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Style Guide for Research Papers: Style & Format

This is the style guide for assignments in courses offered by the departments of Bible & Theology, Practical Theology, and Intercultural Studies

Style & Format

Components of the Paper

            The typical research paper includes a title page, table of contents, body of the paper, and a bibliography. A table of contents is not the same as an outline. For an example, see the table of contents used in this style guide.

Font Style and Size

The required font for papers is Times New Roman, size 12-point font. Footnotes are the same font style but use 10-point font. For biblical languages, use a True Type font. The Society of Biblical Literature provides such a font for Greek and Hebrew (www.sbl-site.org).

Margins, Spacing, and Indentations

            All margins on top, bottom, and right will be one inch. Do not justify the right margin. Double-space all text except items such as block quotations, footnotes, table of contents, and the bibliography. Some types of software (e.g., MS Word) put an extra space between paragraphs as a default setting. Turn off this setting, as there should be no extra space between paragraphs. Indent the first line of all paragraphs ½ inch, except for block quotes, which have all lines in the paragraph indented by ½ inch (see Block Quotations subheading, below). 

Page Numbering

Traditionally, papers, theses, and dissertations have different page formatting depending upon the part of the paper. Today many departments and universities eliminated these distinctions and require consistent placement of page numbers throughout a thesis or dissertation.

Number all the pages of the paper in the upper right corner of the page in the header at least ½ inch from the edge of the paper. Use Arabic numerals in sequential order (2, 3, 4, 5, etc…). The Title Page counts as page one, but do not put a page number on it.

Subheadings

            Subheadings are an effective tool to help the reader follow the paper. Use headline-style capitalization for all headings. Subheadings should have three spaces before the header and two following. Do not have a header at the bottom of the page without text following the header
(i.e., a dangling header). Any subdivision must have at least two parts (for example, if there is a subheading A, there must be a subheading B; if a 1, at least a 2). Turabian does not require one style, but the department requires the following format:

Level 1 Is Centered and Bold

Level 2 Is Centered and Regular

Level 3 Is Italicized and Bold at the left margin

Block Quotations

            Block quotations are required for quotations of five lines or more. Use single-spacing within a block quotation and leave a blank line before and after it. Indent the entire quotation ½ inch and do not use quotation marks to begin or end the quote. For example:

Paul Achtemeier identifies four major interpretive options for “love covers a multitude of sins” in 1 Peter 4:7b:   

What is not clear is whose sins are covered. There are four possibilities: (1) the sins of the one who loves the other are covered by that love; (2) the sins of the one loved are covered by the one who loves; (3) the sins of both the one loving and the loved are covered; (4) the sins of the one loved, which causes that person to repent, are thereby covered. While some have argued for (3) and some for (4), the first two possibilities have claimed the widest support. 1

1 Paul J. Achtemeier, 1 Peter: A Commentary on First Peter. Hermeneia (Minneapolis: Fortress Press), 295.