Thesis Writing – VI (Format: Preliminary Pages)

Title Page :
Title page must be single-spaced, in all capital letters and should begin at 1½" from the top of the page. Long titles can be written in multiple lines placed in inverted pyramid style.

Title page should bear the title of the thesis, full name of the candidate and the guide, the words ‘Thesis submitted to … University for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in …’ and the month and year of submission.

Most Universities prescribe their own form of title page and that should be complied with regarding matters of content and spacing.

Title should neither be underlined nor included in inverted commas.

Acknowledgement, Dedication and Preface :
Each of these items must appear on a separate page.

Dedication must be brief and centred on the page. e.g. To My Parents

Acknowledgements and preface must have headings and should use same spacing as the text (i.e. 1.5 spacing).

The heading ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS or PREFACE in capital should appear centred between text margins, 1½" from the top of the page; the text begins at least two spaces below the heading.

The page of Acknowledgements should mention the persons who have made a real effort to help the author in the preparation of the thesis. Routine help by members of the researcher’s family, faculty, librarians and clerical helpers is unnecessary to be mentioned.

Table of Contents :
The Table of Contents must list the preliminary pages, title of each chapter and its parts and sections, bibliography, appendices.

The wording used for all entries in the table of contents must match exactly with what is used in the text.

Each entry must have leader dots, which connects it to its corresponding page number.
The heading TABLE OF CONTENTS in capital is centred between the text margins 1½" from the top of the page. The listing of actual contents should begin at the left margin at least three spaces below the heading.

For thesis comprising more than one volume, the contents of the whole thesis should be shown in the first volume.

List of Tables :
The heading ‘List of Tables’ appears centred between the text margins 1½" from the top of the pages; the listing begins at the left margin at least two spaces below the heading.

Each entry should have the same number and the same caption or title used for a table in the text.

Each entry must have leader dots.