Specifications for Thesis ()

Academic Year
2017

1

Preparation

  The responsibility for the layout of the thesis and selection of the title rests with the candidate after discussion with the supervisor(s). Candidates must consult with their supervisors concerning selection of an appropriate style for the thesis. The candidate's supervisor(s) and Head of School or Discipline must provide certification that the thesis is worthy of examination and that the technical presentation of the thesis is satisfactory.
Candidates must consult the Academic Program Rules relative to the degree.

2

Language of the thesis

2.1 A thesis will normally be written in English.
2.2 Where sound academic reasons exist for submission of a thesis in a language other than English, an application for approval may be made in writing to the Dean of Graduate Studies. The application must have the support of the supervisor(s) and Postgraduate Coordinator / Head of School.
2.3 If the Dean of Graduate Studies approves the submission of a thesis in a language other than English, the submission must be accompanied by a substantial abstract written in English.

3

Thesis format and word length

3.1 The choice of format should be made in consultation with the supervisory team. Subject to the School's approval, a research thesis may be prepared in one of the following formats:
  1. Conventional written narrative presented as typescript
  2. Publication
    A thesis by publication may include publications that have been published and / or accepted and / or submitted for publication, and / or unpublished and unsubmitted work prepared in manuscript-style.
  3. Combination of conventional and publication formats
  4. Major (creative, musical or visual) work (Volume 1) and exegesis (Volume 2).
3.2 Irrespective of the nature of the thesis, the word length, including footnotes but excluding appendices, tables, diagrams, bibliography and references, shall not exceed 80,000 words in the case of a Doctoral thesis or 40,000 words in the case of a Master thesis. The word length for the thesis of a candidate undertaking a research program which contains a formal coursework component should be in proportion to the duration of the research undertaken.
3.3 The thesis should incorporate in the following order:
  1. a title page giving the title of the thesis* in full, the name of the candidate as it is recorded in PeopleSoft (the University's student record keeping system), the name of the School / Discipline(s) of the University associated with the work, and the date (month and year) when submitted for the degree. Candidates should ensure that the thesis title is written in title case and does not exceed the character limit of 300 characters (including spaces).
    *Symbols and formatting (e.g. bold and italics) MUST NOT be included in the thesis title; these are not recognised by PeopleSoft and will print incorrectly on an academic transcript and the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS)
  2. a table of contents
  3. an abstract of the thesis in not more than 500 words
  4. a statement signed and dated by the candidate declaring the originality of the work, consent for the thesis to be made available to the University Library and the situation with respect to copyright where applicable. Note that an original signature is required; faxed or photocopied signatures are unacceptable.
    See Section 4 for examples of declarations to be included where:
    1. a thesis does not contain work already in the public domain
    2. a thesis contains publications (i.e. where the work includes published papers)
  5. an acknowledgement of any help given or work carried out by any other person or organisation.
    If a candidate has sought professional editorial advice, the name of the editor and a brief description of the service rendered should be included in the acknowledgements. Should the professional editor's current or former area of academic specialisation be similar to that of the candidate this should be noted. See Section 5 for details of the University's policy on editing
  6. the main body of work
  7. appendices (if any)
  8. bibliography
  9. additional pages or other material not suitable for binding should normally be placed near the back of the thesis as an appendix and treated as indicated in 10.1d-h.
3.4 In the case of a thesis presented with publications:
  1. all publications included in the thesis must derive from research undertaken within the term of the higher degree by research candidature. Publications generated outside of candidature cannot be included in the assessment of the degree
  2. the main body of work will contain in addition to the relevant publications a contextual statement which normally includes the aims underpinning the publication(s); a literature review or commentary which establishes the field of knowledge and provides a link between publications; and a conclusion showing the overall significance of the work and contribution to knowledge, problems encountered and future directions of the work. The discussion should not include a detailed reworking of the discussions from individual papers within the thesis
  3. each paper must be prefaced by a 'statement of authorship'. The statement must list all authors and clearly identify the publication status of the paper (published, accepted for publication, submitted for publication, or unpublished and unsubmitted work prepared in manuscript style)
  4. where a paper has joint or multiple authorship, its statement of authorship must quantify and detail each author's contribution (in terms of the conceptualisation of the work, its realisation and its documentation). The statement must be sufficiently detailed to describe accurately the contribution of each author. All authors are required to sign the statement and co-authors must give written permission for the paper to be included in the thesis. Original signatures are preferred but scanned signatures are acceptable.
    Template statements are available on the Adelaide Graduate Centre's website. If the template is not used, all the elements of the template must be reproduced in the student's version of the Statement of Authorship.
  5. the length and number of publications to be included in the thesis shall be determined by the School / Discipline on the advice of the supervisory team. The primary consideration is that the body of work included in the thesis satisfies the academic requirements for the degree for which it is presented.
3.5 In the case of a thesis submitted in the areas of creative, musical or visual work:
  1. The major work (Volume 1) and the exegesis (Volume 2) are to be bound separately (unless permission has been received from the Adelaide Graduate Centre for an alternative form of presentation) but will be examined as an integrated whole. In the case of a thesis submitted for a candidate in music performance, a single volume may be submitted in accordance with Specification 9.2
  2. The purpose of the exegesis is to describe the research process undertaken and to elaborate, elucidate and place the major work in context. The exegesis should contain a description of the form and presentation of the major work and inter alia, an analytical commentary and consideration of the work in the broader framework of the Discipline. It should demonstrate mastery of the conceptual and scholarly skills associated with higher degree candidature
  3. The following thesis formats may be appropriate for the major work:
    1. a substantial opus normally including a book length work appropriate to its genre
    2. musical compositions which require more than 75 minutes for performance (Doctor of Philosophy) or not less than 50 minutes and not more than 60 minutes for performance (Master)
      or
    3. recorded musical performances constituting a substantial body of work of up to 4 hours duration (Doctor of Philosophy) or two 60 minute public recitals (Master)
    4. visual arts and design, e.g. exhibition(s), film(s), drawing(s) or architectural model(s).
  4. The length and format of the exegesis should be determined by the Faculty but normally should not exceed:
    1. 20,000 words for the Doctor of Philosophy and 10,000 words for the Master degree in the case of a creative or visual work
    2. 15,000 words for the Doctor of Philosophy and 7,500 words for the Master degree in the case of music composition
      and
    3. 15,000 words for the Doctor of Philosophy and 7,500 words for the Master degree in the case of music performance.
  5. Where the major work is in the format of the visual arts, the examiners will attend an exhibition of the creative work. The creative work will be documented in digital and hard copy formats.

4

Examples of thesis declarations

4.1 For a thesis that does not contain work already in the public domain.
I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint award of this degree.
I give consent to this copy of my thesis, when deposited in the University Library, being made available for loan and photocopying, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
I also give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University's digital research repository, the Library Search and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time.
Add the following paragraph ONLY if you are a Research Training Program (RTP) funded student:
I acknowledge the support I have received for my research through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.
4.2 For a thesis that contains publications.
  I certify that this work contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in my name in any university or other tertiary institution and, to the best of my knowledge and belief, contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference has been made in the text. In addition, I certify that no part of this work will, in the future, be used in a submission in my name for any other degree or diploma in any university or other tertiary institution without the prior approval of the University of Adelaide and where applicable, any partner institution responsible for the joint award of this degree.
I give consent to this copy of my thesis when deposited in the University Library, being made available for loan and photocopying, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968.
The author acknowledges that copyright of published works contained within this thesis resides with the copyright holder(s) of those works.
I also give permission for the digital version of my thesis to be made available on the web, via the University's digital research repository, the Library Search and also through web search engines, unless permission has been granted by the University to restrict access for a period of time.
Add the following paragraph ONLY if you are a Research Training Program (RTP) funded student:
I acknowledge the support I have received for my research through the provision of an Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship.

5

Editing

  The University has adopted the policy developed by the Australian Council of Graduate Research collaboratively with the Council of Australian Societies of Editors with regard to the editing of research theses by professional editors.
The policy has been developed with close attention to the current Australian Standards for Editing Practice (ASEP) and it espouses the following principles:
A professional editor may be used by candidates in preparing their theses for submission provided that the editing assistance is restricted to ASEP Standards for 'Language and Illustrations' and for 'Completeness and Consistency'. Where a professional editor provides advice on matters of 'Substance and Structure' exemplars only should be given.
Further information about the ASEP standards is available online at: www.adelaide.edu.au/graduatecentre/forms
Students should discuss the procedures with their principal supervisor and before editing is commenced provide the editor with a copy of this section of the Specifications for Thesis and details of the ASEP standards. Material for editing or proof reading should be submitted in hard copy.

6

Typing

6.1 A thesis, which may be produced on both sides of the paper, should normally be printed on A4 paper in a clear and legible font (e.g. Arial Narrow 12 or Times 12).
6.2 Margins for both text and figures should not be less than 35mm on the inside edge and 15mm on the other three sides to allow for binding and trimming. See Section 9 for details of Binding.

7

Copying

7.1 Archival Copy
The archival copy should be marked accordingly and will become the University's copy following the award of the degree. The archival copy should be produced on archival quality (acid free) paper to ensure its long term preservation, preferably on 100gsm or 80gsm paper.
7.2 Additional Copies
Additional copies of the thesis should be produced on acid free bond, or similar high quality paper using a copying method which produces a good quality copy. Chemically coated paper is acceptable for the production of a thesis only if it is known to provide a high quality reproduction and proven long term stability.
7.3 Audio and audio-visual recordings
Audio and audio-visual recordings should be produced on an internationally compatible medium using a copying method which creates a high quality audio and visual reproduction with proven longevity. Candidates should consult with their supervisors regarding the technical issues involved in the submission of digital media.

8

Diagrams and figures

  The following are general suggestions for normal practice, but they may be varied in special cases with the approval of the Librarian:
8.1 Diagrams and figures etc. should preferably be drawn or photographed on A4 paper and bound in the appropriate place in the text. If it is necessary to mount photographs, the mounting should be on paper somewhat heavier than that of the other pages, and great care should be taken to avoid wrinkling the paper or distorting the shape of the volume.
8.2 Figures should either be inserted at an appropriate place in the text, or form a separate page. For normal orientation with the top of the figure upwards, the legend should be at the bottom of the figure. If it is necessary to rotate the figure, it should be placed on a separate page with the top of the figure on the left hand side of the page and the legend on the right hand side of the page. This applies regardless of whether the figure forms a left hand or a right hand page, but if the thesis is produced with the text only on right hand pages, then figures should also appear only on right hand pages. If there is insufficient space for the legend, it may be placed on the page facing the figure.
8.3 Tables should be inserted in the appropriate place in the text, except that lengthy or bulky tables should appear as an appendix.
8.4 Folded diagrams, maps, tables, etc., should read as right hand pages when open.
8.5 Musical notation and similar forms of written notation should be inserted in the appropriate place in the text, except that lengthy examples should appear as an appendix.

9

Thesis Preparation

  For examination purposes, candidates will submit three printed and one digital copy of their thesis to the Adelaide Graduate Centre. The printed copies may be soft bound or hard bound; soft bound is preferred.
9.1 Requirements for thesis submission for examination purposes: The printed thesis
Candidates who wish to have their theses soft bound should note that:
  1. It is not possible to rebind a thesis that has been soft covered using the currently available methods, such as thermo-bind or wire-spiral, without having first to trim the left hand margin by 10-15mm. This means that the provision for the left hand margin of the thesis must be at least 45mm. This may result in an increase in the number of pages of the thesis and the consequent increase in cost of production
  2. Most soft binding processes will handle up to around 30mm in thickness. Many theses are thicker than this and may have to be bound in more than one volume
  3. Candidates are responsible for all costs incurred in the soft binding of their thesis as well as in the subsequent hard binding. Some scholarships provide a thesis allowance and costs may be refunded to candidates on presentation of relevant receipts
9.2 In the case of a thesis submitted in the areas of creative, musical or visual work (as per Specification 3.5 above), the major work (Volume 1) and the exegesis (Volume 2) are to be bound separately.
For candidates in music performance, a single volume may be submitted which contains the CD(s) or DVD(s) or USB flash drive(s) of recorded musical performances prepared in accordance with 7.3, and the exegesis. The CD(s), DVD(s) or USB flash drives of recorded musical performances, should be affixed to the inside cover(s) of the thesis.
9.3 Requirements for thesis submission for examination purposes: The digital thesis
  1. The digital thesis copy must be provided in a single pdf file on a CD or USB flash drive. If the thesis is too large to fit on a single CD, additional CD(s), DVD(s) or USB flash drives may be provided. The Adelaide Graduate Centre is unable to accept a CD, DVD or USB flash drive containing individual pdf files of the various chapters / appendices in the thesis
  2. In the case of a thesis submitted in the areas of creative, musical or visual work (as per Specification 3.5 above), the two volumes of the thesis (major work and exegesis) may be provided on separate CD(s), DVD(s) or USB flash drive(s).

10

Requirements for final thesis lodgement

  When the examination process (including the completion of any required amendment) is complete, candidates are obliged to submit one final hard bound printed copy and one digital copy of their thesis to the Adelaide Graduate Centre before a degree can be conferred.
10.1 Preparation of the final printed thesis for lodgement with the Adelaide Graduate Centre
  1. The single required copy of the thesis accepted for the award of the degree must be sewn and bound with cloth on stiff covers. (A sprint-type or screw-type binder is unacceptable. Stapling and plastic or 'perfect' binding without sewing are also unacceptable)
  2. During binding the edges should be trimmed
  3. On the spine of the thesis should be printed, in gold lettering of suitable size, normally reading from the top to the bottom, the title of the thesis, shortened if necessary, followed by the candidate's surname. Where the width of the spine allows, the lettering may be placed horizontally, with the title of the thesis near the top of the spine and candidate's surname near the middle
  4. Supplementary material such as folding maps and other large folded sheets and primary data on sheets, and data on CD or DVD, may be placed in a pocket inside the back cover of the bound thesis
  5. In the case of published papers of unusual size it may be desirable to bind them in a separate volume. If they have been bound by a publisher it is desirable to keep them in a special case made and lettered to simulate a bound volume of a thesis
  6. Supplementary material which cannot readily be kept in a pocket should be placed in a special case made and lettered to simulate a bound volume of the thesis
  7. In some cases, it may be desirable to submit audio recordings or audio-visual materials in a separate volume made to simulate a bound volume of the thesis
  8. A supplementary case or additional volume of a thesis should be distinguished by a volume number but should otherwise be uniform with the first part of the thesis in respect to colour, lettering and, as far as possible, size.
10.2 Preparation of the final digital thesis for lodgement with the Adelaide Graduate Centre
  1. The digital thesis must be a direct copy of the thesis which has been approved by the University for the award of the degree
  2. The digital thesis copy must be provided in a single pdf file on a CD, DVD or USB flash drive. If the thesis is too large to fit on a single CD, additional CD(s), DVD(s) or USB flash drives may be provided. The Adelaide Graduate Centre is unable to accept a CD, DVD or USB flash drive containing individual pdf files of the various chapters / appendices in the thesis
  3. In the case of a thesis submitted in the areas of creative, musical or visual work (as per Specification 3.5 above), the two volumes of the thesis (major work and exegesis) may be provided on separate CDs or DVD's or USB flash drive(s).
    In the case of a thesis for a candidate in music performance, the digital thesis will comprise a copy of the exegesis in pdf format and will be submitted together with an additional copy of the audio or audio-visual recordings on CD(s), DVD(s) or USB flash drive(s).
  4. Candidates should obtain permission for use of copyrighted material, such as diagrams, illustrations, maps, tables, photographs, musical notation, images and audio-visual recordings that are not the candidates own creation. The written permission must specify that it is granted for the use of the copyrighted material in the digital thesis, which will be available on the web. If written permission cannot be obtained, then such material will need to be identified so Library staff can remove it from the digital copy if necessary
  5. The digital thesis will be made available on the web, via the University's digital research repository, Adelaide Research and Scholarship and the National Library of Australia's Trove service, unless arrangements have been made to restrict access for a period of time, e.g. where the thesis is under embargo or where commercial publication of the thesis is being sought. The thesis will also be added to the Library Search and will be accessible through web search engines. Further assistance and instructions for digital theses are available on the Library's website at: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/library/research/theses/.