Faculty of Science and Technology
Deakin University
At the end of your higher degree program you will present a thesis for examination by experts in the field. The thesis usually involves a substantial written document. The library provides guidelines for writing thesis and dissertations.
If your thesis includes materials that are to be viewed electronically, such as CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, video tapes and DVD videos, please note that the approval of the HDR Committee is required. The guidelines for the inclusion of such materials are in the Guide to Candidature - Appendix 13.
The approval of the Research and Research Training Committee is also required if the project includes material presented via the internet, such as the development of a website. The examination of such material via the internet will not normally be approved because reliable viewing by an examiner cannot be guaranteed by the University or the candidate. The material would normally need to be presented for examination via a medium such as CD-ROM.
In most cases, the award of the degree depends entirely on the thesis. Deakin University appoints two or three experts from outside the University as examiners. The examiners know nothing about the candidate or the way that the research project proceeded other than what is contained in the thesis presented for examination. It is important that the thesis is self-contained and clearly describes the project, how it relates to the field as a whole, how the project was pursued, what techniques were used and how successful they were, and the outcomes of the research. All this must be presented in a coherent and integrated form that demonstrates the competence of the candidate and that a substantial original contribution to knowledge has been made. The time to start writing your thesis is early in your candidature. This gives you an opportunity to discuss the appropriate style, structure, format and content with your supervisor.
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You should carefully read the format specifications for the presentation of the thesis set out in the Guide to Candidature - Appendix 2. You should discuss the length, composition and format with your supervisor, but you are responsible for its production and for ensuring that it conforms with the specifications. If there are special reasons for a different format, these should be discussed with your supervisor at an early stage and approval must be obtained from the HDR Committee. More information regarding thesis presentation can be found in the Guide to Candidature: The Thesis.
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Before preparing your thesis, check the Research Services Division website for the latest version of the guidelines on thesis presentation or contact the Examinations Officer HDR.
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Each copy of the thesis submitted for examination must contain signed statements which follow the title page, and declare that the material is original except where due acknowledgment is given, that any material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma is identified and have an original signature. Paragraphs 9.8.2 and 9.8.3 of the Procedures (Appendix 2) describe the preparation of the written thesis for examination further.
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Authority of access describe the extent to which the Library copy of the final thesis can be copied. Information about the procedures described in this statement are outlined in the Guide to Candidature: The Thesis.
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The order and format of the contents of a thesis should follow the prescriptions in Section 9 of the Procedures (Appendix 2) in the Guide to Candidature.
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The procedure for bibliographic citations is described in Section 9.9.2 of the Procedures (Appendix 2) in the Guide to Candidature.
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Two copies of the thesis must be provided to the Examinations Officer HDR for lodging with the University Library before the degree can be awarded, section 13 of the Procedures (Appendix 2) in the Guide to Candiature outlines the requirements for final submission of the thesis.
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