Writing and referencing
Write draft chapters throughout your research rather than leaving the thesis to the end. Your supervisors should advise on structure, scholarship and disciplinary expectations.
The framework does not prescribe one universal chapter structure, referencing style, or thesis font. Agree discipline-specific choices with supervisors and use them correctly and consistently. The explicit 12-point sans-serif advice for RD6 reports is not a universal thesis-font rule.
Integrity and source use
- Acknowledge others’ ideas even when paraphrased.
- Use quotation marks for words taken from others.
- Make your own contribution and any collaboration clear in the declaration.
- Suspected plagiarism or other misconduct is referred through University procedures.
For generative AI, §6.1 links to University guidance. The official research-degree FAQ says to discuss usage early with supervisors, verify outputs, disclose/cite usage and not upload research data, personal or proprietary information. Follow the current University guidance; this wiki does not authorise any particular AI use.
Get writing support
Use Academic Skills, English for Academic Purposes and Library Services, and read relevant completed theses. Find support through Training and development and Contacts.
Plan for eventual public deposit: avoid identifiable participant information and seek Library advice about third-party copyrighted material. See Intellectual property and research data and Thesis embargo and open access.
Sources: Framework §6.1, p. 62; official research-degree questions page (AI guidance), checked 6 November 2026. Read the source.
Writing and submitting your thesis · Research integrity and ethics