UTHM’s own thesis writing guide — Panduan Penulisan Tesis, 4th edition, published by the Centre for Graduate Studies (Pusat Pengajian Siswazah) and endorsed by the University Senate on 21 December 2011 — sets the paper size, margins, typing specifications, page numbering, chapter and table numbering, thesis status declaration, viva panel page, maximum page counts and binding requirements for every Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia thesis, dissertation, and project report.
Where to Find UTHM’s Own Guide
The guide is published by UTHM’s Centre for Graduate Studies at cgs.uthm.edu.my, in Malay as Panduan Penulisan Tesis and in English as the Thesis Writing Guide (Fourth Edition, first printing 2012, ISBN 978-983-43398-3-8, Senate: 21 December 2011). The fourth edition is an update of the guide’s third edition — check the Centre’s own Regulation & Guideline page for whether a newer edition has since been issued before relying on any specific figure below for your own submission. UTHM has also separately published a distinct Garis Panduan Penulisan Tesis Secara Penerbitan (guideline for thesis-by-publication) and a separate guideline for industry-based theses — if your thesis is being submitted by publication or through the industry pathway rather than the standard monograph format, that separate document, not the one described here, is the one that governs your submission.
Paper, Margins and Typing Specifications
| Element | UTHM’s own specification |
|---|---|
| Paper | A4 (210mm × 297mm), high-quality white simili paper weighing 80 grams only |
| Margins | 4 cm left; 2.5 cm top, right and bottom — on every page, including the cover |
| Font | Times New Roman, size 12, typed in Microsoft Word 6.0 or a later version (tables use size 10) |
| Line spacing | 1.5 lines throughout the text; text on one side of the paper only |
| Foreign-language words | Typed in italics when the word is in a language different from the thesis’s own language |
| Printing | Laser printer or a printer of equivalent print quality |
| Page number position | Top right corner, 1.5 cm from the top and 2.5 cm from the right |
These figures come directly from Chapter 2 (“Size and Format”) of UTHM’s own guide. If your faculty’s own supplementary handbook states a different figure for any of these, follow your faculty’s version and flag the discrepancy to your supervisor — individual faculties occasionally issue their own addenda on top of the Centre for Graduate Studies’ general guide.
Chapter Titles, Page Numbering and Overall Structure
Chapter titles are typed in bold, centred, in capital letters, and every chapter begins on a new page. Preliminary pages (from the title page onward) are numbered with lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii); the main text and everything after it uses Arabic numerals. Two numbering quirks worth noting precisely: the title page is counted as page “i” but the number is not printed on it, and the first page of Chapter 1 — like the first page of every later chapter — is counted but left unnumbered, with visible numbering resuming from the chapter’s second page. UTHM’s guide describes a general basic structure (Introduction; Literature Review; Methodology; Data Analysis and Findings; Discussion and Conclusion), but explicitly states there is no restriction on the total number of chapters in a thesis — a thesis may use more chapters if its structure genuinely calls for it.
Table and Figure Numbering Convention
Tables and figures are numbered with Arabic numerals tied to their chapter number — the third table in Chapter 4 is “Table 4.3” (Jadual 4.3), not a numbering sequence that runs continuously through the whole thesis. Table captions sit 1.5 lines above the table; figure captions sit 1.5 lines below the figure. Any table or figure taken from an external source must state that source at the end of its caption, and a table can only be presented after it is cited in the text. Tables or figures that run past the end of a page carry a “(continued)” label — “(sambungan)” in a Malay-language thesis — on the following page.
Maximum Number of Pages
The guide sets a ceiling on thesis length by programme level: an undergraduate project report should not exceed 100 pages, a master’s project report or master’s thesis should not exceed 200 pages, and a Doctor of Philosophy thesis should not exceed 300 pages. If your draft is heading past your level’s ceiling, raise it with your supervisor early rather than trimming in the final week.
Referencing Format and Binding: What Else the Guide Covers
Beyond format and structure, UTHM’s guide devotes an entire chapter (Chapter 3, “Format of References”) to referencing mechanics: it sets out an Author (Date) system for in-text citation and reference-list construction, a separate section specifically on referencing electronic sources, and a numbered reference system (Number System) as an alternative. Confirm with your supervisor which of the two systems your specific programme or faculty expects before you start building your reference list — switching from one system to the other late in your writing is far more time-consuming than confirming it up front.
On binding, the guide requires a thesis to be temporarily spiral-bound for examination and hard-bound only after approval. The permanent copy is bound in buckram with gold lettering in regular Times New Roman size 18, with the cover colour set by level: Doctor of Philosophy thesis black (585), master’s thesis moss green (557), and undergraduate project report new blue (550). The guide also covers the spine wording and states that the bound thesis can be trimmed by only 2.5 mm on each side of the A4 page — confirm the current requirement with your faculty before sending your copy to the binder.
Declaring Your Thesis Status
Every UTHM thesis requires a completed Thesis Status Form (Borang Pengesahan Status Tesis). If you want your thesis classified as confidential (sulit) or restricted (terhad), you need a letter from the organisation concerned, submitted to the Dean of the Centre for Graduate Studies, the Dean of your faculty, or the related academic centre, stating the reasons for and the duration of the classification — and the guide states the typical duration for this classification is three years. If you classify your thesis as unrestricted (tidak terhad), the university assumes it is non-confidential, and copies of the thesis can be made and used by UTHM.
The Viva Panel Page
UTHM’s guide requires the names of the viva voce examination panel members to be listed on their own page, following the example format in the guide’s appendix. The guide states this page is not applicable for a master’s project report or an undergraduate project report (PSM) — it applies to theses that go through a formal viva.
What This Means Practically for Formatting Your Thesis
- Set your page margins to 4 cm left and 2.5 cm on the other three sides before you start typing, not after your draft is finished — retrofitting margins onto a near-complete document is where formatting errors creep in.
- Use Times New Roman 12pt with 1.5 line spacing from your very first chapter draft.
- Number every table and figure by chapter (X.Y format) as you insert them, rather than renumbering everything at the end.
- Confirm with your supervisor early whether your specific programme (PSM, coursework master’s, research master’s, or PhD) needs the viva panel page at all.
- Submit your Thesis Status Form with your final submission, and start the confidentiality-letter process early if your thesis will be classified sulit or terhad — a letter from an external organisation can take time to obtain.
How Other Malaysian Universities Compare
Other Malaysian universities publish their own thesis-writing guides, and their specific figures can differ from UTHM’s. UTHM’s own 4 cm/2.5 cm margin split, its page ceilings, and its status-declaration and viva-panel-page requirements described above are UTHM’s rules; do not assume another university’s thesis guide applies to a UTHM submission, or the reverse. If you are moving between institutions (a joint programme, a transfer, or a co-supervision arrangement), check both guides directly rather than assuming one institution’s rules cover the other’s requirements as well. UTHM’s guide itself points students to the 6th edition of the APA Manual only for referencing formats it does not cover, not as a substitute for its own margin, spacing, and structural rules.
Common Mistakes Against This Guide
- Using a symmetric margin (for example, 2.5 cm on all four sides) instead of UTHM’s specific 4 cm left / 2.5 cm on the other three sides.
- Numbering tables and figures continuously through the whole thesis instead of restarting the sequence at each chapter.
- Leaving the Thesis Status Form until the final week before submission, when a confidentiality letter from an external organisation is still needed.
- Including a viva panel page in a coursework master’s or undergraduate project report where the guide states it is not applicable.
- Assuming the edition described here has not been revised since 2011 without checking the Centre for Graduate Studies’ own site for a newer edition before final submission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I download UTHM’s official thesis writing guide?
From the Centre for Graduate Studies’ Regulation & Guideline section at cgs.uthm.edu.my, where it is published as Panduan Penulisan Tesis and, in English, as the Thesis Writing Guide.
Does this guide apply to an undergraduate PSM report as well as a postgraduate thesis?
The guide states its use of the word “thesis” throughout also covers the undergraduate project (PSM), the Master’s Project Report and the Research Dissertation for mixed-mode study, though some sections (such as the viva panel page) do not apply to project reports.
What if my faculty’s own handbook gives a different margin or font specification?
Follow your faculty’s specific version and raise the discrepancy with your supervisor — faculties can issue supplementary requirements on top of the Centre for Graduate Studies’ general guide.
How long can a thesis stay classified as confidential or restricted?
The guide states the typical duration is three years, supported by a letter from the organisation concerned stating the reasons for and duration of the classification.
Do I need the viva panel page for a coursework master’s project?
No — the guide states the page is not applicable for the master’s project report or the undergraduate project report (PSM).
Is this the same document as UTHM’s thesis-by-publication guideline?
No — the thesis-by-publication guideline is a separate document for students on that specific submission pathway; the guide described here covers the standard monograph-format thesis.
Can I use a different word processor instead of Microsoft Word?
The guide specifies Microsoft Word 6.0 or a later version; check with your faculty before submitting a thesis prepared in a different word processor, even one that can export to a similar file format.
Are the margin and font rules the same for every Malaysian public university?
No — universities publish their own guides with their own specific figures; UTHM’s 4 cm/2.5 cm margin split is UTHM’s rule and should not be assumed to apply elsewhere.
What is the maximum number of pages for a UTHM thesis?
The guide sets 100 pages for an undergraduate project report, 200 pages for a master’s project report or master’s thesis, and 300 pages for a Doctor of Philosophy thesis; discuss any expected overrun with your supervisor before submission.
Once your format, chapter structure and status declaration are settled, Tesify can help you turn your draft into a properly structured document — you remain responsible for checking every formatting detail against your own faculty’s current handbook before submission. Format your thesis draft with Tesify.
For how Malaysian universities expect legal and case citations formatted within the referencing chapter this guide points to, see how to cite Malaysian Acts and cases in APA 7th edition. For preparing for the viva voce examination this panel page relates to, see how to prepare for a viva voce presentation. For the abstract structure and length rules that sit inside this same formatting guide, see how to write an abstract for a thesis or FYP. For the FYP-versus-thesis distinction that determines which parts of this guide apply to you, see what is the difference between an FYP, a thesis and a dissertation in Malaysia.