Get your Universiti Sains Malaysia Thesis right the first time. The template handles the official structure, margins, and references, so you can focus on the work with confidence.
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Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 25 July, 2026
A USM thesis/dissertation is most often sent back for formatting, not content: margins, front-matter order, and page numbering. The graduate school formatting office checks these before anything else. This template sets the correct structure from the first draft, following the Universiti Sains Malaysia Thesis formatting guidance.
It is a formatting shell for a USM thesis/dissertation, built to the official rules. It covers the title page, approval/signature page, abstract, table of contents, chapters, references, and appendices, with a consistent citation style. Confirm the current requirements in the official guidelines before you begin.
Set up the front matter and chapters in the required order, apply the correct margins and spacing from the manual, and use the prescribed citation style throughout. Keep figures and tables captioned and numbered as specified.
The signature failure mode is margin, front-matter order, and page-numbering rules. Second is inconsistent citations. Third is missing or out-of-order front matter. Fix all three against the official guidelines before submitting.
The shell mirrors what the graduate school formatting office checks first: structure order, margins, and citation consistency. Use the Universiti Sains Malaysia Thesis formatting guidance as the source of truth.
| Element | USM requirement |
|---|---|
| Figures/tables | Captioned and numbered per manual |
| References | Multiple citation styles accepted: APA, Harvard, MLA, Chicago, and other discipline-specific styles. Students must discuss with supervisor to select appropriate style and use it consistently throughout the thesis. The guidelines reference several style manuals including APA 5th ed., Harvard system, MLA Handbook 5th ed., and Chicago style. |
| Submission | https://ips.usm.my/index.php/current-student-v2/examination/exam-research-mode |
| Structure | Title page, front matter, chapters, references, appendices |
| Margins/format | Per the official manual |
| Front matter | In the prescribed order |
| Citations | Per the official guidelines |
| Source of truth | overleaf.com |
Read the official manual before drafting and before submission. Set margins and front-matter order first. Apply the citation style from the first reference. Compare against a recently accepted USM thesis/dissertation in your department.
Keep numbering and captions consistent. Verify every required page is present and in order. Do a dedicated formatting pass against the official guidelines before submission.
Do one focused pass for margins, front-matter order, and page numbering. Then confirm citation style and that all required pages/sections are present, following the Universiti Sains Malaysia Thesis formatting guidance.