Finishing a dissertation is a major achievement. After months of research, writing and revisions, printing and binding should be the straightforward final step.
However, leaving important print decisions until the last minute can cause unnecessary stress. The binding method, paper, use of colour and even the way your PDF has been exported can all affect the finished document.
Whether you study at Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Durham University, Teesside University or the University of Sunderland, always check the dissertation submission requirements issued by your department before arranging printing and binding.
This guide explains what to check, how the main binding options differ and how to prepare your dissertation or thesis for a professional printed result.
Every university—and sometimes every individual department—can set different requirements for printed dissertations and theses.
Some courses now accept digital submissions, while others may request one or more printed copies. Different rules may also apply to draft copies, assessed submissions and final archive copies.
Before ordering, check whether your university specifies:
Students at Newcastle, Northumbria, Durham, Teesside and Sunderland universities should use the current guidance provided by their own course or department. General advice can help you understand the available options, but it should not override your university’s official requirements.
The right binding method depends on your university’s requirements, the size of the document, your budget and how the finished dissertation will be used.
Thermal tape binding uses a heat-activated adhesive strip to secure the pages along the spine.
It provides a clean, professional finish without requiring holes to be punched through the document. Clear acetate and card covers may also be added to protect the front and back pages.
Thermal binding can be suitable for dissertations, academic reports and project documents where a neat finish is required without the cost or permanence of hardback binding.
Wire binding holds the pages together using a metal wire spine. Documents can open flat, making them easier to read, review or present.
This can be useful for:
The available wire size will depend on the thickness and number of pages in the document.
Comb binding uses a reusable plastic spine inserted through punched holes along the edge of the pages.
It is a practical option for draft dissertations, supporting documents and academic reports. Pages can be added or removed more easily than with most permanent binding methods, although it may not be suitable where a university specifies a particular final binding style.
Hardback binding creates a durable, formal document with a rigid cover. It is commonly associated with final theses, archive copies and presentation copies.
Cover colours, spine text and front-cover lettering may be specified by the university. Hardback binding can also take longer than simpler binding methods, so it should be arranged well before the submission deadline.
Before ordering hardback binding, confirm the precise requirements with your department and check the expected production time with your printer.
One of the most common dissertation printing problems is failing to leave enough space along the bound edge.
If text, page numbers, tables or diagrams sit too close to the spine, they may become difficult to read after binding. This is particularly important for thick dissertations and documents printed double-sided.
Check your university’s guidance for minimum margin sizes. If no measurements are given, ensure that the inside margin is wider than the outside margin and review the final PDF at full size before sending it to print.
Remember that odd and even pages have opposite inside edges in a double-sided document.
Your university may specify whether the document should be printed single- or double-sided.
Single-sided printing can make a dissertation easier to annotate and avoids content showing through from the reverse of the page. However, it also produces a thicker document and uses more paper.
Double-sided printing creates a more compact document and may be preferred for longer dissertations. It requires careful checking of page breaks, blank pages and mirrored margins.
If you use double-sided printing, make sure:
View the final PDF in a two-page display before printing. This provides a more realistic indication of how facing pages will appear in the finished document.
Standard office paper may be acceptable for drafts, but a slightly heavier or higher-quality paper can give a final dissertation a more professional appearance.
The best choice depends on the university’s requirements, the number of pages and the type of content included.
Important considerations include:
Paper weight is measured in GSM. A higher GSM generally feels thicker and more substantial, but choosing very heavy paper can make a long dissertation bulky and harder to bind.
White paper is the usual choice for academic submissions. Bright-white and softer-white papers can reproduce colours differently, so consider ordering a test print if accurate colour is important.
Paper with better opacity reduces the amount of text or imagery visible through the reverse side. This is especially useful for double-sided dissertations.
Recycled stocks may be available for students who want a more environmentally conscious option. Check that the selected paper remains suitable for detailed text, charts and colour images.
If you are unsure, Metro Repro can advise on appropriate paper when arranging document printing and binding.
Printing an entire dissertation in colour may not be necessary. Many students use black-and-white printing for the main body and colour only for pages containing photographs, maps, diagrams, charts or artwork.
Before deciding, consider whether colour carries meaning. A graph that relies on several coloured lines may become difficult to understand when printed in greyscale. Conversely, coloured headings or decorative elements may add cost without improving the document.
Check every colour page individually and ask:
Students completing architecture, design, art, geography or engineering projects may require more extensive colour and large-format printing. Metro Repro also provides presentation and display board printing for academic presentations and exhibitions.
A PDF is normally the safest format to provide for professional printing because it helps preserve fonts, images, page sizes and positioning.
Printing directly from an editable Word or design file can introduce unexpected changes if the printer does not have the same fonts, software version or document settings.
Before exporting the final PDF:
Avoid names such as “final-version-new-2.pdf”. A filename containing your name, document type and final version is easier to identify.
For example:
alex-smith-dissertation-final.pdf
Do not assume that a successful PDF export means the document is ready.
Open the exported file separately and inspect every page. You do not necessarily need to reread the entire dissertation, but you should check the visual layout from beginning to end.
Pay particular attention to:
Check the total page count too. This helps the printer identify whether a file has uploaded or opened correctly.
If time permits, printing one copy before producing the full quantity can help you spot problems that are difficult to see on screen.
A test copy allows you to assess:
This is particularly worthwhile for dissertations containing detailed diagrams, photographs, unusual page sizes or a combination of portrait and landscape pages.
Turnaround depends on the number of pages, quantity of copies, binding method and current workload.
Simple binding methods may be available more quickly than specialist hardback binding. Large documents, multiple copies and extensive colour printing can also increase production time.
Avoid treating your university’s submission deadline as your printing deadline. Allow time for:
Students travelling into Newcastle from Durham, Sunderland or Teesside should also allow time for collection and onward travel. Contacting the printer in advance is especially important during busy university submission periods.
Before submitting your file, confirm that:
A few careful checks at this stage can prevent delays and ensure that the printed dissertation reflects the work that went into producing it.
Metro Repro provides document printing and binding from its Newcastle city-centre print shop, with options suitable for dissertations, theses, reports and academic projects.
Its location is particularly convenient for students at Newcastle University and Northumbria University, while students travelling from Durham University, the University of Sunderland, Teesside University and elsewhere in the North East can also arrange professional printing and binding.
Metro Repro offers in-house printing, several binding methods, no minimum quantity and assistance with checking your chosen print specification.
Ready to print your completed dissertation?
Explore Metro Repro’s student printing services or contact the team to discuss your document, deadline and binding requirements.
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