Thesis structure for BA/BSc

Honour, MA/ MSc, MPhil and PhD The general titles of the thesis contents are
students enrolled at Shaheed given below. Thesis should not be more than
Benazir Bhutto University 80 pages (for main chapters writeup). Please
follow the instructions with each title. For
Binding color: BS (Hons) Light Green details, please read the guide at the end of
MPhil/ MS (Hons) Light Blue general titles:
PhD: Rust Colour
Font: Times New Roman 1) Title page (details provided in guide)
Font Size: 12 normal for general write up or 2) Dedication (Single page using font
other as indicated later in this document. size 14 bold)
Line spacing: 1.5 3) Table of contents
Spine format as shown below: i) Page number
ii) Headings (12 bold)
iii) Subheadings (12, bold, italic)
SBBU 4) Acknowledgements (should be
BA/BSc (Hons) limited to a single page)
5) List of tables (accurate page
A numbering and no repetition of
u numbers and titles)
t 6) List of figures (correctly marked for
h page numbers and titles of the
o figures)
r 7) Abbreviations (enlist and elaborate
: all the abbreviations used in thesis,
T do not consider even a simple one to
i be self explanatory)
t 8) Abstract (a short description of the
l idea, methods and outcomes)
e 9) Chapter 1, Introduction ……(chapter
title font size14 bold).
o Introduction and review of
f literature
Maximum page limit: 25 pages
t Headings (12 bold)
h Subheadings (12, bold, italic)
e Write-up 12 normal

t 10) Chapter 2, Materials………. (chapter

h title font size14 bold).
e Materials and methods
s Page limit: 15 pages
i Headings (12 bold)
s Subheadings (12, bold, italic)
Write-up 12 normal

YEAR
11) Chapter 3, Results (chapter title font
size14 bold)
Results
1-2 pictures per page (should be
separate from the write up).
Page limit: 20 pages
Headings (12 bold)
Subheadings (12, bold, italic)
Write-up 12 normal

12) Chapter 4, Discussion (chapter title

font size14 bold)
Discussion
Minimum 10 and Maximum 20
pages
Headings (12 bold)
Subheadings (12, bold, italic)
Write-up 12 normal
13) References (title font size14 bold)
Number of references should range
between 25-50.
14) Appendix (title font size14 bold)
Should include all the salient
experimental protocols; stepwise.

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 Acknowledgments (should be limited to a
Thesis Guide single page)

Thesis Title (Font size 20 Advisor(s) and anyone who helped you:

bold) 1. technically (including materials,

supplies)
(Keep center format ON 2. intellectually (assistance, advice)
through out this page) 3. financially (for example,
departmental support, travel grants).

Abstract

 A good abstract explains in one line

why the work is important. It then
goes on to give a summary of your
major results, preferably couched in
numbers with error limits. The final
sentences explain the major
implications of your work. A good
abstract is concise, readable, and
quantitative.
 Length should be ~ 1-2 paragraphs,
about 400 words.
 Information in title should not be
repeated.
 Be explicit.
 Use numbers where appropriate.
 Answers to these questions should be
By (font size 14 bold and italic) found in the abstract:
1. What did you do?
Student Name (Font size 2. Why did you do it? What
question were you trying to
20 bold and italic) answer?
3. How did you do it? State
methods.
(Font size 16 bold) 4. What did you learn? State
major results.
Shaheed Benazir Bhutto 5. Why does it matter? Point out
University,Khyber Pukhtun at least one significant
Khwa, PAKISTAN implication.

YEAR (font size 20 bold)

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Table of Contents 3. Give sufficient background
information to allow the reader to
 list all headings and subheadings understand the context and
with page numbers significance of the question you are
 indent subheadings trying to address.
4. Proper acknowledgement of the
previous work on which you are
List of Figures building. Sufficient references such
that a reader could, by going to the
List page numbers of all figures. library, achieve a sophisticated
understanding of the context and
List of Tables significance of the question.
5. Explain the scope of your work,
List page numbers of all tables. what will and will not be included.
6. A verbal "road map" or verbal "table
Introduction and review of literature of contents" guiding the reader to
what lies ahead.
You can not write a good introduction until 7. Is it obvious where introductory
you know what the body of the work material ("old stuff") ends and your
implies. Consider writing the introductory contribution ("new stuff") begins?
section(s) after you have completed the rest
of the work, rather than before. Break up the introduction section into
Be sure to include a hook at the beginning of logical segments by using subheads.
the introduction. This is a statement of
something sufficiently interesting to Materials and methods
motivate your reader to read the rest of the
material. It is an important/interesting What belongs in the "materials and
scientific problem that your work either methods" section of a scientific writing?
solves or addresses. You should draw the
reader in and make them to read the rest of 1. Information to allow the reader to
it. assess the believability of your
The next paragraphs in the introduction results.
should cite previous research in this area. It 2. Information needed by another
should cite those who had the idea or ideas researcher to replicate your
first, and should also cite those who have experiment.
done the most recent and relevant work. You 3. Description of your materials,
should then go on to explain why more work procedure, theory.
was necessary (your work, of course.) 4. Calculations, techniques, procedures,
equipments, and calibration plots.
What else belongs in the introductory 5. Limitations, assumptions, and range
section ? of validity.

1. A statement of the goal of the work: Citations in this section should be limited to
why the study was undertaken, data sources and references of where to find
2. Do not repeat the abstract. more complete descriptions of procedures.
Do not include descriptions of results.

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Results 1. Easier for your reader to absorb,
frequent shifts of mental mode not
 The results are actual statements of required.
observations, including statistics,
tables and graphs. Ensure that your work will endure in spite of
 Indicate information on range of shiftingparadigms.
variation.
 Mention negative results as well as
positive. Do not interpret results - Discussion
save that for the discussion.
 Lay out the case as for a jury. Start with a few sentences that summarize
Present sufficient details so that the most important results. The discussion
others can draw their own inferences section should be a brief essay in itself,
and construct their own answering the following questions and
explanations. caveats:
 Use S.I. units (m, s, kg, W, etc.)
throughout the thesis. 1. What are the major patterns in the
observations? (Refer to spatial and
Break up your results into logical segments temporal variations.)
by using subheads 2. What are the relationships, trends
and generalizations among the
Note: Results vs. Discussion Sections results?
3. What are the exceptions to these
Quarantine your observations from your patterns or generalizations?
interpretations. The writer must make it 4. What are the likely causes
crystal clear to the reader which statements (mechanisms) underlying these
are observation and which are interpretation. patterns resulting predictions?
In most circumstances, this is best 5. Is there agreement or disagreement
accomplished by physically separating with previous work?
statements about new observations from 6. Interpret results in terms of
statements about the meaning or background laid out in the
significance of those observations. introduction - what is the
Alternatively, this goal can be accomplished relationship of the present results to
by careful use of phrases. the original question?
7. What is the implication of the
How do you do this? present results for other unanswered
questions?
1. Physical separation into different 8. What are the things we now know or
sections or paragraphs. understand that we did not know or
2. Don't overlay interpretation on top of understand before the present work?
data in figures. 9. Include the evidence or line of
3. Careful use of phrases such as "We reasoning supporting each
infer that ". interpretation.
4. Don't worry if "results" seem short. 10. What is the significance of the
present results: why should we care?
Why?

5
This section should be rich in references to  Cite single-author references by the
similar work and background needed to surname of the author (followed by
interpret results. However, date of the publication in
interpretation/discussion section(s) are often parenthesis) e.g. according to Hays
too long and verbose. Is there material that (1994) or population growth is one
does not contribute to one of the elements of the greatest environmental
listed above? If so, this may be material that concerns facing future generations
you will want to consider deleting or (Hays, 1994).
moving. Break up the section into logical  Cite double-author references by the
segments by using subheads. surnames of both authors (followed
by date of the publication in
Conclusions parenthesis) e.g. Simpson and Hays
(1994).
 What is the strongest and most  Cite more than double-author
important statement that you can references by the surname of the first
make from your observations? author followed by et al. and then the
 If you met the reader at a meeting six date of the publication e.g. Pfirman,
months from now, what do you want Simpson and Hays would be:
them to remember about your work? Pfirman et al. (1994) or Pfirman et
 Refer back to problem posed, and al.,1994.
describe the conclusions that you  Do not use footnotes
reached from carrying out this  List all references cited in the text in
investigation, summarize new alphabetical order using the
observations, new interpretations, following format for different types
and new insights that have resulted of material:
from the present work.
 Include the broader implications of 1) Hunt, S. (1966) Carbohydrate and
your results. amino acid composition of the egg
capsules of the whelk. Nature, 210:
Do not repeat word for word the abstract, 436-437.
introduction or discussion.
2) National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (1997) Commonly
References asked questions about ozone.
http://www.noaa.gov/public-
 Cite all ideas, concepts, text, data affairs/grounders/ozo1.html, 9/27/97.
that are not your own.
 If you make a statement, back it up 3) Pfirman, S.L., Stute, M., Simpson,
with your own data or a reference. H.J. and Hays, J. (1996)
 All references cited in the text must Undergraduate research at Barnard
be listed. and Columbia. Journal of Research.
 If you consulted a large number of 11: 213-214.
references from a book or article use
the book or original reference article 4) Pechenik, J.A. (1987) A short guide
reference only. to writing about biology. Harper
Collins Publishers, New York, p194.

6
 10) Cosgrove, D. J. (1997a) Creeping
5) Pitelka, D.R., and Child, F.M. (1964) walls, softening fruit, and penetrating
Review of ciliary structure and pollen tubes: the growing roles of
function. In: Biochemistry and expansins. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.
Physiology of Protozoa, Vol. 3 (S.H. USA. 94: 5504 5505.
Hutner, editor), Academic Press,
New York, pp131-198. 11) Cosgrove, D. J. (1997b) Relaxation
in a high-stress environment: The
6) Sambrotto, R. (1997) lecture notes, molecular bases of extensible cell
Environmental Data Analysis, walls and cell enlargement. Plant
Barnard College, Oct 2, 1997. Cell. 9: 1031–1041.

7) Stute, M., Clark, J.F., Schlosser, P., Appendices

Broecker, W.S. and Bonani, G.
(1995) A high altitude continental  Include all your data in the
paleotemperature record derived appendix.
from noble gases dissolved in  Reference data/materials not easily
groundwater from the San Juan available (theses are used as a
Basin, New Mexico. Quat. Res. 43: resource by the relevant scientists
209-220. and other students).
 You may include a key article as
References by chronological order appendix.
 List of equipment used for an
8) Haigler, C. H., Ivanova-Datcheva, experiment or details of complicated
M., Hogan, P. S., Salnikov, V. V., procedures.
Hwang, S., Martin, K. and Delmer,
D. P. (2001) Carbon partitioning to
cellulose synthesis. Plant Mol. Biol.
47: 29–51.

9) Haigler, C. H., Rao, N. R., Roberts,

E. M., Huang, J., Upchurch, D. R.,
and Trolinder, N. L. (2001) Cultured
ovules as models for cotton fiber
development under low
temperatures. Plant Physiol. 95: 88-
96.

More than one references by an author

for the same year should be marked as (a)
and (b-z) following the year of
publication.