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Formatting a Thesis According to University Guidelines: Passing the IPS Technical Check (2026 Guide)
ByDr. Sara
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You have finally defended your research findings. Your supervisor is happy with your work. You are ready to finally print your thesis. But before your thesis can reach the hands of your examiners, it must pass the “Gatekeeper”: The IPS Technical Check.
In Malaysia, every university has a “Thesis Manual” (e.g., Gaya UKM, UM Thesis Guide, or UiTM Thesis Template). These manuals are very very specific. They don’t just care about your ideas. They care about the exact number of millimeters between your text and the edge of the paper.
If your margin is 3.9cm instead of 4.0cm, the IPS officer will reject your submission. This can delay your graduation by weeks.
Formatting is not about aesthetics. It is about standardization. A library of theses must look uniform. Here is the definitive guide to the technical settings you need to master before you click “Print.”
The University does not only check if you are a good researcher, they also need you to follow formatting instructions to the millimeter. This shows that you are also able to formally present your research after conducting it.
1. The “Gutter” Margin: The 4cm Rule
This is the most common reason for rejection of student theses. When a thesis is bound in a hardback cover, the spine takes up some space. If you use a standard 2.5cm margin on the left, the words near the spine will be “swallowed” by the binding, making it impossible to read.
The Malaysian Standard:
- Left (Gutter) Margin: 4.0 cm (or 1.5 inches).
- Top, Bottom, and Right Margins: 2.5 cm (or 1.0 inch).
The Fix in Word: Go to Layout -> Margins -> Custom Margins.
- Warning: Do not use the “Gutter” setting in Word; it can be confusing. Simply set your Left Margin to 4.0cm and the others to 2.5cm. Apply to “Whole Document.”
2. Pagination: The “Roman vs. Arabic” Split
Your thesis uses two different numbering systems. If you use “1, 2, 3” from the very first page, you will fail the technical check. This also depends on your university’s style guide, which you must check carefully.
The “Front Matter” (Roman Numerals): From the Abstract until the List of Tables, use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv…).
- Note: The Title Page is “i,” but the number is usually hidden.
The “Main Body” (Arabic Numerals): From Chapter 1 until the very last page of the Appendices, use standard numbers (1, 2, 3…).
The Fix in Word: You must use Section Breaks.
- Go to the end of your List of Figures.
- Click Layout -> Breaks -> Next Page.
- Go to the Footer of Chapter 1, uncheck “Link to Previous,” and change the Page Number Format to “1, 2, 3” starting at 1.
3. Typography: Consistency is Key
Universities usually specify one or two “approved” fonts. Usually, this is Times New Roman (12pt) or Arial (11pt).
Common Formatting Mistakes:
- The “Copy-Paste” Font: You copied a quote from a PDF, and it brought its own font (e.g., Calibri) into your Times New Roman thesis.
- The “Table” Font: Your tables are in a different font because you made them in Excel.
- Line Spacing: Most Malaysian universities require Double Spacing (2.0) for the main text, but Single Spacing (1.0) for long block quotes and table content.
The Fix: Use Word Styles. Set your “Normal” style to the university’s required font and spacing. Highlight the whole document and apply it to clear out any “rebel” fonts.
4. Headings and the “Table of Contents” (TOC)
A PhD thesis can have hundreds of sub-headings. If you type your Table of Contents manually, you are inviting disaster. If you move one paragraph, all your page numbers will be wrong.
The Hierarchy:
- Level 1: CHAPTER 1 (Centered, Bold, All Caps).
- Level 2: 1.1 INTRODUCTION (Flush Left, Bold).
- Level 3: 1.1.1 Background (Flush Left, Bold).
The Fix: Use the Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3 styles in Word. Once your headings are tagged, go to References -> Table of Contents -> Automatic Table. It will generate your TOC in seconds, perfectly aligned.
5. The “Widows and Orphans” Rule
An “Orphan” is the first line of a paragraph that sits alone at the bottom of a page. A “Widow” is the last line of a paragraph that sits alone at the top of a new page.
IPS officers hate these because they make the document look “broken.”
The Fix: Highlight your text -> Right Click -> Paragraph -> Line and Page Breaks -> Check “Widow/Orphan control”. Word will automatically shift lines to keep paragraphs together.
If you have a very wide table (like a Literature Matrix), you will need a Landscape page.
The Challenge: When the thesis is bound, the “top” of the landscape page is actually the “left” side of the book. However, the page number must remain in the same physical position as the portrait pages (usually top right).
The Fix: This is the hardest part of Word formatting. You often have to hide the page number on that specific page and manually insert a Text Box rotated 90 degrees to place the number in the correct “Portrait” position.
7. The Reference List: Hanging Indents
Whether you use APA, Harvard, or Vancouver, your reference list must be perfectly formatted.
- Hanging Indent: The first line of the reference is flush left, but every line after that is indented.
- Alphabetical Order: Must be strictly A-Z by the first author’s last name.
The Fix: Use a reference manager like Mendeley or EndNote. Set the style to “APA 7th” (or whatever your manual requires) and click “Insert Bibliography.” It handles the indents and alphabetizing automatically. The references and citations must both be cross checked to ensure all citations throughout the text are in the bibliography, and vice versa. Also, the citations and bibliography must strictly adhere to the style guide.
Official Malaysian University Thesis Guidelines & Templates (Master & PhD)
Before you begin adjusting your margins or building your Table of Contents, you must first secure the latest version of your university’s official thesis manual. Graduate schools frequently update their formatting rules, and using an outdated template from a senior student is a guaranteed way to fail your initial IPS technical check.
Below is a directory of the official graduate school portals for Malaysia’s top public universities. Master’s and PhD candidates should visit these links to download the most current MS Word thesis templates, PDF style guides, as well as Original Literary Work Declaration forms required for final submission.
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) – Gaya UKM
UKM enforces one of the most strictly regulated thesis formats in the country, known as Gaya UKM. Master’s and PhD candidates must ensure precise bilingual compliance for preliminary pages. Download the latest Gaya UKM templates and submission checklists directly from the UKM Graduate Centre.
Link: Pusat Siswazah UKM (UKM Graduate Centre)
Universiti Malaya (UM) – IPS UM Guidelines
UM requires rigorous formatting, especially regarding the Title Page font variations (Arial vs. Times New Roman), the 4.0 cm left binding margin, and exact word count limits. You can find the official MS Word thesis template and the “Guidelines for the Preparation of Research Reports, Dissertations and Theses” on the UM portal.
Link: UM Institute of Graduate Studies (IPS / AASC)
Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) – SPS UTM Thesis Manual
The UTM Thesis Manual outlines highly specific engineering-standard formats, including exact 1.27 cm paragraph indentations and strict rules for citing publications if you are submitting a “Thesis by Publication.” Access the official UTM thesis templates and manuals via the School of Graduate Studies. Link: SPS UTM Academic Resources
Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) – IPS USM Format
USM’s Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS) requires exact precision for the layout of the List of Publications and preliminary Roman numeral pagination. Master’s and Doctoral candidates can download the official USM formatting guidebook and templates from the IPS website.
Link: USM Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS)
Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) – SGS UPM Guidelines
The UPM School of Graduate Studies (SGS) provides a comprehensive thesis formatting guide that dictates everything from double-spacing requirements to the exact placement of table captions. Secure the latest UPM MS Word template prior to your Notice of Submission.
Link: UPM School of Graduate Studies (SGS)
Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) – IPSis UiTM Format
UiTM’s Institute of Graduate Studies (IPSis) mandates a strict structural hierarchy for headings and subheadings, alongside specific guidelines for the abstract word count and keyword formatting. Download the official UiTM thesis template directly from the IPSis portal.
Link: UiTM Institute of Graduate Studies (IPSis)
Expert Tip for Formatting a Thesis: When you download these MS Word templates, do not copy and paste your entire thesis into them at once. When you do that, this breaks the pre-programmed “Styles” (like Heading 1, Heading 2, and the automated Table of Contents). Instead, simply use the “Paste as Plain Text” option and then manually apply the university’s approved Styles to make sure you pass the graduate school technical check without formatting errors.
Summary Checklist: Before You Convert to PDF
- Margins: Is the left side 4.0cm? (Measure it with a physical ruler on a test print).
- Pagination: Do Roman numerals stop and Arabic numerals start at Chapter 1?
- Captions: Are Table titles Above and Figure captions Below?
- Justification: Is your text Justified (straight edges on both sides)?
- TOC: Did you “Update Field” on your Table of Contents one last time?
Struggling with the “Landscape Page” or the “TOC”?
Let us assist with that. Check out our Manuscript Style Adjustment Services.
Thesis Style Formatting FAQs
The most frequent “Return for Correction” triggers are inconsistent margins and pagination errors. Universities like UM and USM require exact 4cm left margins (for binding) and 2.5cm for the rest. If a single page, such as a landscape-oriented table, shifts these margins or moves the page number to the wrong corner, the automated technical scanners will flag the document immediately. Always ensure your “Page Break” sections don’t reset your header/footer formatting.
Yes. While the main focus is on layout, the IPS Technical Check verifies that your citation style (APA 7th, IEEE, or Vancouver) matches your faculty’s specific requirements. A common mistake is mixing styles—for example, using APA-style in-text citations but a numbered reference list. The 2026 guidelines are strict about “metadata consistency,” meaning your list of figures and tables must perfectly match the captions used inside the chapters.
Landscape pages are a major pitfall. To pass, the page number must remain in the same physical location as the portrait pages (effectively “rotating” the number) so that it appears in the correct corner once the thesis is bound. Most Malaysian universities now recommend using a “Section Break (Next Page)” and manually unlinking the footers to keep pagination consistent across mixed orientations.
A standard abstract for the IPS check must typically include five key elements: the research problem/objective, the methodology, the key findings, the significance/originality, and 3-5 keywords. In 2026, many universities also require a translated version (Bahasa Melayu and English). If the word count exceeds the limit (usually 250-500 words), your submission will be rejected before it even reaches a human reviewer.
While AI can help draft content, relying on AI for “Technical Formatting” is risky. AI often generates “dirty code” or invisible formatting blocks that can trigger “Hidden Text” warnings in the submission portal. For the IPS Technical Check, it is safer to use the official university Microsoft Word template and manually verify the “Styles” pane to ensure no non-standard fonts or hidden glyphs are present in your final PDF.
While you write in Word or LaTeX, the final submission must be in PDF/A (Archival) format. This version flattens all layers, embeds fonts, and ensures that the document looks identical on the examiner’s screen as it does on yours. Saving as a standard PDF can sometimes cause mathematical symbols or Malay characters (like those in the Abstrak) to display incorrectly, leading to a technical fail.
You should always download the latest manual directly from your university’s official Institute of Postgraduate Studies (IPS), School of Graduate Studies (SGS), or university library portal. For instance, UM students must use the UM Thesis/Dissertation Guidelines found on the UM IPS website, while USM students should refer to the USM Thesis Guide via the IPS USM portal. Avoid relying on “unofficial” Word templates shared in student Telegram or WhatsApp groups, as these often contain legacy formatting errors or outdated citation rules that have been superseded by the 2026 standards. If your faculty has a specific sub-template (e.g., for Engineering or Law), ensure it aligns with the master IPS guidelines to pass the final central technical check.
