Dual-Language Thesis Formatting in Malaysia: What You Need to Know
Dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia creates specific challenges that affect both local Malaysian students and international students studying at Malaysian public universities. All Malaysian public university theses are required to include abstracts in both Bahasa Melayu and English, and some programmes or faculties require additional bilingual elements — chapter titles, table of contents, or declaration pages. Understanding exactly what your institution requires and how to format the bilingual elements correctly is essential for IPS submission.
This guide covers the standard requirements for dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia and addresses the most common formatting questions and errors related to bilingual elements.
The Universal Requirement: Bilingual Abstracts
Regardless of the language in which the main thesis is written, dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia requires both a Bahasa Melayu abstract (Abstrak) and an English abstract. For a thesis written in English, the English abstract comes first, followed by the Bahasa Melayu abstract. For a thesis written in Bahasa Melayu, the reverse order typically applies — check your institution’s thesis manual for the specific ordering.
Both abstracts must convey the same information — they are translations of each other, not different summaries. The word count requirements apply to both: if your English abstract is 300 words, the Bahasa Melayu abstract should be approximately equivalent in length. Both abstracts must appear in the preliminary pages before the table of contents.
Language Requirements for International Students
For international students studying at Malaysian public universities, dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia can present a significant challenge when they have no Bahasa Melayu proficiency. Malaysian universities have different policies on this: some require the Bahasa Melayu abstract to be written by the candidate with assistance from a qualified translator; others permit the university’s language centre to provide translation services; some accept a declaration that a certified translator prepared the Bahasa Melayu abstract.
Whatever process your institution permits, the Bahasa Melayu abstract in your submitted thesis must be accurate and formally correct. A Bahasa Melayu abstract that is clearly machine-translated without human review is likely to contain errors that will be noted by Malay-speaking examiners and IPS reviewers. Use a qualified human translator for this element if you are not proficient in Bahasa Melayu.
Formatting the Bilingual Abstracts
In dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia, the two abstracts are typically formatted on separate pages with specific heading conventions. The English abstract page is headed ABSTRACT (in capitals, centred) and the Bahasa Melayu page is headed ABSTRAK (in capitals, centred). Both headings are formatted in the same style as other preliminary page headings — check your institution’s thesis manual for the specific font, size, and spacing requirements.
The abstract text itself follows the heading with the same font and line spacing as the rest of the thesis. Some Malaysian universities require the thesis title to appear at the top of each abstract page in the respective language — verify this requirement for your institution.
When the Main Thesis Is Written in Bahasa Melayu
For theses written primarily in Bahasa Melayu, dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia requires special attention to the treatment of technical terms, discipline-specific terminology, and proper nouns. Bahasa Malaysia has an established system of terminology for most academic disciplines, maintained by Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka (DBP) and accessible through the online Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) database. Technical terms that have established Bahasa Malaysia equivalents should use those equivalents; terms without established equivalents may be retained in their original English with italicisation on first use.
Citing Sources in a Bilingual Thesis
When the main thesis is written in Bahasa Melayu, the citation system (in-text citations and reference list) typically follows the same APA or Harvard conventions as an English thesis. Sources are cited in the language in which they were published — English sources use English titles in the reference list, Malay sources use Malay titles. The reference list is not translated.
Declaration and Other Preliminary Pages
Some Malaysian universities require the declaration page, dedication, and acknowledgements to appear in both Bahasa Melayu and English, or specify which language should be used for each. Dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia for these pages varies significantly between institutions — check your specific thesis manual rather than assuming the same rules apply as at other universities.
Conclusion
Dual-language thesis formatting in Malaysia, handled correctly, produces a thesis that meets both the linguistic requirements of Malaysian higher education policy and the academic standards of the international scholarly community. Check your institution’s current thesis manual carefully for all bilingual requirements, ensure your Bahasa Melayu abstract is accurately translated by a qualified person, and apply consistent formatting standards to both language versions of any parallel elements. The bilingual requirements add complexity to thesis preparation but also reflect Malaysia’s commitment to developing scholarly traditions in both its national language and English.
