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Guidelines for research students

Thesis preparation

Overview

Theses prepared for fulfillment of the requirements for higher degrees must be presented in a scholarly manner with a consistent format. Many will eventually be cited as references for subsequent research projects both within and outside the University, and also as teaching references.

It is important that during the writing of a thesis, standard methods of layout and use of references are followed. These methods will be found in the sections on format and referencing and should be selected in conjunction with the supervisor. A thesis which does not comply with the required format may not be accepted.

Once the thesis has been completed to the supervisor's satisfaction, various steps (as outlined in Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11 "Thesis Submission for Examination") are necessary in order to minimise delays. At the time of presenting the thesis for examination, three copies of the thesis (doctoral or master thesis) must be made available and a binding fee paid. For specific information see the thesis submission section of these guidelines.

If a thesis requires alteration following examination, the copies will be returned to the student and the binding fee retained to cover subsequent permanent binding of the altered thesis. In the event of the thesis being rejected, one copy will be retained by the University.

Queries relating to procedures for submitting your thesis should be directed to the Thesis Examinations Officer who will take delivery of the copies of your thesis for binding, together with your receipt for binding costs.

Copyright of the thesis is retained by the student. The copyright in the thesis is not infringed by the Library permitting the making of a copy for the purposes of research or study. For further information see the sections on copyright and confidentiality.

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Format of thesis

The formats your thesis may take are summarised in Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11. You should carefully read this section to ensure you understand what is required before you start. Please discuss your proposed format with your supervisor prior to beginning it to ensure that it is appropriate.

You may wish to look at hard copies of previously completed theses to determine what was required by others in a similar field - your enrolling area may hold hard copies of such theses. The library also holds hard copies for you to view as well as providing some digital copies of theses (please visit the Digital Theses section of the library website).

There are many publications available that provide excellent advice on thesis writing, however, you should be aware that the advice that they provide on formatting may not be relevant to Curtin, and you must conform to the format specifications given in the Rules. Also, your enrolling area may have specific requirements for the format of the thesis.

Your thesis should be presented in standard English (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(a)) and should not contain discriminatory language, bias or, in particular, sexist or racist terminology or stereotyping.

Your thesis can be in one of three forms (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(b)):

*An exegesis is a small thesis which presents an academic explanation of the submitted work and/or a description of the linkages between the works (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(i)).

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Thesis as a typescript

The thesis should be presented as typed on good quality bond paper of international A4 size, with margins of not less than four centimetres on the spine side of the page, and 2.50 centimetres on the opposite side, top and bottom of the page. One-and-a-half line spacing should be used between lines of text. Text pages shall be numbered sequentially. The candidate is responsible for the correct numbering and collating of the pages.

The title page must conform to the format provided by the University, which includes the candidate's full name, the name of the enrolling area, the approved title of the thesis, and the year of submission. Download the thesis title page details [.doc - 149 kB]. The page immediately following the title page shall contain the following statement: "To the best of my knowledge and belief this thesis contains no material previously published by any other person except where due acknowledgment has been made. This thesis contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university." (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(d)(iii)).

The thesis should include a summary or abstract of approximately 200 words, summarising the appropriate headings, aims, scope and conclusion of the thesis (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(d)(iv))

Selection of a format and referencing style should be made in consultation with your supervisor (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(d)(v)).

Illustrations, diagrams, tables, maps, etc., incorporated in the text should be printed within the text or reproduced in a permanent high quality format (e.g. ink drawings, photographs, audiovisual recordings, etc.). Such illustrations, etc., should be clearly numbered and identified, and referred to by these numbers throughout the text (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section (d)(vi)).

The sources from which your information is derived, the extent to which the work of others has been used and/or for which the assistance of individuals, associations or institutions has been obtained, shall be acknowledged generally in the preface or introduction, and specifically in notes, references and appendices (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(g)).

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Thesis as a creative or literary work or series of works accompanied by an exegesis

Where the thesis takes the form of a creative or literary work or series of works accompanied by an exegesis, the exegesis should conform to the prescribed format of a thesis as a typescript but with the following size specifications.

Where a major part of the thesis takes the form of a creative work such as a performance, construction, installation or exhibition, these activities must be documented in a clear and comprehensive manner previously agreed upon by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee. This documentation may take the form of a photographic record, or an audiovisual recording of a performance, etc. which will then accompany the exegesis.

Provision must be made for the duplication and submission of sufficient copies of any documentation and/or literary works which comprise the thesis for examination (see Submitting the thesis).

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Thesis as a published book or series of published papers

Comprehensive guidelines are contained in the document Guidelines for Thesis by Publication - Series of Published Papers [.pdf - 46 kB]. The purpose of these guidelines is to assist doctoral and master by research degree students to address Section 11(e) of Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research.

A thesis submitted in the form of book or a series of published papers should include a full explanatory introduction which links the separate papers and places them in the context of an established body of knowledge (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(i)).

It should also include a literature review. If detailed data and descriptions of method are not otherwise given, they should also be included as appendices (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(ii)-(iii)).

Only papers published in refereed scholarly media during the period of enrolment may be included in the thesis. However, papers which have been accepted for publication but have not yet appeared in refereed scholarly media may also be included (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(iv)).

The number of papers submitted should be sufficient for the body of work to constitute a substantial and original contribution to knowledge (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(v)).

Any published paper of which the candidate is a joint author may only be included in the thesis provided the work done by the candidate is clearly identified. The candidate must provide to the University Graduate Studies Committee at the time of submission of the thesis a written statement from each co-author attesting to the candidate's contribution to a joint publication as part of a thesis (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(e)(vi) - view the rules here). The written statement(s) can be bound into the thesis as an appendix.

What is an exegesis?

The introductory and review section of the thesis is known as an exegesis. The exegesis is a small, stand-alone overview which presents the explanation of the submitted work and/or a description of the linkages between the works. The exegesis must:

How should the literature review be compiled?

The literature review section must contain a critical review of the literature which you have found associated with your theme or topic area. The literature review must provide evidence that you have thoroughly searched the literature and understood what it means for your research problem in relation to the submitted papers. It must demonstrate that you have been able to distinguish between good and poor research and between relevant and irrelevant research. It also must show what the literature says that is related to your research problem. You need to:

What should be provided as appendices?

Appendices can be included in the thesis to provide a detailed description of research methods used and the data collected and analysed. In appropriately titled appendices, you must describe how any research was conducted if it is not sufficiently and consistently described in the submitted papers. There should be sufficient detail to enable an examiner of your thesis to judge whether your work is methodologically defensible and has been conducted within a coherent and well-designed research framework.

You need to ensure that evidence is provided that allows aspects of the research such as any sites visited, sample selection and the ways in which data were collected and analysed to be transparent. In some research, substantiating documents may be included.

There may be a need to mention the constraints and limitations that emerged in the conducted research.

Ethical issues should be addressed in an appendix, especially the copyright held on any submitted papers released for publication to journals. Permission must be sought from the relevant professional association or a publisher to reprint any of your published work in your thesis.

For any specific issues on copyright, contact the Copyright and Compliance Officer.

How many papers should be submitted as part of the thesis?

The number of papers submitted should be sufficient for the body of work to constitute a substantial and original contribution to knowledge.

It is unlikely that less than four substantial, submitted papers would be acceptable as a thesis by publication.

What do you need to do if you are a joint author of a published paper?

It is necessary for you to obtain permission from any co-author of a paper to use the paper as part of your thesis. It is important for co-authors to provide details of the contribution that they made to the paper. For example, some co-authors may have been significantly involved in the development of the research design of any study reported in a paper or may have been involved in collecting and analysing data which provides a basis for the published paper. Some co-authors may have worked with you to develop the structure of the paper, written part of the paper, or only proof read and edited the paper.

While you may not be the first author of a published paper, your own contribution to the paper should provide evidence to support your exegesis.

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Referencing

Referencing styles can differ in each faculty and you should discuss the appropriate referencing style with your supervisor prior to beginning your research.

There are various formats for the preparation and presentation of theses particularly with respect to methods of using and citing references and footnotes. As these formats can differ substantially in each faculty, you should select your format and referencing system in consultation with your supervisor. For example, it is becoming common for some journals to add Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) to papers and you may wish to refer to the DOIs of the papers that you reference, where available. Advice is also available from your faculty's librarian.

Accepted referencing styles include:

The Curtin University Library provides information on referencing styles.

Generally a thesis will have a large bibliography. Computer software, known as EndNote, is available to help you to manage this information. This software can store, manage and undertake searches for your references. The information needs to only be entered once and can be imported electronically from a database or entered manually. It can make your bibliography for you as it builds lists of references cited in a paper and will create the bibliography in a number of different styles. EndNote can also import references from other databases into an EndNote library. Further information about Endnote and how to obtain this software at Curtin is available from the library's Endnote information webpage.

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Thesis examination

It is important that you demonstrate to an examiner your growth and development as a researcher as required by Section 13(a) of Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research.

13(a) The Examiners shall examine the thesis principally in terms of:

  1. the candidate's understanding of the field of study;
  2. the candidate's demonstrated capacity to conceive, plan and conduct a program of research;
  3. the significance of the thesis as a contribution to knowledge or understanding of knowledge in the field of study; and
  4. the originality of the work embodied in the thesis.

Where a thesis is submitted in the form of a creative work or series of works in any approved medium accompanied by an exegesis in accordance with Section 11, the examiners shall assess the creative works in a format and location as determined by the Faculty Graduate Studies Committee following consultation with the candidate and Head of Enrolling Area. The University will promote the use of appropriate technology to allow satisfactory reproductions of creative works to be made available to examiners to facilitate the examination process.

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Digital thesis submission

Once your thesis has been passed, you are also required to submit a digital copy of the final version of the thesis in a format approved by the University Graduate Studies Committee in accordance with the Guidelines for the Submission of Digital Theses of Higher Degree by Research Students [.pdf - 35kB] (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(k) and 18(b)).

This electronic version of your thesis will be kept on a library database and basic details will be automatically distributed to the Australasian Digital Theses (ADT) Program database. The ADT database stores information on theses produced in Australia and will allow world-wide access to your work.

For detailed information on how to submit your thesis in digital format, please visit the library's webpage on Digital Theses. For the relevant forms please visit the forms page of the Office of Research and Development website.

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Copyright of thesis

According to clause 4.2 (Student Ownership of Copyright in Theses) of the University's policy D001 Ownership of Intellectual Property (the Policy) and its two related procedures Intellectual Property Committee (Procedure D001/P1.1), and Administration of Intellectual Property Matters (Procedure D001/P1.2), available via the Research and Research Training page of our policies website, notwithstanding any other provision in this policy:

  1. Students shall own the Copyright in their theses, unless the student agrees otherwise in writing;
  2. the University and the student may in certain circumstances be required to determine the extent and the term to which confidentiality requirements are to be attached to the thesis pursuant to the University's Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research or other University Rules as they may apply from time to time.

You, as the owner of the copyright in the thesis, will be required to sign a Copyright and Release of Thesis for Examination [.pdf - 37 kB] form when you submit your thesis for examination which will grant Curtin University of Technology the right, after a period of six months following the award of the degree, to display or copy any or all of the thesis for use within Curtin University of Technology and make available the thesis to other persons or organisations being either educational or industrial, for reference purposes or for other legitimate educational purposes (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(j-k)).

The hard copies of the thesis you submit will, however, become the property of the University and are subject to any agreements entered into by the University, the candidate, and any sponsoring body of the research in accordance with the University's Ownership of Intellectual Property Policy (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(i)).

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Confidentiality of thesis

A thesis that contains material that may reasonably affect the security of persons, nations, industry or commerce may be declared confidential for a specified period of time, normally not in excess of two years. If there are some concerns about the content of a thesis, prior to its submission the Head of Enrolling Area may recommend to the University Graduate Studies Committee that it consider whether the thesis should be declared confidential. When a thesis is declared confidential the University cannot display, copy or circulate the thesis during the period of confidentiality (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(i)).

If your research is being funded by, or using the resources and facilities of, an external organisation, they may wish to enter into a confidentiality arrangement with the University. In these circumstances, the sponsor and the University will negotiate mutually agreed confidentiality arrangements prior to the submission of the thesis for examination (Rule 10: Degree of Doctor by Research and Rule 11: Degree of Master by Research, Section 11(i)).

On the request of the Head of Enrolling Area, thesis examiners can be required to sign a confidentiality agreement. This will usually occur in circumstances, such as security concerns or commercial arrangements, mentioned above.

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On the side

"Research is the process of going up alleys to see if they are blind". - Marston Bates