BS 4821:1990 download.Recommendations for the Presentation of theses and dissertations.
BS 4821 provides recommendations for the presentation of theses, dissertations an similar documents. It includes advice on paper quality, design, sequence of material, methods of producing text, quality of typeface and also on tl treatment of material that is in a form not suitable for binding
NOTE The titles of the publications referred to in this standard are listed on the inside back cover
2 Definitions
For the purposes of BS 4821 the nitions apply bibliographical reference
a set of data describing a document or part of a document, sufficiently precise and detailed to identify it and to enable it to be locate
NOTE In tl ent ” applies to all fferent kinds of work that may be cited, including books periodicals, articles, maps, computer software and databases. music, recorded sound, prints, photographs and moving images. illustration produced on paper or accompanying microform 2 ine drawing, graph, diagram, photograph or ma ideo tape or compact disk location key ymbol used to link a statement in the text to its corresponding note note extension of the text, in a footnote or endnote, that elucidates a point in greater detail than the
main text or that, if included in the text, would otherwise interrupt its flow recto the right-hand page of an open book
2.6
a statement of investigation or research, presenting the authors findings and any conclusions reached ubmitted in support of the author s candidature for a higher degree, professional qualification or other award
NOTE Throughout this standard, the term”thesis”applies als
to dissertations and similar documents
4 Text and illustrative material on
paper
4.1 Quality of reproduction
More than one copy of the thesis will be required. All copies should be legible and at least one should be of a quality suitable for microfilming, and therefore should follow the recommendations in 4.2 to 4.6 and 7.1.
NOTE 1 For further information about the quality required for microfilming see BS 5444.
NOTE 2 Any pages larger than A4 are likely to be reduced to A4 when the thesis is copied and reduction may impair legibility.
4.2 Colour
If the use of colour is essential in the text or illustrations of a thesis, the author should choose a method of production that facilitates the reproduction of colour. Because copies for consultation are generally issued on microfilm, any page that contains colour should be headed “Original in colour”, so that the reader will be aware that some information may have been lost in copying. In the production of graphs, maps and diagrams, hatching or broken lines, which will reproduce in monochrome, should be considered as an alternative to colour or used in addition to it.
4.3 Methods of text production Whatever the form of the final version of the thesis, which may be typescript, printout or typeset, the text should be of the quality recommended in clause 7. In addition, the author should check in advance that the system is capable of producing any special symbols, smaller letter sizes for notes (see 13.2), etc. required. If the system cannot produce a particular symbol, it may be added by hand in black ink (see 3.3).
4.4 Format
The text and, wherever possible, all the material of the thesis including illustrations, should be produced on A4-size paper. If in exceptional circumstances another format is required for the whole thesis, the author should seek permission to use a non.A4-size format from the examining body.
NOTE 1 A4-size paper is specified in BS 4000.
NOTE 2 If a format larger than A4 is used, the production of
microfiche copies and full-size enlargements may not be feasible.
4.5 Paper
Paper used for the text should be of a substance within the range 70 g/m2 to 100 g/m2. It should be white or of a colour that gives good contrast with the text, so that it is easy to read and reproduce.
6.5 Lettering
Any lettering on the spine and cover should be large enough to be legible when the volume is on a library shelf. Normally, lettering of 8 mm capital height will be required if the lettering is all in capitals and 10 mm capital height if capitals and lower case are used.
6.6 Spine title
The spine should bear the surname and initials of the candidate, the year of submission and the volume number if the work consists of more than one volume (see 6.2 and 6.3). The information should be printed either across the spine or along the spine in such a way as to be readable when the volume is lying flat with the front cover uppermost.
6.7 Cover title
If the outside front board repeats any of the information on the spine (see 6.6). all decorative material should be kept clear of the lettering.
7 Typographic design
7.1 Character size
The size of character used in the main text, including displayed matter, should be not less than 2.0 mm for capitals and 1.5 mm for x-height (height of lower-case x). For some production methods, a larger character size will be necessary. If smaller characters are used in notes, etc., care should be taken to avoid serious loss of legibility when copies are made, particularly if the copies are reduced.
NOTE 1 For information about the quality of characters, i.e. letters, numerals, punctuation marks and other symbols, see appendix A.
NOTE 2 The output from some production methods. e.g. coarse dot.matrtx draft quality, is not acceptable.
7.2 Word spacing and division
Unless an advanced typesetting system is used, text should be set with even spacing between words because unequal spaces between words tend to impede reading. Word division at the ends of lines should be avoided if possible. (See PD 6506.)
7.3 Line length
Lines should be between 60 and 70 characters long, including word spaces, even if margins wider than those recommended in 4.9 are used.
16.2 Appendices
Appendices may consist of material of considerable length or of lists, documents, commentaries, tables or other evidence that, if included in the main text, would interrupt its flow. The presentation of appendices, including character size, should be consistent with the style of the main text. If long appendices are divided into chapters, they should be entered in the list of contents under the main heading of the appendix. In a single-volume thesis, appendices should follow the main text, possibly with a separate list of contents. If in a multi-volume thesis they are issued in a separate volume, it should have its own list of contents.
16.3 Glossary
If there is a glossary, it should follow the text and any appendices. Terms that require explanation should be defined in a glossary, which should include a key to any abbreviations used. For an abbreviation not in common use, the term should be given in full at the first instance followed by the abbreviation in brackets. In a multi-volume thesis, a glossary should be provided in each volume. Definitions of terms specific to the thesis should be included (see 15.10).
16.4 List of references
The list of references (see 14.2 and 14.3). should follow the glossary.
16.5 Bibliography
The bibliography, if any (see 14.5). should follow the
list of references.
16.6 Index
An index is useful to readers and can provide authors with a mechanism for checking the text, If there is an index, it should comply with the recommendations of BS 3700. A computer-generated index should be checked and corrected before it is bound into the thesis.
17 Errata
17.1 Author’s responsibility
The thesis should be checked for spelling and accuracy, including cross-references and sequences of numbers.
The author of the thesis is responsible for any errors in it and should therefore make every effort to correct all errors before submitting the thesis for examination.