Guide to the Preparation 1

RESEARCH PROJECT GUIDELINES

Student Reference

UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

FACULTY OF ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

PREFACE

The preparation of a research project is a complex and tedious process. It involves numerous steps beginning with the submission of a research proposal and ending with the binding of the paper. With proper planning and the aid of modern typing and printing technologies, the preparation of the research project can be a very satisfying and rewarding exercise.

This guide is meant to help students of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) in the preparation of their research paper. The guide includes the technical specifications, format, and method of bibliographic citation.

As indicated by the title, this document is meant to be a guide and it is up to the students to adapt it to the demands of their respective disciplines. It is hoped that with this guide, a certain measure of uniformity can be achieved in the preparation of the project. Students are encouraged to consult regularly with their project supervisors on all matters. Thus, although this guide is prepared by referring to the format of APA (American Psychological Association), other formats appropriate to the respective disciplines are allowed. For the APA, more information can be found at the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, fifth edition while for the other formats, the respective manuals should be referred to. Similarly, this guide uses the English Language to exemplify the principles given; however, other languages appropriate to the students’ discipline of study should be used.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
PREFACE / 2
CHAPTER
I / GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF RESEARCH PROJECT / 5
Introduction / 5
Submission of Research Project / 5
Technical Specifications / 5
Typeface and Font Size / 5
Page header / 5
Margins / 5
Spacing / 5
Pagination / 5
Paper / 6
Binding / 6
II / FORMAT OF RESEARCH PROJECT / 7
Title Page / 8
Preface I Acknowledgements / 8
Approval Sheet / 8
Abstract / 9
Tables of Contents / 9
List of Tables / 9
List of Figures / 9
List of Plates / 9
List of Abbreviations / 9
Text of Research Project
Body of Research Project / 10
Note on Last Paragraphs / 11
Tables / 11
Illustrations / 11
Footnotes / 12
Quotation in the text / 12
References / 12
Appendices / 12
Ill / WRITING CONVENTIONS / 13
Units of Measure / 13
Numbers / 13
Elliptical Mark / 13
Use of Symbol for Percentage / 14
Policy on Direct Quotation / 14
IV / EVALUATION / 15
Supervisor / 15
Assessment / 15
Academic Dishonesty! Plagiarism / 16
V / CONCLUSION / 17
APPENDIX
A1 / Cover of the Project / 18
A2 / Title Page / 19
B / Acknowledgements / 20
C / Declaration / 21
D / Approval form / 22
E / Table of Contents / 23
F / List of Tables / 24
G / List of Graphs / 25
H / Example of Table / 26
I / Example of Figure / 27
J / Examples of Reference / 28
K / Research Project Evaluation Form / 29 -31
L / Research Project Evaluation Form(Literature-based Projects) / 32 -33
M / Checklist / 34-36

CHAPTER 1

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF RESEARCH PROJECT

Introduction

This guide is to help undergraduate students of Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahmanin the preparation of their research paper. It deals only with the format of research paper and some writing conventions.

Submission of Research Project

As prescribed by the University, students should submit two bound copies oftheir research project to the Faculty Office on or before the given deadline. A soft-copy in the form of a compact disc should also be submitted. Marks will be deducted for late submission.

Typeface and Font Size

The entire text of the project, including headings and page numbers, must beproduced with the same font or typeface. The font size should be 12 points, Times New Roman.Use italics for letters used as statistical symbols or algebraic variables and some test scores and scales (see APA manual for more information, pp. 100-103).

Page Headers

Use the first two or three words from the title in the upper right-hand corner above or five spaces to the left of the page numbers. Page headers should be included in the text body (introduction, method, results, discussion, references and appendices). Font size should be 12 points and in sentence case (e.g. Individual Differences).

Margins

The left, top and bottom margins should be 1 inch.

Spacing

The research paper should be typed double-spaced.

Pagination

Pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the paper, including pages for tables, figures and appendices. Each appendix should be identified separately using a big letter (A, B, C). The pages of the appendices should also be numbered accordingly. Page numbers should appear by themselves and should not be bracketed, hyphenated or accompanied by other decorative devices.

Preliminary pages preceding Chapter I must carry page numbers in small Roman numerals (i, ii).

Page 1 begins with the first page of the Introduction (or Chapter I). The numbering of this page is made at the top right corner (about 25 mm from the top) preceded by page header (12pts,New Times Roman).

Paper

White simili paper (80 g.s.m.) or paper of equivalent quality should be used. Paper should be of A4 size (210 mm x 297m).

Binding

When the research project has been completed and all necessary signatures obtained, the candidate should seek the service of a reliable binder. All copies should be checked carefully to ensure that all pages are in correct order.

The research project should be bound with hard covers. The binding should be of a fixed kind in which pages are permanently secured. The covers should have sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing on a shelf. All research projects are to be fully bound in UTAR BLUE.

The following should be lettered in gold from the head to the foot of the research spine, using a 12-point font:

  • Project/Research title(abridged version);
  • Faculty and
  • Year of submission

The following particulars should be provided on the thesis cover, using 12- point gold block font:

(i) Full title of research project;

(ii) Full name of author;

(iii) Degree for which the research project is submitted;

(iv) Faculty / centre in which the project was conducted;

(v) Name of the institution to which research project is submitted; and

(vi) Month and year of submission.

(Refer to Appendix A1, p. 18)

CHAPTER II

FORMAT OF RESEARCH PROJECT

Research projects aregenerally composed of three main divisions: the preliminary pages or front matter; the text or main body, usually divided into parts, chapters and sections; and the ending pages or back matter.

The preliminary pages or front matter includes the title page, preface, acknowledgements, abstract, declaration, table of contents, list of tables, figures, graphs, maps, diagrams, plates and abbreviations.

The ending pages include references and appendices.

The following is an example of how various pages in a research project, from preliminary of front matter to ending pages or back matter, are arranged. We recommended that this sequencing be used as guide, although not every research project includes all the items listed below:

Item / Remarks
preliminary pages / 1. / Blank leaf / -
2. / Title page / Not to be paginated
3. / Acknowledgement / Not to be paginated and not listed in Table of Contents
4. / Approval sheet
5. / Abstract / To be paginated as i, ii, iii… and listed in Table of Contents
6. / Declaration
7. / Table of Contents
8. / List of Tables
9. / List of Graphs
10. / List of Plates
11. / List of Abbreviations
Main body (sections) / 12. / Introduction / To be paginated as 1, 2, 3 …
13. / Literature Review
14. / Methodology
15. / Findings & Analysis
16. / Discussion & Conclusion
Ending / 17 / Reference
18. / Appendices

Title Page

This page (refer to Appendix A2, p. 19), includes the following information:

(i) Full title of research paper;

(ii) Full name of author;

(iii) Degree for which the research paper is submitted;

(iv) Faculty / centre in which research was conducted;

(v) Name of the institution to which research paper is submitted;and

(vi) Month and year of submission.

The title should describe the content of the research papered accurately and concisely.

Acknowledgements

Preface or Acknowledgements (refer to Appendix B, p. 20) may contain all or some of the followinginformation:

(i) Explanatory notes or reasons for doing the study (usually in Preface);

(ii) Acknowledgement of guidance and assistance from individuals and institutions (usually in Acknowledgements).

For research paper, PREFACE is optional while ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS is generally preferred. The acknowledgements can be written in the first person (e.g. I should like to thank...), or the third person (e.g. The author wishes to acknowledge...).

Declaration

This sheet contains declaration made by the author on the authenticity of the work. The paper work must have a minimum word-count of 6,500 and a maximum of 10,000 words. Reference and appendices are not included in the word-count. This sheet must be signed by the student (refer to appendix C, p. 21).

Approval Sheet

This sheet bears the signature of the Supervisor and Examiner certifying approval of the research paper (refer to Appendix D, p. 22).

Abstract

The abstract is a digest of the entire research project and should be given the same careful attention as the main text. Reference to literature is not normally made in the abstract. Abbreviations or acronyms must be preceded by the full term at the first use.

An abstract should not normally exceed 200 words. It includes a brief statement of the problem, a concise description of the research method and design, summary of major findings including the significance or the lack of it, and conclusions. The abstract must be written in one paragraph.

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents immediately follows and it lists in sequence, with corresponding page numbers, all relevant subdivisions of the research paper, including the titles of chapters, sections and subsections; the bibliography or reference list; the list of abbreviations and other functional parts of the whole paper; the appendices (if any); and the index (if provided). A Table of Contents should not be listed in the Table of Contents itself (refer to Appendix E, p. 23).

List of Tables

This list shows the exact titles or captions of all tables in the text and appendices, together with the beginning page number for table (refer to Appendix F, p. 24).

List of Figures

This includes graphs, maps, or illustrations of other kinds. The exact title or caption and its corresponding page number is listed. Figures should be numbered consecutively throughout the paper, including those in the appendices (refer to Appendix G, p. 25).

List of Plates

Full-page illustrations, especially photographs, are usually called plates. The list, if any, follows the List of Figures, and is numbered consecutively throughout the research paper.

List of Abbreviations

If an assortment of abbreviations and acronyms (e.g. FAO, DOA, MARDI, PORIM) is used in the research paper, it is best to list them in a List of Abbreviations with their meanings, even though the full names are given at the first mention in the text. This list serves as ready reference to readers not familiar with the abbreviations. Universally recognized symbols (°C, cm, mm, kg) need not be listed.

Body of Research Project

The body of a research projectr normally consists of the following headings or chapters:

Introduction.The introductory chapter opens with an introduction that presents the specific problem under study and describes the research strategy. You need to develop the background through literature review, which is a critical review of literature related to the topic. It is meant to act as a base for the experimental or analytical section of the research project.

Literature selected must be up to date, analyzed and synthesized logically. It is not a mere summary of works of different authors.

After you have introduced the problem and developed the background material, you are in a position to explain your approach to solving the problem. At this point, a definition of the variables and a formal statement of your hypotheses give clarity to the paper. Clearly develop the rationale for each hypothesis (see APA manual p. 15).

If you want to organize your paper with different levels of headings, you need to follow the format of APA’s heading style. Major headings within chapters (primary headings) are CENTERED in uppercase (level 1). Level 2: flush left, italicized, Upper & Lowercase. Level 3: indented, italicized, lowercase, ending with a period.

Method.It describes the methods and techniques used. It may also contain validation of methods used. In social science, a theoretical framework is generally included. You have to divide the method section into labeled subsections. These usually include descriptions of the participants or subjects, the apparatus (or materials), and the procedure(see APA manual p. 17).

Results. It presents a complete account of results and analyses of the study in the form of figures, tables or text so that the key information is highlighted(see APA manual p. 20)

Discussion.The Discussion section discusses the results of the study in relation to the hypotheses. It highlights the main findings, their significance and implications To distinguish from the abstract, this section generally sums up the findings, discussion, conclusions and recommendations of the study.A separate chapter for this is common in technological(see APA manual p. 26).

Note on Last Paragraphs

The last paragraph of any page should comprise at least two lines of text. In other words, any heading appearing near the bottom of a page should be followed by at least two lines of text. It this cannot be done, push the heading and the line to the next page.

If the last paragraph of a page has to be continued on the next page, make sure that at least two line of the text appear on the next page.

Tables

Tables are numbered consecutively (with Arabic numerals) throughout the research paper (including text and appendices). There are two possible numbering schemes: either (a) number them consecutively throughout the thesis, or (b) number them by chapter, e.g. Table 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2 and so on. No research paper may have two different tables called “Table 1”. All tables are to be listed under LIST OF TABLES in the preliminary pages (including tables appearing in the appendices). Tables should be placed after their mention in the text. Short tables should not stand alone on a page.

Type the word Table and its Arabic numeral flush left at the top of the table. Double-space and begin the table title flush left, capitalizing the initial letter of the principal words and italicizing the title. If the title is longer than one line, double-space between lines, and begin subsequent lines flush left under the first line.

Double-space all notes at the end of the table flush left. Table sources and notes should be placed directly below the table (not at the bottom of the page). Use superscript symbols (e.g. ‘ ***) or lowercase letters, (e.g. a, b, c) but never numerals for table footnotes (see Appendix H, p. 26).

Illustrations

Illustrations include maps, charts, graphs, diagrams and photographs. Photographs are normally called PLATES, while the rest are called FIGURES. Each of these categories is numbered consecutively throughout the thesis, including those in the appendices. Illustrations should be of good quality. The trend now is to use computers.

The figure or plate number and caption should be typed below the illustration using Arabic numerals and lowercase, except for proper nouns and first letters of principal words. If preferred, “down-style” can also be used in which all letters are of lowercase except proper nouns and first letter in caption. Illustrations should be inserted near their mention in the text.

If an illustration occupies an entire page, the caption may be typed on the left- hand facing page (reverse side blank), which is counted but not paginated. The right-hand page in landscape format should have the top of the illustration at the binding edge. The illustration number should be typed in standard text position. Illustrations should conform to standard margin requirements (see Appendix I p. 27).

Footnotes

Try not to use footnotes as explanatory device. In most case, it is better to integrate an article by presenting important information in the text rather than in a footnote(see APA manual p. 202).

Quotation in the Text

Material directly quoted from another author’s works should be reproduced word for word. Examples of quotation can be found at APA manual, p. 117.

References

The reference list provides the information necessary to identify and retrieve each source. Only list the references that were used in the project.

Different reference style can be found at thePublication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th edition (chap 4, pp. 215-281)(see Appendix J, p. 28) .

Appendices

An appendix or appendices, if any, are placed after the reference list or bibliography. Details of the appendices are listed by type in the Table of Contents. Appendices include original data, summary, side-line or preliminary tests, tabulations, tables that contain data of lesser importance, very lengthy quotations, supporting decisions, forms and documents, computer printouts and other pertinent documents. Appendix materials should be grouped by type, e.g. Appendix A: Questionnaire, Appendix B: Original Data, Appendix C: Result.

CHAPTER III

WRITING CONVENTIONS

Units of Measure

Use internationally recognized abbreviations for units of measure, such as:

  • 20 milliliters (20m1)
  • 5 kilogram (5 kg)
  • 20 kilometer (20 km)
  • 2.5 hectare (2.5 ha)
  • 3.7 metric toned (3.7 mt)
  • 45 parts per million (45ppm)
  • 12 gram (12g)
  • 500 U.S. Dollars (USD500)
  • 3.4 metric tone/ hectare (3.4 mt/ha)

The numbers before the measurement units should not be spelled out, e.g. 5 kg, not five kg even if they are below 100 (see below), unless they are the first words of sentences.

Numbers

Write out all numbers less than ten unless they are attached to units of measure (e.g. 5 kg, 10 ml). Use figures for 10 or more than 10. If a sentence with a number, write the number in words, e.g. “Three hundred and eighty-five farmers were sampled from the study area.”

If you are using a series of figures, use numerals:

(a) In the room there were 4 chairs, 12 boxes, 13 books, 10 files, 9 umbrella and 8 pair of shoes.

(b) The number of taxi permits issued during the past five years was 8, 53, 27, 38, 52 and 90.

Elliptical Mark

Writers use ellipsis to show an omission from quoted material. The ellipsis consists of three-spaced full stops (...). When an ellipsis follows a sentence, it appears as four full stops (...) — one full stop marks the end of the sentence and the other three signals the omission. For example:

Coombs (1985) wrote about the conference:

The conference at Williamsburg .. .agreed that the world educational crisis sketched in the document was real....