Preparing your thesis for print

Thesis specifications

Theses must be formatted and printed according to the following specifications:

Paper size: international A4 size (29.7cm x 21cm).
Paper weight: at least 70gsm for the original copy.
Margins: left-hand margin at least 4cm, other margins at least 2cm for single-sided printing. See below for Setting correct margins.
Format: at least one and a half line spacing, typescript or computer printout, single or double-sided printing.
Volume: no more than 6cm in spine width and 2.5kg in weight.
Printing on spine: all copies will appear as shown in the Cover and Spine example image.
Title page: full title of thesis, author's name, full title of degree, correct official name of the School, name of University, year of presentation.
Accompanying material: accompanying material such as photographs and inserts must be securely mounted, with margins as detailed above. While there are no restrictions on the size of accompanying maps, drawings, musical scores, or computer printouts, these must be clearly indicated when submitting for binding. Note additional charges may apply.

Cover and spine

The cover and spine will be bound and printed. Here are some examples of how it will looks when completed.

PHD Thesis Binding Example Degree Thesis cover and spine example

Permanent binding

Binding specifications are:

cased-in and sewn, overcast on to tapes, if plates or inserts are present
rounded spine
buckram, or equivalent quality binding cloth
gold lettering down the spine will detail: PhD or degree; year; author's initials and family name
gold lettering on the front cover will detail: full title of PhD or degree and author's full name.

Cloth colours

FACULTY	COLOUR	COLOUR REFERENCE NUMBER
PhD (all disciplines)	Mustard, with light green spine	mustard #2073, light green #2008
Master's and other Doctoral
Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts	Light green	#2008
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences	Royal blue	#2004
Business School	Maroon	#2001
Education	Royal blue	#2004
Engineering, Computing and Mathematics	Mustard	#2073
Law	Black	#2011
Life and Physical Sciences	Light green	#2008
Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences	Light red	#2000
Natural and Agricultural Sciences	Brown	#2003

Setting correct margins

The size of the margins in your thesis is very important. Correct margins ensure that none of your thesis will be cut off in the printing and binding process, and it also makes the thesis look neat.

Single-sided pages

The standard margins for a UWA thesis printed on single-sided pages are as follows:

Inside edge: 4cm
Outside edge: 2cm
Top and bottom: 2cm

As you can see in the image, the 4cm margin is on the left hand side of the page (the inside edge, the side of the page that’s bound), and the 2cm margin goes on the right (the outside edge of the page).

Double-sided pages

If you are printing your thesis double-sided, your margins need to be mirrored. This means that for every second page of your thesis, the margins need to be reversed, so it has 2cm on the inside, and 4cm on the outside.

This is necessary as it will allow the print on the back of the double-sided page to be placed away from the binding edge.

If you want to print your thesis double-sided, but you haven’t mirrored your margins, you must change the margins in your original document before submitting it to us.

If you have issues with changing your margins to mirrored, you can just print the thesis single-sided instead. UWA doesn’t have a requirement for single or double-sided printing, so it doesn't matter which way you do it.

Or, when ordering online you can select the option: “I need Uniprint to check my margins – additional charge applies”. We will then look at your thesis and make the appropriate changes from there. Please note this will incur additional charges and time required.

Double-sided printing — Margins for double-sided printing

Landscape pages

The rules described above also apply for landscape pages. That is, 4cm needs to go on the top of the content of the page for single-sided printing, as shown in the image.

If you are printing your thesis double-sided, it’s important that the margins are correct for the landscape page content.

Please note that in Word, sometimes it won’t allow you to adjust the margins of the landscape pages. If so, they may have to be adjusted by hand, or we may need to do it for you.

Landscaped-pages margins — Margins for Landscaped-pages printing

Adding blank pages for double-sided printing

If you are printing your thesis on double-sided pages, you need to add blank pages in certain locations. These blank pages make sure that the start of each chapter sits on the front of the printed page, instead of the back of the last page at the end of a chapter.

The blank pages need to be added around the start of the thesis, from the cover page to the introduction. As well as the start of each chapter, depending on whether the chapter starts on an odd page number or not.

The image is an example of where blank pages should be added to your thesis when printing double-sided.

There are blank pages after every section of the beginning of the thesis, and the start of the chapters are on odd-numbered pages.

Adding blank pages for double-sided printing

Thesis printing FAQs

Are there any limits to how big the thesis is when they're bound?
We can bind books that are up to 400 pieces of paper thick – so if its printed double sided that means 800 pages with no issue.
Can I bring a printed copy of my thesis and have you photocopy the rest of the copies?
Yes, however we don’t recommend it as the quality of photocopies will not be as good as a direct print from a digital file. Also note submitting your job online gives access to cheaper printing prices.
How do I print and pay for my thesis if I am overseas?
When you submit via our online ordering, you pay by credit card and can specify the delivery instructions.
How long does it take to print and bind my thesis?
Submit by our online ordering and:
- Temporary binding will normally be ready to collect from the shop by the time you get there.
- Permanent soft bound versions are normally done within 1 working week.
- Permanent hard case bound versions normally take 2 weeks from the end of the week they are submitted.
How many copies of my thesis do I need?
There is no set amount, though if in doubt ask your school or supervisor. They should be able to advise how many copies are required for both your temporary bound and permanent bound copies. Note: You can order and pay for as many personal copies as you like.
How much does thesis printing and binding cost?
When you submit your thesis via online ordering the price is automatically calculated. You will get the price before it’s actually submitted.

If you wish to have the school pay for it you need to ask them for a BU (Business Unit) and PG (Project Grant) number and the name and contact details of the accounts contact. We must have the costs approved by the school before we can begin production.
What abbreviation do I use for my course or major?
View the full list of official abbreviations of UWA courses [PDF 79 kb].

Note: These were current at time of posting and are a guide only. Please seek clarification from the appropriate school if there are any queries.
What binding do I need for my thesis?
There are three types of binding for theses:
- Temporary spiral binding (for copies submitted for marking)
- Traditional hard cover binding (for permanent copies)
- Soft bound (cheaper option for permanent copies)
All versions are available for jobs submitted via our online ordering.
What colour will the cover of my permanent bound thesis be?
When the school is covering the payment of your thesis, please check with your school regarding their requirements. Personal copies can be any colour you wish.

Note: you can order a mix of colours to satisfy you’re own and the schools requirements.
What do I need to provide for printing and binding of my thesis?
You can upload a PDF or a word file (don't forget to check it carefully) via our online ordering system.

If you wish to have the school pay for it you need to ask them for a BU (Business Unit) and PG (project Grant) Number and the name and contact details of the accounts contact. We must have the costs approved by the school before we can begin production.
What time should I come in to have my thesis printed and bound? Do you take bookings?
You can submit your thesis for printing 24/7 via our online ordering process.

If you need someone to help you – you can come into the UniPrint Shop (1st floor of the Guild Commercial Building) weekdays between 9.30am and 4.00pm.
What type of paper will my thesis be printed on?
We print all thesis on high quality 80gsm paper, for both temporary and permanent bound copies.
Will the school pay for my own copies of my thesis?
If you wish to have the school pay for it you need to ask them for a BU (Business Unit) and PG (Project Grant) number and the name and contact details of the accounts contact. We must have the costs approved by the school before we can begin production.
Can I bring a Word file or something that isn't a PDF for my thesis printing?
With our online ordering submission you can upload your finished thesis as the preferred PDF format or as a word file (and it will convert it to a PDF for you). You can even use it to join several documents together into one PDF.

Whenever you do make a PDF from word, we suggest you check it thoroughly.

When you are submitting your job – you can download the generated PDF and save it to your desktop for checking.
Can I bring printed copies of my thesis already printed and have them bound?
Yes, we can bind printing that you’ve provided to us.
Can I include a CD in my thesis?
We can provide adhesive CD pockets for your thesis, and we can also burn CD’s for you for an additional fee.
Can I print A3 pages in my thesis?
Yes you can, but you must tell us which pages you need printed as A3.
Can you adjust my thesis if there's anything wrong with it?
We do have the limited ability to modify your thesis (such as removing an errant full stop or making small adjustments to your margins), but ideally, you should provide the thesis to us in a state that’s ready to print.

If we have to do any major changes to your thesis for any reason, then a fee will be incurred and the production times will be affected.
Do I have to tell you what pages of my thesis I want in colour?
When you submit your thesis for printing by our online ordering process, you can choose to print all pages black and white, all pages in colour or you can go and specify each page. Note: Black and white is cheaper than colour printing.
Do the temporary bound copies of my thesis have a plastic cover and a black card on the back?
Yes, it does.

Further information

Due to the complex nature of these documents, there may be portions of your thesis that aren’t covered in this guide.

If you have any queries, please call +61 8 6488 3624 or e-mail shop-uniprint@uwa.edu.au for assistance.

The University of Western Australia

UniPrint

Services

Guides

Preparing your thesis for print

On this page

Thesis specifications

Cover and spine

Permanent binding

Cloth colours

Setting correct margins

Single-sided pages

Double-sided pages

Landscape pages

Adding blank pages for double-sided printing

Thesis printing FAQs

Further information

The University of Western Australia

How can we help you?

Services

Guides

Preparing your thesis for print

On this page

Thesis specifications

Cover and spine

Permanent binding

Cloth colours

Setting correct margins

Single-sided pages

Double-sided pages

Landscape pages

Adding blank pages for double-sided printing

Thesis printing FAQs

Further information