Tips for writing the final thesis

1. Quick Tips for Writing Your Thesis

1.1 Text

In the text, it is necessary to:

  1. Always number all pages;
  2. Format the entire document so that it is justified on both the left and right sides;
  3. Use the same line spacing throughout the document, preferably double spacing, to ensure enough space for corrections in the initial draft;
  4. For good readability of the thesis in the final version, a line spacing of 1.5 is adequate;
  5. Never insert a space before a comma, but it is necessary to insert one after it;
  6. Never insert a page break between a title or a header and the following text;
  7. Make use of appropriate logical division into chapters, sections, and subsections, properly numbered.

1.1.1 Acronyms in the text

         On the first appearance of an acronym in the text, provide its full meaning. In subsequent instances, you can use the acronym alone, or if the context requires clarity, pair the acronym with the previously explained meaning.

1.2 Figures

Regarding figures:

  1. Number all the figures in your thesis;
  2. Each figure must have a caption;
  3. All inserted figures should be appropriately referenced and commented on in the text;
  4. Never insert a figure immediately after the title of a chapter, section, or subsection;
  5. If a figure is extracted from an existing document, include the corresponding bibliographic reference in the figure's caption.

1.3 Bibliographic References

Bibliographic references should be inserted in the text as needed, numbered sequentially. For example:

 

There are three different types of approaches to set up congestion control [1]:

 

• Black Box: There is no explicit information about the state of the network, so the approach is purely end-to-end. In this case, the source adjusts its transmission rate based on the feedback information returned by the receiver.

 

• Grey Box: Partial information about the state of the network is available, as is the case in TFRC [2] and TCP Vegas [3]. For the latter, there is knowledge of the variables...

 

After the conclusions, the thesis must include the details of all the bibliographic references used, following the conventions shown in the example for scientific articles published in international conferences, journals, and books.

 

[3] L. Brakmo, S. O’Malley and L. Peterson, “TCP Vegas: New techniques for congestion detection and avoidance,” in Proceedings of ACM SIGCOMM Symposium, August 1994, pp. 24-35.

 

...

 

[5] U. Manzoli, M.L. Merani “Goodput and Delay Analysis of a Data Link Layer Protocol Envisioned for 3rd Generation Cellular Systems,” IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications, Vol.5, No.6, pp.1313-1320, June 2006.

 

[6] D. E. Comer, Internetworking with TCP/IP, 3rd edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1995, Vol. I.

 

You can also include web links as bibliographic references:

 

[7] SopCast, “SopCast Homepage,” http://www.sopcast.com/

1.4 Language

Linguistically:

  1. You can write your thesis in either Italian or English;
  2. In the latter case, the title on the cover page should be in both languages, and the actual thesis should be preceded by an introduction in Italian, approximately three to four pages long;
  3. In an Italian thesis, English terms should not appear in the plural form, but always in the singular, as if they were uncountable. For example: "The format of the various types of frame provided in WLAN...". This adheres to the guidelines on the use of foreign terms in the Italian language by the Accademia della Crusca;
  4. Italicize these terms;
  5. You must ensure clarity and fluency in the text. The most appropriate advice is to imagine a future reader of your thesis who is unfamiliar with the topics discussed in the thesis and needs to navigate the relevant subjects;
  6. Strictly avoid the use of "etc." at the end of any kind of list;
  7. Avoid phrases like "It is evident that...", "It can evidently be concluded that...", "Obviously,..." and similar expressions.

 

2. Thesis Content

It is strictly prohibited to copy and paste from documents found on the web, resulting not only in the inevitable rewriting of the thesis but also in penalties commensurate with the degree of overlap between the thesis and the original sources. In extreme cases, it may lead to disqualification from the thesis defense.

Additionally, refrain from obtaining information from unreliable or non-scientifically rigorous websites. On the contrary, the bibliographic sources in a thesis should be well-known and recognized for their seriousness and accuracy.

Regarding the number of pages in the thesis, remember that the corresponding evaluation is not based on the weight of the printed document produced but on the ability of the student to rework and make concepts from the literature their own and on the originality of their thesis production.

Also, remember that "less is more." Avoid piling up unrelated facts, details, and definitions solely for the purpose of filling multiple chapters. Instead, strive to offer a logical reading path that is clean, clear, easily identifiable, and in this regard, provide explanations and concepts only after fully acquiring and understanding them.

3. Electronic Support

  1. At the end of the bound thesis, it is advisable to insert a plastic pocket for containing a CD with all the thesis work.
  2. Include in this CD, which should be properly organized internally into directories:
    1. The thesis
      1. .tex or .docx files of the document
      2. figures used in the text (.eps, .jpg, ...)
      3. final PDF file
    2. The presentation, in formats
      1. pptx and
      2. PDF
    3. All source files of the code developed, if applicable.