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IPS Guidelines for Thesis Writing

A. S. M. A. Haseeb Dept. of Mechanical Engineering University of Malaya

Office: Room 13, Level 5, Engineering Tower Bldg. Tel: 7967 4492, E-mail: haseeb@um.edu.my

References: Institute of Postgraduate Studies, GUIDE TO THE PREPARATION OF RESEARCH REPORTS, DISSERTATIONS AND THESES

Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS), University of Malaya general guidelines for the submission of research reports, dissertations and theses minimal format requirements each individual Facultymay have its own additional format requirements

Order of contents
Preface Text Supplement

i. ii. iii. iv. v. vi. vii.

Title Page Abstract Acknowledgements Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Symbols and Abbreviations 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Introduction Literature Review Methodology Results and Data Analysis Discussion Conclusion and implications Suggestions

- Reserch instruments such as questionnaires, maps or computer programmes - Appendices: additional illustration of data sources, raw data etc. support written text - References

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Preface
Title Page

NATURAL PRODUCTS FROM MALAY TRADITIONAL MEDICINES

AISHAH MOHD SHAH

THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA KUALA LUMPUR

NOVEMBER 2008

Preface contd...
Abstract - structure of whole text and major facts it contains - 500 words for a thesis - placed immediately after title page Acknowledgements - not compulsory - most theses convey appreciation to those involved Table of Contents - lists chapters, topics and sub-topics together with page numbers - Sub-topics and topics labeled according to chapter e.g., Chapter 1 First topic in Chapter I 1.1 First sub-topic 1.1.1 1.1.1(a)

Preface contd... List of Figures - Titles of figures (listed in text / appendix), with page numbers - Numbering system is the same as that used for topics List of Tables - Titles of tables (listed in text / appendix), with page numbers - Numbering system is the same as that used for topics and figures List of Symbols and Abbreviations - List of all symbols and abbreviations used in the thesis

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Text
- Candidates and supervisors ensure that text follows agreed conventions of individual Faculty - Normally, the text consists of the following chapters: Introduction - introduction to issues with which the research is concerned - aims and objectives of the study - an outline of research approach Literature Review - surveys previous literature and studies relevant to the field and related topics - separate chapter if the relevant studies are too extensive as in a thesis

Text contd...
Methodology - Describes and explains research methodology used - Sub-topics key research questions, research design, research procedures - Sampling methods, research instruments, and statistical methods Results and Data Analysis Results and data analysis in the form of text, figures, tables etc.

Discussion - Interpretation of results and analysis of data - Research findings compared and contrasted with those of previous studies presented in literature review - Very important

Text contd... Conclusion and implications - findings are summarised and their implications discussed - significant element in the thesis Suggestions -Optional written after summary and conclusion(s) Supplement - Reserch instruments e.g., questionnaires, maps or computer programmes - Appendices additional illustration of data sources, raw data Can be divided into Appendix A, B, C etc. Each appendix needs to be listed in Table of Contents All tables and figures in each appendix are numbered and listed in the List of Tables and List of Figures

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Text contd... References - All works or studies referred to in the thesis in the form of quotations or citations must be included - written in the specific format approved by particular Faculty - Each reference written in single spacing format and a double space left between references - List of references should not be numbered

Submission
notice of submission at least three months before actual date of submission special form (Appendix A) Five softbound copies + form of submission (Appendix B) Three hardbound copies of final manuscripts after corrections /amendments (if any) + final submission form

Format
Binding - One three final hard bound copies one must be original - Front cover Title, author, name of university and year of - Spine of manuscripts brief title, author, year of submission and type of degree - Colour of front cover for both softbound and hardbound copies dark red or maroon and made from Rexene - Letters for Front Cover printed in gold of Font Size 15 and in Upper Case letters

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Format contd... Length

- Maximum length (excluding footnotes, appendices, tables and prefaces) for a submission is: Research report for Masters by coursework: 20,000 words Masters dissertation by research: 60,000 words Thesis: 100,000 words - To exceed specified number of words must apply to Senate through Faculty at least three months before submission and provide reasons

Format contd... Paper and Duplicating - Manuscripts high quality A4 paper (201 x 297 mm; 80 gm/m2) - Offset printing or good quality photocopying - All copies must be clean and neat Printing - Sections Times New Roman, 12 pitch - High quality laser or ink-jet printer for printing - Body text double spacing - Tables, long quotations, short footnotes, notes and citation in references Single-spacing

Format contd... Margins Top Right Left Bottom : : : : 2.0 cm 2.0 cm 4.0 cm 2.0 cm

Additional guidelines: - Do not type more than one sentence after the bottom margin - All tables and figures within specified margins - Last paragraph of a page should contain at least two sentences If not, the paragraph should begin on the next page

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Format contd... Page Numbering - All page numbers 1.0 cm from bottom margin, at right hand side - 8 pitch for numbers - Roman numerals (i, ii, iii etc.) preface section - No number on Title Page Numbering begins on second page with (ii) - Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3) text and supplementary sections Sub-topics - No specific arrangement for numbering of sub-topics but it must be consistent

Format contd... Notes and Footnotes - Notes and footnotes commonly used in Social Sciences but rarely used in Science and Technology Tables - Tables within body of text at centre of the frame - Labeled according to chapter e.g., tables in Chapter 3: Table 3.1, Table 3.2 etc. - Table label placed above the table and has a format of the type: Table 3.1 Short Title - If the table occupies more than one page Table 3.7, continued - If the table contains a citation source of reference placed below the table

Format contd... Figures - Figures within body of text at centre of the frame - Labeled according to chapter e.g., figures in Chapter 3: Figure 3.1, Figure 3.2 etc. - Labels placed at the bottom of the figure - If the figure occupies more than one page Figure 3.7, continued. - If the figure contains a citation source of reference should be placed at the bottom, after the label

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Miscellaneous Information
References / Bibliography - Refer to previous research reports, dissertations and theses and to additional information available in university library Unit of Measurement - International System of Units (SI) must be used - If other units are used convert to SI units and place in parenthesis Research Ethics - Research Ethics moral and professional issues relating to research - Most serious breach of ethical standards Plagiarism - Plagiarism defined as the use of original work, ideas or actual texts created by others, without acknowledging the original source - Acknowledgement should be mad by including sources in Reference - Thesis submitted must be produced by the candidate him / herself

The Harvard System of Reference

Authors name part of sentence - Reference must be listed by the name (Last name) of the author and year of publication For example: Chng (1986) or Saleh & Zainuddin (1987) Or, if there are more than two authors, Nagendran et al. (1990) et al. abbr. Latin et alii (and others) - If there are a number of references by the same author in the same year, the letters a, b, c etc are used; for example: Karel and Labuza (1988b)

The Harvard System of Reference contd

Authors name is not part of the sentence Name and year of publication are grouped together in brackets. For example: ..(Omar and Tan, 1989) If a number of publications are referred in the sentence - years of publication arranged sequentially - if publications which appear in the same year, the references are listed in alphabetical order, beginning with hose with a single author and followed by those with more than one

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The Harvard System of Reference contd List of reference Journal article: - Journal titles are abbreviated and given in italic or underlined - The volume number is given in Arabic numerals in bold Kalotas, T.M. and Lee, A.R. (1990). A simple device to illustrate angular momentum converstion and instability. Am. J. Phy. 58 (1), 80-81.

The Harvard System of Reference contd List of reference Book: The title of a book is listed in italic or underlined, followed by the place of publication and the publisher Conn, E.E., Stumpf, P. K., Bruening, G and Doi, R. H. (1987). Outlines of Biochemistry, 5th ed. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Edited reference book: Hocking, A.D. (1988). Mould and yeasts associated with foods of reduced water activity: Ecological interactions. In Seow. C.C. (ed), Food Preservation by Moisture Control, London: Elsevier Applied Sci. Publ. (p. 57-72).

A researcher should check, recheck, cross check, ... all the results before submitting a research paper to a journal