DISSERTATI

ONWRITING
WORKSHOP
BENGKEL
PENULISA
N
21 APRIL 2014
DISERTASI
SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICAL
SCIENCES

YAZARIAH MOHD YATIM

AT WHICH LEVEL YOU ARE

NOW?

BEFORE WRITING
Why

do you write?

Gathering

thoughts and ideas

Read a lot!
Thoroughly understand your problem
How to explain your results

Set

deadline

DISSERTATION
May

be written either in Bahasa Malaysia or

English

Comprises

of four important parts:

Introduction
Text
Bibliography/Reference
Appendix

GENERAL FORMAT

Font: Times New Roman (encouraged)

Size: 10 -12pt

Spacing:

Double spacing for text

Single spacing for long tables, footnote, multi-line captions,

bibliographies entries etc.

Margin:
Top: 2.5 cm, Bottom: 2.5cm, Right: 2.5cm, Left: 3.5cm

Heading of each section

should be in:

capital letters
central aligned
5cm from the top
14pt and boldface, and
text begin 4 spaces below

5cm
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

4 spaces

The problems of thin-film flow are

Font size:
14pt
Boldface

COVER PAGE

(MALAY)

Font size: 18pt

TAJUK DISERTASI

NAMA ANDA

PUSAT PENGAJIAN SAINS MATEMATIK

UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

2012

COVER PAGE

(ENGLISH)

Font size: 18pt

TITLE OF DISSERTATION

YOUR NAME

SCHOOL OF MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES

UNIVERSITI SAINS MALAYSIA

2012

TITLE PAGE
Font size: 14pt

(MALAY)

TAJUK DISERTASI

oleh

Font size: 14pt

NAMA ANDA

Disertasi diserahkan untuk memenuhi

sebahagian keperluan bagi
Ijazah Sarjana Sains Matematik

Font size: 14pt

Font size: 12pt

Ogos 2012

Font size: 12pt

Single spacing
Centre

TITLE PAGE
Font size: 14pt

(ENGLISH)

TITLE OF DISSERTATION

by

Font size: 14pt

YOUR NAME

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment

of the requirements for the degree
of Master of Science in Mathematics

Font size: 14pt

Font size: 12pt

August 2012

Font size: 12pt

Single spacing
Centre

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

Consist of:
Acknowledgment
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
List of Diagrams
List of Symbols
Abbreviations
Abstract

Numbered using lower case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii)

Title page is considered as page i, but not printed on

the page

ABSTRACT

What do you write in Abstract?

Provide BM and English version. Google translate?

Arrangement: BM version, then English version

If you write in BM, English version must have an

English title and vice-versa

Should not exceed 400 words. Use double-spacing

Immediately before the First Chapter

PART 2: TEXT
Consist

of a number of chapters

Should

be determine by the students and the

supervisor

The

length of the text should not exceed 25

000
words

HOW TO CITE IN TEXT?

One author: Hafiz (2012)

Two authors: Wong and Rokiah (2011)

More than two: David et al. (1999)

Same year: Shuaib (1988a), Shuaib (1988b)

Part of the sentences:

Chong (1996) proposed the technique to solve equation.

Not part of the sentences:

The theories help in understanding the spreading of oil on
the
sea (Hoult, 1989) and the flow of ice sheets (Morland, 1991).

HOW TO CITE IN TEXT?

(Book)
Conn, E.E., Stumpf, P.K., Bruening, G. & Doi, R.H. (1987).
Outlines of Biochemistry, 5th edn. New York: John Wiley
& Sons.

This problem had been investigated by Conn et al. (1987).

(Journal article)
Kalatos, T.M. & Lee, A.R. (1990). A simple device to
illustrate angular momentum conservation and
instability. Am. J. Phys. 58 (1), 80-81.

It is used to describe unsteady flow (Kalatos & Lee,1990).

Kalatos and Lee (1990) considered

PART 3:
Use Harvard system
BIBIOGRAPHY/REFERENCE

Every references that you cite in the dissertation

should be in the Bibliography

What if the references have been made, but not

cited in the text?
Include

in the separate list under the Bibliography,

with subheading General Reference

PART 4:
APPENDIX/APPENDICES

Not numbered

Not counted in the total number of pages

What should be in the Appendix ?

Supplementary/Long
Long

data
Algorithm

notes

COMMON MISTAKES

Inconsistency

Font size
Font type (especially in equation and in text), italic
Terms: Wan Abdullahs method, Wan Ahmad
Tajudins method, WAT method, W.A.T method.

Spelling mistake

Grammar mistake

Did not use Justify alignment

EXAMPLE

Title page

Acknowledgment
Table of Contents
List of Tables
List of Figures
Abstract (BM version)
Abstract (English version)

Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter

Bibliography/Reference

Appendices

1
2
3
4
5
6

(Introduction)
(Problem formulation)
(Method)
(Results 1)
(Results 2)
(Conclusion and Further Work)

Appendix A
Appendix B

THE ART OF WRITING

Please be consistent

Symbol
Usage of term

Check your spelling!

Write to your hearts content

Plagiarism

Cite properly
Figures from internet

Dont get lost in your own words-write concisely

Dont write what you dont understand
Write and rewrite

THE ART OF WRITING :

THE 5C

Content (cover everything)

Concise (brevity, to the point)
Clarity (sharp and clear)
Correct (avoid silly mistakes)
Consistent

SEMINAR

20-minute presentation of

Research background
Theoretical framework
Results and findings
Discussion and suggestion for future work
Preparing your presentation:
The presentation is about communicating information, not about
flashy effects
Be precise
Use sufficient mathematical detail that can be conveyed to
audience in short time.
Clarity and organisation of material
What do you want your audiences to take away from your
presentation

Be enthusiastic

Take the opportunity

VIVA
Who

will be there?

Start

with a 5-minute oral presentation

Summarise your work

First impression to your examiner

Examiner

will ask question and you should

answer confidently

Grade

is either Pass (P) or Fail (F)

ALL THE
BEST!!