Checklist of Typographical
Specifications for
Dissertations and Theses
School of Physical Sciences
Postgraduate Studies Committee
College of Biological and Physical Sciences
University of Nairobi
Presentation Outline
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Page Layout, Margins and Paper Size
Page Numbers
Font and Font Size
Tables, Figures and Schemes
Equations
Illustrations and Diagrams
Chapters and Sections and Headings
Appendices
List of References
Additional Materials
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What is not quite right?
B
A
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What is not quite right?
D
C
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What is not quite right?
F
E
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Page Layout, Margins and Paper
Size
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•
Use A4 size paper
Print on one side only
Leave binding margin of at least 2.5 cm (1")
Use single column with at least 1.5 line
spacing
• Justify all text pages
• Paragraphs should be distinct
• Untidiness like cross-outs, lines from paste-on,
dots and shading in the background, smudges,
smears and white out are not tolerated
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Page Layout, Margins and Paper
Size
 2 ½ cm left margin
One side
of A4 size
paper
 1 ½ line spacing
Single
column
 12 pt
paragraph
spacing
Justified
text
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Reasonable
margins at
top, bottom
and right
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Page Numbers
• Number all pages consecutively
(including pages with figures, plates, …)
• Use lower case Roman numerals (ii, iii, …)
before Chapter 1 (Title page number [i] is
not indicated)
• Use Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3 …) from
Chapter 1
• Centre page numbers consistently at the
bottom of the page
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Font and Font Size
4.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog
(Algerian)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Brush script)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Arial
black)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (?)
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Arial)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Arial)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Arial narrow)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Book Antigua)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Calibri)
The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog (Times New Roman)
1.
2.
3.
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Font and Font Size
• Only one typeface, with its italic and bold
variants, should be used throughout the
thesis
• Times New Roman is the preferred font,
but other standard, easy-to-read, fonts are
acceptable
• Font size should be at least 12 points
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Tables, Figures and Schemes
What is not quite right?
Figure 1: Comprehensive Caption
90
Table 1.1.1: Comprehensive Heading
80
70
60
50
East
40
West
North
30
20
10
East
West
North
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
20.4
27.4
90
20.4
30.6
38.6
34.6
31.6
45.9
46.9
45
43.9
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
Table 1: Comprehensive Heading
Figure 1.1.1: Comprehensive caption
usage in text:
In table 1 …
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In figure 1, …
In scheme 1
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Tables, Figures and Schemes
Correct Usage
90
80
Table 1.1: Comprehensive Heading
70
60
50
East
40
West
Table 1: Comprehensive Heading
North
30
20
10
0
1st Qtr
2nd Qtr
3rd Qtr
4th Qtr
Figure 1: Comprehensive Caption
East
West
North
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
20.4
27.4
90
20.4
30.6
38.6
34.6
31.6
45.9
46.9
45
43.9
Figure 1.1: Comprehensive caption
Usage in text:
In Table 1 …
In Figure 1, …
In Scheme 1, …
A table or figure should be as close as possible to where it is referred to in text!
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Tables, Figures and Schemes
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All tables, figures and schemes should be numbered. Each table, figure or
scheme is to be identified with the word "Table" or "Figure" or “Scheme” and
its number. Every table and figure or scheme should include a caption
Tables, figures etc. shall be numbered either consecutively throughout the
thesis – Table 1, Figure 1 etc., or within individual chapters Chapter –Table
1.1, but not within sections or subsections
Within the text, tables, figures and schemes should be referred to as Table
1, Figure 1 or Scheme 1 etc
A separate list of all tables, figures and schemes (if present), identifying
each by name, number, and page must be included in the preliminary pages
of the thesis
Figures, tables and schemes should be inserted as close as possible to the
relevant text rather than placing the material in groupings at the end of the
chapter or thesis
Captions for tables and schemes in the text should appear above the table
or scheme while that for figures should appear below the figure
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Equations
• Equations should be placed on separate lines
from the text and should be numbered whether
or not they are referred to in the text
• Numbering should appear in round brackets at
the right hand side of the page and be ordered
consecutively either throughout the thesis as (1)
etc, or in each chapter as (1.1) etc
• Equations should be referred to in the text as
Equation (1) etc
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Equations
•Equation
referred
to in text
Equation
separate
from text
•Symbols
defined
•E
capitalized
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Correlation
analysis
compares
model outputs and observed data.
Equation 1 shows the formula for …
1
N
r=
1
N
 f
N
i  f  
(1)
i=1
 f oi  o 
i=1
 f
N
i
Equation
numbered
2
1
N
N
 o  o 
2
i
i=1
In Equation (1), fi and oi represent …
(Incorrect usage:
fi=
oi =
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•Equation 
right aligned
•Equation  in
parentheses
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Illustrations and Diagrams
• Scanned illustrations and diagrams should
be included in the electronic version of the
thesis before printing
• Illustrations and diagrams should be
treated as figures
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Chapters and Sections
• Theses should be divided as appropriate into
chapters, sections and subsections
• The system of headings must be consistent and
should indicate clear changes in content and
progression of ideas so as to make it easier to
follow
• Arabic numerals should be used for Chapter,
Section and Subsection Numbering in the
format 1, 2… (for chapters), 1.1 … for sections
and 1.1.1 … for subsections
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Headings
• Headings should be conspicuous from the rest of the text
(Typically 14-point with capitalized letters for major
headings; 12-point with capitalized initial letters for
section headings; 12-point italicized for subsectionheadings)
• All major headings (e.g., Acknowledgements, Table of
Contents, Abstract, chapter headings) should be
centered between the left and right margins and begin at
least 2.5 cm (1”) from the top of the page
• All headings and captions should be on separate lines
from the text but should be on the same page as the
following text, table of figure
• Each chapter must begin on a new page and the
heading should be preceded by the word Chapter and
the appropriate number
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14 pt &
CAPITALIZED
Bolded
Chapter-based
numbering
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1: Background
12 pt
1.2: Statement of the Problem
Title Case
1.3: Objectives
Bolded
1.4: Justification and Significance
Arabic
numerals
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1: Cancer
Chapter-based
numbering
2.1.1: Types of Cancer
12 pt
2.1.2: Drugs for Cancer
Title Case
2.2: Emerging Trends in Cancer Therapy
Italicized
2.2.1: Cancer Chemoprevention
Bolded
CHAPTER 3: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1:
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Appendices
• Appendices should be numbered
consecutively
• Appendices may consist of supporting
material of considerable length or of lists,
documents, tables or other evidence that if
included in the main text, would interrupt
its flow
• The font style of appendices must be
consistent with the style of the main text
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List of References
• Lists of references should appear at the
end of the thesis under the heading
References
• References should be alphabetized
• All references cited in the text should be
captured in the list of references
• All references in the list of references
should be cited in the text
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Additional Materials
• In addition to the bound copies of the thesis you
will be required to submit an electronic copy of
your final thesis to the Dean’s Office.
• The electronic submission should be on
CD/DVD, readable on the Microsoft Operating
System, labeled with the title of the thesis,
student name, registration number, Department
and date of submission.
• Documents or text should be in Postscript or
Portable Document Format (.pdf)
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SPS Postgraduate Committee
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Dr Franklin Opijah (Meteorology)
Dr Silas Mureramanzi (Physics)
Dr Zacharia Kuria (Geology)
Dr John Onyatta (Chemistry)
Dr Shadrack Kithiia (Geography)
Dr Albert Ndakala (SPS-PC, Chair)
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Finis
Thank you
Now go forth and write well
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