NYENRODE GUIDELINES
Revised edition: September 2011
1.8 Outward Appearance
Research reports can contribute to the "corporate identity" of Nyenrode Business Universiteit.
Therefore it is necessary to try and find identity through quality, both in content and in layout.
Identity is based on uniformity and in this section you will find some guidelines for the outward appearance of the report.
1.8.1 Layout
There are a few guidelines for the layout of the thesis. In general you have to keep in mind that you might have to use the company logo when writing for the company. The layout and the style of writing both have to be clear. The Nyenrode guidelines are as follows:
- English-language theses should be written in American English - The paper size should be A4; copied double-sided
- The letter type should be Garamond, size 12
- Margins: the left-hand margin should be approximately 4 cm; the other sides approximately 2 cm
- Set the line interval to 1,0 or 1,5
- Page numbering should be continuously in Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, …), preferably in the middle of each page. The first page is always the title page and you should start counting from there on, but only in your thoughts. Then count on with preface and content. Only start putting the page number on paper on the first page of the introduction, where your report actually starts
- Print your report on a laser printer
- Have your report bound at the Repro Department of Nyenrode or at the company.
1.8.2 Typography
You can clarify the structure of your report by showing typographically where different parts like chapters and sections start and end, and which parts should be given more attention. Below are some guidelines for typography:
a. Chapters and sections: use of titles - Start every chapter on a new page
- Make sure that titles and subtitles are recognisable:
. leave two white lines above a title and one after it
. use the same typography for (sub)titles at the same level: italics, bold, small, etc.
- Do not put a full stop behind titles or subtitles
- Do not put a full stop behind the last figure of a decimal classification
- Make sure that a title never stands alone at the bottom of the page; at least three lines of text should be typed there
- Start every section at the beginning of the line.
Nyenrode Guidelines - 10 b. "Flat" text
- Mark important words in the text with bold or italic
- Emphasize enumeration with symbols and use different symbols for different levels within one enumeration.
- Put a space after punctuation in a text: comma, semicolon, colon, or full stop etc.
- Do not start the first word after a colon with a capital letter but with a small one, unless it is the first word of another sentence.
1.8.3 Figures and tables
You can illustrate the text with figures and tables. Make sure that you always explain them briefly in the text before you show them. The following guidelines should be kept in mind when using tables and figures:
a. Figures
Quite often the new software packages allow you to give as much information as possible in figures instead of in text. Do not do this automatically: always ask yourself whether the information is relevant enough to put in figures and what the excess value is of a figure
compared to text. Plain and simple information can best be put in text instead of in diagrams or pies: "25% of the respondents have a microwave oven, whereas 75% do not own one".
b. Tables
Tables are very useful with complex information. Statistical computer programs can do this job easily, but you are responsible for the logical and consistent structure of the tables. Make sure that they are unequivocal and easy to read. Here are some guidelines:
- Number tables throughout the text simply by using the figures 1 through 99. Only use 1a, 1b etc. when you are splitting up one table
- Give every table a title which is relevant for the result you show
- Be consistent in the structure of the tables, so that the same type of information can be found on the same spot every time (do not use horizontal and vertical rows through each other for the same information)
- Explain abbreviations.
1.8.4 In-text citations
The scientific status of a report is linked to a correct way of referring to the information you have used. You always have to show where you got your information from, even when you put somebody else's text in your own words (i.e. you paraphrase or restate what someone else has said or written).
Therefore you should always place an in-text citation immediately after the borrowed information. An in-text citation is placed between brackets, usually at the end of a sentence before the final period. The purpose of an in-text citation is to refer the reader to the
full-reference in the bibliography at the end of your thesis. A citation includes the author’s last name, the date and sometimes the page number. Example: (Kotler, 2004, pp. 41-42)
General rules:
- If you mention the name of an author in the text, do not repeat it in the citation.
- Give a page number for direct quotations only.
Nyenrode Guidelines - 11 Examples:
- one author:
Later research produced similar results (Swanborn, 2002).
- two authors:
Other researchers reported different results (Kotler & Robben, 2007).
- three to five authors:
Give all their names in the first citation :
(Wilson, Lee, Johnson, Thompson & Armstrong, 2005)
In subsequent citations, include only the first author followed by et al.
(Wilson et al., 1999) - six or more authors:
(Bruin et al., 2001)
- if you use more publications written by the same author, published in the same year, differentiate them with the letters a and b:
(Slywotzki, 2008a) (Slywotzki, 2008b) - no author
Use a short title in place of an author’s name:
(“How digital”, 2001)
Italicize titles of books, magazines, newspapers, and scholarly journals. Put quotation marks around other titles such as titles of articles or chapters.
- electronic source
Use paragraph numbers in place of page numbers:
(Veldhuizen & Breevoort, 2009, para. 2)
If you refer to publications in the text, make sure that you list them in your bibliography!
1.8.5 Footnotes
In order to clarify your text, you can use (foot)notes. These are usually an explanation or a justification of certain parts of your text. Keep them short and make sure that the text is also understandable without the notes.
If you only use a few footnotes, you can place them at the bottom of the page. If you use a lot of notes in the text, you can number them per chapter and list them, with the corresponding
number, after the complete text, before the appendices and the bibliography.
1.8.6 Quotations
Sometimes you can use a quotation to make your text clearer or to illuminate your story. The following guidelines apply for quotations:
- Quote literally and without mistakes. If you omit a part of the citation, you use an ellipsis (...) in that space.
- Show clearly where you start and end the quotation:
Less than 40 words: put the text between double quotation marks.
More than 40 words: indent each line 5 spaces; do not use quotation marks.
- Make sure that the sentence in which you use the quotation still flows well.
Nyenrode Guidelines - 12 2. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
In every book, report or journal article you find bibliographies listing the literature used.
Nyenrode Business Universiteit wants to standardize the way bibliographic references are made in the theses. The next chapter gives the guidelines1 which are used.
The references in a bibliography are listed alphabetically by the last name of the author, or - if there is no author - by the first word of the title (disregarding articles). After the first line of each reference, indent the next lines 5 spaces. Separate the major parts of each entry (author, date, title, publication information) with a period and one space.
In the next paragraphs you will find examples of references for several types of publications.
In general, a reference contains the following information:
Authors
For all authors use reverse order for alphabetizing. Use initials in place of first and middle names. (Kotler, P., Lane, K. & Brady, M.)
Publication date
Give the publication date in parentheses immediately after the authors.
Books and journals: (2009).
Magazines and news papers: (2009, June 6)
If the year is unknown, write “n.d.” (no date) for English titles or “s.a.” (sine anno) for Dutch titles.
Title
A colon divides the title and subtitle (:).
Italicize titles and subtitles of books and periodicals.
Books and articles: capitalize the first word in a title and subtitle.
Periodicals: capitalize all important words in the title.
Edition
Give the edition number and the abbreviation “ed.” in parentheses after the title (6th ed.) Place of publication
For books, give the place of publication. If there are several places of publication, always take the first one mentioned.
For Dutch titles: if you cannot find the place of publication, write "s.l." (sine loco).2 Always mention the place of publication, not the place of printing!
Publisher’s name
For books, give the publisher’s name. For Dutch titles, if the publisher is not mentioned, you write "s.n." (sine nomine=without name). See Footnote 2.
Most of the above mentioned information is given on the title page of the publication, and on the reverse side of it. On this "copyright page" you usually find the real place of publication, the publisher, the year and the edition.
1 Based on the guidelines recommended by the American Psychological Asociation. (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, fifth edition
2 For English titles we suggest the following solution. In your bibliography, if either the place of publication or the name of the publisher are unknown, provide an explanation or a list of explanations next to the title in question, e.g.:
Miller, D.C., et al. Handbook Of Research Design And Social Measurement. 5th ed. Newbury Park: 1991. Name of publisher unknown.
Kimmel, A.J. Ethics And Values In Applied Social Research. Place of publication and name of publisher unknown.
Nyenrode Guidelines - 13 2.1 Books and reports