HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGLISH
-------o0o-------

GUIDELINES ON
WRITING A GRADUATION THESIS

I. PROCEDURES FOR PREPARING A GRADUATION THESIS

Step1: Selecting and getting the topic
a) Selecting and getting the topic
- Suited to specialized area - Appropriate/ suited to ability
- Feasible - Scientific significance
- Practical significance - Urgent
b) Name of the title
 The title of the topic must be
- Indicating/reflecting scientific ideas of research topic.
- Reflecting the essential content of the research.
- Clearly understood (only one meaning)
 The title should not be
- A question
- Indefinite phrase beginning with About, Some, Think about, First step on
searching…
- In in-academic language
- Only the focus on experiments
- In large scope of the study
Step 2: Building an outline
Part A: Introduction (Background of the research)
1. Rationale
2. Aims and Purposes of the study
3. Scope of the study
4. Research question(s)
5. Methods of the study
6. Design of the study
1 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/
Part B: Development
Chapter 1: Literature review / Theoretical Background

1. 1

1.1.1

1.1.2

1.2

…………………

Chapter 2: Findings, Interpretations & Analyses

2.1

2.1.1

2.1.2

2.2

………………….

Chapter 3: Application; Contributions, Solutions…

3.1

3.1.1

3.1.2

3.2

………………….

2 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/
Part C: Conclusion and Recommendation
- Draws all arguments and findings together.
- Leaves the reader with a strong sense that the work you set out to do has been
completed, and that it was worthwhile.
- Summarizes major findings.
- Presents limitations.
- Presents implications.
- Suggests directions for future research.
References
Number. Full name of the author. (Year of Publishing). Name of document (Italic).
Source (Name of publisher, Place of publishing; Name of magazine,…).
Step 3: Collecting and analyzing data & information
Step 4: Writing the report

II. WRITING THE THESIS

1. Language used in thesis writing
a) Style:
- Passive voice is preferred (The first person pronoun I should be avoided)
- Reflecting the objective reality
b) Mathematical language:
- Independent figures/ Tables of figures
- Graphs/ Diagrams
c) Charts
d) Pictures
e) Photographs

2. In-text Quotations
After each in-text quotation, a quotation mark should be applied as follows
"quotation" [book, page number]
Eg: "-------------------------" [16, p.245] or [16, pp.245 - 248]

3 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/
3. References
a) Concept
Any kind of material sources usefully served for the research (read or extracted in
terms of research ideology should be listed according to the language)
- book references: books, magazines…
- sources from internet: web pages…

b) Order of reference arrangement

- The authors should be arranged in the alphabetical order
+ Foreign authors begin with Family names followed by initials of first names
+ Vietnamese authors begin with family names as usual but alphabetical order
counts with first names.
Note: Numbers need to be continuously arranged from beginning to the end, through
the all language groups.

c) How to list reference items

The following style should be highly recommended:
Number. Full name of the author. (Year of Publishing). Name of document (Italic) .
Source (Name of publisher, Place of publishing; Name of magazine, …).
A Sample Reference
English materials
1. Brown, G. and Yule, G. (1983). Teaching the Spoken Language. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge.
2. §Æng TrÇn C-êng. (2005). Lexicology. Tñ s¸ch ViÖn §H
Më HN.
3. Fox, T. (1984). Teaching Listening. Longman Singapore Publisher.
4. Halliday, M.A.K. (2004). An Introduction to Functional Grammar. Arnold,
London.
5. Halliday, M.A.K. (1978). A Course in Spoken English: Intonation. OUP.
Vietnamese materials
6. NguyÔn V¨n ChiÕn. (2004). TiÕn tíi x¸c lËp vèn tõ vùng
v¨n hãa ViÖt. NXB Khoa häc x· héi, Hµ Néi.
7. Vò Ngäc Phan. (2003). Tôc ng÷ – ca dao – d©n ca ViÖt
Nam. NXB V¨n häc, Hµ Néi.

4 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/
8. NguyÔn ThÞ Hång Thu. (2001). ChuyÖn vÒ sù ®a nghÜa
trong thµnh ng÷, tôc ng÷. Ng«n ng÷ & §êi sèng, 8(70): 21-
24.
Sources from Internet
9. ........................................................................

III. WORD PROCESSING AND FORMAT

1. Word processing
Font: Times New Roman
Size: 13 or 14
Line spacing: 1.3 - 1.5 lines
Page setup: Top: 3.5 cm, Bottom: 3 cm, Left: 3.5 cm, Right: 2 cm
Paper size: A4
Page number: Bottom of page / Right
- Length of thesis: 40 - 60 pages
CAPITALIZED, Bold, 14: Part, Chapter
Times New Roman, Bold, 14: Section, first sub-section (1. , 1.1. ,...
Times New Roman, Bold, Italic, 14: Second sub-section (1.1.1. , 1.1.2. ....)
Times New Roman, Italic, 14: Idea (a, b, c...)
Times New Roman, 13 or14: Content
- Header: Graduation Paper
- Footer: Name - Class - Course

2. Thesis format
2.1. Pre main text
a) Cover pages (2)
b) Declaration
c) Acknowledgements
d) Table of contents
e) List of abbreviations
f) Lists of figures and tables
2.2. Main text: Research report
(Page number counted from here)
2.3. Post main text
References (Page number counted up to this part)
5 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/
 Appendix/dices
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

IV. COVER PAGE AND DECLARATION

1. Cover page:
HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY CODE:
FACULTY OF ENGLISH
-----------------------------

GRADUATION THESIS
B.A DEGREE IN ENGLISH STUDIES

…..TITLE OF THE THESIS…..

Supervisor:
Student:
Date of birth:
Course: K16A (2009-2013)

HANOI, 2013

2. Declaration:
Title: …………………………………..

I certify that no part of the above report has been copied or reproduced by me from any other’s
work without acknowledgement and that the report is originally written by me under strict guidance
of my supervisor.

Hanoi, …. April, 2013

Student Supervisor

signature signature

Full name Full name

6 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/
7 Downloadable at http://tienganhdhm.com/