Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
Paper Title (Font: Times New Roman / Bold / Size 16)
Student Name (1st Author)
Student Name (2st Author)
School of Student (1st Author) (If 2nd Author is
from the same school, the name should appear
below the 1st Author name)
URECA Supervisor Name
Collaborating Supervisor Name
School of Supervisor (If Supervisor is from the
same school, the name should appear below the
URECA Supervisor name)
Student Name (2nd Author)
School of Student (2nd Author) (If 2nd Author’s
school is different from the 1st Author)
Collaborating Supervisor Name
School or Organisation of Collaborating
Supervisor (If Supervisor’s school is different
from the URECA Supervisors)
(Font: Times New Roman/Size 11/Center)
(Font: Times New Roman/ Size 11/ Center)
(Title for supervisors and/or collaborators from
other Schools and external organisations must be
included)
Abstract - An abstract is NOT another introduction. Its
purpose is to enable potential reader determine whether
your work is relevant to the work he or she is
undertaking. When searching the Index and Abstract
data bases of the library to acquire suitable material to
start your literature research you will have used
abstracts for the same purpose. Most likely you will
have wanted the author to keep it concise and to the
point.
Abstract may be written in structured or unstructured
form. In their most basic form, structured abstracts are
based on following headings where possible: Aims and
objectives; Background, stating what is already known
about the topic. The abstract should consist of a
condensed summary of the findings of the research. The
abstract should accurately reflect the content of the
paper. The abstract should not include references or
abbreviations. The abstract should be followed by two
to six keywords, which accurately identify the paper’s
subject, purpose and focus. Abstract should emphasize
new and important aspects of the study or observations.
Authors must use this document as a basis of their
articles. Abstract should not exceed 200 words.
Keywords - Include at least 3 keywords or
phrases



The theories which form the context for this
study (often included in a separate literature
review section)
The limitations inherent in the study
An outline of the structure of the report
In order to maintain the consistency of format for
every paper submitted, please strictly follow the
checklist before your electronic submission:
[ ] Proper paper layout – A4 Paper Size & Margins
and Columns Width and Single spacing
[ ] Correct fonts – Font style and size
[ ] Number of pages within 4-12 pages (4 minimum
and 12 maximum) [single spaced]
[ ] Content of paper should include: Title, Name
section (Author, Supervisors, Mentors, and
collaborators),
Abstract,
Keywords,
Introduction, Main Content, Conclusion,
Acknowledgement and Reference
[ ] Final check and proof read by your supervisor
[ ] Obtain the
Turnitin
Originality
Report
through
1 INTRODUCTION
2 GENERAL LAYOUT
The introduction basically explains to the reader in
more detail some or all of the following points:
This template has been set up so that URECA & FYPURECA research papers can be printed on A4 size
paper. Every effort should be made to avoid changing
the Page Setup properties.




Why you have undertaken the research and
written the report
The assumptions which were made in the
study
Definitions of relevant terms used in the report
The scope of the investigation, i.e. what is
covered and what is not
If you are using MS Word, the Page Setup Properties
should match the settings that appear in the “Dual”
column.
Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
2.1 FONTS
Authors should only use font Times New Roman for all
the text. All body text should use font Times New
Roman and size10pt. Only the word Abstract should
use font Times New Roman, size10pt, Bold and Italic.
2.2 MARGIN SPECIFICATIONS
The template is used to format your paper and style the
text. All margins, column widths, line spaces, and text
fonts are prescribed; please do not alter them. You may
note peculiarities. For example, the head margin in this
template measures proportionately more than is
customary. This measurement and others are deliberate,
using specifications that anticipate your paper as one
part of the entire proceedings, and not as an
independent document. Please do not revise any of the
current designations.
Remarks
Paper Size/
Margins
Top
A4 Paper
Apply to Whole
Document
Apply to Whole
Document
printed by itself at the beginning of a column nor should
the first line of a paragraph be printed by itself at the
end of a column.
3 PREPARE YOUR PAPER BEFORE
STYLING
Before you begin to format your paper, first write and
save the content as a separate text file. Keep your text
and graphic files separate until after the text has been
formatted and styled. Do not use hard tabs, and limit
use of hard returns to only one return at the end of a
paragraph. Do not add any kind of pagination anywhere
in the paper. Do not number text heads—the template
will do that for you.
Finally, complete content and organizational editing
before formatting. Please take note of the following
items when proofreading spelling and grammar:
3.1 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS
Bottom
(1.00 in)
Left
(0.75 in)
Abbreviations and acronyms should be defined the first
time they are used in the text, even after they have been
defined in the abstract. Abbreviations such as IEEE, SI,
MKS, CGS, sc, dc, and rms do not have to be defined.
Do not use abbreviations in the title or heads unless
they are unavoidable.
Right
(0.75 in)
3.2 FIGURES, GRAPHS AND TABLES
2
Columns
Margins
Width
Spacing
(1.00 in)
Remarks
(3.13 in)
(0.5 in)
Apply to every
page with 2
columns
2.3 HEADER WHICH APPEARS ON
EVERY PAGE
Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
(Text: Times New Roman, Size 10, Align Left)
2.4 TITLE, AUTHORS AND
AFFILIATIONS
The paper’s title should be the width of the full page
and set in 16pt bold upper and lower case letters and
centre on the page. The names of the authors and their
schools should be listed in 11pt upper and lower case
letters, grouped by school. The names of the URECA
supervisor and other collaborating supervisors, and their
schools should be listed in 11pt upper and lower case
letters, grouped by school.
3.2.1 Inserting Figures & Graphs
Step 1: Group all items (for e.g. lines, circles & arrows)
of each individual figure / graph together.
Step 2: Save each group figure / graph in a picture
format (e.g. JPEG) with clear resolution before
inserting it into respective parts of your research paper.
Step 3: Under Picture Tools, select Format and set Text
Wrapping of your figures / graphs to “In Line with
Text”.
Inserting well-group figures and graphs seek to
eliminate discrepancy between your original work and
the copy that will be received by URECA office.
3.3 UNITS

Use either SI (MKS) or CGS as primary units. (SI
units are encouraged.) English units may be used as
secondary units (in parentheses). An exception would
be the use of English units as identifiers in trade, such
as “3.5-inch disk drive.”

Avoid combining SI and CGS units, such as current in
amperes and magnetic field in oersteds. This often
leads to confusion because equations do not balance
dimensionally. If you must use mixed units, clearly
state the units for each quantity that you use in an
equation.

Do not mix complete spellings and abbreviations
of units: “Wb/m2” or “webers per square meter,”
2.5 PARAGRAPH TEXT
Paragraphs should use Times New Roman font, size
10pt and be justified (touch each side) in the column.
The beginning of each paragraph should not be
indented. The last line of a paragraph should not be
Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
not “webers/m2.” Spell units when they appear in
text: “…a few henries,” not “…a few H.”

Use a zero before decimal points:
“.25.” Use “cm3,” not “cc.”
“0.25,” not
and “compliment,” “discreet” and “discrete,”
“principal” and “principle.”

Do not confuse “imply” and “infer.”

The prefix “non” is not a word; it should be joined
to the word it modifies, usually without a hyphen.

There is no period after the “et” in the Latin
abbreviation “et al.”

The abbreviation “i.e.” means “that is,” and the
abbreviation “e.g.” means “for example.”
3.4 EQUATIONS
The equations are an exception to the prescribed
specifications of this template. You will need to
determine whether or not your equation should be typed
using either the Times New Roman or the Symbol font
(please no other font). To create multileveled equations,
it may be necessary to treat the equation as a graphic
and insert it into the text after your paper is styled.
Number equations consecutively. Equation numbers,
within parentheses, are to position flush right, as in (1),
using a right tab stop. To make your equations more
compact, you may use the solidus ( / ), the exp function,
or appropriate exponents. Italicize Roman symbols for
quantities and variables, but not Greek symbols. Use a
long dash rather than a hyphen for a minus sign.
Punctuate equations with commas or periods when they
are part of a sentence, as in


Note that the equation is centered using a center tab
stop. Be sure that the symbols in your equation have
been defined before or immediately following the
equation. Use “(1),” not “Eq. (1)” or “equation (1),”
except at the beginning of a sentence: “Equation (1) is
…”
3.5 SOME COMMON MISTAKES

The word “data” is plural, not singular.

The subscript for the permeability of vacuum 0,
and other common scientific constants, is zero
with subscript formatting, not a lowercase letter
“o.”

In American English, periods and commas are
within quotation marks, like “this period.” A
parenthetical statement at the end of a sentence is
punctuated outside of the closing parenthesis (like
this). (A parenthetical sentence is punctuated
within the parentheses.)

A graph within a graph is an “inset,” not an
“insert.” The word alternatively is preferred to the
word “alternately” (unless you really mean
something that alternates).

Do not use the word “essentially” to mean
“approximately” or “effectively.”

If the words “that uses” can accurately replace the
word using, capitalize it; if not, and keep using
lower-cased.

Be aware of the different meanings of the
homophones “affect” and “effect,” “complement”
An excellent style manual for science writers is [7].
4 USING THE TEMPLATE
After the text edit has been completed, the paper is
ready for the template. Duplicate the template file by
using the Save As command, and use the naming
convention prescribed by your conference for the name
of your paper. In this newly created file, highlight all of
the contents and import your prepared text file. You are
now ready to style your paper; use the scroll down
window on the left of the MS Word Formatting toolbar.
4.1 IDENTIFY THE HEADINGS
Headings, or heads, are organizational devices that
guide the reader through your paper. There are two
types: component heads and text heads.
4.1.1 SECTION HEADINGS
Section headings example “2 LITERATURE
REVIEW” should be numbered; use 12pt bold all
upper case letters and center in the column.
All headings should appear next to the following text—
there should never be a column break between a
heading and the following paragraph.
(Each discipline may use its norms section headings
other than the suggested in this template.)
4.1.2 SUBSECTION & SUB-SUBSECTIONS
HEADINGS
Subsections headings example “2.1 LITERATURE
REVIEW” should be numbered use 12pt bold all upper
case letters and align left in the column.
Sub-subsections headings example “2.1.1 Literature
Review” should be numbered, use 10pt bold upper and
lower cases letters and align left in the column.
Text heads organize the topics on a relational,
hierarchical basis. For example, the paper title is the
primary text head because all subsequent material
relates and elaborates on this one topic. If there are two
or more sub-topics, the next level head (uppercase
Roman numerals) should be used and, conversely, if
there are not at least two sub-topics, then no subheads
should be introduced.
Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
4.2 LABELLING FIGURES, GRAPHS,
TABLES AND EQUATIONS
repositories used by Turnitin. The
document is called Originality Report.
comparison
Figure / Graph captions should be below the figures.
Table captions should appear above the tables. All
figures and tables must be given sequential numbers (1,
2, 3, etc.) and have a caption placed below the figure or
above the table being described, using Times New
Roman, size 10pt and center. Text should not be
obscured by figures, graphs, tables & equations. If an
equation needs a number, place it flush with the right
margin of the column. Units should be written using the
Times New Roman font, not the italic font.
To generate the Originality Report, submit the research
paper through NTULearn under the course name
URECA Papers Submission through Turnitin.
For more information, view video tutorials and guides
on using Turnitin on NTU Turnitin website at
http://www.ntu.edu.sg/cits/lsa/lao/for-students/learningtools/Pages/Turnitin.aspx.
Insert figures, graphs and tables after they are cited in
the text. Use the abbreviation “Fig. 1,” even at the
beginning of a sentence.
The research paper can be submitted as draft (optional)
for self-checking of the text matching before the final
submission to Turnitin to generate the Originality
Report. Please note that resubmitted papers after the
final submission to Turnitin may take a full 24 hours or
more to generate a new Originality Report.
Table 1 Type Sizes for Camera-Ready Papers
6 CONCLUSION
Table
Head
copy
Table Column Head
Table column subhead
Subhead
Subhead
a
More table copy
-
Step 1: Group all items (for e.g. lines, circles
& arrows) of each individual figure / graph
together
-
Step 2: Save each group figure / graph in a
picture format (for e.g. JPEG and etc) with
clear resolution before inserting it into
respective parts of your research paper.
-
Step 3: Under Picture Tools, select Format and
set Text Wrapping of your figures / graphs to
“In Line with Text”.
Figure 1 Example of a figure caption.
4.2.1 LABELLING FIGURES, GRAPHS &
TABLES
Use 10 point Times New Roman for figure labels. Use
words rather than symbols or abbreviations when
writing Figure axis labels to avoid confusing the reader.
As an example, write the quantity “Magnetization,” or
“Magnetization, M,” not just “M.” If including units in
the label, present them within parentheses. Do not label
axes only with units. In the example, write
“Magnetization (A/m)” or “Magnetization (A  m1),”
not just “A/m.” Do not label axes with a ratio of
quantities and units. For example, write “Temperature
(K),” not “Temperature/K.”
5 GENERATE ORIGINALITY REPORT
The research paper is required to submit for originality
checking through Turnitin. Turnitin is an assignment
tool that allows the text of the submitted paper to be
compared against the matching sources available in file
The conclusion serves the important function of
drawing together the various sections of the written
report. The conclusion is a summary, and the
developments of the previous sections or chapters
should be succinctly restated, important findings
discussed and conclusions drawn from the whole study.
In addition, you may list questions that have appeared
in the course of the study that require additional
research, beyond the limits of the project being
reported. Where appropriate, recommendations for
future work may be included. The conclusion should,
however, leave the reader with an impression of
completeness and of gain.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The preferred spelling of the word “acknowledgment”
in America is without an “e” after the “g.” Avoid the
stilted expression, “One of us (R. B. G.) thanks …”
Instead, try “R.B.G. thanks …”
Put sponsor
acknowledgments in the unnumbered footnote on the
first page.
Any work that is not your own must be clearly
acknowledged; otherwise, you will be guilty of
plagiarism. The acknowledgments and references must
make clear to the reader the extent of your own
contribution.
You may acknowledge research contributions by people
other than the authors:
•Persons who provided purely technical help at user
facilities or labs, writing assistance, or only general
support.
•Persons who gave scientific guidance, participated in
discussions, or shared unpublished results.
•Persons who provided samples or equipment.
•Assistants or students who helped do the work.
Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
•Acknowledge the funders of the research which will be
the funding agency, or if internally funded, then the
university.
•In case of dual or more affiliations, make sure that all
institutions are mentioned either in the address or the
acknowledgments.
The acknowledgment should be a simple statement of
thanks, not a testimonial or dedication.
All papers arising as a result of URECA programme
must have the following (important) statement
under the acknowledgement section.
We wish to acknowledge the funding support for this
project from Nanyang Technological University under
the Undergraduate Research Experience on CAmpus
(URECA) programme.
Acknowledgement also applies to Journal papers,
Conference
papers
and
Proceeding
of
URECA@NTU papers arising as a result of
URECA.
REFERENCES
Referencing takes place throughout the project report or
thesis. Referencing has a number of purposes:





To enable your readers to find the source of your
information either to verify or clarify what you say
or to expand on the information. (It may be
relevant to their research.) Therefore make sure
there is adequate information to help the reader
locate the source.
Subject to the credibility of your information
source it adds to your own credibility.
To acknowledge your information sources as a
matter of courtesy.
To acknowledge your information sources
(including diagrams, photographs, tables etc.) to
avoid issues of plagiarism and possible breach of
copyright.
To help you, the writer, back check details.
The template will number citations consecutively within
brackets [1]. The sentence punctuation follows the
bracket [2]. Refer simply to the reference number, as in
[3]—do not use “Ref. [3]” or reference [3]” except at
the beginning of a sentence: “Reference [3] was the
first …”
Number footnotes separately in superscripts. Change
the actual footnote to endnote to appear at the end of
reference list.
Unless there are six authors or more give all authors’
names; do not use “et al.” Papers that have not been
published, even if they have been submitted for
publication, should be cited as “unpublished” [4].
Papers that have been accepted for publication should
be cited as “in press” [5]. Capitalize only the first word
in a paper title, except for proper nouns and element
symbols.
For papers published in translation journals, please give
the English citation first, followed by the original
foreign-language citation [6].
[1] G. Eason, B. Noble, and I.N. Sneddon, “On certain
integrals of Lipschitz-Hankel type involving
products of Bessel functions,” Phil. Trans. Roy.
Soc. London, vol. A247, pp. 529-551, April 1955.
(references)
[2] J. Clerk Maxwell, A Treatise on Electricity and
Magnetism, 3rd ed., vol. 2. Oxford: Clarendon,
1892, pp.68-73.
[3] I.S. Jacobs and C.P. Bean, “Fine particles, thin
films and exchange anisotropy,” in Magnetism, vol.
III, G.T. Rado and H. Suhl, Eds. New York:
Academic, 1963, pp. 271-350.
[4] K. Elissa, “Title of paper if known,” unpublished.
[5] R. Nicole, Title of paper with only first word
capitalized,” J. Name Stand. Abbrev., in press.
[6] Y. Yorozu, M. Hirano, K. Oka, and Y. Tagawa,
“Electron spectroscopy studies on magneto-optical
media and plastic substrate interface,” IEEE
Transl. J. Magn. Japan, vol. 2, pp. 740-741,
August 1987 [Digests 9th Annual Conf. Magnetics
Japan, p. 301, 1982].
[7] M. Young, The Technical Writer’s Handbook. Mill
Valley, CA: University Science, 1989.
In the list of references, the references should be
arranged alphabetically according to the name of the
first author mentioned in 10pt Times New Roman. If
the author has more than one reference, first arrange
them by year and, if the works were published in the
same year, use letters after the date.
When referenced in the text, enclose the citation
number in square brackets, for example [1]. Where
appropriate, include the name(s) of editors of referenced
books. DOIs (Digital Object Identifier), PubMed IDs
and links to referenced articles should be stated
wherever available. Do not use the phrases "et al." and
"ibid." in the reference section. Instead, the names of all
authors in a reference must be listed.






Journal Article/ Conference Proceedings
Article author(s)
Article title
Journal title/ Conference title
Volume number, page numbers
Date of publication
Digital object identifier (DOI): used for electronic
publications. If no DIO is given for online journal
articles, use the homepage URL of the journal.
[8] R. J. Toh, A. Ambrosi and M. Pumera,
“Bioavailability of Metallic Impurities in Carbon
Nanotubes
is
Greatly
Enhanced
by
Ultrasonication”, Chemistry - A European Journal,
Vol. 18, No. 37, pp. 11477, 10th September 2012.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/chem.v
18.37/issuetoc
Proceedings of the URECA@NTU 2014-15
[9]
J. J. Chia and S. H. Sun, "The 'Intersectionality' of
Gendered Relations in the Family", in 19th
Biennial Asian Studies Association of Australia:
Knowing Asia: Asian Studies in an Asian Century,
Sydney, Australia, 11th to 13th July 2012.
Book/ E-books/ Book Chapters
 Book author(s) or editor
 Book title
 Publication information: place: publisher
 Year of publication
With e-books, place the version in brackets after the
title. For e-books and chapters that are only available
electronically, the electronic retrieval statement (either
URL or DOI) is given in place of the publisher location
and name.
[10] C. W. Lander, Power Electronics, 3rd. ed.,
London: McGraw-Hill, 1993.
[11] H. T. Long, X. J. Li, and P. H. J. Chong, "Energy
performance in TDD-CDMA Multi-Hop Cellular
Networks", in Green Radio Communication
Networks, edited by Ekram Hossain, Vijay
Bhargave and Gerhard Fettweis, Cambridge
University Press, pp 309-330, July 2012.
Websites
Ensure that any websites cited are appropriate for
academic purposes and not general sources of
information. The convention for citing websites in a
reference list is to provide the same details as for a nonelectronic publication and include the URL as the place
of publication.
The convention for citing websites in a reference list is
as follows:
 Author(s) / organisation's name
 Title of page
 Date last modified (if there is no date, n.d. can be
used)
 Website URL
[12] S. S. Lang, "New Cornell Study Suggests that
Mental Processing is Continuous, not like a
Computer,"
June
2005;
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/June05/new.
mind.model.ssl.html.
The referencing in URECA research paper
template is meant for use as a guide only. Please
confirm the referencing requirements of your
school with your URECA/ FYP-URECA
supervising professor.