Formatting of Theses and Dissertations

    The following recommendations for MA theses are taken from the Maynooth University Examinations Office. For PhD dissertations, please refer directly to the Examinations Office website: http://examinations.nuim.ie/thesis.shtml

    RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE PRESENTATION OF MA THESIS.

    THESIS: A statement of investigation or research presenting the author's findings and any conclusions reached, submitted by the author in support of his candidature for a higher degree, professional qualification or other award.

    BINDING: The thesis shall be bound within boards. The binding shall be of a fixed kind in which leaves are permanently secured.  The boards shall have a sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing upon a shelf.

    ELECTRONIC COPY: should be in one PDF file mirroring the hard bound copy. Please DO NOT turn in a separate PDF file for each chapter, or for each item in the thesis (abstract, contents etc.). The only extra files permitted are multi-media files, such as audio or visual files.

    COVER TITLE: If the outside front board bears the title of the work it should be in at least 24pt (8 mm.) type. The name and initials of the candidate, the qualification and the year of submission may also be shown. If the cover material bears any design, the design shall be clear of any lettering.

    SPINE TITLE: The spine of the work shall bear in at least 24 pt (8 mm.) type, if practicable, the surname and initials of the candidate, the qualification for which the work is submitted and the year of submission. This information shall normally be printed along the spine in such a way 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 shall also bear the number of each volume.

    TYPE: Theses shall be presented in a permanent and legible form in typescript or print. Copies presented by xerographic or comparably permanent processes are acceptable.

    PAPER: A4 size paper which is EC standard and specified in BS 400 should be used.

    LAYOUT: Margins at the binding edge shall be not less than 40 mm. and other margins not less than 20 mm. Double or one and a half spacing is recommended in typescripts, excepted for indented quotations and footnotes, where single spacing may be
    used.

    PAGINATION: Pages shall be numbered consecutively through the thesis, including appendices, but excluding photographs and/or diagrams which are not embodied in the text. Page numbers shall be located centrally at the bottom of the page, approximately 10 mm. above the edge.

    MULTI-VOLUME THESIS: If there is more than one volume, each volume shall carry its own pagination.

    TITLE PAGE:The title page of every volume shall give the following information in the order listed:

    • The full title of the theses and the sub-title if any.
    • The total number of volumes if more than one, and the number of the particular volume.
    • The full name of the author, followed, if desired, by any qualifications and distinctions.
    • The qualification for which the thesis is submitted.
    • The name of the institution to which the thesis is submitted.
    • The department, faculty or organisation in which research was conducted.
    • The month and year of submission.
    • Name of the Head of the Department concerned.
    • Name of the Supervisor of the research.
    • The title should describe the content of the thesis accurately and concisely.

    TABLE OF CONTENTS: The table of contents shall immediately follow the title page.

    ABSTRACT: There shall be an abstract of the thesis of approximately 300 words (this can be on a separate page following the Table of Contents).