GUIDE TO THE PREPARATION OF PROJECT

FACULTY OF INFORMATION SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING

MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY

 PREFACE

The preparation of a thesis or dissertation is a complex and tedious process. It involves

numerous steps beginning with the submission of a project proposal and ending with the
binding of the thesis. With proper planning and the aid of modern typing and printing
technologies, the preparation of a thesis can be a very satisfying and rewarding exercise.

This guide is meant to help students of Management and Science University (MSU) in the
preparation of their theses. Since the preparation of the last guide, typing and printing
technologies have acquired new dimensions, all to the benefit of the student. The guide covers,
inter alia, the technical specifications, type of paper, format, and method of bibliographic
citation.

The format of this guide has also acquired a new look in order to resemble as closely as
possible the format of a thesis, in terms of content layout, except for line spacing. To conserve
space, the guide uses single spacing, whereas a thesis is typed in double spacing.

As indicated by the title, this document is meant to be a guide and it is up to the students
to adapt it to the demands of their respective disciplines. It is hoped that with the availability of
this guide, a certain measure of uniformity, which publishers refer to as "house style", can be
achieved in all MSU theses.

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 Page

PREFACE 2

CHAPTER
I GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF THESIS 5
Introduction 5
Submission of Thesis 5
Technical Specifications 5
Typeface and Font Size 5
Margins 6
Spacing 6
Pagination 6
Paper 7
Binding 7

II FORMAT OF THESIS 8
Arrangement of Contents 8
Title Page 9
Declaration 10
Certification of Project Paper 10
Dedication 10
Acknowledgements 10
Table of Contents 10
List of Tables 11
List of Figures 11
List of Plates 11
List of Abbreviations 11
Abstract 11
Text of Thesis 12
Body of Thesis 12
Some Common Errors in Project Papers 17
Note on Last Paragraphs 18
Tables 18
Illustrations 18
Footnotes 19
Citations in the Text 19
References or Bibliography 19
Appendices 19
Biographical Sketch/Vita 19

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 Page

III WRITING CONVENTIONS 20

Units of Measure 20
Numbers 20
Elliptical 20
Use of Brackets 21
Use of Symbol for Percentage 21
Policy on Direct Quotation 21

IV USE OF EDITORIAL SERVICE 22

APPENDIX

A Sample Spine and Cover of the Thesis 24

B Sample Title Page 25
C Sample Table of Contents 26
D Sample List of Tables 27
E Sample List of Figures 28
F Sample Layout of a Chapter 29
G-1 Sample Format of Abstract (English Version) 30
G-2 Sample Format of Abstract (Bahasa Malaysia Version) 31
H Sample of Table 32
I Sample of Plate/Figure 33
J Sample of Commonly Used Bibliographic Styles 34
K Sample of Certification of Project Paper 39
L Sample of Declaration 40

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 CHAPTER I

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF PROJECT

Introduction

This guide is to help students of Management & Science University in the preparation
of their projects. It deals only with the format of the project and some writing conventions.
The Faculty of Information Sciences and Engineering (FISE) welcomes queries from students
on matters of specifications of the format. If earlier this is done, the better it is for all
concerned.

Submission of Project

Candidates intending to submit their theses should comply with the following
procedure:

(a) A candidate shall give at least three months notice of his intention to submit his
project title for examination.

(b) On completing the approved programme of study and research, a candidate shall
submit his project to the FISE for examination: 1 copy for each supervisor (with
printed source code), 1 copy for the Dean of FISE, 1 copy for FISE, and 1 copy
for MSU library.

(It is advisable to submit to the supervisor a draft copy of the project before submitting
the two/three examination copies. This is to ensure that the proper format is followed
before the project is sent for examination.)

(c) A candidate shall, within 15 days after successful defense of his/her project,
submit to the FISE all the bound copies of the approved project together with
the softcopies of all source codes and documentation.

Technical Specifications

Typing should be done on a word processor, with printing done on a letter quality
printer. Candidates for higher degrees are urged to consult the FISE on matters of project format
before starting to type their draft. This will avoid costly errors and delays.

Typeface and Font Size

The entire text of the project, including headings and page numbers, must be produced
with the same font or typeface. The font size should be 11 to 12 points and should not be

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scripted or italicized except for scientific names and terms in a different language. Bold print
may be used for headings. Footnotes and text in tables should not be less than 8 points.

Some fonts appropriate for project are:

Arial
Book Antiqua
Bookman
Helvetica
Helvetica-Narrow
Palatino
Times
Times New Roman

Margins

For the first page of each chapter, the top, bottom, and left margin should be 40mm. The
right margin should be 25mm.
The left margin should be at least 40 mm, while the top and bottom margins should be
25mm. The right margin should be 25mm for all pages. Margin specifications are meant to
facilitate binding and trimming. All information (text headings, footnotes, and illustrations),
including page numbers, must be within the text area.

Spacing

The project should be typed double lines spacing. The following, however, should be
single-spaced:

(i) explanatory footnotes (if absolute necessary);

(ii) quotations longer than three lines set in a block;
(iii) references or bibliography (except between entries);
(iv) multi-line captions (tables, figures, plates);
(v) appendices, such as questionnaires, letters; and
(vi) headings or subheadings

Pagination

Pages should be numbered consecutively throughout the project, including pages for
tables, figures and appendices. Each appendix should be identified separately using a big letter
(A, B, C). The pages of the appendices should also be numbered accordingly. Page numbers
should appear by themselves and should not be bracketed, hyphenated or accompanied by other
decorative devices.
Preliminary pages preceding Chapter I must carry page numbers in small Roman
numerals (i, ii, iii). The title page should not be numbered though it is counted as page i. All
other pages should be numbered centrally about 25 mm from the bottom.

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 Page 1 begins with the first page of the Introduction (or Chapter I). The numbering of
this page is made centrally at the bottom (about 25mm from the bottom). Other than the first
page of a new chapter, the page number must be typed approximately 25mm above the edge of
the top right comer.

Print text or illustrations on only one side of each sheet. Only the original word-
processed copy of a project or its good and clean photocopies will be accepted.

Paper

White simile paper (80 g.s.m.) or paper of equivalent quality should be used. Paper
should be of A4 size (210 mm x 297 mm).

Binding

When the project has been completed and all necessary signatures obtained, the
candidate should seek the service of a reliable binder. All copies should be checked carefully to
ensure that all pages are in their correct order.

The project should be bound with hard covers. The binding should be of a fixed kind in
which pages are permanently secured. The covers should have sufficient rigidity to support the
weight of the work when standing on a shelf. Theses are to be fully bound in DARK GREEN
(preferably Buckram quality).

The following should be lettered in gold from the head to the foot of the project spine,
using a 18-point font:

diploma for which the work is submitted;

and year of submission.

The following particulars should be provided on the project cover, using 18 point gold
block font:

title of project;
name of candidate(s);
diploma;
name of university; and
year of submission.
(see Appendix A).

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 CHAPTER II

FORMAT OF THESIS

Arrangement of Contents

Theses are generally composed in three main divisions: the preliminary pages or front
matter; the text or main body, usually divided into parts, chapters and sections; and the ending
pages or back matter.

The preliminary pages, or front matter includes the title page, dedication, preface,
acknowledgements, table of contents, list of tables, figures, graphs, maps, diagrams, plates,
abbreviations and abstracts.

The ending pages or back matter consists of bibliography or references, appendices, and
vita.

The following is an example of how various pages in a project, from preliminary or front
matter to ending pages or back matter, are arranged. We recommend that this sequencing be
used as a guide, although not every project includes all the items listed below:

Item Remarks
1. Blank leaf

2. Title page Not paginated or listed in Table of Contents

but counted as i (see Appendix B)

3. Declaration Not to be paginated or listed in Table of

Contents but counted as ii (see Appendix L)

4. Certification of Project Paper Not to be paginated or listed in Table of

Contents but counted as iii (see Appendix
K)

5. Dedication (optional) Not to be paginated or listed in Table of

Contents but counted as iv

6. Acknowledgements To be paginated as page iv or v if there is a

dedication and to be listed in Table of
Contents

7. Abstracts Paginated and listed in Table of Contents

(Two versions are required: English and
Bahasa Malaysia, with the former appearing
before the later) (see Appendix G-1 & G-2 )

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 8. Table of Contents Paginated, but not listed in Table of
Contents (see Appendix C)

9. List of Tables (if any) Paginated and listed in Table of Contents

(see Appendix D)

10. List of Figures (if any) Paginated and listed in Table of Contents
(see Appendix E)

11. List of Plates (if any) Paginated and listed in Table of Contents

12. List of Abbreviations or Paginated and listed in Table of Contents

Glossary (if any)

13. Main body (Chapter I - V) Paginated beginning with page 1

14. Bibliography or References Paginated

15. Appendices Insert a leaf with only the word

APPENDICES in the centre of the page; this
sheet is counted but not paginated. The
actual appendices are paginated

16. Vita (Optional) Paginated, continuing the number on the

preceding page

17. Blank leaf

Title Page

This page (see Appendix B), includes the following information:

(i) full title of project;
(ii) full name of author(s);
(iii) diploma for which the project is submitted;
(iv) name of the institution to which project is submitted;
(iv) faculty/centre in which research was conducted; and
(v) month and year of submission.

The title should describe the content of the project accurately and concisely, normally
omitting words such as "An Investigation.. .", "An Analysis . . .", or "A Study. . ." which are
redundant as all these are investigations, analyses, studies of a kind or another. It should be
typed single-spaced.

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 Declaration

This sheet bears the claim of original work by the writer(s) and along with the
signature(s) of the writer(s) (see Appendix L)

Certification of Project Paper

This sheet bears the signature(s) of the project supervisor(s) certifying approval of the project
by the Board of Examiners/Supervisors (see Appendix K).

Dedication

Inclusion of a dedication is permissible

Acknowledgements

Preface or Acknowledgements may contain all or some of the following information:

(i) Explanatory notes or reasons for doing the study (usually in Preface);

(ii) Acknowledgement of guidance and assistance from individuals and institutions

(usually in Acknowledgements).

For theses, PREFACE is optional while ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS is generally

preferred. The acknowledgements can be written in the first person (e.g. I should like to
thank ... ), or the third person (e.g. The author wishes to acknowledge …).

Table of Contents

The Table of Contents immediately follows the Acknowledgements. It lists in sequence,

with corresponding page numbers, all relevant subdivisions of the project, including the titles of
chapters, sections and subsections; the bibliography or reference list; the list of abbreviations
and other functional parts of the whole project; the appendices (if any); and the index (if
provided). A Table of Contents should not be listed in the Table of Contents itself (see
Appendix C).

If a project comprises more than one volume, the contents of the whole project are
shown in the first volume and the contents of the subsequent volumes in a separate contents list
in the appropriate volume. The words VOLUME ONE (1 or 1) must be placed centred beneath
TABLE OF CONTENTS.

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 Major headings within chapters (primary headings) are centered. Subheadings (secondary)
are typed flushed with the left margin. Tertiary headings are indented five spaces and are not
listed in the Table of Contents (see Appendix C).

List of Tables

This list shows the exact titles or captions of all tables in the text and appendices,
together with the beginning page number of each table (see Appendix D).

List of Figures

This includes graphs, maps, or illustrations of other kinds. The exact title or caption and
its corresponding page number is listed. Figures should be numbered consecutively throughout
the project, including those in the appendices (see Appendix E).

List of Plates

Full-page illustrations, especially photographs, are usually called plates. The list, if any,
follows the List of Figures, and is numbered consecutively throughout the project.

List of Abbreviations

If an assortment of abbreviations and acronyms (e.g. MSC, API, MDeC, TCP/IP) is used
in the project, it is best to list them in a List of Abbreviations with their meanings, even though
the full names are given at the first mention in the text. This list serves as ready reference to
readers not familiar with the abbreviations. Universally recognized symbols ('C, cm, mm, kg,
ha) need not be listed.

Abstracts

The abstract is a digest of the entire project and should be given the same careful
attention as the main text. Reference to literature is not normally made in the abstract.
Abbreviations or acronyms must be preceded by the full term at the first use.

An abstract should not normally exceed 350 words. It includes a brief statement of the
problem, a concise description of the research method and design, summary of major findings
including the significance or the lack of it, and conclusions.

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 The abstracts should be given in English and Bahasa Malaysia. The version to appear
first is of the same language used in writing the project. The format of abstract heading is
shown in Appendix G-1 and Appendix G-2.

Even though a project may have been written in English, the abstract in Bahasa
Malaysia must also reach an acceptable scholarly standard. Common pitfalls such as spelling
errors, incorrect usage of prepositions and prefixes (e.g. di, ke) should be avoided. Scientific
terms must be used consistently.

Text of Thesis

Body of Thesis

The body of a project normally consists of the following headings or chapters:

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION : The purpose of this chapter is to state the research

problems/issues/ hypotheses that will be examined in the project paper. This should provide the
background of the study and indicate to the reader in general terms what the research intends to
study.

i. Background of the Project – This section briefly introduces the field of the project that is
undertaken. This includes background of the organization, the current situation, the
current technology in the field, etc.
ii. Problem Statement – This section should inform the reader with the problem to be dealt
with, by establishing a frame of reference for the problem. This section should identify
the problems encountered so that the project will have a basis to work on in solving the
problems.
iii. Objective(s) of the Project – This section should describe in detail, the objectives of the
project.
iv. Scope of the Project – This section should state the scope to be covered for the project.
v. Significance of the Project – This section should state the contribution of the research to
theory, practice and policy.
vi. Limitations of the Project – This section should discuss the limitations/constraints of the
study.

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW : The main purpose of the literature review chapter
is to expand upon the context and background of the study, to further define the problem, and to
provide empirical and theoretical bases for the research. This chapter can be divided into three
main sections:

i. Review of Current Situation

This section can be subdivided into subsections. The researcher will provide a complete
review of current situation, which can be the current processes, problems faced, and any
other issues related to the research.

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 ii. Review of Related Products
This section can be divided into subsections. The researcher will conduct a review on
any product similar or related to the project. This section will give a thorough
description of the product(s) and the source of the information must be properly stated in
the reference/bibliography.

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY : The methodology chapter describes the approach and
methodology used. This section consists of the introduction, the research approach, the
workflow model, the algorithm, the research model (if any), the methods of data collection, the
analysis of research data.

i. Project Methodology
The researcher should present a suitable methodology that will be used for the
research/product development.

ii. Hardware and software requirements

This section will cover the details of software and hardware that will be used throughout
the period of the research. The software can include software that will be used to create
user interface, CGI scripting, database, web server, etc, while the hardware will be
confined to the tangible equipments used for the experiment, development, testing, etc.

iii. Project Schedule

This section shows the proposed detailed planning of the tasks that will be carried out from
the inception of the research until the end of the research. A proper graphical representation
of the project schedule should be provided in the form of Gantt chart, PERT chart, or any
other standard representations.

CHAPTER IV FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS: This chapter presents a complete account

of results and analyses of the study in the form of figures, tables or text so that the key
information is highlighted. It discusses the results of the study in relation to the hypotheses. It
highlights the main findings, their significance and implications. A separate chapter for this is
common in technological disciplines.

This chapter should clearly describe the analysis and the results and discuss the
outcomes that you have performed and accomplished. The sample structure are as shown below:

Testing:
Testing approach and environment:
Describe what kind of tests you used (unit, integration, system), different types of unit tests
(black box, white box), what types of tests you used for which components and why, explain
how each type of tests was performed, give examples of test code if necessary, what testing

13
environments or tools you used (if any)

Unit Tests:
Tests for individual components and large/important classes; at least one component or a
class should be tested white-box

Unit A: (replace with a unit or a class name)

Test descriptions. For each test describe: a test ID (assign a unique identifier to the test,
e.g. a number, so that you can make references to this test in the report, if necessary); the
test purpose (what you are testing for, e.g. “test if a method accepts a null input”); the test
sequence and inputs (which methods, in what sequence, and with what inputs are called);
the correct outputs (the expected correct effect, e.g. the correct output value). You can put
the descriptions into a table for a more readable presentation.

Unit B:
…

Unit Z:
…

n+1 Unit testing results:

Summary results and statistics for the unit tests. Present the final results (i.e. which tests
your application passes and which fails, use the earlier test IDs) as well as a testing history,
e.g. how regularly each test was run, how many faults you obtained, how the number of
faults was changing as the implementation progressed.

Integration Tests: (optional)

Testing of how separate components interact together (e.g. the lecture example of testing
whether updates in the model component are correctly visualized by the GUI component).
Use the same description format for the integration tests as for the unit tests. Also, present
the test results and statistics at the end.

System Tests:
Tests exercising the application as a whole. Use the same description format for the
integration tests as for the unit tests. There should be two sets of tests: the system tests
designed by you; and the peer tests, designed by your peer tester(s). Therefore, when you
are arranging for peer testing with your colleagues, you should ask your testers to properly
document their tests. Similarly, when you act as a tester for someone, you should make and
hand over accurate records of your tests. Use the same description format for the system
tests as for the unit tests (note, the test inputs here can be sequences of user actions rather
than values for input method parameters). Present the test results and statistics at the end.

A note on the amount and the selection of tests: There can never be too many tests when
you are developing a sizeable application. Therefore, the more tests you have the better. For
the purposes of this project, you should at least demonstrate a systematic and effective
approach to testing:

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  The selection of tests should reflect your understanding of what cases need to be tested
(e.g. valid inputs, incorrect inputs, boundary cases, “special” circumstances, etc).
 The amount of tests for different parts of your application should correspond to their size
and complexity (e.g. if you have many tests for a small auxiliary class and none for a
large and important component, then your tests distribution is likely inadequate for
thorough testing).

Summary: To distinguish from the abstract, this section generally sums up the findings,
discussion, conclusions and recommendations of the study.

CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: This chapter is often the

most difficult to write because it is the least structured. In the introduction, literature review,
methodology, and data analysis and findings chapters, the details of the research dictate the
content, but not in the conclusions chapter. This chapter, however, does have a frame of
reference – the introduction chapter. The points raised in the introduction chapter must be
responded to in the conclusions chapter.

This chapter ties the results of the study to theory, practice and policy by pulling together the
theoretical background, literature review, potential significance for application and results of the
study. It does help however, if we understand the function of this chapter. The last chapter has
the following functions:

To conclude or summarize the findings of the study in the form of conclusions. It is useful to
begin the last chapter with a summary of the main findings. This helps to orient readers to the
discussion that follows.
To interpret – Here, this section is designed to answer the following questions:
What do the findings mean?
Why did the results, if any, not turn out as expected?
What circumstances accounted for the unexpected outcomes, if any?
What were some of the limitations of the study?
To integrate – This section attempts to tie the results together to achieve meaningful conclusions
and generalizations.
To theorize – Wherever possible, the conclusions chapter should also attempt to integrate the
findings into an existing theory or generate original theory. (In the former case, you should state
in either the introduction chapter or the literature review chapter, the existing theory that is to
serve as a frame of reference).
To recommend or apply – Since management and business administration are applied fields,
research in these areas should provide recommendations that can be applied in practice.
To suggest extensions – This chapter should be concluded with suggestions for further research,
replications, or refinements, thus indicating directions that future research should take. The
suggested extensions can be offered in general or more specific form.

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 Some Common Errors in Project Papers

a.The problem statement:

 The problem statement is too long or too trivial or not important.
 Problem statement is ambiguous, wordy and too long.
 Important definitions are omitted.
b. Literature review:
 Not related to the objectives of the study.
 Merely a list of summaries – lack of connection or flow of ideas.
c.Methodology:
 Research method is inappropriate.
 Sources of data are not identified.
 Tests of validity and reliability not undertaken.
d. Findings:
 Incomplete findings.
 Discussions of major findings are not linked to the research objectives, research
questions and/or hypotheses presented in the introduction chapter.
 Biasness in reporting.
 Not sufficiently supported by empirical evidences and facts.
 Results and analysis poorly summarized.
 Over generalization – concluding beyond the data collected and the scope of study.

Note on Last Paragraphs

The last paragraph of any page should comprise at least two lines of text. In other
words, any heading appearing near the bottom of a page should be followed by at least two lines
of text. If this cannot be done, push the heading and the line to the next page.

If the last paragraph of a page has to be continued on the next page, make sure that at
least two lines of text appear on the next page.

Tables

Tables are numbered consecutively (with Arabic numerals) throughout the project
(including text and appendices). There are two possible numbering schemes: either (a) number
them consecutively throughout the project, or (b) number them by chapter, e.g. Table 1.1, 1.2,
1.3, 2.1, 2.2 and so on. No project may have two different tables called "Table l." All tables are
to be listed under LIST OF TABLES in the preliminary pages (including tables appearing in the
appendices). Tables should be placed after their mention in the text. Short tables should not
stand alone on a page.

Tables are captioned single-spaced above the tables (see Appendix H). Capitalise only
the first letter of the principal words in the caption (excluding words like "of", "the", "to"). If

16
preferred, use "down style' in which all letters are of lowercase except for proper nouns and first
letter in the caption.

Table sources and notes should be placed directly below the table (not at the bottom of
the page). Use superscript symbols (e.g. or lowercase letters, (e.g. a, b, c) but never numerals
for table footnotes.

Illustrations

Illustrations include maps, charts, graphs, diagrams, and photographs. Photographs are
normally called PLATES, while the rest are called FIGURES. Each of these categories are
numbered consecutively throughout the project, including those in the appendices. Illustrations
should be of good quality. The trend now is to use computers.

The figure/plate number and caption should be typed below the illustration using Arabic
numerals and lowercase, except for proper nouns and first letters of principal words (see
Appendix I). If preferred, "down-style" can also be used in which all letters are of lowercase
except proper nouns and first letter in caption. Illustrations should be inserted near their
mention in the text.

If an illustration occupies an entire page, the caption may be typed on the left-hand
facing page (reverse side blank), which is counted but not paginated. A right-hand page in
landscape format should have the top of the illustration at the binding edge. The illustration
number should be typed parallel to the way the figure/plate reads. The page number is typed in
standard text position. Illustrations should conform to standard margin requirements.

Footnotes

Footnotes should be used sparingly in a project regardless of the field of study. They
should be used only to clarify a certain term, to state conversion factors or exchange rates and
not to cite authority for specific statements or research findings. Citations of authority are done
in the text as described in the following section. Extensive footnoting tends to distract the
reader from the main argument of the text. If footnotes are necessary, the indicators (the
reference numbers in the text) are usually superscript (e.g. 1, 2, 3). The numbering of footnotes
should begin with 1 and must be continuous within each chapter or appendix, and not
throughout the whole text.

Citations in the Text

The author is responsible for choosing a style of citation that is appropriate to the field
and using that style correctly and consistently. Students may consult their supervisors for
guidelines.
References or Bibliography

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 Bibliography is a term commonly taken to mean a list of works cited as well as works
consulted but not cited, whereas the reference list refers only to a list of works cited. You may
use either one but make sure it is correct.

MSU does not specify which bibliographic style to use. It is, however, to your advantage
to follow a style used by an authoritative journal in your field. Samples of commonly used
bibliographic styles are given in Appendix J.

Appendices

An appendix or appendices, if any, are placed after the reference list or bibliography.
Details of the appendices are listed by type in the Table of Contents. Appendices include
original data, summary, side-line or preliminary tests, tabulations, tables that contain data of
lesser importance, very lengthy quotations, supporting decisions, forms and documents,
computer printouts and other pertinent documents. Appendix materials should be grouped by
type, e.g. Appendix A: Questionnaire, Appendix B: Original Data, Appendix C: Result Tables.

Biographical Sketch/Vita

This section is optional and gives the biographical information of the candidate(s). It
should include your name, your educational background, the degree you are seeking, your
professional work experience (if any), and such other matters that may interest your readers. It
is preferable that the vita be in essay form, rather than a mere resume.

CHAPTER III

WRITING CONVENTIONS

Units of Measure

Use internationally recognized abbreviations for units of measure, such as:

20 millilitres (20 ml)

5 kilogram (5 kg)
20 kilometer (20 km)
2.5 hectare (2.5 ha)
3.7 metric tonne (3.7 mt)
45 parts per million (45 ppm)
12 gram (12 g)
500 U.S. Dollars (USD500)
3.4 metric tonne/hectare (3.4 mt/ha)

18
 The numbers before the measurement units should not be spelled out, e.g. 5 kg, not five
kg even if they are below 100 (see below), unless they are the first words of sentences.

Numbers

Write out all numbers less than ten unless they are attached to units of measure (e.g. 5 kg,
10 ml). Use figures for 10 or more than 10. If a sentence begins with a number, write the
number in words, e.g. "Three hundred and eighty-five farmers were sampled from the study
area."

If you are using a series of figures, use numerals:

(a) In the room there were 4 chairs, 12 boxes, 13 books, 10 files, 9 umbrella and 8
pairs of shoes.

(b) The number of taxi permits issued during the past five years was 8, 53, 27, 38,
52, and 90.

Elliptical Mark

Writers use ellipsis to show an omission from quoted material. The ellipsis consists of
three-spaced fullstops ( . ). When an ellipsis follows a sentence, it appears as four fullstops (.... )
-- one fullstop marks the end of the sentence and the other three signal the omission. For
example:

Coombs (1985: 4) wrote about the conference:

The conference at Williamsburg . . . agreed that the world educational crisis

sketched in the document was real....

Use of Brackets

Within direct quotations, brackets are used to enclose any explanatory note inserted by
the project writer, e.g.

This year [1996] alone, we had two hundred applicants wanting to join our holiday camp
(Mustafa, 1996).

Candidates should use "sic" within brackets [sic] to indicate a certain doubt as to the
meaning or factual error. It is used in quotations to show that the original is being faithfully
reproduced even though it is incorrect or seems to be so. Errors, which are obviously
typographical, should be corrected as a matter of professional courtesy.

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 Use of Symbol for Percentage

The symbol % may be used in place of percent, e.g. 27.3% and typed without a space. If
the candidate prefers to write 27.3 percent in full, then consistency should be maintained
throughout. In tables, the abbreviation Pct may be used at the head of a table column to mean
percent.

Policy on Direct Quotations

Direct quotations must be minimised at all costs, except in some fields such as literature
(e.g. quotations from Shakespeare). Extensive use of direct quotations can be quite irritating,
especially if the quotations appear in a language other than that used in the project. For
example, a project written in Bahasa Malaysia should not quote materials directly in another
language (e.g. English, Tagalog). The candidate must learn to synthesize materials in other
languages and paraphrase them in his own words and style, an ability that is required in
graduate education.

CHAPTER IV

USE OF EDITORIAL SERVICE

Some candidates employ professional editors to "polish" their project presentation. This
should be done before the project is sent for examination. The FISE does not insist that all
theses be sent to professional editors (who charge a fee for their services). However, candidates
should know that the FISE accepts only theses that are reasonably free of errors. Your
supervisors cannot be held responsible for errors in your project and you cannot expect them to
be your editors.

Upon submission of the final draft prior to binding, the FISE browses the project to
ensure that the general format, abstract, bibliographical citations, etc. follow a standard style
acceptable to scholars in the candidate's chosen discipline.

The FISE stresses on consistency and accuracy. A consistently misspelled word is also
unacceptable for instance.

A candidate who follows this Guide faithfully is not likely to face many problems in
having his/her project accepted. In addition, candidates should also refer to recently approved
theses in their fields at MSU for guidance. However, errors made by others and overlooked by
the FISE should not be repeated or used to justify their perpetuation.

20
APPENDICES

21
 Appendix A

Sample Spine and Cover of the Thesis

22
 6cm
6cm

6cm

ROOM ENERGY SAVING DETECTOR (RESD)

DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING

 MUHAMMAD ISMAIL BIN MOHAMED AZLAN

DIPLOMA IN COMPUTER ENGINEERING

MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY
2008

2008

6cm

Appendix B

Sample Title Page

23
 ROOM ENERGY SAVING DETECTOR (RESD)

By

MUHAMMAD ISMAIL BIN MOHAMED AZLAN

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the diploma of Diploma
in Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Information Sciences and Engineering

May 2008

Appendix C

Sample Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

24
 Page
TITLE PAGE (not listed here) ……………………………………………………
DECLARATION (not listed here) ……………………………………………...
CERTIFICATION OF PROJECT PAPER (not listed here) .……………………...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ……………………………………………………… iv
ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………………… v
ABSTRAK ……………………………………………………………………… vi
LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………… ix
LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………………………… x
LIST OF PLATES ……………………………………………………………… xii
LIST OF ABREVIATIONS ……………………………………………………… xiii

CHAPTER

I INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………… 1
1.1 Background of the Project ………………………………… 1
1.2 Problem Statement ………………………………………… 1
1.3 Objectives …………….……………………………………. 2
1.4 Scope of the Project ………………….……………………. 2
1.5 Significance of the Project ……………….………………… 3
Assumption and Limitation ……………………………………….. 4

II LITERATURE REVIEW ……………………………………… 5

Tropical Forages ……………………………………………… 5
Feeding and Supplementation……………………………………… 6
The Effect of Protein Supplement ……………………… 6
The Effect of Energy Supplement ……………………… 9
Rumen Microorganism and their Metabolism ……………… 11
Rumen Microbes ……………………………………… 11
Rumen pH ……………………………………………… 12
Volatile Fatty Acids (VFA) ……………………………… 13
Rumen Ammonia ……………………………………… 14
Rumen Microbial Protein Synthesis ……………………………… 14
Factors Affecting Rumen Microbial Protein Synthesis ……… 14
Protein Sources ……………………………………… 15
Energy Sources ……………………………………… 16
Other Factors ……………………………………………… 17
Methods for Determining Rumen Protein Synthesis ……………… 18
Direct Method ……………………………………………… 18
Indirect Method ……………………………………… 20
Appendix D

Sample List of Tables

LIST OF TABLES

25
Table Page

2.1 Distribution of Cancer Patients in Malaysia Based on Types of

Cancer 8

2.2 List of Cancer Casuing Food 12

3.1 Respondents Categories According to States 32

3.2 Controlled Data for Test Simulation 35

3.4 Actual Data for Test Simulation 36

4.1 Results of First Simulated Test on Controlled Data 65

Appendix E

Sample List of Figures

LIST OF FIGURES

26
Figure Page

2.1 Percentage of Cancer Patients in Malaysia Based on Types of

Cancer 20

3.1 Context Diagram for Proposed Neuro Fuzzy System for Cancer
Detection 32

3.2 Entity Relationship Diagram for Proposed Neuro Fuzzy System

for Cancer Detection 32

4.1 Results of First Simulated Test on Controlled Data 58

4.2 Results of Simulated Test on Actual Data 60

4.3 Menu Screen of Neuro Fuzzy System for Cancer Detection 68

Appendix F

Sample Layout of a Chapter

CHAPTER NUMBER

27
 TITLE OF THE CHAPTER
There may be a preamble in the beginning of a chapter. The purpose may be to introduce
the themes of the main headings.

Main Heading No. 1

(Primary Level) --Bold & Centred

Sub-heading No. I (Secondary Level)

There should be a minimum of two sub-headings to justify having subheadings.

Sub-heading No. 2 (Secondary Level)

All first letters of principal words are capitalized ech and the sub-heading is typed flush
with the left margin.

Tertiary Heading No. I

(under Sub-heading No. 2)

Tertiary headings are indented five spaces. There should be at least two tertiary headings
to justify having tertiary level headings. Tertiary headings are usually not listed in Table of
Contents.

Tertiary Heading No. 2

(under Sub-heading No. 2)

....................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................

....................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................

Appendix G-1

Sample Format of Abstract (English Version)

28
Abstract of project presented to the Senate of Management & Science University in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the diploma of Diploma in Computer Engineering.

ROOM ENERGY SAVING DETECTOR (RESD)

By
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL BIN MOHAMED AZLAN
February 2007

Faculty: Information Sciences and Engineering

Artificial Intelligence is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially
intelligent computer programs. In recent years, the hybrid neural systems have drawn an
increasing research interest. A neurofuzzy system is based on a fuzzy system that is trained by a
learning algorithm derived from neural network theory. The hybrid system approach has been
successfully used in various areas (Lorenz et al.,1995; Zahlmann, 1996; Brause and Friedrich,
2000; Reiber, 2000; Yusof and Hamdan, 2000; Tran et al., 2001; Kelemen et al., 2001; Palade et
al., 2002). In this project, a disease domain that has been identified to be used in conjuction with
neurofuzzy system is breast cancer. Breast cancer is the result of an uncontrolled growth of cells
within the breast tissue. If not detected and treated promptly, breast cancer can become
metastasis, spreading to the lymph glands and other parts of the body including the lungs, bones
and liver. If the breast cancer can be detected early, patients can be given early treatment so as
to prevent the disease from becomes chronic. In this study, a neural network engine with
backpropagation algorithm was developed to predict the condition of the breast cancer tumor
whether it is benign, suspicious or malignant. A fuzzy logic method is used as pre-processing
and post-processing filters for the neural network. A fuzzification phase is introduced prior to
training data using neural network and defuzzification phase is utilized to convert the fuzzy
values to crisp values. The actual data was first tested with neural network and has obtained
accuracy of 88.24%. The accuracy produced by neurofuzzy system is 92.65% and thus this
result shows there is an increase in prediction performance. The prototype is developed as web-
based and hence, it can be used as part of teleconsultation system.

Appendix G-2

Sample Format of Abstract (Bahasa Malaysia Version)

29
Abstrak tesis yang dikemukakan kepada Senat Management & Science University sebagai
memenuhi sebahagian keperluan untuk diploma Diploma Kejuruteraan Komputer.

ROOM ENERGY SAVING DETECTOR (RESD)

Oleh
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL BIN MOHAMED AZLAN
February 2007

Fakulti: Sains Maklumat dan Kejuruteraan

Kepintaran buatan merupakan sains dan kejuruteraan dalam membuat sesebuah mesin pintar
terutamanya program komputer pintar. Sejak kebelakangan ini, sistem integrasi neural telah
menarik perhatian para penyelidik. Sistem neurofuzi merupakan sistem berasaskan sistem kabur
yang dilatih menggunakan algoritma pembelajaran yang diperolehi daripada teori rangkaian
neural. Penggunaan sistem integrasi neural telah berjaya digunakan dalam pelbagai bidang
(Lorenz et al.,1995; Zahlmann, 1996; Brause and Friedrich, 2000; Reiber, 2000; Yusof and
Hamdan, 2000; Tran et al., 2001; Kelemen et al., 2001; Palade et al., 2002). Dalam projek ini,
domain penyakit yang dikenalpasti untuk digunakan dalam sistem neurofuzi ialah kanser
payudara. Kanser payudara ialah hasil pertumbuhan sel yang tidak terkawal dalam tisu
payudara. Jika tidak dikesan atau dirawat dengan segera, kanser payudara boleh menjadi
metastasis, merebak ke kelenjar limpa dan bahagian lain anggota badan termasuklah paru-paru,
tulang dan hati. Jika kanser payudara ini dikesan awal, pesakit boleh diberi rawatan awal untuk
mengelakkan penyakit ini daripada menjadi kronik. Dalam projek ini, enjin rangkaian neural
dengan algoritma rambatan balik dibangunkan untuk membuat ramalan tahap tumor samada
tidak merbahaya, disyaki atau malignan. Kaedah logik kabur digunakan untuk menapis proses
sebelum dan selepas untuk rangkaian neural. Sebagai permulaan, fasa “fuzzification” digunakan
untuk melatih data menggunakan rangkaian neural dan fasa “defuzzifcation” digunakan untuk
menukarkan nilai fuzi kepada nilai sebenar. Data sebenar diuji dengan rangkaian neural dan
mendapat nilai ketepatan 88.24%. Nilai ketepatan dari sistem neurofuzi ialah 92.65% dan dari
keputusan tersebut menunjukkan terdapat peningkatan dalam prestasi ramalan. Prototaip ini
dibangunkan berasaskan web dan ia boleh digunakan sebagai sebahagian daripada sistem
teleperundingan.

Appendix H

Sample of Table

Table 4.5: Results of using different Momentum

30
Momentum Training Testing
0.1 86.63 89.71
0.2 87.73 88.24
0.3 88.46 94.12
0.4 89.56 94.12
0.5 88.1 94.12
0.6 88.83 91.18
0.7 88.83 88.24
0.8 89.74 88.24
0.9 89.93 92.65
1.0 88.46 86.76

Appendix I

Sample of Plate/Figure

31
 Figure 3.1: Bus Topology

Figure 3.2: Project Handling Workflow

Appendix J
Samples of American Psychological Association (APA) Bibliographic Styles

American Psychological Association (APA)

32
(from the 3r-d edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association, 1983; often used in the social sciences and education.)

Brown, M. W. (1982). This is the title of a book (2nd ed.). City: Publisher.

Chin, Y. (1988). This is the title of a part of a book. In A. R. Finley, S. R. Taft, & M. N. Piper
(Eds.), This is the book title. (pp. 25-37). City: Publisher.

Clark, B. W. (1988). This is the title of a paper appearing in a published proceedings. In A. B.

Cook (Ed.), Proceedings of the 100th Annual Meeting of the Society of Experimental
Results (pp.49-78). City: Publisher.

Fourney, T. T., & Heller, R. N. (January, 1991). This is the title of an unpublished paper
presented at a meeting. Paper presented at the 103rd annual meeting of the Society of
Experimental Results, City of Meeting, ST.

Goff, A. M. (1987). This is the title of a journal article. Journal of Experimental Results,.1(3),
1-22.

Green, M. (1988, January). This is the title of a magazine article. Magazine of Today, pp. 6-12.

Johnson, R. S. (1989, October 1). This is the title of a newspaper article. The Daily News, pp. 1,
6-8.

Jones, M. J., & Smith, A. R. (1990). This is the title of a report (Report No. 901428). City:
Publisher.

Miller, G. M. (1988). This is the title of a master's project. Unpublished master's project,
Name of the University, City, ST.

Simmons, M.T. (1987) This is the title of a doctoral dissertation (Doctoral dissertation, Name of
the University, 1986). Dissertation Abstracts International, 47, 1202.

33