Behind the scenes of your thesis or dissertation: Meet the Graduate College format advisors

October 5, 2026

There comes a point in every graduate student’s journey when the research is complete, the analysis is finished and the defense is in sight.

Then reality sets in: The margins have to be exact. The abstract has specific requirements. Style must be adhered to precisely and correctly.

Formatting can feel like the final obstacle between you and graduation. The Graduate College is here to offer support to make sure you can finish strong.

More than margins

At first glance, formatting might seem solely technical. But in reality, it’s the final polish on years of scholarship. The document you submit for format approval must be complete, defense-ready and will be published with the ASU KEEP Library and ProQuest, a database and search tool that can inform future research. That means:

Selecting the right style guide in consultation with your chair
Writing an abstract that meets guidelines
Ensuring consistency, grammar, punctuation and structure throughout

Who needs to know the format team?

Short answer: Every master’s and doctoral student completing a thesis or dissertation.

Longer answer: you, especially if:

You’re unsure how to interpret a guideline
You’re wondering whether your abstract meets requirements
You’ve used the ASU Format Wizard, but still have questions
You have a “unique situation” (spoiler: you’re not alone)
You’re defending this semester and want peace of mind

What kind of resources are there?

Get formatting help maroon button — To use Dr. Format go to Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation webpage, and click on the maroon “Get formatting help” button at the bottom right of your window.

The ASU Format Wizard is required for all students whose documents go through Graduate College format review. It builds a Word or LaTeX template with margins, spacing and pagination already in place (a major head start).

There’s also a manual, checklists for students and chairs/co-chairs, and even an AI chat bot called Dr. Format to aid you on the journey.

Before you get started, you can self-enroll in How to Prepare for Format Review and Your Defense online training on Canvas. It’s a self-paced course that visually walks you through the steps. Plus, you can refer back to it as many times as you need.

But when questions arise (and they will), real humans are ready to help.

Your format advising team

Kelsey Maes, (pictured right) Format and Curriculum Advisor, earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in oboe from ASU in 2024. Since then, she teaches as adjunct music faculty at Glendale Community College, serves the International Double Reed Society (IDRS) in various roles, presents or performs frequently at IDRS conferences, has published journal articles and has delved into composing and engraving (formatting) her own music. Kelsey approached her doctoral research paper with the rigor of a PhD dissertation, conducting an IRB-approved study and statistical analysis. Having also completed the Graduate College format review process as a student, she brings firsthand understanding of formatting your culminating experience document, defending your document in front of a faculty committee and meeting graduation deadlines right here at ASU.

Brennie Shoup, (pictured center right) Format and Curriculum Advisor, has a Master’s of Fine Arts in creative writing. Before her advisor role, she taught English and creative writing at ASU. She’s also worked previously copyediting literary magazines. In her free time, she enjoys art and playing with her cats.

Netty Magura, (pictured center left) holds a PhD in Governance and Regional Integration and is currently pursuing her Master of Global Management at the Thunderbird School of Global Management. She also has a background in Linguistics. Before joining ASU, Netty worked as a Development Editor, specializing in content and structural editing for primary and secondary education textbooks ensuring alignment with curriculum standards.

Netty understands the complexity of preparing large academic documents with many moving parts, from organizing research to meeting strict formatting and compliance requirements. Her experience supporting authors and students through detailed editorial processes informs her work with ASU learners as she guides them in producing polished, well‑structured and publication‑ready academic materials.

Quynh (Katie) My Nguyen, (pictured left) is a sophomore at ASU double majoring in Mathematics (Statistics) and International Relations. She brings a detail-oriented and organized approach to her role as a Format and Curriculum Assistant. Her experience with administrative records tracking has taught her the importance of accuracy, consistency, and confidentiality when working with sensitive information. Katie enjoys helping students make their work the best it can be, paying close attention to both the technical requirements and the overall presentation. She works to ensure that each thesis or dissertation meets Graduate College standards while remaining clear, polished and visually appealing.

Why is this such a big deal?

Your final document joins decades of scholarship produced by Sun Devils across disciplines. It reflects your work, your program, your committee and the broader academic community across the world.

In short, formatting is about preparing your research for long-term preservation, global visibility and scholarly impact. Once approved, your thesis or dissertation moves from a student document to a permanent contribution to the scholarly record.

Ways to get support

Attend format advising office hours: Tuesdays, 12 to 4 p.m. The Student Engagement Space offers desk bays, external monitors and even snacks and coffee on Wednesdays. You can drop in with questions or simply work in a focused environment with a format advisor nearby.

If you cannot attend drop-in hours, you can book an advising appointment via Zoom through E2E Appointment Advising. As semester deadlines approach, appointments may prioritize students defending and completing their documents during the current term, so it is wise to plan ahead.

Finishing a thesis or dissertation is a milestone worth celebrating. The formatting process is simply the final step in preparing your scholarship for the world.

Reach out, stop by or schedule an appointment.