1-click step only thesis formatting for postgraduate students

• Main Authors: Wan Salleh, Wan Muhamad Salahudin, Abd. Rahim, Nour El Huda
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English; English; English
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: L Education (General); LB2300 Higher Education
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/93723/1/Abstract%20Book%20and%20Page.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93723/2/Presentation%20Schedule.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93723/3/Certificate%20of%20award.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93723/4/Poster.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/93723/
• Institution: Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia

Introduction: Thesis formatting is one of the biggest challenges for postgraduate students in fulfilling the university requirement. The final submitted thesis must be strictly formatted according to the university guidelines and checked by the appointed format checkers in most universities in Malaysia, including the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM). The majority of the postgraduate students have difficulty formatting their thesis because of lack of knowledge and skills in using the advanced functions in Microsoft Word. Therefore, the i-Template; a Microsoft Word Thesis Template was developed in 2011. The template was based on the IIUM Dissertation/Thesis Manual published by the Centre of Postgraduate Studies, IIUM in 2009. The i-Template was distributed to several postgraduate students, and they found it helpful, easy and fastened their thesis formatting. However, based on the students' feedback, there were several formatting processes with multiple steps, which is time-consuming during the thesis formatting process. Objective: To identify the common formatting processes with multiple steps and to improvise the i-Template by simplifying multiple steps in each formatting process into 1-click button using the macros functions in the Microsoft Word. Methodology: The feedback regarding the common formatting processes with multiple steps in the i-template were collected from the postgraduate students. The multiple steps for each formatting process were simplified into 1-click button only using the macros function. The 1-click button for each formatting process were customized into the tab above in the Microsoft Word for easy access. Results: There were five common formatting processes identified: inserting formatted tables; inserting tables caption; inserting landscape page with numbering; setting of the page margin; and inserting a table of contents. Positive feedback were received from the postgraduate students using the updated i-Template as the thesis formatting process became easier and faster using the 1-click button. Conclusion: With the current updated macros features in the i-Template, the 1-click button requires fewer skills in Microsoft Word, is very straightforward and saves a lot of time for the postgraduate students in thesis formatting and submission.