The University of Sheffield
Research & Innovation Services

Preparation and format of theses for research degrees

Students are advised to familiarise themselves with the following sections before commencing work on the preparation of their thesis. They are also advised to consult their supervisor regarding any subject-specific aspects of the thesis, for example the inclusion of photographs or diagrams or the presentation of supplementary information such as CDs or DVDs. Permission to submit non-standard material should be gained by the student´s supervisor from Faculty prior to the thesis being submitted to Research & Innovation Services.

Writing the thesis

The main source of advice and information for students beginning to write their thesis is the supervisor. It is important that students discuss the structure of the thesis with their supervisor, together with the schedule for its production, and the role of the supervisor in checking drafts, at an early stage in their research programme. The supervisor will also advise on such matters as undertaking a literature review, referencing and formatting the thesis, and generally on what should or should not be included in the thesis.

A number of University courses are available that might prove helpful to students, e.g. academic writing courses run by the English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC). There are also units in the DDP on thesis production and various other resources available on request from Research & Innovation Services.

There are a number of excellent books available that offer advice on how to start, write and complete a thesis. These are available on loan from the University Library and to buy. Many students have found it helpful to meet with people who have recently submitted their thesis and can therefore pass on their experience firsthand. Academic departments may be able to facilitate this. It is normally also possible to consult recently submitted theses in the University Library or online.

Preparation for including in the thesis material owned by another person should not wait until writing-up but start at the beginning of your research. The correct use of third-party copyright material and the avoidance of unfair means are considered very seriously by the University and compulsory training sessions are available (see section `Use of copyright material´).

Early familiarity with the software packages a student will use to produce the thesis will prove helpful. The University´s Managed XP computing network hosts a whole range of software that may be of help to research students, over and above the Microsoft Office suite.

Word limits

No University regulation exists governing the length of theses, although a number of Faculties and departments have established guidelines. Where these are not available, the student should consult the supervisor as to the length of thesis appropriate to his/her particular topic of research. It should, however, be noted that brevity achieved without sacrifice of clarity is a virtue much appreciated by examiners. The following Faculties have published guidelines on thesis length:

The above word limits exclude footnotes, bibliography and appendices.

Referencing

Accurate and consistent referencing is an essential part of your thesis. In the first instance, students are advised to consult with their supervisor regarding acceptable methods of referencing in their discipline (i.e. the presentation of footnotes, bibliography, appendices, etc). The University Library provides online Information Skills tutorials, which outline the various styles. Look for your department in the list on the Library website.

Please contact the librarian for your subject for further help. Full contact details are available on the Library website

Size, paper and pagination

Theses should normally be ISO-A4 in size and should not normally exceed 14" x 10". Alternative formats may be permitted where there is good academic reason (for example where the thesis includes a design portfolio) and with the prior approval of the supervisor and Faculty. Good quality paper should be used. All copies of the thesis should preferably be printed double-sided, including the final awarded copy of the thesis which will be deposited in the Library following conferment of the degree.

Pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the thesis, including appendices. Students are advised to discuss with their supervisor whether or not photographs and/or diagrams which are not embodied in the text should be paginated.

Margins at the binding edge should be not less than 40mm and other margins not less than 20mm. Single spacing throughout the body of the text is acceptable and is essential for indented quotations and footnotes, but consideration must be given to legibility. Double or 1.5 spacing may be more easily readable for 11pt or 12pt text and is more commonly used.

Copies of the Access to Thesis form should be bound into each copy of the thesis submitted, so that the copies received by the examiners indicate whether there are likely to be any future restrictions/embargoes on the thesis following the award. Only one top copy of the Access to Thesis form is required, the rest can be photocopies.

Title page and outside cover

The title page should show:

The front cover and/or spine must show: