In the context of thesis or report book preparation in Nepal, the standard paper size is A4, with margins of 1.5 inches (3.5 cm) on the left, and 1 inch (2.5 cm) on the top, bottom, and right. The text should be 1.5 spaced, using Times New Roman font at 12 points.
1. Paper and Margins:
- Paper Size: A4 (21 cm x 29.7 cm).
- Margins:
- Left: 1.5 inches (3.5 cm)
- Top, Bottom, and Right: 1 inch (2.5 cm)
- Spacing: 1.5 spacing throughout the text, including block quotes, footnotes, and references.
- Font: Times New Roman.
- Font Size: 12 points.
- Line Spacing: 1.5 space (spacing before and after 6 pt.)
- Page Numbering:
- Preliminary pages (i, ii, iii...) should be numbered in Roman numerals.
- Main text and end matter should be numbered in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3...).
- Page Number Placement: Centered at the bottom of the page.
- Language: English is the preferred language for theses in Nepal.
- Printing: Use a laser printer for high-quality printing.
- Copies: Typically, multiple copies of the thesis are required for submission.
- Figures and Tables:
- Figures and tables should be placed in the text closely following the point where they are first discussed.
- The table number and heading should be placed above the body of the table.
- The figure number and the caption should be placed below the figure.
- The text font size in tables and figures should be 10.
- Thesis Length: Thesis length varies depending on the academic level and field of study, but generally ranges from around 40 to 300 pages.
- Master's theses are typically shorter (60-100 pages).
- PhD dissertations are usually longer.
- Sample Size: For research proposals, the sample size should be statistically valid.
There are several reference styles used in academic and professional writing. The most common ones are:
1. APA (American Psychological Association) - 7th Edition
Used in social sciences, psychology, and education.
Example (Book):
Author, A. A. (Year). Title of book (Edition if applicable). Publisher.
Example (Journal Article):
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxx
Example:
Smith, J. (2020). Introduction to Psychology (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Brown, L., & White, K. (2021). The impact of climate change. Journal of Environmental Studies, 45(3), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1234/jes.2021.456
2. MLA (Modern Language Association) - 9th Edition
Used in humanities, literature, and arts.
Example (Book):
Author Last name, First name. Title of Book. Publisher, Year.
Example (Journal Article):
Author Last name, First name. “Title of the Article.” Title of Journal, vol. XX, no. XX, Year, pp. XX-XX.
Example:
Smith, John. The Art of Writing. Cambridge University Press, 2020.
Brown, Linda, and White, Kevin. “The Impact of Climate Change.” Journal of Environmental Studies, vol. 45, no. 3, 2021, pp. 123-145.
3. Chicago Style (Author-Date & Notes and Bibliography)
Used in history, business, and some sciences.
Example (Book - Author-Date):
Author Last name, First name. Year. Title of Book. Place: Publisher.
Example (Book - Notes and Bibliography):
Author First name Last name, Title of Book (Place: Publisher, Year), Page number.
Example:
Author-Date: Smith, John. 2020. The Art of Writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Notes and Bibliography: John Smith, The Art of Writing (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020), 45.
4. Harvard Style
Common in business, economics, and social sciences.
Example (Book):
Author Last name, First Initial(s). (Year) Title of Book. Edition (if applicable). Place: Publisher.
Example (Journal Article):
Author Last name, First Initial(s). (Year) ‘Title of the article’, Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page numbers.
Example:
Smith, J. (2020) The Art of Writing. 2nd edn. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Brown, L. and White, K. (2021) ‘The impact of climate change’, Journal of Environmental Studies, 45(3), pp. 123-145.