Format and content of the Essays: The essay is written based on the following format

and construction:
First Part
• Cover and sub cover page.
• Comments of the supervisor: Comments of the supervisor on the content of the senior
essay.
• Table of content: The table of content needs to show clearly page number of parts or
sub parts up to maximum of three-number digits (example: 2.1.1). The four-number digit
is not allowed for any sub part (example: 2.1.1.1). The table of content should be
prepared to fit one page.
• Lists of graphs, diagrams and tables (if any).
• Lists of abbreviations, special characters (if there are too many abbreviations).
• Summary: summarize the research results up to maximum of 200 words
• Keywords: keywords used in the essay
Content Part
• 1. Introduction: Briefly state the reason of choosing the research topic, research scope
and research objectives (1-2 pages).
• 2. Literature review (4-6 pages): 2 parts
2.1. Theoretical review: state the theories, the definitions, the measures, the formulas
used in the research.
2.2. Extant literature review: summarize extant studies and published articles which are
related to the research topic (note: review only articles from high-quality journals and
published materials). Each review must have the following contents: the authors, the
published year, research data, research model, variables, the measurement of variables,
method of data handling and research results.
• 3. The research methodology (2-5 pages):
Describe the data sources, the method of collecting and analyzing data to answer research
questions in detail. If the research uses the quantitative approach, the model, variables,
the measures of variables, hypotheses and quantitative methodology need to be presented.
If the research uses the qualitative approach, the method of classification, choice of
particular parameters to identify research objects; choice of objects for comparative
purposes, benchmarks; data sources and the analysis methodology need to be clarified (2-
5 pages)
• 4. Research results: Use research data and methodologies to produce results (tables,
diagrams, regression results (if using quantitative research)); Analyze and give comments
on research results (6-12 pages)
• 5. Conclusion and Recommendations (2-6 pages)
5.1. Conclusion: research results and findings in the essay
5.2. Recommendations: based on research results above, provide policy implications or
other recommendations.
Final Part
• Appendice: raw data, processed data, theories or model results in detail (if any)
• Reference: Only list materials which are cited and used in the senior essay.
The arrangement of references need to follow the guideline (see detailed instructions in
appendix 1).
The senior essay should not exceed 15.000 words (the main content of the essay should
not exceed 30 pages, minimum of 20 pages).

The Essays’ Format

A senior essay is formatted in clean, clear and concise way, with page numbers and no
erasing. Tables, graphs and diagrams are numbered carefully.
A senior essay needs to be a softback and the cover page is formatted as in the appendix 1
of this document.
Text composition
Use Unicode, Time New Roman font, size 13 for Winword or equivalent system; the text
density is normal; no pushing or stretching the distance between words; line spacing is
1,15 lines; the upper margin is 2,5 cm (1 inch = 2,54cm); the lower margin is 2,0 cm; left
margin is 2,5 cm; right margin is 2,0 cm. The page number is in the middle and on the top
of each page. If there are any tables or graphs which are exhibited in landscape mode, the
head of tables or graphs will be set on the left margin of the page. However, this
presentation is not encouraged. All pages of the senior essay are printed on one side of
white A4-sided page (210 x 297 mm).

Numbering chapters, items, sub items

Do not use Roman symbols (I, II, III, …) or alphabetical system (a,b,c,… or A,B,C,….)
to number items and sub items of the senior essay.
Use the Arabian symbol system (1, 2, 3, …) to number items and sub items of the essay.
Sub items of the essay are numbered in grouped digits, maximum of three digits with the
first digit representing the main item (example: 2.1.2 representing the sub item 2 of sub
item 1 of item 2). Each group of sub items must have at least 2 sub items. It means that
the sub item 2.1.1 cannot exist if there is no sub item 2.1.2.

Tables, Diagrams, Equations

Tables, diagrams and equations are continuously numbered throughout the essay.
All tables or diagrams must be fully cited, for example “Source: Ministry of Finance
(2014)”. Cited materials are correctly listed on the Reference List.
The title of a table is on the top of the table while the title of a diagram is at the bottom of
the diagram. Generally, the analysis contents need to be close to small tables or diagrams.
Big tables or diagrams may be presented in a separate page but need to be put right after
the analysis of those tables/diagrams .
Example 1:
Table 1: Outstanding loans by economic sectors
Unit: VND
No Economic sector Outstanding loan
Source: Business report of ACB in 2019
Tables with only one row should not be created. Big tables should be presented with
portrait orientation of the page (297mm by 210mm). Ensure that such page when folded
should allow the number and title of the table or the diagram to be seen without
expanding the page. This way helps avoid getting close to the inner folding edge or
cutting off the outer folding edge of the essay. However, using such too wide tables
should be limitted.
In all circumtances, four margins of the page and tables will have to be formatted based
on the guidelines stipulated in item 2.3.1 of this document.
Diagram 1. The method of folding a page with over 210 mm in width
In the senior essay, all figures or diagrams must be drawn with ink so as to be
photocopiable. They must be numbered and have full title. The text size in those figures
or diagrams is equal to that of text in the essay. When referring to tables, figures or
diagrams, students must mention the number of those tables/figures/diagrams, for
example student should write“…be mentioned in Table 2” or “(described in Figure 3)”
instead of writing “…be mentioned in the below table” or “in the following graph of X
and Y”.
Students themselves can choose to demonstrate mathematic equations in one line or two
lines, but must be consistent throughout the senior essay. When any symbol is firstly
presented in the essay, student must explain it and its unit right below the equation that
contains such a symbol.
The list of symbols, abbreviations and the meaning of those symbols and abbreviations (if
any) must be located at the top of the senior essay. All equations need to be numbered
and put in the single bracket to the right margin of the page. If one number is assigned to
any group of equations, this number should be put in bracket, or each equation in group
of equations (1) is numbered as (1.1), (1.2), (1.3).

Abbreviations
Do not use too many abbreviations in a senior essay. Abbreviations should only be used
for words, phases or terminologies which are described many times in the essay. They
should not be used for phases and clauses that are long or present rarely in the senior
essay. Students can use abbreviations after abbreviated words are presented for the first
time, and the abbreviations follow in the bracket. If there are many abbreviations in the
senior essay, the list table of abbreviations (in alphabetical order) should be included at
the beginning of the senior essay.

Reference and citation method

Any idea or concept which does not belong to the student must be cited with the clear
source in the senior essay’s reference part.
Students should not cite general knowledge which is known by most of people so that the
senior essay will not be too dense with citation. Citation is used to admit the source of
valuable ideas and help readers follow the train of thoughts of the author, without
intervening the reading.
If students cannot access the original material and have to cite through another material,
students must clarify this method of citation and the original source should
not be in the Reference of the senior essay.
Citations in the essay should include these details: author’s name/entity’s name, the year
of publication.
The method of citation and preparing the Reference should be in line with Harvard
method. For example:
- The author’s name and the year of publication are in single brackets. For example:
liquidity has the strongest impact on stock returns (Nguyễn Văn A, 2009).
- The author’s name is in the sentence and the year of publication is in single brackets.
For example: Nguyễn Văn A (2009) argues that liquidity has the strongest impact on
stock returns.
- A citation in another citation: Nguyễn Văn A (cited in Nguyễn Văn B, 2010:15) argues
that liquidity has the strongest impact on stock returns (in this case, the author can only
access the published work of Nguyễn Văn B which refers to Nguyễn Văn A’s idea. In the
references, the source of Nguyễn Văn A’s work is not included and replaced by the
published work of Nguyễn Văn B)
The method of preparing references follows to APA. For example: Bakis, C. E., Bank, L.
C., Brown, V., Cosenza, E., Davalos, J. F., Lesko, J. J., ... & Triantafillou, T. C. (2002).
Fiber-reinforced polymer composites for construction-state-of-the-art review. Journal of
composites for construction, 6(2), 73-87.