Key points at a glance
- Separate useful analytic evidence from identifiable raw data.
- Check consent, rights and programme rules.
- Document dataset, variables, versions and access.
Give each appendix item a purpose
An appendix can include an instrument, coding scheme, codebook or selected anonymised extracts. Example: Instead of attaching every interview transcript, provide the coding framework and relevant protected quotations. Auditability comes from clear method and documentation, not sheer file volume.
Check privacy and reuse rights
Signed consent forms, contact details and recognisable voices usually do not belong in a public appendix. Consider company information, images and third-party datasets too. Pseudonyms can still identify people in small groups. Ask your supervisor and data protection office when uncertain.
Make permitted material understandable
Explain collection, variables, coding, missing values and version. If a repository is allowed, choose an appropriate access level and cite the dataset. An unexplained ZIP archive rarely helps an examiner reproduce a decision.
Audit the submission files
Check whether separate confidential appendices or data media are allowed and what size limits apply. Compare the final PDF with your data plan. Remove hidden metadata and impermissible personal data before export.
Final submission context
Formal details can feel like a separate writing task, but they matter just as much for a printed submission. Anything missing, misplaced or inconsistently formatted in the document will also appear in the bound copy.
Use this guide together with your cover page, table of contents, page numbers, source notes and appendices. Prepare the final PDF for printing and binding only after the complete file has been checked.
Practical check before PDF export
- Do headings, chapter structure and page numbers match?
- Are sources, figures and tables included completely?
- Are required elements such as declarations, appendices or the cover page included where required?
- Did you open and check the final PDF after exporting it?
Checklist
- Purpose of each item clear.
- Personal and reuse rights checked.
- Codebook and version supplied.
- Final files reviewed for sensitive data.
Common mistakes
- Publishing complete raw interviews.
- Submitting an undocumented archive.
- Treating pseudonymisation as guaranteed anonymity.
Prepare the finished thesis for submission
Once the content and university requirements are checked, review your PDF and the available printing and binding options.
Review printing optionsRelated content
Explore related guidance on thesis structure, sources, formatting and final submission.
Frequently asked questions
Must I attach raw data?
Not universally; follow assessment, ethics and rights requirements.
Can a repository replace the appendix?
Only if your programme allows it and access can be controlled appropriately.
Should signed consent forms be attached?
Blank templates may be suitable; completed forms need an explicitly authorised protected route.