Mobile Library

Standards for honors papers

Once accepted for honors by your department, honors papers are transferred to the University Archives for permanent storage. Through library networks, your work is made known and available to scholars throughout the academic world as well as to people here at Duke. The paper is a enduring record of your accomplishment. The University Archives developed these standards in cooperation with the Dean of Arts and Sciences. Papers that do not meet the standards will not be preserved in the Archives. Papers may be submited either in hard copy or electronically as a PDF.

The title page should include at a minimum the following information: title, author, type of paper (e.g., A thesis submitted to the Department of Economics for honors), Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, and the year.
It is customary to acknowledge those who have assisted and guided you in your work. An "acknowledgements" page at least should include your advisor's name.
If submitted electronically
- The work will be stored on a server and made accesible through DukeSpace, the Library's digital repository.
- The authors grant DukeSpace a non-exclusive license agreement.
- Students can submit papers themselves (following the submission guide) if the department allows and arranges for it with the University Archives (preferred); or in a single batch collected by the department.
- If students submit the work via DukeSpace they may also include supplemental files such (e.g. datasets, images, and audio).
If submitted in hard copy
- Use only acid-free thesis paper, or paper of at least 25% rag bond. The Bryan Center carries quality paper stock. The paper in the ePrint stations is not acceptable. Do not use photocopy stock, coated or other treated paper; we will not accept the work.
- Use a quality printer that produces dark and legible characters in an appropriate font. Submit the original print to us, not a photocopy.
- Leave a left margin of at least one and one-quarter inches (1¼") on all pages, including charts, inserts, and appendices. This space is needed for binding. Don't assume that your word processor's print settings are accurate; print out a test page and check it. Line-and-a-half spacing is easy to read than single-space. Double-sided printing is OK.
- Do not have your paper bound. Just bring the sheets to us, preferably protected in a box or an envelope. You can use the box the paper came in. Do not punch holes in the paper or otherwise weaken it in any way.
- Foldout charts, photographs and the like present special problems for the binders. It's hard to be specific about these; come talk to us.
- Naturally, there should be as few cross-outs or corrections as possible.
- It will be bound and cataloged by the Library at no charge to you or the department.