Do You Underline a College Thesis Title?

Writing a thesis is an exciting and important step toward completing a bachelor's or, more often, a master's degree. Not only does a thesis allow you to demonstrate the knowledge you have already attained, but it also provides the opportunity to explore your creativity and add to your classroom learning. Many students have questions about formatting their thesis, but much information is available online to guide you through the process.

In short, a college thesis title should not be underlined. While the two major style guides used for college papers have slightly different formatting standards, both of these guides agree that a thesis title should not be underlined, italicized or bolded. In American Psychological Association, or APA, style, you should center the title on a title page, use 12-point Times New Roman font and capitalize the important words but not the minor ones, such as prepositions. Modern Language Association, or MLA, style follows the same format, except this style guide does not require a title page like APA.