how to set up a dissertation in word

University of Michigan Library
Research Guides

Microsoft Word for Dissertations

Introduction, Template, & Resources
Formatting for All Readers
Applying a Style
Modifying a Style
Setting up a Heading 1 Example
Images, Charts, Other Objects
Footnotes, Endnotes, & Citations
Cross-References
Appendix Figures & Tables
Table of Contents
List of Figures/Tables
Chapter and Section Numbering
Page Numbers
Landscape Pages
Combining Chapter Files
Commenting and Reviewing
Tips & Tricks
The Two-inch Top Margin
Troubleshooting
Finalizing Without Styles
Preparing Your Final Document
Take a break

Help with Microsoft Word

Members of the University of Michigan community can get dissertation & thesis formatting assistance from the experts at ScholarSpace:

Please visit this link to make an appointment , or send an email to [email protected].

We're here to solve any formatting problems you've run into, and can give you guidance about captioning figures, solving numbering issues, creating a List of Tables/Figures/Appendices, and more.

Contact Information

Introduction to Word for Dissertations

Formatting your dissertation (or thesis) will likely take more time than you expect. But using the special features described in this Guide will save you a great deal of work , particularly if you use our template (available in the box below). The earlier you begin to use these tools, the more time you'll save and the less stress you'll have as your submission deadline approaches. Students at the University of Michigan are also encouraged to contact the experts at the Library's ScholarSpace anytime you run into a problem or have a question.

To meet Rackham’s Dissertation Formatting Guidelines you will need to modify the standard settings that Microsoft Word uses. This guide will show you how to use the tools to make the necessary modifications. While we do follow the requirements from Rackham’s formatting guidelines to demonstrate the tools, in the end, you are responsible for verifying that your document meets the requirements that Rackham sets.

To save yourself time and effort , please consider using our Dissertation Template (link available in the box below). Many of the settings discussed in this Guide are already included in that document.

Please note that, as a University of Michigan student, you have free access to the Microsoft Office suite of tools -- including Microsoft Word. Visit this link to learn more and to download Office to your own computer.

Dissertation Template and other Resources

ScholarSpace Template for Dissertations This Microsoft Word document comes with many of the Rackham formatting guidelines built in, and can be used for dissertations and theses. Please note that this template doesn't follow the formatting direction of any particular Style Guide. It is your responsibility to make sure you are following the Style Guide predominant in your field, and to make any relevant formatting changes to heading styles, numbering, captions, etc... How to make many of those changes is described throughout this Guide.
Dissertation Formatting Workshops (online) We regularly offer free workshops throughout the school year to introduce you to the lesser-known features of Microsoft Word that will make formatting (and editing) your dissertation much easier.
Rackham Dissertation Handbook Rackham's Dissertation Guidelines and Handbook
Dissertation Formatting Checklist Rackham's list of formatting issues to watch out for in your dissertation.
Using Microsoft Word for Large Documents (non-dissertation specific) Handout This document was written for an older -- much older -- version of Word, but nearly all of the information is still accurate and very useful.
Guide to Copyright for Dissertations This guide addresses copyright questions specific to University of Michigan dissertation authors. It covers topics such as: Using Others' Content, Copyright in Your Dissertation, and Publishing Your Dissertation

A word about LaTeX

LaTeX is a markup language (sometimes accessed through the Overleaf editor) that is often used in science and engineering documents because it allows for great control in creating complex equations and formulas. ScholarSpace does not maintain a template for dissertations created with LaTeX, and we can only provide very limited support for it. That said, there is a community of U-M folks who actively maintain this LaTeX template to keep it in line with Rackham's guidelines .

Here are some other very useful resources:

Video recording of a UM Library Workshop on Dissertation Formatting with LaTeX
Documentation for LaTeX and Overleaf
Bibiliography Management with LaTeX
How to Write a Thesis in LaTeX
A huge collection of LaTeX resources

Can I use Google Docs for my dissertation?

No. Google Docs can get you pretty far down the road to something that looks like what Rackham requires, however, it's going to take a lot more work to get that far, and as you approach the finish line you will collide with obstacles that Google Docs just won't be able to get around. The issue is that Google Docs was not designed for complicated documents like a thesis or dissertation. To get it to do many of the special things that Rackham requires, you'll have to do a great deal of work that Word will just do for you . A few examples:

Rackham requires 1" margin on all pages, but a 2" margin at the top of each new section and chapter. You'll have to manually adjust every relevant page yourself in Docs to get this, but Word will just do it automatically.
Docs gives you three choices for how your Table of Contents will look, none of which are suitable by Rackham's standards. While you can adjust the format, many aspects of it (such as spacing) will revert to the original every time you update it. With Word, you're in charge of what your ToC looks like.
In Docs, you'll have to manually type in your figure numbers ("Figure 3.6") and change them every time you add or move them. But Word will manage numbering and caption placement for you, it will renumber figures or tables as you add or move them, and then it will create your List of Figures/Tables automatically – correct page numbers and all.
With Word's figure/table numbering, you can also insert cross-references, so when you refer to "(see Figure 4.2)" but then you add some new figures before that, not only will Figure 4.2 renumber itself automatically, but anywhere you've referred to it will be updated, too. No more anxiety about whether you've updated everything accurately.
Page numbers: Rackham wants the first two pages to have no page numbers, the rest of the frontmatter to have small roman numerals, and the body of the document to have arabic numerals. Docs just plain can't do that.

If you're concerned about the learning curve of using Word, please know that this Guide goes over how to do everything, AND the Word template found here has nearly everything already set up for you. We also regularly offer a workshop that serves as an introduction to the most useful features, and you can set up a meeting with a ScholarSpace expert anytime you run into something that you can't figure out.

The better you know your way around Word, the easier it will be to work on your next research article, book chapter, or other complex document.

Writing Assistance

This Guide is all about how to properly format your dissertation -- how to make it look the way Rackham wants it to look. But what if you need help with the actual composition of your content? Our friends at the Sweetland Writing Center offer such assistance, through their Writing Workshop program. From their website:

These are just a few quick but especially important tips to help you get started. See our more expansive Tips & Troubleshooting section for suggestions that are a little more complex.

Save early , save often, and create backup versions as you go along. Consider setting up Microsoft OneDrive (you have free access with your umich login credentials). With this, you can turn on "Autosave" in Word to automatically save your document at regular intervals, and have access to previous versions.

Use our template (available above), it will save you lots of time. Nearly all of the difficult formatting stuff we discuss in this Guide is already built into the template. Consider doing all of your writing in it -- even if you're working in separate files for each chapter, you can use a copy of the template for each one of those chapters.
Set the margins including the two-inch margin for chapter titles and main section headings ( Setting Margins ) .
Define styles for Headings 1-3, Normal, Captions, and Quotes – these are most common; you may need others ( Working with Styles ).
If headings need to be numbered (for example, 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, etc.), define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
If captions need to include the chapter number, define a multi-level list ( Automatic Numbering ).
Share your file(s) with your advisors using Track Changes ( Commenting and Reviewing ) .
If you use EndNote to manage your citations and create your bibliography, use only one EndNote library for your entire dissertation (see our EndNote Basics guide).
Did we mention that you really ought to try out our template (available above)?

Formatting your dissertation in Word

About this guide.

Learn how to use Word features effectively and efficiently:

basic templates
images, captions, and page numbers
front matter
work with styles and much more!

Before you start:

Participants should have basic experience using Microsoft Word. This workshop specifically uses Word 2016.

Note: See dissertation/thesis formatting and submission guidelines (PDF) from University of Minnesota Graduate Student Services and Progress (also see Thesis/dissertation submission and formatting page).

Tutorials for formatting your dissertation in Word

Setting margins, formatting page numbers, changing fonts and spacing with styles, defining headings and heading styles, automatic page numbers, creating and applying word templates, inserting images, inserting captions and cross-references, keeping captions with their figures, copying charts from excel, adding a landscape page, adding front matter, adding a table of contents, adding a list of figures, sample documents.

The following documents and materials are used in the tutorials. You are welcome to use your own documents, or download ours.

Sample Chapter 1 Sample document to be used throughout the tutorials. It's currently unformatted text - you will be applying tutorials to the content.
Sample Chapter 2 Sample document to be used throughout the tutorials. It's currently unformatted text - you will be applying tutorials to the content.
Image 1 Sample image to be used in some of the tutorials.
Image 2 Sample image to be used in some of the tutorials.
Sample Chart Excel chart to be used in the tutorial Copying Charts from Excel.
Sample Front Matter Sample front matter layout with proper breaks and page numbering. Includes the following: - Title page - Copyright page - Acknowledgements (not required) - Dedication (not required) - Abstract (not required) - Table of contents - List of tables - List of figures - Other items - Placeholder for Chapter 1 content

Supplementary handouts and slides

The following materials can help supplement the tutorials, though they are not required.

Helpful tools and services from the Libraries

The Libraries offer many tools and services that you may find useful as you write your thesis or dissertation.

Citation Managers
Dissertation Calculator
Study Carrels
Thesis/Dissertation Submission and Formatting Guidelines
Full List of Researcher Support Services

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Dissertation Formatting Tips and Tricks

All instructions are written for Word 2007 for PC. The basic instructions are the same for most versions of Word but the actual key strokes maybe slightly different.

Setting Margins

Put your cursor at the very beginning of your document
Select the ‘Page Layout’ tab from the ribbon
Select ‘Margins’ in the Page Setup box
Select ‘Custom Margins’
Set the margins

Inserting a Two Inch Top Margin for the First Page of Chapter/Major Section

Before beginning a new chapter or equivalent (bibliography, abstract, vita, etc.) insert a hard page break by pressing the ‘Ctrl’ key and the ‘Enter’ key at the same time.
To insert a two inch top margin if you are in single line spacing press the ‘Enter’ key six times. If you are in double line spacing press the ‘Enter’ key three times. This will move the cursor down an additional inch so the page will have a two inch top margin without affecting the rest of the pages in the section or document.

Page Numbers

Insert page numbers.

Select ‘Insert’ tab from ribbon
Select ‘Page Number’ from the Header & Footer box
Select ‘Bottom of Page’
Select ‘Plain Number 2’
In the Position box move the bottom position to 1 inch (default is 0.5 inch)
Close the Header & Footer

Cover Unwanted Page Numbers

Go to the page with the unwanted page number
Select the ‘Insert’ tab from the ribbon
Select ‘Text Box’ from Text
Select ‘Draw Text Box’ from the Text Box options
Draw your box anywhere on the page except in the footer area
Drag the box you drew to cover the page number
Select ‘Shape Outline’ from the Shape Styles box
Select ‘No Outline’

Beginning with Small Roman Numerals for Preliminary Pages

Put your cursor at the end of the copyright page
Select Page Layout’ from the ribbon
Select ‘Breaks’ from the Page Setup box
Select ‘Next Page’ from the Breaks list
Insert page number as previously discussed
Select ‘Format Page Number’
Change ‘Number Format’ to small Roman numerals
Change ‘Start at’ to 'ii' (small Roman II)

Note : Some versions of Word will insert page numbers on the title page and the copyright page even though the insert command is not until the abstract page. A simple method for addressing this is covered in ‘Cover Unwanted Page Numbers.’

Changing from Small Roman Numerals to standard Arabic Numbers

Put your cursor at the end of the text on the last page of your preliminary pages
Select ‘Page Layout’ from the ribbon
Select ‘Breaks’ from the Page Setup Box
Insert page number (see Insert Page Number)
Change ‘Number Format’ to standard numerals (1, 2, 3, …)
Change ‘Start at’ to Arabic 1

Putting a Page Number in the Portrait Position on a Landscaped Page

Put your cursor on the landscaped page so you can see both the landscaped page number and the left margin (bottom edge when viewed in portrait orientation)
Insert a text box described in 'Cover Unwanted Page Numbers'
Cover the page number in the landscaped position
Remove the box outline as discussed in 'Cover Unwanted Page Numbers'
Draw a second text box on the same page
Drag the second text box to the left margin approximately one inch from the left edge
Type in the correct page number
Rotate the text in the text box by selecting ‘Text Direction’ from the Text options
Once the page number is in the correct orientation, remove the box outline
You may have to adjust the size of the text box and move it slightly until it is in the correct placement

Manually creating a table of contents.

Includes setting tab stops and leader dot tabs

Type in the items you want to appear in the Table of Contents. At minimum the Table of Contents must include the abstract, dedication (if present in document), acknowledgments (if present in document), vita, list of tables (if present in document), list of figures (if present in document) each chapter with the chapter title, bibliography, each appendix as a separate entry (if appendices are in your document). These items are level one in the Table of Contents. How detailed the table of contents is up to you and your committee. Subheading within these major divisions would be indented based on their level in the text of your document. Every entry in the Table of Contents must have leader dots from the end of the entry to the page number where it begins (see below)
After the entry press the tab key once and then type the page number when the entry begins
Select the table of contents
Select the ‘Page Layout’ tab
Go to the ‘Paragraph’ Box and open the dialogue box (click on the small box in the lower right corner of the box.)
Select tabs
Set tab stops for any sub levels within your Table of Contents by inserting the position (in inches) and clicking ‘set.’ These tabs should be left aligned. The first level of the table of contents does not need to be set as it is the left margin of the page
Set a tab stop for the page number positions (between 5” and 5.75” is usually a good spacing for the page number placement). Leave as a left aligned tab (the left edge of the numbers will line-up) or select right aligned tab (the right edge of the numbers will line up). Select the appropriate leader dots (the periods—usually the second option). Click ‘set’
Click ‘okay’

Word Created Table of Contents

Using styles.

Once all titles, major headings, and subtitle headings have been formatted using Styles, place the cursor on the Table of Contents page

Select the ‘References’ tab
Select ‘Table of Contents’
Select the format
The Table of Contents should generate

Not Using Styles

Go to the first item to appear in the Table of Contents (usually ‘Abstract’)
Highlight the title
Select ‘Add Text’ from the Table of Contents box
Select level

Note: if you did not use Styles marking the item for inclusion in the Table of Contents may change how it appears on the text page. Correcting the format on the text page may change how it appears in the Table of Contents

Turn Styles on
From Home tab, go to Styles box, click on small box in the lower right corner to open the Styles window
Select Style to modify by hovering over the Style title with the cursor
Click on the down arrow on the right side of the Style
From the menu that appears select ‘Modify’
To change the font size, add or remove bold, change color, and justification, make changes as normal in the modify box
To change spacing above or below, click on ‘Format’ and select ‘Paragraph’
Adjust up or down
To remove or add accent line click on ‘Format’ and select ‘Borders’
Select ‘No Borders’ and click ‘okay’

Dissertation and Theses

The dissertation is the hallmark of the research expertise demonstrated by a doctoral student. It is a scholarly contribution to knowledge in the student’s area of specialization.

A thesis is a hallmark of some master’s programs. It is a piece of original research, generally less comprehensive than a dissertation and is meant to show the student’s knowledge of an area of specialization.

Still Have Questions?

Dissertations & Theses 614-292-6031 [email protected]

Doctoral Exams, Master's Examination, Graduation Requirements 614-292-6031 [email protected]

How to Format Your Dissertation In Microsoft Word

Published by ian matthews on december 16, 2019 december 16, 2019.

Word document formatting provides styles, which is a collection of formatting instructions that help in customizing your work. This article highlights the techniques you can use.

Common Formatting Options

There are a variety of options one can use to format a word document and they all have rules on how to use them. Below are some of the most common options.

Quick styles

If you actually check, you will find many in-built styles ready to use. They are efficient and consistent methods of editing texts. One is a quick style.

Quick style is located in the home tab and heading formats are mainly located here. They are useful in structuring formal documents. Start by selecting the word you want to format and choose from a number of options the style you want your text to appear in. Words to start a thesis can be used as headings and formatted accordingly.

There are 9 levels of heading formats. Click on the arrow pointing down on the bottom right corner of the styles tab to view them and make your most suited selection.

Modifying using heading styles

On the Home tab in the Styles group section choose the style of your choice
Right click on it and select modify
A dialog box appears with formatting options such as paragraph spacing, text coloring, line spacing, and different fonts, etc.
Apply the modification and click OK

The text that you chose to modify will be updated to the current style

Styles part can be quite complicated to master its utilization. In such a case, you should consult a seasoned dissertation writer for some dissertation help on how to write your thesis using the correct styles. In Australia, for example, the experienced dissertation gurus conduct regular seminars to teach and help young academicians with thesis writing.

Inserting Tables

A thesis often has tables, which are important since you are able to present data in a clear, brief and comprehensive manner. When a writer uses tables, they are able to avoid giving lengthy explanations of the intricate thesis words used. You are able to break it all down in a simplified format.

To use tables, it is important to observe some rules that apply to dissertation writing . What you need to know;

Tables should not precede the first discussion of its contents but should appear as near as possible to the discussion related to them. Place them after an explanation of the content.
They should not appear in the middle of a sentence as this disrupts the flow of the context.
Tables, including figures, illustrations and examples, should be numbered consecutively using Arabic numbers. There should be captions for each table that describe precisely what it entails.
Computer-generated tables are suitable. They should be clear, comprehensible and meet margin requirements.

Changing the Margins of the Document

Margins in word documents are based on templates. When you create a document, the margins are set to the default of the template you use. When you change the margins of an existing template, future templates will have the updated margins.

Automatically, the space between the edge and a word is set to one.

Editing the margins

To edit the margins, follow these quick, simple Microsoft formatting steps.

Choose margins on the furthest side on the left
A drop down menu appears where you can make your choice Note: to affect only one page, split your document into sections. The new margins will automatically affect every page in the document if not split
To apply custom changes, click on Custom Margins at the bottom of the drop-down menu
A page setup dialog box appears. Enter the margin in the Margins tab

Paragraph and Line Spacing

Paragraph spacing determines how much space comes before and after a paragraph, while line spacing is the distance between two lines or rows. In line spacing, you first select the text you want to edit and in paragraph spacing, you place your insertion point or mouse anywhere in a single paragraph.

For paragraph and line spacing editing options, follow these steps:

Open the Home tab
Click the Line and Spacing paragraph button. A drop-down menu appears with line spacing options on the top and paragraph spacing on the bottom

Select the spacing you want before or after a paragraph

Double spacing can also be considered quite similar to line and paragraph spacing. Here is how to double space in word 2017 or other MS word version is done.

Click on the Design tab
Click on Paragraph Spacing: a drop-down menu appears
Select double
Notice the spacing between lines

A thesis is a critical document in the academic world. It is proof of your research, written for others to scrutinize and ascertain its authenticity. It should, therefore, be written according to the laid down structure and regulations.

In Australia, institutions have published a common guideline on how their theses should be written. This guide is available online for everyone in the country. This approach is efficient; it mostly aligns with the MS Word format. Learn and apply.

Anonymous · March 16, 2020 at 11:51 pm

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Reviewed By: David Phair (PhD) | July 2019

So, you’ve got a decent understanding of what a dissertation is , you’ve chosen your topic and hopefully you’ve received approval for your research proposal . Awesome! Now its time to start the actual dissertation or thesis writing journey.

To craft a high-quality document, the very first thing you need to understand is dissertation structure . In this post, we’ll walk you through the generic dissertation structure and layout, step by step. We’ll start with the big picture, and then zoom into each chapter to briefly discuss the core contents. If you’re just starting out on your research journey, you should start with this post, which covers the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis .

Dissertation structure and layout - the basics

The Caveat

In this post, we’ll be discussing a traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout, which is generally used for social science research across universities, whether in the US, UK, Europe or Australia. However, some universities may have small variations on this structure (extra chapters, merged chapters, slightly different ordering, etc).

So, always check with your university if they have a prescribed structure or layout that they expect you to work with. If not, it’s safe to assume the structure we’ll discuss here is suitable. And even if they do have a prescribed structure, you’ll still get value from this post as we’ll explain the core contents of each section.

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements page
Abstract (or executive summary)
Table of contents , list of figures and tables
Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Literature review
Chapter 3: Methodology
Chapter 4: Results
Chapter 5: Discussion
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Reference list

As I mentioned, some universities will have slight variations on this structure. For example, they want an additional “personal reflection chapter”, or they might prefer the results and discussion chapter to be merged into one. Regardless, the overarching flow will always be the same, as this flow reflects the research process , which we discussed here – i.e.:

The introduction chapter presents the core research question and aims .
The literature review chapter assesses what the current research says about this question.
The methodology, results and discussion chapters go about undertaking new research about this question.
The conclusion chapter (attempts to) answer the core research question .

In other words, the dissertation structure and layout reflect the research process of asking a well-defined question(s), investigating, and then answering the question – see below.

A dissertation's structure reflect the research process

To restate that – the structure and layout of a dissertation reflect the flow of the overall research process . This is essential to understand, as each chapter will make a lot more sense if you “get” this concept. If you’re not familiar with the research process, read this post before going further.

Right. Now that we’ve covered the big picture, let’s dive a little deeper into the details of each section and chapter. Oh and by the way, you can also grab our free dissertation/thesis template here to help speed things up.

The title page of your dissertation is the very first impression the marker will get of your work, so it pays to invest some time thinking about your title. But what makes for a good title? A strong title needs to be 3 things:

Succinct (not overly lengthy or verbose)
Specific (not vague or ambiguous)
Representative of the research you’re undertaking (clearly linked to your research questions)

Typically, a good title includes mention of the following:

The broader area of the research (i.e. the overarching topic)
The specific focus of your research (i.e. your specific context)
Indication of research design (e.g. quantitative , qualitative , or mixed methods ).

For example:

A quantitative investigation [research design] into the antecedents of organisational trust [broader area] in the UK retail forex trading market [specific context/area of focus].

Again, some universities may have specific requirements regarding the format and structure of the title, so it’s worth double-checking expectations with your institution (if there’s no mention in the brief or study material).

Acknowledgements

This page provides you with an opportunity to say thank you to those who helped you along your research journey. Generally, it’s optional (and won’t count towards your marks), but it is academic best practice to include this.

So, who do you say thanks to? Well, there’s no prescribed requirements, but it’s common to mention the following people:

Your dissertation supervisor or committee.
Any professors, lecturers or academics that helped you understand the topic or methodologies.
Any tutors, mentors or advisors.
Your family and friends, especially spouse (for adult learners studying part-time).

There’s no need for lengthy rambling. Just state who you’re thankful to and for what (e.g. thank you to my supervisor, John Doe, for his endless patience and attentiveness) – be sincere. In terms of length, you should keep this to a page or less.

Abstract or executive summary

The dissertation abstract (or executive summary for some degrees) serves to provide the first-time reader (and marker or moderator) with a big-picture view of your research project. It should give them an understanding of the key insights and findings from the research, without them needing to read the rest of the report – in other words, it should be able to stand alone .

For it to stand alone, your abstract should cover the following key points (at a minimum):

Your research questions and aims – what key question(s) did your research aim to answer?
Your methodology – how did you go about investigating the topic and finding answers to your research question(s)?
Your findings – following your own research, what did do you discover?
Your conclusions – based on your findings, what conclusions did you draw? What answers did you find to your research question(s)?

So, in much the same way the dissertation structure mimics the research process, your abstract or executive summary should reflect the research process, from the initial stage of asking the original question to the final stage of answering that question.

In practical terms, it’s a good idea to write this section up last , once all your core chapters are complete. Otherwise, you’ll end up writing and rewriting this section multiple times (just wasting time). For a step by step guide on how to write a strong executive summary, check out this post .

Need a helping hand?

This section is straightforward. You’ll typically present your table of contents (TOC) first, followed by the two lists – figures and tables. I recommend that you use Microsoft Word’s automatic table of contents generator to generate your TOC. If you’re not familiar with this functionality, the video below explains it simply:

If you find that your table of contents is overly lengthy, consider removing one level of depth. Oftentimes, this can be done without detracting from the usefulness of the TOC.

Right, now that the “admin” sections are out of the way, its time to move on to your core chapters. These chapters are the heart of your dissertation and are where you’ll earn the marks. The first chapter is the introduction chapter – as you would expect, this is the time to introduce your research…

It’s important to understand that even though you’ve provided an overview of your research in your abstract, your introduction needs to be written as if the reader has not read that (remember, the abstract is essentially a standalone document). So, your introduction chapter needs to start from the very beginning, and should address the following questions:

What will you be investigating (in plain-language, big picture-level)?
Why is that worth investigating? How is it important to academia or business? How is it sufficiently original?
What are your research aims and research question(s)? Note that the research questions can sometimes be presented at the end of the literature review (next chapter).
What is the scope of your study? In other words, what will and won’t you cover ?
How will you approach your research? In other words, what methodology will you adopt?
How will you structure your dissertation? What are the core chapters and what will you do in each of them?

These are just the bare basic requirements for your intro chapter. Some universities will want additional bells and whistles in the intro chapter, so be sure to carefully read your brief or consult your research supervisor.

If done right, your introduction chapter will set a clear direction for the rest of your dissertation. Specifically, it will make it clear to the reader (and marker) exactly what you’ll be investigating, why that’s important, and how you’ll be going about the investigation. Conversely, if your introduction chapter leaves a first-time reader wondering what exactly you’ll be researching, you’ve still got some work to do.

Now that you’ve set a clear direction with your introduction chapter, the next step is the literature review . In this section, you will analyse the existing research (typically academic journal articles and high-quality industry publications), with a view to understanding the following questions:

What does the literature currently say about the topic you’re investigating?
Is the literature lacking or well established? Is it divided or in disagreement?
How does your research fit into the bigger picture?
How does your research contribute something original?
How does the methodology of previous studies help you develop your own?

Depending on the nature of your study, you may also present a conceptual framework towards the end of your literature review, which you will then test in your actual research.

Again, some universities will want you to focus on some of these areas more than others, some will have additional or fewer requirements, and so on. Therefore, as always, its important to review your brief and/or discuss with your supervisor, so that you know exactly what’s expected of your literature review chapter.

Now that you’ve investigated the current state of knowledge in your literature review chapter and are familiar with the existing key theories, models and frameworks, its time to design your own research. Enter the methodology chapter – the most “science-ey” of the chapters…

In this chapter, you need to address two critical questions:

Exactly HOW will you carry out your research (i.e. what is your intended research design)?
Exactly WHY have you chosen to do things this way (i.e. how do you justify your design)?

Remember, the dissertation part of your degree is first and foremost about developing and demonstrating research skills . Therefore, the markers want to see that you know which methods to use, can clearly articulate why you’ve chosen then, and know how to deploy them effectively.

Importantly, this chapter requires detail – don’t hold back on the specifics. State exactly what you’ll be doing, with who, when, for how long, etc. Moreover, for every design choice you make, make sure you justify it.

In practice, you will likely end up coming back to this chapter once you’ve undertaken all your data collection and analysis, and revise it based on changes you made during the analysis phase. This is perfectly fine. Its natural for you to add an additional analysis technique, scrap an old one, etc based on where your data lead you. Of course, I’m talking about small changes here – not a fundamental switch from qualitative to quantitative, which will likely send your supervisor in a spin!

You’ve now collected your data and undertaken your analysis, whether qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. In this chapter, you’ll present the raw results of your analysis . For example, in the case of a quant study, you’ll present the demographic data, descriptive statistics, inferential statistics , etc.

Typically, Chapter 4 is simply a presentation and description of the data, not a discussion of the meaning of the data. In other words, it’s descriptive, rather than analytical – the meaning is discussed in Chapter 5. However, some universities will want you to combine chapters 4 and 5, so that you both present and interpret the meaning of the data at the same time. Check with your institution what their preference is.

Now that you’ve presented the data analysis results, its time to interpret and analyse them. In other words, its time to discuss what they mean, especially in relation to your research question(s).

What you discuss here will depend largely on your chosen methodology. For example, if you’ve gone the quantitative route, you might discuss the relationships between variables . If you’ve gone the qualitative route, you might discuss key themes and the meanings thereof. It all depends on what your research design choices were.

Most importantly, you need to discuss your results in relation to your research questions and aims, as well as the existing literature. What do the results tell you about your research questions? Are they aligned with the existing research or at odds? If so, why might this be? Dig deep into your findings and explain what the findings suggest, in plain English.

The final chapter – you’ve made it! Now that you’ve discussed your interpretation of the results, its time to bring it back to the beginning with the conclusion chapter . In other words, its time to (attempt to) answer your original research question s (from way back in chapter 1). Clearly state what your conclusions are in terms of your research questions. This might feel a bit repetitive, as you would have touched on this in the previous chapter, but its important to bring the discussion full circle and explicitly state your answer(s) to the research question(s).

Next, you’ll typically discuss the implications of your findings . In other words, you’ve answered your research questions – but what does this mean for the real world (or even for academia)? What should now be done differently, given the new insight you’ve generated?

Lastly, you should discuss the limitations of your research, as well as what this means for future research in the area. No study is perfect, especially not a Masters-level. Discuss the shortcomings of your research. Perhaps your methodology was limited, perhaps your sample size was small or not representative, etc, etc. Don’t be afraid to critique your work – the markers want to see that you can identify the limitations of your work. This is a strength, not a weakness. Be brutal!

This marks the end of your core chapters – woohoo! From here on out, it’s pretty smooth sailing.

The reference list is straightforward. It should contain a list of all resources cited in your dissertation, in the required format, e.g. APA , Harvard, etc.

It’s essential that you use reference management software for your dissertation. Do NOT try handle your referencing manually – its far too error prone. On a reference list of multiple pages, you’re going to make mistake. To this end, I suggest considering either Mendeley or Zotero. Both are free and provide a very straightforward interface to ensure that your referencing is 100% on point. I’ve included a simple how-to video for the Mendeley software (my personal favourite) below:

Some universities may ask you to include a bibliography, as opposed to a reference list. These two things are not the same . A bibliography is similar to a reference list, except that it also includes resources which informed your thinking but were not directly cited in your dissertation. So, double-check your brief and make sure you use the right one.

The very last piece of the puzzle is the appendix or set of appendices. This is where you’ll include any supporting data and evidence. Importantly, supporting is the keyword here.

Your appendices should provide additional “nice to know”, depth-adding information, which is not critical to the core analysis. Appendices should not be used as a way to cut down word count (see this post which covers how to reduce word count ). In other words, don’t place content that is critical to the core analysis here, just to save word count. You will not earn marks on any content in the appendices, so don’t try to play the system!

Time to recap…

And there you have it – the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows:

Acknowledgments page

Most importantly, the core chapters should reflect the research process (asking, investigating and answering your research question). Moreover, the research question(s) should form the golden thread throughout your dissertation structure. Everything should revolve around the research questions, and as you’ve seen, they should form both the start point (i.e. introduction chapter) and the endpoint (i.e. conclusion chapter).

I hope this post has provided you with clarity about the traditional dissertation/thesis structure and layout. If you have any questions or comments, please leave a comment below, or feel free to get in touch with us. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the Grad Coach Blog .

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

36 Comments

many thanks i found it very useful

Glad to hear that, Arun. Good luck writing your dissertation.

Such clear practical logical advice. I very much needed to read this to keep me focused in stead of fretting.. Perfect now ready to start my research!

what about scientific fields like computer or engineering thesis what is the difference in the structure? thank you very much

Thanks so much this helped me a lot!

Very helpful and accessible. What I like most is how practical the advice is along with helpful tools/ links.

Thanks Ade!

Thank you so much sir.. It was really helpful..

You’re welcome!

Hi! How many words maximum should contain the abstract?

Thank you so much 😊 Find this at the right moment

You’re most welcome. Good luck with your dissertation.

best ever benefit i got on right time thank you

Many times Clarity and vision of destination of dissertation is what makes the difference between good ,average and great researchers the same way a great automobile driver is fast with clarity of address and Clear weather conditions .

I guess Great researcher = great ideas + knowledge + great and fast data collection and modeling + great writing + high clarity on all these

You have given immense clarity from start to end.

Morning. Where will I write the definitions of what I’m referring to in my report?

Thank you so much Derek, I was almost lost! Thanks a tonnnn! Have a great day!

Thanks ! so concise and valuable

This was very helpful. Clear and concise. I know exactly what to do now.

Thank you for allowing me to go through briefly. I hope to find time to continue.

Really useful to me. Thanks a thousand times

Very interesting! It will definitely set me and many more for success. highly recommended.

Thank you soo much sir, for the opportunity to express my skills

Usefull, thanks a lot. Really clear

Very nice and easy to understand. Thank you .

That was incredibly useful. Thanks Grad Coach Crew!

My stress level just dropped at least 15 points after watching this. Just starting my thesis for my grad program and I feel a lot more capable now! Thanks for such a clear and helpful video, Emma and the GradCoach team!

Do we need to mention the number of words the dissertation contains in the main document?

It depends on your university’s requirements, so it would be best to check with them 🙂

Such a helpful post to help me get started with structuring my masters dissertation, thank you!

Great video; I appreciate that helpful information

It is so necessary or avital course

This blog is very informative for my research. Thank you

Doctoral students are required to fill out the National Research Council’s Survey of Earned Doctorates

wow this is an amazing gain in my life

This is so good

How can i arrange my specific objectives in my dissertation?

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Checklist: Dissertation Proposal

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Need editing and proofreading services, expert formatting tips on ms word for dissertations.

Tags: Dissertation , Formatting , General

Writing a dissertation is a monumental task, but formatting it properly in Microsoft Word doesn’t have to add to the stress. With a few key tips and tricks, you can easily set up your dissertation document to meet all the necessary requirements and create a polished, professional final product.

Get specialized formatting for your dissertation! Learn more

Here are 7 essential MS Word formatting tips to help you ace your dissertation in 2024:

1. Master footnotes and endnotes

Inserting footnotes and endnotes is a breeze in Word. Simply place your cursor where the note should go, head to the References tab, and click “Insert Footnote” or “Insert Endnote”. Expand the Footnotes section to access additional customization options for your notes.

2. Utilize cross-references

When referencing figures, tables, sections, or page numbers in your text, make your life easier by using Word’s cross-reference tool. This way, if anything gets renumbered, the in-text references will automatically update. You’ll find Cross-references under the Captions button on the References tab.

3. Apply the right citation style

Different fields and institutions require different citation styles like APA , MLA , Chicago , and more. Word has built-in tools to help you apply and customize styles. Select your text, go to the Citations & Bibliography section, and choose the appropriate style from the menu.

4. Create custom templates

Set up your dissertation template with the correct margins, styles, numbering, etc. and save it as a Word Template file. Then you can easily create new documents with all your presets ready to go. Modify the template and all new docs will reflect the changes.

5. Use master documents

Keep chapters as separate documents while working on them for easier editing and review. Then combine them into one master document at the end. In your first chapter file, place the cursor at the end, go to Insert > Text > Object > Text from File, and select the next chapter to append. Repeat for all chapters.

6. Add automatic page numbers

Word makes it simple to add page numbers in your chosen style, either throughout the document or section-by-section. Go to the Insert tab, open the Header & Footer section, click Page Number, and select your preferred options.

7. Generate automatic tables of contents

Once you’ve applied Heading 1, Heading 2, etc. styles to your chapter titles, headings, and subheadings, let Word do the rest. Place your cursor where the table of contents should appear, go to References > Table of Contents , and click the style you want. Customize headings to include via the Table of Contents options box.

By implementing these 7 essential formatting tips, you’ll be able to create a pristine, perfectly structured dissertation in Microsoft Word. For additional support, consider utilizing professional dissertation formatting services to ensure your document meets every requirement and is ready for submission.

After you’ve finished writing and formatting, academic editing and proofreading services like PaperTrue can provide an extra level of review, polishing your content and checking your adherence to formatting guidelines. With the right tools, tips, and support, you’ll submit a top-notch dissertation!

Here are some more useful resources for you:

Dissertation Proofreading | Definition & Standard Rates
The A–Z of Dissertation Editing: Standard Rates & Involved Steps
Top 10 Dissertation Editing & Proofreading Services
How to Choose a Topic for Your Dissertation
7 Useful MS Word Formatting Tips for Dissertation Writing

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i create an automatic table of contents in word for my dissertation, what's the best way to combine separate chapter files into one dissertation document, how can i ensure my in-text citations and references match my required citation style.

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4. writing up your research: thesis formatting (ms word).

Books on Thesis Writing
Thesis Formatting (MS Word)
Referencing

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Haere mai, tauti mai—welcome! These instructions are designed to be used with recent versions of MS Word. Please note there is no template or specific formatting guidelines for a thesis at UC. Please talk to your supervisor and take a look at theses in the UC Research Repository to see how they are usually formatted.

Where to start
Show/Hide Formatting
Heading Styles
Navigation Pane
Table of Contents
Numbered Headings
List of Figures/Tables
Page/Section Breaks, Page Numbering & Orientation

Word Thesis Formatting workshops run throughout the year.

Some useful documents.

Word Formatting Instructions PDF This PDF contains the same instructions that are available on this page.
Practice Thesis Document with No Formatting This pretend thesis file can be used to practise formatting. It is not a template for how to format a thesis . UC does not provide any guidelines on formatting a thesis.

Formatting in APA 7th Edition

For APA formatting advice see the official APA Style Blog's excellent Style and Grammar Guidelines . They cover most formatting topics with examples and sample papers, figures, and tables in Word documents you can download. Even more detail can be found in the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association that the Library has copies of.

Finding Examples

Look at examples and ask your supervisor.

The best guide on how to format your thesis is a combination of:

Looking at previous theses in your discipline. Search the UC Research Repository for your subject or department, and browse by issue date to get the most recent.
Asking your supervisor for recommendations on specific formatting and details.

General Recommendations

The following is an example only of preliminaries to the thesis that could be included.

Acknowledgements
List of Figures
List of Tables
Abbreviations
Toggle show Home ->Show/Hide formatting

Using styles for headings allows you to create an automatic table of contents.

Select major headings one at a time and choose Home ->Styles ‘Heading 1’

Select subheadings and apply Home ->Styles ‘heading 2’ and ‘heading 3’
Modify a style by right clicking on it and choosing Modify in the styles pane at the top of the screen.

The Navigation Pain is useful for seeing the outline of your document as well as providing links to quickly go to any section of the document.

View->check Navigation Pane

In order to create an automatic table of contents heading styles must be used.

References -> Table of Contents -> Custom Table of Contents (no heading in table)

Right click table of contents to ‘update field’ and choose ‘update entire table’

Home->Multilevel list-> choose style with a number level for each heading level

To change the heading level 1 number to say ‘Chapter 1’ right click on heading level 1 in the styles area Heading 1->Modify .

In the modify screen click Format->Numbering.

Then click ‘ Define New Number Format’.

Then add the word ‘Chapter’ and a space before the ‘1’.

To create automatic lists of figures or tables you first have to give a caption to all your figures and tables.

Right click figure or table and select Insert Caption

Choose Label type eg. Figure, Table etc
Choose position above or below
Give the table or figure a title in the top box
Go to the headings for List of Figures and List of tables and then click References->Insert Table of Figures -> select caption label type (Figure or Table)

On the following menu select caption label type (Figure or Table) and click OK

This can be used to have different page numbering styles of different sections of your document or to have certain pages landscape to display a large table or graph.

Insert a section break (next page) at the end of the title page ( Layout -> Breaks -> Next Page )

Insert a section break at chapter 1 ( Layout -> Breaks -> Next Page )
Insert page breaks for all other ‘heading 1’ headings ( Layout -> Breaks -> Page )

Adding Page Numbers

Insert -> Page Number and choose a position on the page

Double click on title page header or footer (top or bottom of the page) and tick ‘ Different First Page’ in the Design ribbon that appears

Click in second page header or footer, right click on the page number and select ‘ format page numbers ’

Select Roman numerals eg. ‘i, ii, iii, iv’ etc
Select start at ‘i’ (start at ‘1’)

Scroll to chapter 1 and change number style for this section back to ordinary numbers and start at 1

Change Page Orientation

Insert a section break before and after the pages you want to change to landscape orientation (See instructions above for inserting a section break)
Layout -> Orientation -> Landscape

NOTE: A section break is usually only needed if page orientation or separate page numbers are required.

Workshops run throughout the year.

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Knowledge Base
Dissertation

How to Write a Dissertation | A Guide to Structure & Content

A dissertation or thesis is a long piece of academic writing based on original research, submitted as part of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree.

The structure of a dissertation depends on your field, but it is usually divided into at least four or five chapters (including an introduction and conclusion chapter).

The most common dissertation structure in the sciences and social sciences includes:

An introduction to your topic
A literature review that surveys relevant sources
An explanation of your methodology
An overview of the results of your research
A discussion of the results and their implications
A conclusion that shows what your research has contributed

Dissertations in the humanities are often structured more like a long essay , building an argument by analysing primary and secondary sources . Instead of the standard structure outlined here, you might organise your chapters around different themes or case studies.

Other important elements of the dissertation include the title page , abstract , and reference list . If in doubt about how your dissertation should be structured, always check your department’s guidelines and consult with your supervisor.

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Acknowledgements, table of contents, list of figures and tables, list of abbreviations, introduction, literature review / theoretical framework, methodology, reference list.

The very first page of your document contains your dissertation’s title, your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date. Sometimes it also includes your student number, your supervisor’s name, and the university’s logo. Many programs have strict requirements for formatting the dissertation title page .

The title page is often used as cover when printing and binding your dissertation .

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The acknowledgements section is usually optional, and gives space for you to thank everyone who helped you in writing your dissertation. This might include your supervisors, participants in your research, and friends or family who supported you.

The abstract is a short summary of your dissertation, usually about 150-300 words long. You should write it at the very end, when you’ve completed the rest of the dissertation. In the abstract, make sure to:

State the main topic and aims of your research
Describe the methods you used
Summarise the main results
State your conclusions

Although the abstract is very short, it’s the first part (and sometimes the only part) of your dissertation that people will read, so it’s important that you get it right. If you’re struggling to write a strong abstract, read our guide on how to write an abstract .

In the table of contents, list all of your chapters and subheadings and their page numbers. The dissertation contents page gives the reader an overview of your structure and helps easily navigate the document.

All parts of your dissertation should be included in the table of contents, including the appendices. You can generate a table of contents automatically in Word.

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If you have used a lot of tables and figures in your dissertation, you should itemise them in a numbered list . You can automatically generate this list using the Insert Caption feature in Word.

If you have used a lot of abbreviations in your dissertation, you can include them in an alphabetised list of abbreviations so that the reader can easily look up their meanings.

If you have used a lot of highly specialised terms that will not be familiar to your reader, it might be a good idea to include a glossary . List the terms alphabetically and explain each term with a brief description or definition.

In the introduction, you set up your dissertation’s topic, purpose, and relevance, and tell the reader what to expect in the rest of the dissertation. The introduction should:

Establish your research topic , giving necessary background information to contextualise your work
Narrow down the focus and define the scope of the research
Discuss the state of existing research on the topic, showing your work’s relevance to a broader problem or debate
Clearly state your objectives and research questions , and indicate how you will answer them
Give an overview of your dissertation’s structure

Everything in the introduction should be clear, engaging, and relevant to your research. By the end, the reader should understand the what , why and how of your research. Not sure how? Read our guide on how to write a dissertation introduction .

Before you start on your research, you should have conducted a literature review to gain a thorough understanding of the academic work that already exists on your topic. This means:

Collecting sources (e.g. books and journal articles) and selecting the most relevant ones
Critically evaluating and analysing each source
Drawing connections between them (e.g. themes, patterns, conflicts, gaps) to make an overall point

In the dissertation literature review chapter or section, you shouldn’t just summarise existing studies, but develop a coherent structure and argument that leads to a clear basis or justification for your own research. For example, it might aim to show how your research:

Addresses a gap in the literature
Takes a new theoretical or methodological approach to the topic
Proposes a solution to an unresolved problem
Advances a theoretical debate
Builds on and strengthens existing knowledge with new data

The literature review often becomes the basis for a theoretical framework , in which you define and analyse the key theories, concepts and models that frame your research. In this section you can answer descriptive research questions about the relationship between concepts or variables.

The methodology chapter or section describes how you conducted your research, allowing your reader to assess its validity. You should generally include:

The overall approach and type of research (e.g. qualitative, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic)
Your methods of collecting data (e.g. interviews, surveys, archives)
Details of where, when, and with whom the research took place
Your methods of analysing data (e.g. statistical analysis, discourse analysis)
Tools and materials you used (e.g. computer programs, lab equipment)
A discussion of any obstacles you faced in conducting the research and how you overcame them
An evaluation or justification of your methods

Your aim in the methodology is to accurately report what you did, as well as convincing the reader that this was the best approach to answering your research questions or objectives.

Next, you report the results of your research . You can structure this section around sub-questions, hypotheses, or topics. Only report results that are relevant to your objectives and research questions. In some disciplines, the results section is strictly separated from the discussion, while in others the two are combined.

For example, for qualitative methods like in-depth interviews, the presentation of the data will often be woven together with discussion and analysis, while in quantitative and experimental research, the results should be presented separately before you discuss their meaning. If you’re unsure, consult with your supervisor and look at sample dissertations to find out the best structure for your research.

In the results section it can often be helpful to include tables, graphs and charts. Think carefully about how best to present your data, and don’t include tables or figures that just repeat what you have written – they should provide extra information or usefully visualise the results in a way that adds value to your text.

Full versions of your data (such as interview transcripts) can be included as an appendix .

The discussion is where you explore the meaning and implications of your results in relation to your research questions. Here you should interpret the results in detail, discussing whether they met your expectations and how well they fit with the framework that you built in earlier chapters. If any of the results were unexpected, offer explanations for why this might be. It’s a good idea to consider alternative interpretations of your data and discuss any limitations that might have influenced the results.

The discussion should reference other scholarly work to show how your results fit with existing knowledge. You can also make recommendations for future research or practical action.

The dissertation conclusion should concisely answer the main research question, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of your central argument. Wrap up your dissertation with a final reflection on what you did and how you did it. The conclusion often also includes recommendations for research or practice.

In this section, it’s important to show how your findings contribute to knowledge in the field and why your research matters. What have you added to what was already known?

You must include full details of all sources that you have cited in a reference list (sometimes also called a works cited list or bibliography). It’s important to follow a consistent reference style . Each style has strict and specific requirements for how to format your sources in the reference list.

The most common styles used in UK universities are Harvard referencing and Vancouver referencing . Your department will often specify which referencing style you should use – for example, psychology students tend to use APA style , humanities students often use MHRA , and law students always use OSCOLA . M ake sure to check the requirements, and ask your supervisor if you’re unsure.

To save time creating the reference list and make sure your citations are correctly and consistently formatted, you can use our free APA Citation Generator .

Your dissertation itself should contain only essential information that directly contributes to answering your research question. Documents you have used that do not fit into the main body of your dissertation (such as interview transcripts, survey questions or tables with full figures) can be added as appendices .

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Research Guides

Submit and publish your thesis.

The Graduate Thesis: What is it?
Thesis Defences
Deadlines and Fees

Formatting in MS Word

Formatting in LaTeX
Making Thesis Accessible
Thesis Embargo
Review and Release
Your Rights as an Author
Re-using Third Party Materials
Creative Commons Licenses for Theses
Turning Thesis into an Article
Turning Thesis into a Book
Other Venues of Publication

Thesis style template for MS Word is available on the School of Graduate Studies website . You are not required to use the template but using it will make some of the formatting requirements easier to meet.

►► Thesis template for Microsoft Word (.docx)

For formatting instructions and requirements see the Formatting section of the SGS website .

MS Word formatting tips

Section breaks and page numbers.

One of the most common formatting items that causes difficulty is the page numbering, since the front section and the rest of the thesis use different characters and placement. The way to properly format these sections is to add Section Breaks in between the front matter and the Introduction or Chapter One and between each of the following chapters, including the Bibliography and Appendices sections.

Adding Section Breaks and Page Numbers in Word 2016

You will need to insert “Section Break – next page” in between all chapters and between the front matter and the first chapter as well as between the last chapter and the appendices and the references.

Click on the place where the break should be inserted and then go to the Layout tab.
Click on the arrow beside Breaks and choose Section Break Next Page from the list. This allows you to format sections individually of each other.
Go to the first chapter after the front matter, click in the header and footer area and in the Header & Footer tools, ensure that “Different First Page” is selected and then ensure that the “Link to Previous” option is not selected. This way, when you format the front matter with Roman numerals in the bottom centre, it won’t carry the formatting into the next section.
Use the Insert Page Numbers and Format Page numbers to insert the page numbers in the appropriate place with the appropriate formatting.

Using Document Styles

The template has Styles that can be used to format your entire thesis. To use a style, select the text to apply the style to, then choose the appropriate style from the Styles window.

If you don’t want to use the template (for example, if you don’t want to use the numbered headings, you can create your own styles. To do this, format the heading (or other element) the way you want, then click New Style in the style window. Insert a unique name for the style and click OK . You can then use that style for those elements going forward.

Table of Contents (TOC)

To automatically generate a TOC, apply the appropriate Styles to all headings. The template has styles created for this purpose. If you are not using the template, you can create your own heading styles to apply.

Auto-generate the TOC in Word 2016 on both Mac and Windows

Go to the References tab, choose Table of Contents and select Custom Table of Contents . Click OK .

Using your own styles

If you have created your own styles with custom names, go to the References tab, choose Table of Contents and select Custom Table of Contents , then click Options .
Put numbers beside the styles you created that correspond with the level of heading they represent. Click OK , then OK again.

Manual formatting of TOC

To add right-aligned tabs with leaders:

From the Home tab, open the Paragraph settings and click on the Tabs button.
Enter the tab stop position, choose Right Tab and for Leader , choose the … option. Click Set (or the + sign on Mac), then click OK .
Type the TOC entry, press tab, then insert the page number.

Miscellaneous tips

Use page breaks instead of pressing Enter or Return
Use paragraph first-line indent or tab consistently throughout doc (best to use Styles)
Use consistent spacing around headers
Use Shift + Return/Enter to keep headings that run over 2 lines in the same paragraph
Ensure there are no Widow/Orphan headings or paragraphs
When inserting longer quotes, use margins to indent rather than tabbing in and inserting a hard return after each line
Always use tabs rather than spaces. Set tab stops so you aren’t using multiple tabs

Formatting issues and examples

When creating your own table of contents , be sure to format the space between the text and the numbers properly. Do not use multiple tabs or periods to separate them. This will result in a jagged right margin. You want to set a right-aligned tab with leaders in order to have the numbers properly aligned to the right margin. The auto-generate TOC feature does this automatically.

Table of contents incorrect and correct formatting examples. Discussion above.

When starting content on a new page, do not use the return key until you get to the next page. If you add content to that section later on, it will move everything down the page, even on the following page. Instead, use the Insert Page Break feature.

Page break formatting incorrect and correct example. Discussion above.

When formatting indented quotes, do not use tabs to indent the lines , or put a return at the end of each line. The test in the paragraph won’t flow properly if you need to add more text or change the margins. Instead use the margin controls in the Ruler to indent the paragraph on each side.

Indented quotes incorrect and correct formatting examples. Discussion above.

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Last Updated: Sep 15, 2023 3:23 PM
URL: https://guides.library.utoronto.ca/thesis

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Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples

Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples

Published on May 15, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The table of contents is where you list the chapters and major sections of your thesis, dissertation , or research paper, alongside their page numbers. A clear and well-formatted table of contents is essential, as it demonstrates to your reader that a quality paper will follow.

The table of contents (TOC) should be placed between the abstract and the introduction . The maximum length should be two pages. Depending on the nature of your thesis , paper, or dissertation topic , there are a few formatting options you can choose from.

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What to include in your table of contents, what not to include in your table of contents, creating a table of contents in microsoft word, table of contents examples, updating a table of contents in microsoft word, other lists in your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about the table of contents.

Depending on the length of your document, you can choose between a single-level, subdivided, or multi-level table of contents.

A single-level table of contents only includes “level 1” headings , or chapters. This is the simplest option, but it may be too broad for a long document like a dissertation.
A subdivided table of contents includes chapters as well as “level 2” headings, or sections. These show your reader what each chapter contains.
A multi-level table of contents also further divides sections into “level 3” headings. This option can get messy quickly, so proceed with caution. Remember your table of contents should not be longer than 2 pages. A multi-level table is often a good choice for a shorter document like a research paper .

Examples of level 1 headings are Introduction, Literature Review , Methodology , and Bibliography. Subsections of each of these would be level 2 headings, further describing the contents of each chapter or large section. Any further subsections would be level 3.

In these introductory sections, less is often more. As you decide which sections to include, narrow it down to only the most essential.

Including appendices and tables

You should include all appendices in your table of contents. Whether or not you include tables and figures depends largely on how many there are in your document.

If there are more than three figures and tables, you might consider listing them on a separate page. Otherwise, you can include each one in the table of contents.

Theses and dissertations often have a separate list of figures and tables.
Research papers generally don’t have a separate list of figures and tables.

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All level 1 and level 2 headings should be included in your table of contents, with level 3 headings used very sparingly.

The following things should never be included in a table of contents:

Your acknowledgements page
Your abstract
The table of contents itself

The acknowledgements and abstract always precede the table of contents, so there’s no need to include them. This goes for any sections that precede the table of contents.

To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, be sure to first apply the correct heading styles throughout the document, as shown below.

Choose which headings are heading 1 and which are heading 2 (or 3)!
For example, if all level 1 headings should be Times New Roman, 12-point font, and bold, add this formatting to the first level 1 heading.
Highlight the level 1 heading.
Right-click the style that says “Heading 1.”
Select “Update Heading 1 to Match Selection.”
Allocate the formatting for each heading throughout your document by highlighting the heading in question and clicking the style you wish to apply.

Once that’s all set, follow these steps:

Add a title to your table of contents. Be sure to check if your citation style or university has guidelines for this.
Place your cursor where you would like your table of contents to go.
In the “References” section at the top, locate the Table of Contents group.
Here, you can select which levels of headings you would like to include. You can also make manual adjustments to each level by clicking the Modify button.
When you are ready to insert the table of contents, click “OK” and it will be automatically generated, as shown below.

The key features of a table of contents are:

Clear headings and subheadings
Corresponding page numbers

Check with your educational institution to see if they have any specific formatting or design requirements.

Write yourself a reminder to update your table of contents as one of your final tasks before submitting your dissertation or paper. It’s normal for your text to shift a bit as you input your final edits, and it’s crucial that your page numbers correspond correctly.

It’s easy to update your page numbers automatically in Microsoft Word. Simply right-click the table of contents and select “Update Field.” You can choose either to update page numbers only or to update all information in your table of contents.

In addition to a table of contents, you might also want to include a list of figures and tables, a list of abbreviations, and a glossary in your thesis or dissertation. You can use the following guides to do so:

List of figures and tables
List of abbreviations

It is less common to include these lists in a research paper.

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All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents . That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.

The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list .

Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.

To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

Apply heading styles throughout the document.
In the references section in the ribbon, locate the Table of Contents group.
Click the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon and select Custom Table of Contents.
Select which levels of headings you would like to include in the table of contents.

Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.

The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction .

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Page Numbers (Microsoft Word)
Page Numbers (Google Docs)
Page Breaks and Section Breaks
Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Microsoft Word)
Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Google Docs)
Inserting Tables and Figures
Comments and Track Changes
References, Bibliography, Works Cited
Landscape Pages & Special Materials

Setting the Normal Style

Set the "normal" style of font.

Before we can set up headings, we'll need to define the format of the text that isn't a heading. The "styles" in word set some default formatting for text. Setting up the "Normal" style will create a default font setting to keep the text uniform throughout the document. The Styles pane is located under the HOME tab.

the normal style is located on the HOME tab

Right click on the "Normal" style to open the Modify option.

right click on the normal style to modify the formatting

This will open a Modify Style Dialog Box. Start by changing the Paragraph formatting. This is located by selecting the Format drop down in the bottom left of the Dialog Box.

the paragraph styling is located under format in the bottom left of the dialog box

There are two things that should be set under the Paragraph settings. Under the INDENTS AND SPACING tab, check to turn on "Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style." Under the LINE AND PAGE BREAKS tab, check to turn on the "Widow/Orphan Control."

check the don't add space option and the widow/orphan control under the normal style paragraph settings

Once both of those have been set and you click "okay," you'll be returned to the Modify Style Dialog Box. Now we can set the font formatting. Select the font you wish to use throughout the document, change the font size to 12 point, ensure the line spacing is double spaced, and select the option to remove space between paragraphs (this is indicated by two lines pointing towards each other).

select the font you wish to use, change the size, double space the text, and keep lines together

Adding Headings & Subheadings

Inserting headings and subheadings.

Using the same technique we can create a standard for the various types of headings and subheadings used across the thesis. The Thesis & Dissertation Manual generally follows APA style for heading levels. In order to keep headings consistently correct and link the Table of Contents, the Styles function in Word is used. This is going to show you some examples of the formatting required for the headings and how to use the various heading levels. We'll also see how to use styles and update your Table of Contents.

Modifying Heading Levels to Match Required Formatting

Level 1 headings.

Chapters will be linked to Heading Level 1. If you choose not to have chapters, you will use level 1 for your major headings (typically: Introduction, Literature Review, Methods, etc.). They should be typed in title case, center aligned, and bold. The number of the chapter can be in Arabic or Roman numerals or spelled out so long as it is consistently done throughout the document. The heading should be on one line, so if you are using chapters, it should look something like this:

Chapter 1: Introduction

Once you have formatted a chapter heading, select the text of the chapter heading then right click on Heading 1 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 1 to Match Selection."

Screenshot of a level 2 heading formatted and highlighted and the heading 1 style menu opened up to select updated heading 1 to match selection

Adding More Level 1 Headings

Once you have formatted the first heading and updated the style, you simply need to type the new level 1 heading in title case and then, with your cursor in line with the heading, click on the heading 1 button in the styles pane to format it and link it for your table of contents. Make sure to use this feature every time to ensure all headings are properly linked to your table of contents.

Screenshot showing a new chapter title typed into a word document and the heading 1 button with a star over it

Level 2 Headings

Subsections of your major headings should be the next level down. Level 2 headings will be left aligned, bold, and title case. They should look like this:

Level 2 Heading

Once you have formatted a level 2 heading, select the text of the heading then right click on Heading 2 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 2 to Match Selection."

Adding More Level 2 Headings

Once you have formatted the first heading and updated the style, you simply need to type the new level 2 heading in title case and then, with your cursor in line with the heading, click on the heading 2 button in the styles pane to format it and link it for your table of contents. Make sure to use this feature every time to ensure all headings are properly linked to your table of contents.

Screenshot showing a heading typed into a word document and the heading 2 button with a star over it

Level 3 Headings

If you wish to further subsection your paper, you will use level 3 headings. Level 3 headings will be bold italic, left aligned, and title case. They should look like this:

Level Three Heading

Once you have formatted a level 3 heading, select the text of the heading then right click on Heading 3 in the Styles pane and select "Update Heading 3 to Match Selection."

Screenshot of a level 3 heading formatted and highlighted and the heading 3 style menu opened up to select updated heading 2 to match selection

Adding More Level 3 Headings

Once you have formatted the first heading and updated the style, you simply need to type the new level 3 heading in title case and then, with your cursor in line with the heading, click on the heading 3 button in the styles pane to format it and link it for your table of contents. Make sure to use this feature every time to ensure all headings are properly linked to your table of contents.

Screenshot showing a heading typed into a word document and the heading 3 button with a star over it

Level 4 & 5 Headings (and beyond)

It is common to find the first 3 heading levels in papers that are as long as a thesis or dissertation. Occasionally, you may find the need to go beyond those levels. It is important to note that for the thesis and dissertation, only the first 3 headings should be included in the table of contents. It is also recommended that you only use the styles function for the first 3 headings because they stand alone on their own line of text. The next heading levels will begin on the same line as the paragraph that starts that section which means that the style function will not work properly. If you were to link the heading, the entire paragraph will appear in your table of contents.

This means that you will need to, carefully, ensure you are formatting the headings manually. Each level should be consistently formatted the same way. APA has standards for levels 4 & 5 which are described here. For heading levels beyond level 5, you should pick a consistent formatting that clearly indicates they are a subsection of the level 5 heading. It is also recommended that you carefully evaluate if this level of heading is truly necessary for your writing.

Level 4 Heading

Level 4 headings will begin on the same line of the paragraph that makes up the section. It will be indented 0.5", much like a normal paragraph indent. The heading will be in title case and bold font with a period at the end of the heading:

Level Four Heading Here. Start the first sentence of the paragraph that follows the heading on the same line and continue typing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc at pellentesque massa. Sed nec urna nec est efficitur iaculis. Etiam efficitur velit id dignissim eleifend. Duis euismod, nisi sed cursus sodales, sem nisi porttitor ante, eu dignissim justo tortor nec mauris.

Level 5 Heading

Level 5 headings will begin on the same line of the paragraph that makes up the section. It will be indented 0.5", much like a normal paragraph indent. The heading will be in title case and bold italic font with a period at the end of the heading:

Level Five Heading Here. Start the first sentence of the paragraph that follows the heading on the same line and continue typing. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nunc at pellentesque massa. Sed nec urna nec est efficitur iaculis. Etiam efficitur velit id dignissim eleifend. Duis euismod, nisi sed cursus sodales, sem nisi porttitor ante, eu dignissim justo tortor nec mauris.

Once you have added headings and used the styles feature, you will be able to use the word function to "generate" a table of contents. You will need to type "Table of Contents" in bold font, centered at the top of the page you will be inserting your table of contents onto. Then, place your cursor on the next line

Table of Contents written in bold, centered on page

From the References tab, click on Table of Contents and select Custom Table of Contents...

Screenshot highlighting the reference tab, table of contents button, and custom table of contents

From the pop up window, you will want to change the tab leaders to (none) rather than the default. The rest of the default settings will be fine, so click ok once you've done so.

Screenshot of custom table of contents settings

This will populate your table of contents.

From here, you will need to open the style pane to modify some of the formatting of the table of contents.

Screenshot showing how to open styles pane

You will need to locate TOC 1 and click on it, and select "modify" from the drop down list.

screenshot showing styles pane and selecting modify for TOC 1 style

TOC 1 style should be bold. If you've properly set up your "normal style" of font (see above), this should be the only modification to your TOC styles that you need to make. If the text is not properly set up and you need to further format it, you can do so from this window.

screenshot highlighting the text format options to modify for the TOC 1 style

If set up correctly, your table of contents should look like the image below.

screenshot of a sample table of contents

<< Previous: Page Breaks and Section Breaks
Next: Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Google Docs) >>
Last Updated: Jul 23, 2024 9:44 AM
URL: https://guides.lib.uni.edu/grad-college-format

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Using Word to Write your Thesis: Creating an Outline

Get your thesis writing off to a great start by learning how to create a thesis outline in Microsoft Word.

Published November 26, 2020

Lauren has a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Dundee .

Image of man witch post-it on forehead, indicating the pain of creating a thesis outline

When I started the third year of my Ph.D., and the thought of creating a thesis outline was looming, I was advised to attend a course to learn how to use Microsoft Word properly before I started writing .

I laughed! Of course, I knew how to use Word! Why on earth would I spend 3 hours at a course on something I already know how to do?

My friend was insistent that I should attend. Since she had never steered me wrong in the lab before, I figured it couldn’t hurt to see if there was a trick or two I could pick up along the way.

Initially, I was quietly despairing that the course was a waste of an afternoon, especially after hearing questions such as “How do you insert a table?”, but I persevered and, by the second half of the session, realized that I knew nothing about the advanced functions of Word that make writing a thesis that much easier.

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Finding out how little I actually knew had me feeling down at first, with that “worst Ph.D. student ever” feeling sinking in. But after talking to other students, I soon found out that I wasn’t alone! Surprisingly, few people I spoke to (including several students who had just submitted theses) had any idea of how much of the work of thesis writing Word would do automatically (or auto-magically) for you.

In the hopes that I can make at least one student’s write-up less stressful, I’ve created several posts that will show you how to use Microsoft Word ‘s advanced functions to write your thesis. Today’s topic starts from the beginning.

Creating a Thesis Outline

The first trick that I found fantastically helpful in laying out thesis chapters is the Outlining function . Creating a thesis outline allows you to set out the headings for your chapters, sections, and subsections and provides an easy means of moving them about without having to copy and paste things all over your document. To use the outline function, click the “ View ” tab at the top of the Word menu and select “ Outline ”.

Using Word to Write your Thesis: Creating an Outline

This will give you the outlining toolbar.

From here, you can start your thesis outline by jotting down your main headings for each chapter and building a plan for each section.

At this stage, you will have a very rough idea of the points you want to include. Now, you can designate the level or importance of each heading. The level will decide the size and type of font used for the heading and will be useful later on when you generate the table of contents.

Give it Some Style

Before you start assigning levels to the headings, decide how you want each level to look: e.g., the Chapter heading needs to be size 20, bold and underlined, level 2 section headings need to be size 18, bold, etc.

Then set up the style for each level:

Close outline view
Return to the home tab
Go to the Styles gallery
Right-click “ Heading 1 “
Select “ Modify” and set up your preferred font styles

I found it useful to set this to “ New documents based on this template ” so that in each thesis chapter that I wrote, the headings were identical. You can also use the format option to make even more changes, like adjusting the line spacing and indents, or setting text to “keep with next” so paragraphs don’t break over a page or figures and legends don’t become separated.

Once you have this set up for each of the headings (I went as far as Heading 5 and didn’t need to go any further), you can set up the levels for your chapter headings within your thesis outline.

Return to outline view
Using the tool marked “ level ” use the single arrows on either side of it to promote or demote each heading a level, the double arrows move the headings to either end, i.e. Heading 1 or body text.

If you decide you need to move sections around, rather than copying and pasting, simply click the grey circle next to the heading and drag it to its new position.

Give Them Numbers

Next, you can add numbering to your headings. Still in outline view :

Highlight all the headings in your thesis outline
Click the Home tab and select “ multilevel list ” (located beside list numbering and bullet points)
Select the type of numbering you want. I opted for the 1, 1.1, 1.1.1 format, but don’t be afraid to play around with other options if that’s not what you’re looking for.

With your thesis outline laid out for each chapter, it just becomes a matter of filling in the gaps. This will break your thesis into much more manageable chunks.

Pick a small section to write each week, and your thesis will practically write itself!

Stay tuned for my next post on generating a table of contents, inserting captions, and cross-referencing sections.

Originally published October 15, 2014. Reviewed and updated on November 22, 2020.

**Note: All screenshots taken from Word for Windows, 2019.

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Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word

Page Numbers
Introduction
Copyright Page
Dedication, Acknowledgements, & Preface
Headings and Subheadings
Citations and Bibliography
Tables and Figures
Rotated (Landscape) Pages
Table of Contents
Lists of Tables and Figures
List of Abbreviations
Some Things to Watch For
PDF with Embedded Fonts

Page numbers

Microsoft Word will keep track of page numbers for you, so you can add and delete pages, move tables and figures from one page to another, etc. Then, you can create a Table of Contents, a List of Tables, a List of Figures, etc. and Word will automatically create those lists (or, you can update the lists by clicking an update button). This will save you much time compared to manually adding page numbers to your pages and manually creating your Table of Contents, List of Tables, etc. However, in order for Word to do all this automatically, page numbering needs to be set up appropriately. The video tutorial below demonstrates how to set up the page numbering.

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Next: Tables and Figures >>
Last Updated: Jul 23, 2024 5:50 PM
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IMAGES

Dissertation Table of Contents in Word
How to Format Your Dissertation In Microsoft Word
Ms Word Thesis Template
Thesis Format in Microsoft Word
A Guide to Creating a Thesis Master Document in Word
Word Template For Thesis

VIDEO

HOW TO SET UP H TAGS IN MICROSOFT WORD (Easy Way)
How to set-up MS Word to Identify Passive Voice
Workshop @ PCL: Using the Thesis/Dissertation Templates
Generating a Table of Contents in Microsoft
Wissenschaftliches Arbeiten: Tipps und Word 2007 Vorlage von Prof. Heesen (Hochschule Ansbach)
Thesis/Dissertation Page Margin Set up

COMMENTS

Microsoft Word for Dissertations
In the window that appears, in Word for Windows, click the More>> button to see the entire dialog box, or on Mac, click the downward facing arrow to see all the settings we'll be working with. This window looks a little different between Mac and Windows (the screenshot below is from Windows) but the following directions work for both, even if ...
Microsoft Word for Dissertations
Formatting your dissertation (or thesis) will likely take more time than you expect. But using the special features described in this Guide will save you a great deal of work, particularly if you use our template (available in the box below).The earlier you begin to use these tools, the more time you'll save and the less stress you'll have as your submission deadline approaches.
PDF Formatting your dissertation in Word
Using Word Styles A Style is a defined set of formatting instructions that can be applied in one click. Word has many built-in styles ready to use and is an efficient and consistent method to format text. Start with a blank Word document and define all the Styles you need for formatting your dissertation by either
Dissertation layout and formatting
Next go to "Page layout" and then "Breaks". Next, choose the submenu "Next page". Switch to the side, where the numbering should begin (in this case, page 2). In the edit mode of the header or footer, choose "link to previous", after that click on "Move to footer" and click on the "Link to previous" again.
Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word
Your Master's thesis or Ph.D. dissertation should be formatted according to university guidelines. See the Guidelines for Formatting Doctoral Dissertation and Master's Theses and Deep Blue Archiving web page [coming soon] for details and more information. For questions about formatting beyond what is covered in these resources, please check with your thesis or dissertation advisor.
PDF APA Style Dissertation Guidelines: Formatting Your Dissertation
Dissertation Content When the content of the dissertation starts, the page numbering should restart at page one using Arabic numbering (i.e., 1, 2, 3, etc.) and continue throughout the dissertation until the end. The Arabic page number should be aligned to the upper right margin of the page with a running head aligned to the upper left margin.
Formatting your dissertation in Word
Formatting Your Dissertation in Microsoft Word Slides - PPTX; Dissertations in Word 2007 (or Word 2010) - PDF ... Call the Wilson Library front desk to get help by phone during open hours, or leave a voicemail for next-day follow-up. Email us. Use the web form to email us. We respond within 1 to 2 business days. Mail us Libraries Central ...
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Formatting your dissertation/thesis
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Dissertation Formatting Tips and Tricks
Set a tab stop for the page number positions (between 5" and 5.75" is usually a good spacing for the page number placement). Leave as a left aligned tab (the left edge of the numbers will line-up) or select right aligned tab (the right edge of the numbers will line up). Select the appropriate leader dots (the periods—usually the second ...
How to Format Your Dissertation In Microsoft Word
Modifying using heading styles. On the Home tab in the Styles group section choose the style of your choice. Right click on it and select modify. A dialog box appears with formatting options such as paragraph spacing, text coloring, line spacing, and different fonts, etc. Apply the modification and click OK.
Dissertation Structure & Layout 101 (+ Examples)
Time to recap…. And there you have it - the traditional dissertation structure and layout, from A-Z. To recap, the core structure for a dissertation or thesis is (typically) as follows: Title page. Acknowledgments page. Abstract (or executive summary) Table of contents, list of figures and tables.
Expert Formatting Tips on MS Word for Dissertations
Here are 7 essential MS Word formatting tips to help you ace your dissertation in 2024: 1. Master footnotes and endnotes. Inserting footnotes and endnotes is a breeze in Word. Simply place your cursor where the note should go, head to the References tab, and click "Insert Footnote" or "Insert Endnote". Expand the Footnotes section to ...
4. Writing up your Research: Thesis Formatting (MS Word)
Formatting in APA 7th Edition. For APA formatting advice see the official APA Style Blog's excellent Style and Grammar Guidelines.They cover most formatting topics with examples and sample papers, figures, and tables in Word documents you can download.
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Formatting in MS Word
Manual formatting of TOC. To add right-aligned tabs with leaders: From the Home tab, open the Paragraph settings and click on the Tabs button. Enter the tab stop position, choose Right Tab and for Leader, choose the … option. Click Set (or the + sign on Mac), then click OK. Type the TOC entry, press tab, then insert the page number.
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The Complete Guide to Writing a Dissertation
Formatting Theses & Dissertations using Word 2010: Setting Margins
General guidelines require a 1" margin on all sides except the left, which requires a 1.5" margin. On the Page Layout Ribbon, in the Page Setup Group, click on the arrow below the Margins options and select Custom Margins….; In the Page Setup dialog box, select the Margins tab, and type 1.5" into the space for the left margin and 1' for the rest of them.
Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word
The front matter of the thesis or dissertation is everything that comes before Chapter 1. The video below gives a demonstration of how to add the front matter to the thesis or dissertation. << Previous: Title Page
Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Microsoft Word
Headings, Subheadings, and Table of Contents (Microsoft Word)
Create a Thesis Outline in Word: Easy Steps to Get Started
To use the outline function, click the " View " tab at the top of the Word menu and select " Outline ". This will give you the outlining toolbar. From here, you can start your thesis outline by jotting down your main headings for each chapter and building a plan for each section. At this stage, you will have a very rough idea of the ...
Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word
Microsoft Word will keep track of page numbers for you, so you can add and delete pages, move tables and figures from one page to another, etc. Then, you can create a Table of Contents, a List of Tables, a List of Figures, etc. and Word will automatically create those lists (or, you can update the lists by clicking an update button).

Microsoft Word for Dissertations

Help with Microsoft Word

Contact Information

Introduction to Word for Dissertations

Dissertation Template and other Resources

A word about LaTeX

Can I use Google Docs for my dissertation?

Writing Assistance

Formatting your dissertation in Word

Tutorials for formatting your dissertation in Word

Supplementary handouts and slides

Helpful tools and services from the Libraries

Ohio State nav bar

Dissertation Formatting Tips and Tricks

Setting Margins

Inserting a Two Inch Top Margin for the First Page of Chapter/Major Section

Page Numbers

Cover Unwanted Page Numbers

Beginning with Small Roman Numerals for Preliminary Pages

Changing from Small Roman Numerals to standard Arabic Numbers

Putting a Page Number in the Portrait Position on a Landscaped Page

Table of Contents

Word Created Table of Contents

Not Using Styles

Dissertation and Theses

Still Have Questions?

How to Format Your Dissertation In Microsoft Word

Common Formatting Options

Quick styles

Modifying using heading styles

Inserting Tables

Changing the Margins of the Document

Editing the margins

Paragraph and Line Spacing

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Dissertation Structure & Layout 101: How to structure your dissertation, thesis or research project.

*The Caveat *

Overview: S tructuring a dissertation or thesis

Acknowledgements

Abstract or executive summary

Need a helping hand?

Table of contents

Time to recap…

Psst... there’s more!

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Checklist: Dissertation Proposal

Examples: Edited Papers

1. Master footnotes and endnotes

2. Utilize cross-references

3. Apply the right citation style

4. Create custom templates

5. Use master documents

6. Add automatic page numbers

7. Generate automatic tables of contents

Frequently Asked Questions

7 comments on “ Expert Formatting Tips on MS Word for Dissertations ”

Your vs. You’re: When to Use Your and You’re

Library Subject Guides

Word Thesis Formatting workshops run throughout the year.

Formatting in APA 7th Edition

Finding Examples

General Recommendations

Adding Page Numbers

Change Page Orientation

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