Rédaction de mémoires et de thèses - Drafting template (english)

All margins are set at 25mm except the left hand margins which are set at 35mm to allow for binding. The abstract should be written single-spaced. The font should be 10 to 12 points in size for the whole text, except for citations and footnotes where the minimum allowed is 8 points. Only one-sided layout is authorized and the size of the pages must be uniform (21.5 cm x 28 cm).

The text on the pages preceding the introduction and following the conclusion should be single-spaced.

The text of the pages from the introduction to the conclusion (inclusive) must be double-spaced.

The first line of each paragraph begins with a tabulation.

The title page, the summary, the table of contents, the list of tables, the list of figures, the list of acronyms, the list of abbreviations, the dedication, the acknowledgments and the foreword are paginated in Roman numerals, in small caps. The page number must be placed, without dots or dashes, at the bottom right, 10 mm from the edge of the page.

On pages with any title (title page, foreword, table of contents, chapter, conclusion, etc.), the page number should not be visible, but counted in the pagination.

It must contain:

• the UQAC logo
• the title of the thesis, dissertation or essay and the subtitle if applicable
• by [student's name]
• the following mention: Thesis (or Dissertation or Essay) presented to the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi with a view to obtaining the degree of [name of the degree (acronym of the degree)] in [name of the program] (-if applicable, profile or concentration [name of concentration or profile])
• Quebec, Canada
• © [First name Last name], [year]

See the template for your department. Presentation may vary.

A summary (presentation of the main ideas and conclusions of the thesis) should be placed at the beginning. Exceptionally, the Décanat des études may authorize the student to write his dissertation or thesis in a language other than French. In this case, the student must write a summary in French. The French abstract will be titled "Résumé". The abstract must be a faithful and grammatically correct French translation of the English abstract, in the same format as the abstract.

Finally, for archival purposes, it is preferable that the summary does not exceed 5,000 characters, including spaces.

The requirements for writing and presenting a dissertation or thesis for study programs offered at UQAC, but which are the responsibility of another university (extension, association or network program) may differ. To find out about these requirements, the student must contact the secretariat of his program.

See the example in the template. If necessary, use the tutorials from Microsoft to help you.

To build the list of tables, in the References tab, put the cursor where the table should be in the document. Click on "insert a caption". Change the name of the label as needed (figure, table, equation). To update the list of tables, click on the figure, table or equation table and select "update table". Choose whether you want to "update page numbers only" or "update table". You can create a table of tables, a table of figures, as well as a table of equations.

To build the list of figures, in the References tab, put the cursor where the figure should be in the document. Click on "insert a caption". Change the name of the label as needed (figure, table, equation). To update the list of figures, click on the figure, table or equation table and select "update table". Choose whether you want to "update page numbers only" or "update table". You can create a table of tables, a table of figures, as well as a table of equations.

See the example in the template. If necessary, use the tutorials from Microsoft to help you.

The acronyms, abbreviations and symbols used are those recognized in your discipline or field of study; for common abbreviations, conform to the uses of the English language without however overusing it. The word is cut before a vowel and the last letters thus removed are replaced by a period. When deemed necessary, each type of information (acronyms, abbreviations, symbols, etc.) is found on a separate list with their respective definition or meaning.

If necessary, the author can pay tribute to one or more people.

Acknowledgments, if applicable, are used to express the author's gratitude to individuals or organizations.

If applicable, the foreword allows the author to state the reasons which led to the choice of a topic. The foreword outlines the purpose as well as the scope and limitations of the research. The latter should not be confused with the introduction.

The introduction presents the main idea of ​​the research, the problematic, the objectives and the methodology used. Without going into details, the author mentions the main previous work as well as the original aspects of his research.

Each chapter is identified in capital letters and not underlined. The title of the chapter is centered and is placed under the numbering of the chapter, in capital letters, not underlined, without end point. If the title has more than one line, it is written single spaced. The various subheadings should be easily identified by a uniform presentation throughout the document.

A sentence should never begin with a number or a symbol. When a number includes one (or more) decimal (s), the whole part is separated from the decimal part by a comma (eg: 0.51, 2.64); all numbers with several digits are expressed by three (3) digits identified by a space (a keystroke) (v.g. 2,547,329) or according to recognized standards. The international system of units (IS) is mandatory. However, the physical quantity may be expressed in parentheses in French equivalent units or any other system of units generally accepted in the discipline or field of study.

Notes or references are written single-spaced and clearly separated from the main text; they are presented uniformly throughout the document (for example, they can be placed at the bottom of the page). In the case of writing by articles, they are grouped together at the end of each chapter.

Tables and figures (graphs, diagrams, drawings, photos, etc.) are framed and centered in the text, respecting the margins. They include a title (short and precise) and, if necessary, a caption. The presentation and position of the number and title are consistent throughout the document. Normally, for a table, the title is above (Table 1) while for a figure, the title is below the image (Figure 1). The numbering is consecutive.

If a table or figure from another document is to be inserted in the dissertation or thesis, the source must be mentioned immediately at the bottom (figure 1). In addition, the full reference of this source should be added to the list of references at the end of the document. It is important to have obtained permission from the author of the figure beforehand.

See the guide on using images, graphs and tables for more details, available alternatives and claim forms.

Citations of less than three lines are inserted in the text between quotation marks indicating the reference (author's name, year, p. Page) immediately after, with the number of the page from which the citation originated in accordance with the example that follows.

As a professional, you have to respect a certain code of conduct. "Ethics is the branch of philosophy that looks at moral principles in relation to what is considered desirable and the fundamental principles of good conduct, both in individuals and in groups" (Langlois, 2001, p. 47).

For longer quotes, these are detached from the text, in quotation marks, single spaced, and indented at least 10mm to the right and left. It is therefore necessary to proceed as follows:

Analyzing means breaking down a phenomenon so as to distinguish its constituent elements. This division of a global phenomenon into smaller parts is done in order to recognize or explain the relationships between these elements in order to better understand the phenomenon as a whole. The analysis prepares the synthesis which, in turn, corresponds to the operation to link the elements identified to form a new coherent whole. (Mongeau, 2008, p. 104)

It is possible to cut a quote that is too long by using the square brackets with the three dots […]. These cuts must not, however, modify the meaning of the sentence. A citation should be reported in its original language, but it is sometimes necessary, depending on the language used, to provide an explanation of the citation either immediately afterwards or in a footnote or end of chapter. Quotes written in a language other than English are underlined or written in italics.

If you are using an important excerpt from a work, you will need to obtain the author's permission. See the Copyright Service guide for more details and application forms.

The conclusion helps to highlight the scope of the study. It is in this section that it describes the limits of the research and, where appropriate, new avenues for future research. The conclusion should not present new ideas, new results or new interpretations. It must be written in such a way as to bring out the coherence of the process.

The choice of bibliographic style must be made according to the standards in force in the programs or in the discipline. In order to know which standard to use, please contact your program director, your discipline librarian or the list of styles in effect in your department.

Each appendix is ​​individually identified on one page, in capital letters and not underlined by means of Arabic numerals (eg: APPENDIX 1, APPENDIX 2, etc.). The pagination of the appendices must be in continuity with the previous pages. The page number is placed, without a dot or dash, at the bottom right, 10 mm from the page edge. It is recalled here that on all the pages bearing any title (the title page, the foreword, the table of contents, a chapter, the conclusion, etc.), the number of the page must not be visible, but counted in the pagination.

It is important to ensure that the text adequately refers to the appropriate annexes.

PLEASE NOTE: Your discipline may require that the appendices be placed before the bibliography.

If desired, the author may present, in alphabetical order, a list of names or subjects that he considers important for reference purposes, indicating the page (s) where they appear in the main text.

To build the index, in the References tab, select the text in the document and click on "enter" then "mark". When the index is inserted at the end of the document, you can update it by clicking "update index".

These sections end with a blank page.