Student wearing dull top backwards - it offers thermal protection (5,3)
I believe the answer is:
place mat
'thermal protection' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both man-made objects as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'student wearing dull top backwards it' is the wordplay.
'student' becomes 'MA' (someone studying for a Master of Arts).
'wearing' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'dull top backwards' becomes 'place' (I can't explain this - if you can you should believe this answer much more).
'it' becomes ''t' (abbreviation. e.g. in 'tis).
'place'+'t'='placet'
'ma' inserted within 'placet' is 'PLACE-MAT'.
'offers' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for place mat that I've seen before include "It's put under a plate" , "Table protector" , "Metal cap (anag.)" , "base for drink?" , "China's possible position" .)