Format for the Presentation of Theses and (mini-) Dissertations

Binding
The binding must be of a fixed kind in which the leaves are permanently secured. The boards must be sufficiently rigid to support the weight of the work when the book is standing on a shelf. The covering must be in the standard form of black waterproof buckram cloth except in the case of Doctoral PHD degrees, which must be bound in scarlet.

Cover Title
The outside front cover must bear the following: a full title and sub-titles (if any) of the work at the top in at least 18pt (5mm) gold lettering; the initials and surname of the candidate; the qualification in brackets for which the thesis is submitted and the year of submission. The lettering must read from top to bottom, ie so as to be readable when the volume is lying flat with the front cover uppermost. If the work consists of more than one volume, the spine and front cover must also bear the number of each volume. The title and candidate name may also be suitably arranged on the spine of the bound work.

Type
Theses and dissertations must be presented in typescript or print. Copies produced by xerographic or comparably permanent processes are acceptable. White paper of A4 size must be used, which must be of good quality and of sufficient opacity for normal reading and printed on one side of the paper only.

Lay-out

* Margins at the binding (left hand side) edge must be not less than 40mm, and other margins not less than 20mm.
* Line spacing should be 1.5 (except for indented quotations where single spacing must be used).
* Font sizes vary but 12 is a good size to use.
* Paragraphs must be blocked and separated by double spacing.
* No section must be started within the last 5 lines of any page.


Pagination
Pages must be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis including photographs and/or diagrams where possible.

Title Page
The title page must give precise information. (Please confer with the Registrar’s office to confirm the details of this before submitting the unbound copies.)

Chapters
Chapters should each start on a fresh page.
Chapter headings should be placed to the left of the page; chapters and subsections of chapters should be numbered to correspond with those designated in the Research Proposal. Numbering should be numerical not alphabetical; hence 1.1.

Abbreviations
Where abbreviations are used a key should be provided. As a general rule, however, abbreviations should be avoided where possible.

Drawings, Maps, etc
Wherever practicable, such illustrative matter must have a binding margin of at least 40mm and, if possible, be bound in the thesis near the appropriate text. Material that cannot be conveniently bound in the work must be included in a pocket inside the back cover or presented in such a way as may be determined by the Registrar.

Consistency
Whatever style is used, for instance for writing numbers (ie words or digits), for lay-out etc, it is important to be consistent throughout the work.

Bibliography
Specific regulations must be followed in the presentation of this aspect of the thesis. A separate document provides details of these.

Language Read
It is now a stipulatory requirement by the accrediting University in South Africa that all essays, monographs, mini-dissertations, dissertations and theses be subject to a full language read (ie proofread) prior to final submission. This facility is arranged through either the GST Registrar or Central Office for a fee of £2.50 per thousand words or part thereof, which is based on the presented draft, NOT the final copy. Students are reminded, therefore, of the requirement to delimit the focus of their study as detailed in the compilation document.