1. Thesis preparation

Your thesis needs to comply with the formatting requirements outlined in the Higher Degree by Research Thesis Examination Procedures:

• Procedures with Oral Examination
• Procedures without Oral Examination

The most appropriate referencing style will depend on your discipline and your advisory team will be able to provide advice on disciplinary norms.

Word limit

It's important to adhere to the word limit when writing your thesis. Your thesis must not exceed:

• 80,000 words for a PhD
• 40,000 words for an MPhil.

The word limit:

• includes the preliminary pages;
• includes all footnotes and appendices;
• includes all in-text referencing; but
• does not include your bibliography/reference list.

If your thesis exceeds the above word limit, please consult your principal advisor to discuss ways to reduce the document. If this is not possible, you can request permission to exceed the limit by sending an email to graduateschool@uq.edu.au. You will need to attach confirmation from your PA and DHDR confirming they believe a higher limit is necessary. Requests will be considered by the Dean.