Preparing for thesis examination

Formatting your thesis

Your thesis or project is a significant document and its final presentation should be of a very high standard.

Your supervisor can advise on the best way to present the content of your work in relation to your field of study.

Part VI Division 6 of the Edith Cowan University Rules (Admission, Enrolment and Academic Progress) has more information on thesis presentation requirements.

Typography

• Choose a clear, legible typeface that you and your supervisor find acceptable;
• Laser printing is recommended for the completed thesis; and
• The use of italics or underlining is interchangeable, provided that the option chosen is used consistently throughout the thesis.

Margins and spacing

• Margins must be at least 4 cm on the left-hand side (to allow for binding) and at least 2 cm on the right hand side;
• Top and bottom margins are left to your discretion. It is suggested that you allow 2 cm for the top margin and 2cms for the bottom margin; and
• The thesis should normally be printed with 1 1/2 spacing on one side of the paper only.

Page numbering

You must adopt either of two commonly used systems for page numbering:

• Starting from the title page, number all pages (including references and appendices) consecutively in Roman numerals.; or
• Starting from the title page, number all introductory pages consecutively in lower case Roman Numerals for all pages of the main body of the text including references and appendices;
• • The title page does not have the page number printed upon it in either system; and
  • Page numbers should be consistently displayed in the top or bottom margin, flush with the right hand margin or in the centre.

Format

Please refer to your School Honours Coordinator for your respective school or course requirement.

Copyright and access declaration

Your thesis must include the following copyright and access declaration.

Copyright and access declaration

I certify that this thesis does not, to the best of my knowledge and belief:

(i) incorporate without acknowledgment any material previously submitted for a degree or diploma in any institution of higher education;

(ii) contain any material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text; or

(iii) contain any defamatory material

Signed...........................................................................................

Dated................................................................................................

Confidential information

Some students may be granted access to confidential information by a government agency, a company or person while researching their thesis or project. In this case, you must incorporate a statement, signed by you, setting out the terms and/or conditions on which access was granted and any stipulations regarding subsequent disclosure of the information provided.

Copyright and access

University policy upholds your literary rights with respect to the content of the thesis or project, notwithstanding the University retaining ownership of all copies of an honours thesis, which have been submitted.

It is necessary to include the following statement on a separate page, which precedes the title page of all copies of your Honours thesis, which you submit in fulfilment of University requirements.

As prescribed in Part VI of the Edith Cowan University Rules (Admission, Enrolment and Academic Progress) a student or the appropriate committee may prohibit access to all or part of a thesis.

Referencing

You should consult with your supervisor regarding the choice of the most appropriate referencing style for your discipline. The same referencing style should be used consistently throughout your thesis. You are strongly encouraged to use bibliographical software such as EndNote to manage your referencing.

For further information on referencing please consult your supervisor or library staff.