Mapúa Institute of Technology: Guidelines For Writing Thesis / Practicum or Research Report
Mapúa Institute of Technology: Guidelines For Writing Thesis / Practicum or Research Report
Mapúa Institute of Technology: Guidelines For Writing Thesis / Practicum or Research Report
I. PURPOSE
To provide a standard procedure for writing thesis / practicum or research report for
graduate and undergraduate students
II. SCOPE
The following format (see attachment for sample thesis / practicum or research
report) shall be used by all graduate and undergraduate students doing thesis /
practicum or research:
• Title Page
• Blank Page
• Approval Sheet
• Acknowledgement
• Dedication (optional)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures
• Abstract
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MAPÚA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SPG No: ORC-12-01
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The abstract gives the reader an overview of the study, based on information
from the succeeding sections of the report. The information given in the abstract
is usually the basis of many readers as to whether they will read the entire
report or not.
The typical information elements included in an abstract are as follows:
1. Some background or general information on the study
2. The main topic (or purpose) of the study and its scope
3. Some information on how the study was conducted (methodology)
4. The most important findings of the study
5. A statement of conclusion (justified based on the data presented)
• Chapter 1 – Introduction
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1. It will increase your confidence in your topic as a result of the time, effort,
and resources you invested in studying your research problem.
2. It can give you new ideas and approaches that may not have occurred to you.
3. It can inform you about other researchers doing work in your area of
studyindividuals whom you may choose to contact for advice or feedback.
4. It can show you how others have tackled methodological and design issues in
studies similar to your own.
5. It can lead you to sources of data that you may not have known existed.
6. It can orient you to measurement tools that other researchers have
developed and used effectively.
7. It can reveal methods dealing with problem situations that may be similar to
difficulties you are having.
8. It can help you get meaning out of your data or make sense of your findings
and, eventually, help you tie your results to the work of previous researchers.
This chapter represents a major aspect of your study written in article format.
It should be able to stand alone as an article if published in a referred journal.
The format of the chapter is as follows:
i. Abstract
ii. Introduction
iii. Methodology
This section describes the procedural steps used in conducting this major
aspect of your study and the materials or any equipment used at each step.
It includes all mathematical treatment of data as well as equations or models
used. It is useful to readers who want to know how the methodology of your
study may have influenced your results. The procedure should be stated in as
much detail as possible so that readers who are interested in replicating or
extending your study could follow the steps as they read your work.
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v. Conclusion
NOTE: For another major aspect of your research problem, a separate chapter of
the same format follows this chapter.
• Chapter 4 – Conclusion
This chapter gives the overall conclusion of the study, which addresses the
objective(s) of your research problem. Here, you step back and take a broad look
at your findings and your study as a whole.
This chapter indicates statements that suggest the need for further
studieswhat else can be done relevant to your research problem and what
other related problems should be addressed?
• References
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• Appendices
Each appendix includes all data that you feel must be included for further
details, but these data interfere with smooth discussion of results. Naming of
each appendix is with the characters of the alphabet, and each should have a
title.
• Margins
• Font
• Pagination
• Graphs
0.9
0.8
0.7 y = 0.205x - 4E-16
0.6
Aborbance
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Concentration in M
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• Tables
Title on top, body notes following title
Table No.- TNR 12, bold
Title – TNR 12, regular
Thick line - 1.5 pt
Thin line - 1.0 pt
• Title Page
5-single spaces from the top margin; space before: 0 pt; space after: 0 pt; TNR 12
TITLE
(TNR 20, bold, centered)
by
(TNR 14, regular, centered)
• Approval Sheet
APPROVAL SHEET
(TNR 12, bold, centered)
1-double space; space before: 0 pt; space after: 0 pt
This is to certify that we have supervised the preparation of and read the practicum paper
prepared by Name of the student (FN MI. SN) entitled Title of the Study and that the said
paper has been submitted for final examination by the Oral Examination Committee.
(justified, single space, Times New Roman, size 12, regular font style except for the name of the
student and the title of the study)
As members of the Oral Examination Committee, we certify that we have examined this paper
and hereby recommend that it be accepted as fulfillment of the practicum requirement for the
Degree Program (Course/Field).
This practicum paper is hereby approved and accepted by the School of Graduate Studies as
fulfillment of the practicum requirement for the Degree Program (Course/Field).
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• Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(TNR 12, bold centered)
(1-double space; space before: 0 pt; space after: 0 pt)
TITLE PAGE i
APPROVAL SHEET ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS iv
LIST OF TABLES v
LIST OF FIGURES vi
ABSTRACT vii
Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1
Heading 1 3
Heading 2 … 4
Abstract 6
Introduction 7
Methodology 11
Heading 1 12
Heading 2 … 13
Heading 1 15
Heading 2 … 16
Conclusion 17
References 18
Chapter 4: CONCLUSION 19
Chapter 5: RECOMMENDATION 20
REFERENCES 21
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• Acknowledgement
Title – TNR 12, bold, centered, ALL CAPS
Text (body) – TNR 12, regular, single-spaced, paragraphs must be indented (1.5
cm), Firstname M. Lastname must be written at the end
LIST OF TABLES
(TNR 12, bold, centered)
(1-double space; space before: 0 pt; space after: 0 pt)
• Abstract
Title – TNR 12, bold, centered, ALL CAPS
Text (Body) – TNR 12, regular, single-spaced, paragraphs must be indented (1.5
cm)
Keywords – maximum of five (5), separated by commas
Headings:
FIRST LEVEL HEADING (Title) – ALL CAPS, TNR 12, bold, centered
Second Level Heading – first letter of each word is capitalized except for
articles and prepositions, TNR 12, bold, left justified
Third level heading – first letter of the first word is capitalized, TNR 12, bold,
left justified
Fourth Level Heading - first letter of each word is capitalized except for articles
and prepositions, TNR 12, regular, left justified
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Fifth Level Heading – first letter of each word is capitalized except for articles
and prepositions, TNR 12, regular, underlined, left justified
• Writing style
Introduction and review – past participle tense, except for generally accepted
truths, which may be written in the present tense
Methodology – future tense (if proposal) or past tense (if thesis / practicum or
research report) and passive voice
Results and Discussion – third person and passive voice are preferred
• References
Title – TNR 12, bold, centered, ALL CAPS
<Journals>
Author, A.A., B. B. Author and C. C. Author (year). Full title of article. Name of
the journal, Volume number (number), pages.
Author, A.A., et al, (year). Full title of article. Name of the journal, Volume
number (number), pages.
Author, A. A. (year). Full title of article. Name of the journal, Volume number
(number), pages.
<Books>
• Appendices – TNR 12, bold, center of page, ALL CAPS, counted but not
numbered
Each appendix is named with a letter of the alphabet and with title, written as
Second Level Heading.
For appendix having a landscape format, the pagination is on the lower right
corner.
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IV. ATTACHMENT
V. DISTRIBUTION LIST
President
EVP-Administration
EVP-Academic Affairs
VP-HRD/Legal
VP-Finance
VP-Student Affairs
Treasurer’s Office
Dean, School of Graduate Studies
Dean, School of Architecture, Industrial Design and the Built Environment
Dean, School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Dean, School of Civil Engineering and Environmental and Sanitary Engineering
Dean, School of Earth and Material Science and Engineering
Dean, School of Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Communications
Engineering, and Computer Engineering
Dean, School of Health Sciences
Dean, School of Information Technology
Dean. School of Industrial Engineering
Dean, School of Mechanical Engineering
Chair, Department of Languages, Humanities and Social Sciences
Chair, Department of Mathematics and the Mechanics
Chair, Department of Physics
Research Coordinators
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