Chapter 7: Thesis and examination matters

7.3 Preparation, presentation and submission of doctoral theses

These recommendations on the preparation and presentation of doctoral and MPhil theses are guidelines for normal practice in preparing theses. A candidate should seek the approval of the Research Graduate School Committee if thesis preparation requires some major departure from these recommendations. Such a request should be supported by a statement from the head of the academic unit.

7.3.1 Length of theses

The word length for a thesis does not include footnotes, references or appendices, nor does it include equations, tables, diagrams or other illustrations. Where it is proposed that a thesis will exceed the specified maximum length, a request must be submitted to the Research Graduate School Committee. Requests of this nature must be made in advance of the thesis being submitted for examination.

7.3.1.1 PhD

It is expected that PhD theses generally do not exceed 100,000 words. Where a candidate has undertaken prescribed PhD level coursework as part of the PhD program, the thesis may be reduced in length accordingly (see 3.9.1.3.1).

7.3.1.2 PhD in the speciality of visual arts

Work presented for examination in the PhD (visual arts) includes the exhibition and supporting documentation (exegesis) which comments upon the visual work and seeks to explain its contribution to human cultural endeavour and knowledge. The word count will be in the order of 30,000 words excluding bibliography, appendices and interviews. This documentation must include all major and key creative work reproduced by archival quality photocopies or colour photocopies.

7.3.1.3 PhD in the speciality of music composition

The thesis (or work) will take the form of music compositions, a bound critical commentary and concert program notes. The concert program notes must provide evidence that a minimum of 50% of the music submitted in the portfolio has been performed in public concerts. The music compositions are to be submitted in the form of a combination of individually bound musical scores and sound recordings (such as CDs). All materials (musical scores, sound recordings, critical commentary and concert program notes) are to be submitted as a single portfolio in the form of a display box or kit. The following information must be clearly indicated on the spine: candidate’s name, portfolio title, degree (ie PhD) and year of submission.

7.3.1.4 PhD in the speciality of creative writing

The thesis (or work) will take the form of a piece of creative writing and accompanying exegesis. The former should make a substantial contribution to culture. The exegesis will involve researching the several aspects of the creative writing project, the characteristics of the genre and the contextual framework within which the writing falls. Each component of the work must be no less than 35,000 words, with the overall works being between 75,000 - 100,000 words.

7.3.1.5 PhD in the speciality of theatre performance

7.3.1.6 DPsych/DPH

The word length is expected to be between 60,000 and 70,000 words.

7.3.1.7 SJD

The expected word length for the SJD is between 50,000 and 55,000 words.

7.3.1.8 MPhil

The maximum word length of 50,000 words for a 100% MPhil program does not include footnotes, references or appendices, nor does it include equations, tables, diagrams and other illustrations. Where it is proposed that a thesis will exceed the specified maximum length, a request must be submitted to the Research Graduate School Committee. Requests of this nature must be made in advance of the thesis being submitted for examination.

Where a candidate has undertaken prescribed coursework as part of the MPhil program, the thesis may be reduced in length accordingly.

7.3.2 Preparation

Candidates intending to publish their thesis online in the Monash University ARROW Repository should ensure they have all copyright permissions (see Chapter 6: Intellectual property). More information is also available at http://www.copyright.monash.edu.au/students/research-student.html.  

The responsibility for the layout of the thesis and selection of the title rests with the candidate after discussion with the supervisor. The candidate should state generally in the preface, bibliography and by citation methods appropriate to the discipline the sources of the information and the extent to which the thesis draws on the work of others. Full and appropriate attribution is essential. Candidates should note the Australian code for the responsible conduct of research statement on ethics and integrity in research (see chapter 11 of this handbook for further details).

Please note:

Except where the Research Graduate School Committee in any particular case otherwise determines, a candidate must not present in or in support of a thesis any work –

• which the candidate, or any student supervised by the candidate, has presented, or which the student intends to present, for an award of the university or any other tertiary institution; or
• prepared by or in conjunction with a person for whom the candidate is or has been a supervisor.

7.3.3 Thesis based on published or unpublished papers

Where joint or multi-authored papers form part of the thesis, a statement signed by the candidate and other authors indicating the relative contribution of each, must be included in the thesis (regulation 17).

Note: In the case of students enrolled under the standard PhD (ie not staff candidature) regulations, these papers will have been written up during the course of candidature and will be based upon research undertaken during the course of candidature.

Where a thesis in part consists of a series of papers that become the central chapters in the dissertation, a coherent framework should be retained.

Please refer to the thesis by publication web page for further information on formatting requirements.

7.3.4 Acknowledgement of editing assistance

The Research Graduate School Committee has endorsed the Guidelines for Editing Research Theses developed by the Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies collaboratively with the Council of Australian Societies of Editors.¹

• Where a thesis or dissertation is to have input from a professional editor, the candidate must obtain written permission from the supervisor for editing. The candidate should supply to the editor a copy of this permission, along with the manuscript
• Professional editorial intervention should be restricted to matters of language, illustrations, completeness and consistency.² Where a professional editor provides advice on matters of structure, exemplars only should be given.
• Material for editing or proofreading should be submitted in either hard or soft copy. Students must then consider whether or not to accept each suggested editorial change

The name of the editor and a brief description of the service rendered should be printed as part of the list of acknowledgements or other prefatory matter near the front of the work when it is to be presented for examination If the professional editor's current or former area of academic specialisation is similar to that of the candidate, this too should be stated in the prefatory matter, as it may suggest to examiners that the editor's advice to the candidate has extended beyond guidance on English expression to affect substance and structure in the thesis.

Supervisors are reminded that as part of the ‘Statement by Supervisor on Submission of Doctoral Thesis’ (or MPhil thesis) that they are asked to certify to the best of their knowledge that “any editorial assistance in the writing of the thesis has been appropriately described and acknowledged.”
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<sup>1. Guidelines for Editing Research Theses developed by the Deans and Directors of Graduate Studies collaboratively with the Council of Australian Societies of Editors (see http://www.iped-editors.org/sites/iped-editors.org/files/case_thesis_standards.pdf )
2. Defined in The Australian Standards for Editing Practice, available at:  http://www.iped-editors.org/sites/iped-editors.org/files/Australian%20Standards%20for%20Editing%20Practice.pdf</sup>

7.3.5 Printing

Typing and binding of the thesis are the responsibility of the candidate.

While it is preferred that for the ease of reading the printing be double or one-and-a-half spacing, candidates may choose single spacing. It is recommended that a font not smaller than 10 point be used for the main text.

A thesis should be printed on any one of the recognised sizes of quarto paper, namely International A4, American Quarto or Imperial Quarto. Both sides of the paper may be used, at the discretion of the candidate, provided the result is clear, legible and tidy. If both sides are used, special care must be taken in the placing of margins.

Margins should not be less than four centimetres on the binding edge and 1.5 centimetres on the other outer edges to allow for binding and trimming.

Using the preceding guidelines, a PhD thesis of 100,000 words presented in a 12-point font and double-spaced would be approximately 400 pages in length. Using the same font and one-and-a-half spacing would bring the page length to 300 pages. When a 10-point font is used in conjunction with double spacing, the thesis would be about 230 pages in length. If the spacing were then reduced to one-and-a-half, the overall length would be reduced to 200 pages.

The thesis should incorporate in the following order:

1. Title page, giving the title of the thesis in full, the names and the degrees of the candidate, the name of the department or academic unit of the university associated with the work and the date when the thesis is submitted for the degree
2. Table of contents
3. Summary (abstract) of not more than 500 words
4. An original signed statement to the effect that the thesis, except with the Research Graduate School Committee’s approval, contains no material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma in any university or other institution and affirms that to the best of the candidate’s knowledge the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person, except where due reference is made in the text of the thesis. In the case of PhD staff candidates or theses by publication, where the work in the thesis is based on joint research or publications, the statement should disclose the relative contributions of the respective authors and, where practicable, it should be counter-signed by the other contributors
5. An acknowledgment of any help given or work carried out by another person or organisation
6. The main text
7. References (if not included in the text) and/or bibliography
8. Appendices, if any.

7.3.6 Bibliographical details

Books should include full citation, as follows: name(s) of authors (surname and initials); title of book; edition (if relevant); place of publication; publisher and year of publication. Where necessary, the relevant pages should be cited. Where particular disciplines have their own conventions, these may be followed.

If a reference has many authors, the first only should be cited followed by et al to indicate that there are others.

Citations of articles in periodicals should follow the rules of citation adopted by one or other of the leading journals in the relevant field or discipline. Whichever format is adopted should then be used consistently throughout the thesis.

The bibliography may also be sub-divided according to the scholarly conventions in a particular discipline, but authors’ family names should be set out in alphabetical order.

Candidates may find one or other of the following publications of some help:

• Australian Government Publishing Service (AGPS), Style Manual for Authors, Editors and Printers, 5th edition, AGPS, Canberra, 1996
• Mullins, CJ, The Complete Manuscript Preparation Style Guide, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1982
• Turabian, KL, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Publications, 6th revised edition, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, 1996.

For guides to specific subject areas, inquire either through the appropriate branch library or department/academic unit.

7.3.7 Diagrams and figures

The following are general suggestions for normal practice:

• Diagrams and figures etc should be reproduced onto A4 paper and bound in the appropriate place in the text.
• Figures should form a right-hand page with the legend either at the bottom or, if necessary, on the page facing the figures
• Alternatively, when appropriate, figures may be interspersed throughout the text, as in books or journals. Printed graphics must be pf photographic resolution and quality
• Tables should be inserted in the appropriate place in the text, except that lengthy or bulky tables should appear as an appendix
• Diagrams, maps, tables etc exceeding A4 size should be folded so as to read as a right-hand page when open.

Assistance in the preparation of diagrams, charts and photographs may be given by the University at the discretion of the head of the academic unit concerned.

7.3.8 Binding

Doctoral and MPhil theses may be submitted in either hard binding (sewn and bound with stiff covers covered with cloth) or soft thermal binding. The following information must be printed on the spine, irrespective of whether hard binding or soft thermal binding is used (in the case of soft-bound copies, this requires 'perfect binding', ie the card cover is wrapped around the thermally bound copy):

• Title of thesis (abbreviated if necessary)
• Family name of candidate (first name is optional)
• The term ‘PhD’ (or approved abbreviation of professional doctorate or research masters, eg DPsych/EdD/MPhil)
• The year of submission
• Volume number - if more than one thesis volume.

Inclusion of this information on the cover is optional.

The candidate must use the name under which he/she is officially enrolled at Monash University in the thesis and on all forms and documents submitted to the Monash Research Graduate School. This name must be the name that features on his/her birth certificate, passport or other legal document. An alternative name will not be accepted unless he/she provides an official document such as a deed poll or marriage certificate to prove change of name. Please also ensure that the thesis title on all submission documents is consistent with that printed on the thesis copies, except for any abbreviation made on the thesis cover or spine to ensure best fit. In that case, the full thesis title must feature on all other forms and documents.

When published papers are submitted as additional evidence, they should be bound at the back of the thesis.

Electronic storage media (disks/ tapes) must be inserted inside the back cover of each thesis copy.

7.3.8.1 Option 1: hard binding

Generally candidates are encouraged to submit four hard-bound copies of the thesis (currently the most popular option).

Up to 10 additional pages of amendments can be inserted into the front of a hard-bound thesis copy without the binding having to be redone. Where amendments are minor, an addendum may be inserted into the front of the thesis. Consult with Monash Research Graduate School examinations staff for instructions on the insertion of addenda.

7.3.8.2 Option 2: thermal soft binding

Only professional thermal binding is acceptable, not a loose-leaf, spiral-bound, spring-type or screw-type binder.

At least one hard-bound copy must be provided for the award of degree to be ratified.

Candidates enrolled in the Faculty of Education must provide a minimum of two hard-bound thesis copies for the award of degree to be ratified.