ANNEXURE-III
BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI-620024
GUIDELINES TO PREPARE DOCTORAL THESIS (2022)
1. Structure of Thesis
The organization of doctoral thesis shall be constituted with Introduction as first
chapter and Conclusions as last chapter. The penultimate chapters shall present the
results with appropriate chapter title, concerned preferably each core objective can go
with a separate chapter. This being the case, the chapter caption “Analysis &
Discussion” is better avoided, because it is summative, procedural and not core
theme(s) based one. Separate Appendices shall be given to present the lengthy
derivations, extended information, raw experimental observations etc.,. Articles
published by the candidate relevant to the content of the thesis may be separately
listed and relevant reprints of his/her publications shall be given at the end of thesis.
The prescribed order of the thesis is as follows:
Title Sheet (Annexure - IV)
Dedication Sheet (if required)
Supervisor’s Certificate (Annexure - V)
Candidate’s Declaration (Annexure - VI)
Plagiarism Certificate (Annexure - VII)
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
List of Figure Captions and Table Titles
List of all Abbreviations, Notations and Nomenclature (if required)
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Provide the relevant title based on the contents
….
….
Chapter N: Conclusions
References
Appendix (If required)
Publications with Reprints
ANNEXURE-III
BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI-620024
2. Printing and Binding of Thesis
o The thesis shall be printed double-sided on A4 size (297 mm x 210 mm) white
bond paper (whiteness 95% or above) having weight of 70 G.S.M.
o The margins of each sheet can be fixed be as
o Top and Bottom Margin - 20 mm x 20 mm
o Header and Footer Height - 03 mm each
o Left and Right Margin - 30 mm x 20 mm (odd pages)
o Left and Right Margin - 20 mm x 30 mm (even pages)
o The Header shall have Chapter / Section number on even numbered pages and
Chapter/ Section title on odd numbered pages.
o In the Footer, pagination can be given at the centre as numerals (1, 2, 3 …) from
Chapter 1 and Roman numerals (i, ii, iii…) before the Introduction chapter. Page
numbering shall appear from the second page of each chapter.
o Specimen form of cover and title sheet of thesis submitted by scholars of
University and Colleges/Institutions is given in Annexure IV.
o The soft-bound cover must be white in colour and all lettering in the cover
shall be embossed in colour specified.
Ph.D. Thesis for Faculty of Arts Blue
Ph.D. Thesis for Faculty of Commerce Brown
Ph.D. Thesis for Faculty of Language Green
Ph.D. Thesis for Faculty of Management Grey
Ph.D. Thesis for Faculty of Science Maroon
o The thesis shall be submitted in soft bound copies. The bound side of the thesis
shall be coloured as prescribed and the University emblem, Name of the
candidate and Month and Year of submission shall be embossed.
3. Format for Chapters and Sections
o Each chapter shall begin on a fresh page with odd number page for double sided
printing.
o Chapter number and title shall be printed in bold face with title case having a
font size of 18 point at the centre of the line. The line spacing shall be 25 mm
between the Chapter number, Chapter title and the first paragraph of thesis.
ANNEXURE-III
BHARATHIDASAN UNIVERSITY, TIRUCHIRAPPALLI-620024
o The first line of each paragraph should normally be indented by 12 mm and the
line spacing between paragraphs shall be 1.5 line spacing.
o Each section and sub-section of a chapter can be numbered using decimal points,
for example, 1.1 (first section of chapter 1) and 1.2.1 (first sub-section of second
section of chapter 1).
o Font size of section and sub-section shall be 16 point and 14 point, respectively
in bold face having left justification with 15 mm spacing.
o The standard font for the body of thesis shall be Times New Roman of 12 point
with 1.5 line spacing.
4. Format for Tables, Figures and Equations
o All the figures and tables shall be placed immediately after their first mention
in the text.
o Numbering and Table Title shall be mentioned above the Table. Numbering
and Figure Caption below the Figure. Large tables and figures may be
presented on separate pages.
o Equations should be presented in standard formats with appropriate line
spacing (6 point before and after spacing).
o Tables, figures and equations shall be numbered chapter-wise as follows,
Figure 1.3 / Table 2.5 / (3.1), respectively.
5. References
All the references presented in the thesis shall be numbered as [1] or [2-5] or [1, 6]
in the body of the thesis. The prescribed format for citing the references at the end of
each chapter or as separate chapter. The citation of literature must be done in anyone of
the standard styles such as American Psychological Association (APA) / Modern
Language Association (MLA) / Harvard Referencing / Oxford Referencing / Council of
Scientific Editors / American Chemical Society / American Institute of Physics and must
be strictly adhered.
