A bookmark is usually printed to accompany a doctoral thesis – you may well have noticed this among fellow PhD candidates. This bookmark also serves as an invitation to the thesis defence. For this reason, the text printed on a bookmark has become standardised. Furthermore, such bookmarks are quite narrow and tall. The bookmark shown below is a very typical example:

 

Abbreviation

As you can see, the narrow format of the bookmark means that only a few words fit on a single line. It’s a good idea to bear this in mind when writing the text for your bookmark. Long sentences can be awkward to read when they contain a lot of line breaks. The designer may also work with you to rephrase your words slightly, to ensure the text remains easy to read.

Template

If you want to be sure about the text layout and line breaks on your bookmark, you can download a Word template here into which you can type your invitation text. This template has the same dimensions as the bookmark, so you can be sure your text will fit. You can then send this template to the designer with your own text included. This is by no means compulsory, and you can send your invitation text to your designer in any way you like.

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Bookmark template in Dutch

Bookmark template in English

Sample text

The examples below also allow you to copy the text from the example so that you can use it in your own file. The English version follows the Dutch one.

Invitation

for attending the
public defence
of the thesis

Beyond the Lab Coat
Unravelling the
The Fantastic Influence of Typography
in Scientific Discourse

Through
Aria Serifs

on Wednesday
7 November 2026 at 11.30 am
in the Academy Building
from Utrecht University,
29 Domplein, Utrecht

After that, you are
A warm welcome to
the on-site reception

Paranymphs
Quilliam Kernstein
Inklin Verdana

a.serifs@uu.nl
Schreefstraat 1
73331PT Utrecht
+31 6 12 34 56 78

Invitation

to attend the public defence
of the thesis

Beyond the Lab Coat
Unravelling the
The Fantastic Influence of Typography
in Scientific Discourse

by
Aria Serifs

on Wednesday,
7 November 2026 at 11.30
in the Academy Building
of Utrecht University,
29 Domplein, Utrecht

Afterwards, you are invited
to attend the reception at the venue

Paranymphs
Quilliam Kernstein
Inklin Verdana

a.serifs@uu.nl
Schreefstraat 1
73331PT Utrecht
+31 6 12 34 56 78