Thesis Writing Guide

Writing a thesis is a crucial milestone in your academic journey, requiring in-depth research, strong analytical skills, and precise structuring. Whether you struggle with topic selection, literature review, or formatting, this Thesis Writing Guide will help you confidently navigate each stage.

From writing a compelling introduction to refining your final draft, our step-by-step approach ensures clarity and coherence in your work. If you need expert assistance, our custom thesis writing service offers personalized support tailored to your research needs.

1.0 GENERAL GUIDELINES

These guidelines provide a structured approach for preparing and submitting a thesis in the college. Students must adhere to these guidelines to ensure submission consistency and quality. Additionally, these should be read in conjunction with the graduate school’s thesis submission regulations.

1.1 Formatting Requirements To maintain professional standards, the thesis must be printed on high-quality A4 (210 x 297 mm) paper. The text should be double-spaced for readability and clarity. The preferred font is Times New Roman, size 12, ensuring uniformity. The thesis must only be printed on one side of the paper to facilitate easy review and annotation.

1.2 Margins Proper margins provide a structured and readable document layout:

• Left margin: 50 mm (to allow for binding space)
• Right margin: 25 mm
• Top margin: 40 mm
• Bottom margin: 25 mm

1.3 Pagination

• Preliminary pages (e.g., title page, declaration, dedication) should be numbered using lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.).
• Main text pages should be numbered using Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.), centred at the bottom of the page.

1.4 Chapter Structure and Layout Each chapter must begin on a new page, and the heading should be centered.

Headings Formatting:

• Chapter titles: Bold, uppercase, size 12, and centered.
• Subsections: Bold, lowercase, aligned to the left.
• Five spaces must indent the first line of every paragraph to ensure a consistent flow.
• A heading near the bottom of a page must be followed by at least one complete line of text. If this is not possible, the heading should be moved to the top of the next page.

1.5 Figures, Tables, and Plates

• Tables: The title must be placed at the top of the table.
• Figures: The title must be placed at the bottom of the figure.
• Numbering: Tables, figures, and plates should be numbered sequentially (e.g., Table 1, Figure 1, Plate 1, etc.) and referenced accordingly in the text.
• Margins: To ensure clarity and accessibility, a 60 mm margin should be maintained around all figures, diagrams, and plates.

1.6 Candidate’s Publications A list of publications resulting from the thesis should be appended to demonstrate the impact and academic contributions of the research.

2.0 STRUCTURE OF A THESIS

A well-structured thesis must contain the following elements in order:

2.1 Preliminary Pages (Pages i – x) These pages provide essential information about the thesis and the candidate:

• Title Page
• Declaration
• Dedication (optional)
• Acknowledgements
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• List of Appendices
• List of Abbreviations and Acronyms (optional)
• Abstract

2.2 Main Text The body of the thesis consists of:

Chapter 1: Introduction (Pages 1 – 10)

• Provides background information on the research topic.
• Defines the problem statement, research questions, objectives, and hypothesis (if applicable).
• Explains the significance of the study and its relevance to the field.
• Outlines the scope and limitations of the research.
• Briefly describes the methodology used.
• Ends with an overview of the thesis structure.

Chapter 2: Literature Review (Pages 11 – 30)

• Reviews existing research relevant to the topic.
• Identifies gaps in the current knowledge.
• Provides theoretical and conceptual frameworks supporting the research.
• Synthesizes past studies and relates them to the research problem.

Chapter 3: Materials and Methods (Pages 31 – 45)

• Describes the research design and approach.
• Details data collection methods, instruments, and procedures.
• Explains sampling techniques and population selection.
• Discusses ethical considerations and limitations of the methodology.

Chapter 4: Results (Pages 46 – 60)

• Clearly and systematically presents the findings.
• Uses tables, graphs, and figures where appropriate.
• Includes only relevant data; extensive raw data should be placed in appendices.

Chapter 5: Discussion (Pages 61 – 75)

• Interprets findings in relation to previous studies.
• Addresses patterns, trends, exceptions, and implications.
• Highlights contributions to the field.

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations (Pages 76 – 85)

• Summarizes key insights.
• Discusses broader implications.
• Suggests future research directions.

2.3 References (Pages 86 – 95) The references must follow a recognized citation style and be formatted consistently as outlined in the Proposal Writing Guidelines (Annex 2).

Referencing Guidelines:

• APA Style: Follow the latest edition of the APA manual, ensuring in-text citations and the reference list are correctly formatted.
• Harvard Style: Use in-text citations with the author’s last name and year of publication. The reference list should be formatted alphabetically with full publication details.
• All sources cited in the thesis must be listed in the reference section.

2.4 Appendices (Pages 96 – End) Appendices contain additional supporting materials such as raw data, detailed methodology, and supplementary information.

2.5 Thesis Length Requirements A dissertation should not be shorter than 80 pages and should not exceed 250 pages, including references and appendices. Exceptions may be made for specific disciplines with prior approval.

3.0 THE PRELIMINARY PAGES

3.1 Spine and Binding The spine of the thesis should be embossed in gold and include:

• Candidate’s surname and initials.
• Abbreviation of the degree.
• Year of submission.
• The text must be arranged from left to right along the spine.

Binding Colors:

• Black: Master’s theses.
• Maroon: PhD theses.

3.2 Title Page

• The title must be in uppercase letters and centered at the top.
• Below the title, include the student’s full name and highest degree (in parentheses).
• The following statement should appear in the middle of the page:
  • “A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of [Degree Name] in [Area of Specialization], University name .”
• The month and year of submission should be centered at the bottom.

3.3 Declaration The candidate must provide a signed declaration with the statement:

“I, [Full Name], declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been presented for the award of a degree in any other university or any other award.”

Followed by:

• Candidate’s name, signature, and date.
• A supervisor’s approval section must be included, confirming that the thesis was completed under their supervision.

3.4 Dedication (optional)

3.5 Acknowledgments Recognize contributions in:

• Supervision
• Technical support (materials, supplies, etc.)
• Intellectual contributions (advice, assistance, etc.)
• Financial support (grants, scholarships, etc.)