King Saud University Thesis Formatting Guide

Introduction

King Saud University, Saudi Arabia’s premier research institution, maintains rigorous thesis formatting standards across all graduate programs. These guidelines ensure consistency and professional presentation of research. This comprehensive guide covers all formatting specifications for Master’s theses and doctoral dissertations at King Saud University.

Page Setup and Margin Requirements

Paper and Page Configuration

King Saud University requires A4 paper (210mm × 297mm) with these margin specifications:

• Top margin: 25mm
• Bottom margin: 25mm
• Left margin: 25mm
• Right margin: 25mm

The uniform margins provide balanced page appearance suitable for both digital and printed formats.

Line Spacing

Use 1.5 line spacing throughout your thesis, including body text, block quotations, and footnotes. This spacing improves readability while maintaining professional appearance.

Font and Typography Standards

Font Selection for Arabic Content

• Body text: 12-point Traditional Arabic or Simplified Arabic
• Headings: 12-point or larger, Arabic Bold or Simplified Arabic Bold
• Footnotes: 10-point, same font as body text
• Captions: 10-point, can be single-spaced

Font Selection for English Content

• Body text: 12-point Times New Roman or Arial
• Headings: 12-point or larger, consistent with body text
• Footnotes: 10-point, same font as body text

Maintain consistent fonts within each language section. Avoid mixing character sets inappropriately.

Text Formatting

Use bold for chapter titles and major section headings. Italics are appropriate for book titles, journal names, and emphasis. Underlining should be avoided in favor of bold or italic formatting.

Preliminary Pages Structure

Title Page Format

Your thesis title page must include:

1. Saudi Arabia flag or emblem
2. University name: جامعة الملك سعود (King Saud University)
3. Faculty name in both Arabic and English
4. Department name in both languages
5. Degree type: رسالة ماجستير (Master’s Thesis) or رسالة دكتوراه (Doctoral Dissertation)
6. Complete thesis title in both Arabic and English
7. Your full name
8. Supervisor name(s)
9. Academic year (Gregorian and Hijri calendars if applicable)

The title page should be clean and centered. Do not include a page number on the title page.

Declaration of Originality

Include a signed declaration confirming:

• The work is your own original research
• It has not been submitted to any other institution
• All sources have been properly cited
• Understanding of academic integrity and research ethics policies

The declaration must be signed and dated by you.

Abstract in Arabic

Provide an abstract (الملخص) of 250-400 words in Arabic containing:

• Research objectives and significance
• Methodology employed
• Key findings and results
• Conclusions and implications

Abstract in English

Provide an equivalent abstract in English containing the same information.

Keywords

Include 4-6 keywords in both Arabic (الكلمات الدالة) and English (Keywords), arranged alphabetically.

Thesis Structure and Organization

Required Components

A complete King Saud University thesis includes:

1. Title page
2. Declaration of originality
3. Abstract in Arabic (الملخص)
4. Abstract in English (Abstract)
5. Keywords in both languages
6. Acknowledgments (شكر وتقدير, optional)
7. Table of contents (جدول المحتويات)
8. List of figures (if applicable)
9. List of tables (if applicable)
10. Introduction (المقدمة)
11. Chapter 1-N (Main research chapters)
12. Conclusion (الخاتمة)
13. References/Bibliography (المراجع)
14. Appendices (الملاحق)

Chapter Organization

Each chapter should contain:

• Clear chapter number and title in both Arabic and English
• Logical section organization
• Consistent formatting throughout

Use this heading hierarchy:

• Chapter title: 14pt, bold
• Section heading: 13pt, bold
• Subsection heading: 12pt, bold
• Paragraph heading: 12pt, italic

Citation and References

Citation Methods

King Saud University accepts Harvard and numerical citation styles:

Harvard Style: Author, A. (Year). Title of book. Publisher.

السلمي، محمد. (2019). طرق البحث العلمي. دار النشر الجامعية.

(Al-Salmi, M. (2019). Scientific Research Methods. University Publishing House.)

Numerical Style: [#] Initial(s). Surname, “Article title,” Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, pp. page range, Month Year.

Reference List Format

Arrange all references alphabetically by author surname. Include complete publication information for every source. For electronic sources, include URLs and access dates where applicable.

Separate Arabic and English language references, with Arabic appearing first.

Tables and Figures

Table and Figure Captions

Tables have captions above (الجدول 1: Description). Figures have captions below (الشكل 1: Description). Captions should be in both Arabic and English.

Number tables and figures either continuously or by chapter.

Quality Standards

All figures must be high-resolution (minimum 300dpi). Tables should use professional formatting with clear borders and consistent spacing. Ensure color figures remain understandable when printed in black and white.

Illustration Lists

Provide comprehensive lists of figures and tables if your thesis contains more than five of each.

Page Numbering and Headers

Numbering Conventions

Front matter pages are not typically numbered. Main body content uses Arabic numerals starting from 1 at the introduction. Page numbers appear in the bottom right corner of every page.

Running Headers

Include chapter number and title in the header or footer. Maintain consistent header/footer formatting throughout the document.

Submission Requirements

Printed Submission

Submit the required number of bound copies (typically 2-3) in professional binding:

• Professional binding (spiral, hardback, or per department guidelines)
• Clear spine with surname, short thesis title, and year in Arabic
• Protective cover (color or clear plastic per department requirements)

Digital Submission

Submit one or more PDF copies through King Saud’s system:

• Format: Searchable PDF (not scanned images)
• File naming: ApellidoAutor_SanoSubmission_Arabic.pdf
• File size: Under 50MB
• All pages with correct numbering
• Bookmarks for main chapters
• Functional cross-reference hyperlinks

Using GenText for King Saud University Thesis Formatting

GenText is a valuable tool for managing King Saud University’s comprehensive thesis formatting requirements, especially for bilingual theses. This software ensures your document meets all institutional specifications while maintaining visual consistency throughout.

GenText provides:

• Automated style sheet application for uniform formatting
• Consistent font and size management for Arabic and English text
• Proper character rendering and spacing for Arabic content
• Hierarchical heading structure maintenance
• Automatic generation of tables of contents and illustration lists
• Page numbering system with proper front matter handling
• Citation formatting in Harvard or numerical styles
• Professional table and figure caption generation
• Cross-reference linking for document navigation
• Bilingual abstract and keyword formatting

By implementing GenText from the beginning of your thesis writing, you’ll manage the complex formatting of bilingual documents and ensure full compliance with King Saud requirements.

Common Formatting Mistakes

1. Inconsistent line spacing: Verify 1.5 spacing throughout including quotations
2. Font size variations: Ensure body text is 12pt and maintain heading hierarchy
3. Margin inconsistencies: Double-check all margins are set to 25mm
4. Citation inconsistencies: Verify all references match bibliography entries exactly
5. Arabic character rendering: Ensure proper display of Arabic text throughout

Pre-Submission Verification

Before finalizing submission:

• ✓ All margins are correctly set to 25mm on all sides
• ✓ Arabic text uses Traditional Arabic at 12pt, English uses Times New Roman at 12pt
• ✓ Line spacing is 1.5 throughout entire document
• ✓ Page numbers appear in bottom right corner
• ✓ All chapters begin on new pages
• ✓ Arabic and English abstracts are included
• ✓ Keywords provided in both languages
• ✓ Table of contents and illustration lists are accurate
• ✓ All tables and figures have bilingual captions
• ✓ References list separates Arabic and English sources
• ✓ Declaration of originality is signed and dated
• ✓ Required number of printed copies properly bound
• ✓ Digital copy is searchable and properly named

Conclusion

Following King Saud University’s thesis formatting guidelines demonstrates your commitment to academic professionalism and institutional standards. By carefully implementing these requirements and utilizing formatting tools like GenText, your thesis will present your research in the professional manner expected at the Kingdom’s premier research institution.