Traditional Thesis Formatting

The thesis/dissertation is a formal scientific document and must adhere to specific production standards briefly outlined below.

Paper

• The paper used for submitting the thesis should be of high quality, weighing 80 grams, and pure white. The size should be A4 (210mm x 297mm).

Font, Style, and Color

• Use an appropriate font consistently throughout the thesis. For English, use Times New Roman with a 12-point size for the body text. For Arabic, increase the font size by two points and use Simplified Arabic.

• Headings should follow the APA Style (7th edition) guidelines. A 12-point font size is also recommended for table and figure captions.

• Use black color for text, with other colors permissible for tables and figures as needed.

Print

• Ensure the print is legible, preferably using a laser printer for letter-quality print with dark, clear characters.

Margins

• Margins on each page should be at least 3 cm to accommodate binding and clipping, with all tables and figures adhering to this requirement.

Spacing

• Maintain 1.5 spacing between paragraphs and lines. Single spacing is required for quotations, footnotes, lists, tables, titles, references, appendices, and similar items.

Pagination

• Assign a number to each page, including blank ones, though the number may not always be visible. Use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) for preliminary pages, with the title page as “i” (number not shown). Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) for the rest, placing numbers at the center of the lower margin.

Tables and Figures

• Label tables and figures with an identifying number and title, placing these above tables and below figures. Ensure they are referred to on the same or next page in the text.

Footnotes

• Footnotes provide clarification, additional information, or credit to external sources. They should be numbered consecutively on each page and placed at the bottom.

Writing and Translation Requirements

• The student is responsible for maintaining high standards of grammar, sentence structure, and punctuation. The thesis may be in Arabic or English, with a translation of the title page and abstract provided in the same format as the original to the College of Graduate Studies.

Editorial Assistance

• Students may seek a professional editor’s assistance with prior approval from their supervisor, limited to language use and not content. Acknowledge this assistance in the final document.

Proofreading

• Allocate sufficient time for thorough proofreading of the final thesis/dissertation to ensure it is free from typographical, grammatical, and other errors. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure the document’s accuracy before submission to CGS.