{"id":6887,"date":"2026-02-11T14:30:19","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T06:30:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/proofreadingmalaysia.com\/?p=6887"},"modified":"2026-02-19T17:15:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T09:15:04","slug":"formatting-a-thesis-according-to-university-guidelines-passing-the-ips-technical-check-2026-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/proofreadingmalaysia.com\/ms\/formatting-a-thesis-according-to-university-guidelines-passing-the-ips-technical-check-2026-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Format Tesis Menurut University garis Panduan: Lulus IPS Teknikal Memeriksa (2026 Panduan)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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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<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Malaysia, every university has a “Thesis Manual” (e.g., Gaya UKM<\/em>, UM Thesis Guide<\/em>, or UiTM Thesis Template<\/em>). 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your margin is 3.9cm instead of 4.0cm, the IPS officer will reject your submission. This can delay your graduation by weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Formatting is not about aesthetics. It is about standardization<\/strong>. A library of theses must look uniform. Here is the definitive guide to the technical settings you need to master before you click “Print.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. The “Gutter” Margin: The 4cm Rule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Malaysian Standard:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Left (Gutter) Margin:<\/strong> 4.0 cm (or 1.5 inches)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Top, Bottom, and Right Margins:<\/strong> 2.5 cm (or 1.0 inch)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    The Fix in Word:<\/strong> Go to Layout -> Margins -> Custom Margins<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Warning:<\/em> Do not use the “Gutter” setting in Word; it can be confusing. Simply set your Left Margin to 4.0cm<\/strong> and the others to 2.5cm. Apply to “Whole Document.”<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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      2. Pagination: The “Roman vs. Arabic” Split<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The “Front Matter” (Roman Numerals):<\/strong> From the Abstract until the List of Tables, use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv…<\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • Note:<\/em> The Title Page is “i,” but the number is usually hidden<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        The “Main Body” (Arabic Numerals):<\/strong> From Chapter 1 until the very last page of the Appendices, use standard numbers (1, 2, 3…<\/strong>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        The Fix in Word:<\/strong> You must use Section Breaks<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        1. Go to the end of your List of Figures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Click Layout -> Breaks -> Next Page<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Go to the Footer of Chapter 1, uncheck “Link to Previous,” and change the Page Number Format<\/strong> to “1, 2, 3” starting at 1.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
          \n\n\n\n

          3. Typography: Consistency is Key<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Universities usually specify one or two “approved” fonts. Usually, this is Times New Roman (12pt)<\/strong> or Arial (11pt)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Common Formatting Mistakes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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          • The “Copy-Paste” Font:<\/strong> You copied a quote<\/a> from a PDF, and it brought its own font (e.g., Calibri) into your Times New Roman thesis.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • The “Table” Font:<\/strong> Your tables are in a different font because you made them in Excel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Line Spacing:<\/strong> Most Malaysian universities require Double Spacing (2.0)<\/strong> for the main text, but Single Spacing (1.0)<\/strong> for long block quotes and table content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            The Fix:<\/strong> Use Word Styles<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            4. Headings and the “Table of Contents” (TOC)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The Hierarchy:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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            • Level 1:<\/strong> CHAPTER 1 (Centered, Bold, All Caps).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Level 2:<\/strong> 1.1 INTRODUCTION (Flush Left, Bold).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Level 3:<\/strong> 1.1.1 Background (Flush Left, Bold).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              The Fix:<\/strong> Use the Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3<\/strong> styles in Word. Once your headings are tagged, go to References -> Table of Contents -> Automatic Table<\/strong>. It will generate your TOC in seconds, perfectly aligned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              5. The “Widows and Orphans” Rule<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              IPS officers hate these because they make the document look “broken.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              The Fix:<\/strong> Highlight your text -> Right Click -> Paragraph -> Line and Page Breaks<\/strong> -> Check “Widow\/Orphan control”<\/strong>. Word will automatically shift lines to keep paragraphs together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              6. Landscape Pages: The Header\/Footer Trap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              If you have a very wide table (like a Literature Matrix), you will need a Landscape page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              The Challenge:<\/strong> When the thesis is bound, the “top” of the landscape page is actually the “left” side of the book. However, the page number<\/strong> must remain in the same physical position as the portrait pages (usually top right).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              The Fix:<\/strong> 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<\/strong> rotated 90 degrees to place the number in the correct “Portrait” position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              7. The Reference List: Hanging Indents<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              Whether you use APA, Harvard, or Vancouver, your reference list must be perfectly formatted<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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              • Hanging Indent:<\/strong> The first line of the reference is flush left, but every line after that is indented.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Alphabetical Order:<\/strong> Must be strictly A-Z by the first author\u2019s last name.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                The Fix:<\/strong> Use a reference manager like Mendeley<\/strong> or EndNote<\/strong><\/a>. 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<\/a> must strictly adhere to the style guide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                Official Malaysian University Thesis Guidelines & Templates (Master & PhD)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Before you begin adjusting your margins or building your Table of Contents, you must first secure the latest version of your university\u2019s 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<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n