applicable)
9. List of tables (if applicable)
10. Introduction
11. Chapter 1-N (Main research chapters)
12. Conclusion/Summary
13. References/Bibliography
14. Appendices (if applicable)

Chapter Organization

Each chapter should contain:

• Clear chapter number and title
• Logical section organization
• Consistent formatting throughout

Use this heading hierarchy:

• Chapter title: 14pt, bold
• Section heading: 13pt, bold
• Subsection heading: 12pt, bold
• Paragraph heading: 12pt, italic

Citation and References

Citation Methods

AUB primarily recommends Harvard and Chicago styles:

Harvard Style: Author, A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

Hourani, A. (2004). A History of the Arab Peoples. Faber and Faber.

Chicago Style: Author, A. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.

Hourani, A. A History of the Arab Peoples. Faber and Faber, 2004.

Reference List Format

Arrange all references alphabetically by author surname. Include complete publication information for every source. For electronic sources, include URLs and access dates where applicable.

All references should be formatted consistently using your chosen citation style throughout the document.

Tables and Figures

Table and Figure Captions

Tables have captions above (Table 1: Description). Figures have captions below (Figure 1: Description). Number tables and figures either continuously or by chapter (Table 1.1, Table 1.2).

Quality Standards

All figures must be high-resolution (minimum 300dpi). Tables should use professional formatting with clear borders and consistent spacing. Ensure color figures remain understandable when printed in black and white.

Illustration Lists

Provide comprehensive lists of figures and tables if your thesis contains more than five of each.

Page Numbering and Headers

Numbering Conventions

Front matter pages are not typically numbered. Main body content uses Arabic numerals starting from 1 at the introduction. Page numbers appear in the bottom right corner of every page.

Running Headers

Include chapter number and title in the header or footer. Maintain consistent header/footer formatting throughout the document.

Submission Requirements

Printed Submission

Submit the required number of bound copies (typically 2-3) in professional binding:

• Professional binding (spiral, hardback, or per department guidelines)
• Clear spine with surname, short thesis title, and year
• Protective cover (color or clear plastic per department requirements)

Digital Submission

Submit one or more PDF copies through AUB’s system:

• Format: Searchable PDF (not scanned images)
• File naming: Surname_FirstName_Year.pdf
• File size: Under 50MB
• All pages with correct numbering
• Bookmarks for main chapters
• Functional cross-reference hyperlinks

Using GenText for AUB Thesis Formatting

GenText is a valuable tool for managing AUB’s comprehensive thesis formatting requirements, particularly for bilingual theses. This software ensures your document meets all institutional specifications while maintaining visual consistency throughout.

GenText provides:

• Automated style sheet application for uniform formatting
• Consistent font and size management for English and Arabic text
• Proper handling of bidirectional text (English-Arabic)
• Hierarchical heading structure maintenance
• Automatic generation of tables of contents and illustration lists
• Page numbering system with proper front matter handling
• Citation formatting in Harvard or Chicago styles
• Professional table and figure caption generation
• Cross-reference linking for document navigation
• Bilingual abstract and keyword formatting

By implementing GenText from the beginning of your thesis writing, you’ll manage the complex formatting of bilingual documents and ensure full compliance with AUB requirements.

Common Formatting Mistakes

1. Inconsistent line spacing: Verify 1.5 spacing throughout including quotations
2. Font size variations: Ensure body text is 12pt and maintain heading hierarchy
3. Margin inconsistencies: Double-check all margins are set to 25mm
4. Citation inconsistencies: Verify all references match bibliography entries exactly
5. Bilingual text issues: Ensure proper mixing of English and Arabic content

Pre-Submission Verification

Before finalizing submission:

• ✓ All margins are correctly set to 25mm on all sides
• ✓ English text uses Times New Roman at 12pt, Arabic uses appropriate font at 12pt
• ✓ Line spacing is 1.5 throughout entire document
• ✓ Page numbers appear in bottom right corner
• ✓ All chapters begin on new pages
• ✓ English and Arabic abstracts are included
• ✓ Keywords provided in both languages
• ✓ Table of contents and illustration lists are accurate
• ✓ All tables and figures have descriptive captions
• ✓ References list is complete and properly formatted
• ✓ Declaration of authenticity is signed and dated
• ✓ Required number of printed copies properly bound
• ✓ Digital copy is searchable and properly named

Conclusion

Following American University of Beirut’s thesis formatting guidelines demonstrates your commitment to academic professionalism and institutional standards. By carefully implementing these requirements and utilizing formatting tools like GenText, your thesis will present your research in the professional manner expected at the Middle East’s premier research institution.