Thesis Writing – VII (Format: Main Body)

Chapters are numbered consecutively in Arabic or Roman numerals.

Chapters need short but substantially descriptive titles.

Only new chapter should begin with a new page. Each chapter begins on a new page, even if the last page of the preceding chapter has only two or three lines.

The heading CHAPTER 1 in all capitals is centred between the text margins, 1½" from the top of the page; the title is typed two spaces below, centred and in all capital letters. The text begins at least two spaces below.

Headings and Sub-headings: The kinds of headings used include centre headings, side headings and paragraph headings. In addition, each chapter has a chapter heading. Usually centred headings are used for chapter divisions. Side and paragraph headings are used for sub-divisions. There may be three, four or five levels of sub-division within a chapter. All headings and sub-headings should be consistently presented in the same way in each chapter in terms of capitalisation, placement on page and type and size of font used.

Headers or footers are not to be inserted.

Figures, Tables, Graphs etc.: Chapters in the Main Body may include figures, tables, graphs, diagrams, photographs, drawings etc. These should appear as near as possible to the part of the text which refers to them.

Table numbers in Arabic numerals and captions are placed above the table. Figure numbers in Arabic numerals and captions are placed at the bottom of the figures. Tables and Figures are labelled with the word ‘Table’ and ‘Figure’ respectively and numbered consecutively. For numbering, straight sequence of 1, 2, 3 or decimal approach of 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, where the first digit is the chapter and the digit after the decimal point is the table or figure number within that chapter, may be followed.

Bar graph is used to compare the relative amounts of some attribute possessed by two or more groups.

Pie chart is useful when proportion of the total is to be shown in a circle.

Organisation chart is used to show various organisational functions like lines of authority, flow of work or relationship within an organisation.

Colour may be used in figures and photographs. But then duplicate copies should also be produced by colour photography.