Research students: to know how to submit their thesis and what to expect from the examination process.

Supervisors: to know how to choose examiners and guide students through the thesis submission and examination process.

Examiners: to understand the process and standards for evaluating theses.

Doctoral theses generally have an 80,000-word limit (excluding appendices), extendable by 20,000 words with permission.

Masters theses have a 50,000-word limit (excluding appendices), extendable by 10,000 words with permission.

Yes, students can use editors, but only for:

• copy-editing and proofreading; and
• advice on thesis structure, grammar, language, and clarity.

If you use an editor, you must acknowledge:

•  their name
• a brief description of the service they provided you
•  if the editor's academic specialisation is similar to yours.

Your lead supervisor proposes examiners using the Research Education Candidature System (RECS).

Examiners must have international standing and be actively engaged in research.

1. Your thesis is reviewed using similarity detection software.
2. It is then sent to examiners who read it and submit individual written reports.
3.  Once all reports are in, the lead supervisor and chair of examination receive them.
4. You then receive de-identified copies of the examiners' reports, along with the chair of examination's recommendation and any supervisor reports or comments.
5. If you want to reply, you have to state your intention to do so within  two weeks. You then have a further period in which to provide written comments to the relevant committee.
6. If your thesis is successful, you must lodge the final copy with the University Library in electronic format, for public use.