contents page of an assignment

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How to Write a Table of Contents

Last Updated: June 16, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,060,647 times.

The Table of Contents in a document acts as a map for the reader, making it easier for them to find information in the document based on title and page number. A good Table of Contents should be organized, easy to read and simple to use. You can write a Table of Contents manually on your computer or have a word processing tool create it for you. Make sure the Table of Contents is formatted properly in your final document so it is as accurate and accessible as possible.

Writing a Table of Contents

To write a simple table of contents, create a new page in your document and type the names of the chapters or sections of your piece of writing. Then, use your word processing program to insert the page number where each section starts. If you move things around, the page number in your table of contents will automatically update.

Sample Tables of Contents

Creating the Table of Contents on a Word Processor

• The Table of Contents should be on its own page. Do not include the introduction or a dedication on the same page as the Table of Contents.

• For example, you may write down main headings like, “Introduction,” “Case Study 1,” or “Conclusion.”

• For example, under the main heading “Introduction” you may write the subheading, “Themes and Concepts.” Or under the main heading “Conclusion” you may write, “Final Analysis.”
• You can also include sub-subheadings underneath the subheadings, if applicable. For example, under the subheading “Themes and Concepts” you may have the sub-subheading, “Identity.”
• Some papers do not have subheadings at all, only main headings. If this is the case, skip this step.

• For example, if the “Introduction” section begins on page 1, you will attach “page 1” to the Introduction heading. If the “Conclusion” section begins on page 45, attach “page 45” to the Conclusion heading.

• Check that the subheadings are located underneath the correct headings, indented to the right.
• Make sure there are page numbers for the subheadings listed as well.
• You can center the content in the table using the table options if you want the content to appear a few spaces away from the lines of the table. You can also leave the content indented to the left if you'd prefer.

• You can put the title above the table or in a separate row on the top of the rest of the content.

Using a Word Processing Tool

• You should also confirm the page numbers are correct in the document. Each page should be numbered in order. Having the correct page numbers will ensure the Table of Contents is created correctly when you use the word processing tool.

• If there are subheadings in your document, label them “Heading 2.” Highlight each subheading and click on “Heading 2” in the Styles tab.
• If there are sub-subheadings in your document, label them “Heading 3.” Highlight each subheading and click on “Heading 3” in the Styles tab.
• The text and font for each main heading may change based on the settings for “Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” and “Heading 3.” You can choose your preferred text and font for each main heading so they appear as you like in the Table of Contents.

• You can choose the built-in Table of Content options, where the tool will automatically choose a font size and style for you.
• You can also go for from a list of custom Table of Contents, where you choose the font color and size based on your preferences.

Polishing the Table of Contents

• You should also check the subheadings or sub-subheadings in the Table of Contents, if applicable, to ensure they match those in the document.

• If you created the Table of Contents manually, do this by going in and adjusting the headings and/or the page numbers when they change.
• If you created the Table of Contents with a word processing tool, update it by clicking the Update option by the Table of Contents option on the Reference tab. You can side clicking on the Table of Contents and choosing “update” that way.

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You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word-tips/how-to-create-a-table-of-contents-in-word/1/#
• ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/table-of-content-examples.html
• ↑ http://bitesizebio.com/21549/using-word-to-write-your-thesis-making-a-table-of-contents-inserting-captions-and-cross-referencing/
• ↑ https://guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=283073&p=1886010
• ↑ https://nsufl.libguides.com/c.php?g=413851&p=2820026

About This Article

To write a table of contents, open a new document and list the major headings, titles, or chapters of the project in chronological order. Next, insert subheadings or subtopics if your project has those. Fill in the page number where each heading starts, then format the content in a table with 2 columns. Place the headings and subheadings in order in the first column, then put the page numbers in the second column. Don't forget to add a "Table of Contents" title at the top of the document! To learn more about polishing your Table of Contents, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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WTO / Personal / Lists / Free Table of Contents Templates (for Microsoft Word)

Free Table of Contents Templates (for Microsoft Word)

Whether you are writing a book, large essay, dissertation, or other longer academic papers, you will have to include a table of contents. It will act as a roadmap for the reader to each portion of your writing. It helps the reader to locate specific information in a document or revisit their favorite parts easily within the text. A well-structured TOC should simplify the way the reader finds what they are looking for and should always be placed on a separate page, just after the first page of an academic paper and after the abstract.

Depending on the type of writing, you may find that different documents require different styles of a TOC. Some may require numbers, while others may require a non-numbered TOC. It is, therefore, the writer’s duty to check the type of TOC they are required to include in their writing.

Free Table of Contents Templates

Simple templates

What is a Table of Contents?

A Table of Contents (TOC) is an organized list of all the parts of a document or book organized in the order in which the parts appear.

The TOC usually contains the titles, chapters, figures, and major sections of a document clearly labeled by their page number. It should be added last or updated after completing the whole document or book to capture all the contents accurately.

The Purpose of table of contents

If a book, business proposal , business report , or publication is long enough to include chapters, then a TOC will likely be included at the beginning of the book, report, or publication.

The TOC provides a sequential list of the book’s organizational structure, most commonly denoting the title, chapter number, and the starting page location. The chapter, page number, and title will help guide the reader in finding specific sections.

Basically, it serves two main purposes; one is to provide the reader with a general overview of what is contained in the document and how the content is organized, and the other is to enable the reader to go directly to the specific section of an on-line document.

Key Elements of a Table of Contents

The TOC is where one lists the chapters and major sections of their document, together with their page numbers. A clear and well-out table is very important as it indicates a quality paper is structured.

The key elements that should be included in the TOC are:

• The page titles
• Clear headings and subheadings
• The page numbers that show where in the document each section can be found

When creating your table, make sure to include all level one and two headings. You may also decide to include level three headings, although they are optional to include and should not be included in the TOC has reached its maximum length of two pages.

Level One:   CHAPTER 2: Literature Review

Level Two: 2.1 Overview of Information

Level Three: 2.1.1 Discipline of Knowledge

Ensure that you use clear headings throughout your document to make your table easy to understand. Keep in mind that the reader will see the table first before reading through your document.

Other things to include in your table include the appendices and tables. Including these two, however, depend largely on how many there are in your document.

If there are more than three tables and figures, you might consider listing them on a separate page. Else, you can include them in your table.

Steps to Create a Table of Contents in MS Word

For you to create a TOC in Microsoft Word, you must first define what you’d like to include in this part. First, start off by applying the different heading styles throughout your document.

Once you’ve done that, follow these steps to insert a TOC in MS Word automatically:

Add a title on the TOC page. Ensure that you follow the standard format specific to your document or as per your department’s guidelines.

Put your cursor where you want the table to go. The table is usually included between the abstract and the introduction.

In the ribbon, find the reference section and locate the TOC section. Use the search tab on the ribbon to search for the table.

Click the arrow that is next to the TOC icon and select Custom Table of Contents. Here, select the level of heading that you would like to include in your table and also make the necessary adjustments to each level by clicking the modify button.

Click on Custom table of contents.

After you’ve made sure that everything is OK. Click OK, and your TOC will be automatically generated.

Tips on Preparing Table of Contents

It is recommended that you use your TOC template last after to make sure that it provides a clear overview of your document. You can still draw up a mock TOC in your early stages of writing to help you formulate a structure and think through your topics and how you are going to research.

Make sure that all the heading levels are properly defined in your document before inserting the template.

Remember that the reader will most likely go through your table first before diving into the document to get an overview of what to expect. Make sure that your TOC is clear and that it captures your entire document.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the TOC is basically a snapshot of the headings, tables, and page numbers in a document and does not automatically update itself as you make changes. Anytime you make changes to your document, you can update it by simply right-clicking on it and selecting the update field.

No, the TOC is usually included between the abstract and the introduction.

Yes, the maximum length of a TOC should be two pages, regardless of the type of document you are writing.

Regardless of your document’s type or size, using a TOC can help direct the readers to exactly where they want to be. Other than making your document more reader-friendly, the table also makes it easier for the author to go back and change or update contents throughout their document if necessary. By default, MS Word generates a TOC when you use the first three built-in heading styles, i.e., Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3. To apply the different heading styles, simply select the style from the “Home” tab, or you can use a TOC template. Once you’ve properly defined the heading styles, follow the procedure given above to insert your table automatically.

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• Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples

Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples

Published on 15 May 2022 by Tegan George .

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, dissertation, or paper, there are a few formatting options you can choose from.

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Table of contents

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, 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.

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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.

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.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

George, T. (2022, May 15). Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 5 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/contents-page/

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The table of contents for a formal report is placed after the executive summary and directly before the body of the report, which begins with the introduction.

The table of contents includes everything in the report package except the transmittal letter. The table of contents does not list itself. The table of contents also includes the location of major headings, subheadings and any appendices.

One of the keys to an effective TOC is the use of leaders (. . . . . . . . ) that connect the content to the page that content begins on. The video below illustrates one simply method to ensure that the row of page numbers of the right side of the TOC are aligned vertically.

Word Table of Contents: How to Manually Align Page Numbers

For some, Word's tool for generating a table of contents page can be confusing or too much trouble for shorter papers. Here is a simple trick for aligning page numbers in a vertical line for a table of contents created in Microsoft Word.

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A Table of Contents in APA Format

General guidelines.

• Table of Contents

APA style does not require a table of contents, but there are cases where you may need to include one. For example, your instructor may specify that your paper must be submitted with a table of contents. A table of contents can be particularly helpful in cases where your paper is lengthy or covers a lot of material, such as a thesis paper or dissertation. Research papers, in particular, may benefit from the addition of a table of contents.

APA style is the official publication style of the American Psychological Association. APA style is used in psychology courses as well as other social science classes including those in social science, behavioral sciences, and education.

The table of contents serves as a basic roadmap of your paper. It should list all of the major headings and subheadings within the body of your paper. For a standard psychology paper, it might include listings for the introduction, method, results, and discussion sections of your paper.

While the APA may not specify guidelines for a table of contents, you should use the basic APA format for formatting your table of contents:

• Use one-inch margins on all sides
• Use 12-point Times New Roman font
• Double-space

Since APA does not require a table of contents, you should always refer to your instructor’s guidelines when deciding whether or not to include one.

It is also important to note that the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association was published in 2020, and included updated guidelines on many topics.

For example, while the previous edition of the style manual required a running head on each page of a paper, the 7th edition has eliminated that requirement on student papers unless your instructor specifies to include it. Always ask first.

If you are using a standard APA paper format, your table of contents should include the following sections:

• Introduction

The above format may work well for a standard lab report or research paper. However, your table of contents will look much different if you are writing something such as a critique, essay, or case study.

Notice, that the table of contents does not include the abstract or acknowledgments pages. When applicable, it should list the appendices and the lists of tables and figures.

The exact order of your paper depends largely on the type of paper you are writing. In general, your paper should be presented in the following order:

• Main Body of Paper

Table of Contents Format

Because there is no standard format for a table of contents in APA style, you should always defer to the provided guidelines for your assignment.

If your instructor does not have a preferred format, consider using the following:

• Title the page “Table of Contents” and center the title at the top of the page.
• Most papers should include at least two levels of headings, up to five levels.
• Level one headings will be for main topics, such as chapter titles like "Chapter One; Name of Chapter," or research sections like "Method," "Results," and "Discussion."
• All level-one headings should be flush-left and sub-headings should be indented five spaces deeper than the last. 
• All heading levels should be in title case, capitalizing the first letter of each word. The font type, style, and size stay the same for each level.
• The page number for each heading is formatted flush-right. Include dot leaders between the headings and the page number to improve readability.

While you might not think that following APA format is important, it is one of those areas where students can lose points for making small errors. It pays to spend a little extra time and attention making sure that your paper is formatted in proper APA style.

• If you need help, you can get assistance from your school's writing lab.
• Getting your own copy of the latest edition of the APA publication manual can be very helpful.
• Always refer to any instructions or guidelines that were provided by your course instructor.
• There is a helpful feature in most word processors that you can use to pre-format your paper in APA style. It takes a little effort to set it up, but well worth it in the end, especially for longer documents. You can save the style to apply to your future papers saving you the effort next time.

For those writing a paper to submit for publication, check with the publisher for any specific formatting requirements that they may have.

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) ; 2020.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

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Insert a table of contents

A table of contents in Word is based on the headings in your document.

Create the table of contents

Put your cursor where you want to add the table of contents.

Go to References > Table of Contents . and choose an automatic style.

If you make changes to your document that affect the table of contents, update the table of contents by right-clicking the table of contents and choosing Update Field .

To update your table of contents manually, see Update a table of contents .

If you have missing entries

Missing entries often happen because headings aren't formatted as headings.

For each heading that you want in the table of contents, select the heading text.

Go to Home > Styles , and then choose Heading 1 .

Update your table of contents.

Word uses the headings in your document to build an automatic table of contents that can be updated when you change the heading text, sequence, or level.

Click where you want to insert the table of contents – usually near the beginning of a document.

Click References > Table of Contents and then choose an Automatic Table of Contents style from the list.

Note:  If you use a Manual Table of Contents style, Word won't use your headings to create a table of contents and won't be able to update it automatically. Instead, Word will use placeholder text to create the look of a table of contents so you can manually type each entry into the table of contents. To update your manual table of contents, see Update a table of contents .

If you want to Format or customize your table of contents , you can. For example, you can change the font, the number of heading levels, and whether to show dotted lines between entries and page numbers.

Click where you want to insert the table of contents—usually near the beginning of the document.

On the toolbar ribbon, select References . 

Near the left end, select Insert Table of Contents . (Or select Table of Contents > Insert Table of Contents . 

The table of contents is inserted, showing the headings and page numbering in your document.

If you make changes to your document that affect the table of contents, you can update it by right-clicking the table and selecting  Update Table of Contents .

Get the learning guide

For a hands-on guide that steps you through the process of creating a table of contents, download our Table of Contents tutorial . Or, in desktop Word, go to File > New , and search for table of contents .

Update a table of contents  

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How to Create a Contents Page in Word

This Contents Page in Word tutorial is s uitable for users of Word 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word for Microsoft 365.   

Objective 

Create a Table of Contents for a Word document and update it to add new entries.  

Table of Contents Explained 

A Table of Contents page makes it easier for your readers to navigate and work with long documents. It gives documents a professional look and feel and helps you jump to a specific section quickly and easily.  

A Table of Contents is usually inserted at the beginning of a document or just after a cover page. It can be modified to fit the overall style of the document and be updated easily with one click when new headings and paragraphs are added to the document.

The golden rule, when creating a contents page, is good preparation.

A Table of Contents relies on the document being formatted with heading styles in order to work correctly. Word scans the document and looks for anything marked with a heading style and pulls it through into the contents page. You can choose how many heading levels you would like to include.  

In this screenshot, I have pulled through 3 levels of heading.  

Method 

In this example, I am going to go through the process of creating, modifying, and updating a Table of Contents in Word for a document titled ‘ The Solar System’ .  

Prepare the Word document 

In order to successfully insert a Table of Contents page, you must first set-up the document correctly by using Word styles to denote headings.  

Switching to Draft View  

You may find it easier to view your document in draft mode when working with styles, as it makes it easy to see which headings you’ve applied to which items.  

• Click the  View  tab 
• Click  Draft  

The style currently applied to each paragraph will display on the left-hand side of the document. Normal denotes no style has been applied.  

NOTE : When you switch to Draft view, if you do not see the style pane on the left-hand side, you will need to go into Word Options and turn it on.  

• Click the  File  tab 
• Click  Options  
• Click the  Advanced  tab 
• Scroll down the  Display  section 

If you cannot see the styles pane, it will say 0 inches. Set this to 1 – 2 inches and click  OK .  

Apply heading styles to the document 

• Select the first main heading in your document 
• Click the  Home  tab 
• In the  Styles  group, click  Heading 1  

Scroll through the document and apply a Heading 1 style to all top-level headings 

• Select the second-level headings in your document 
• In the  Styles  group, click  Heading 2  

Apply a Heading 2 to all second-level headings in the document. You can hold down the  CTRL  key to select multiple headings at the same time.  

Repeat this process for any other headings in the document. In this example, I have three levels of heading in my document.

Once the document is styled and organized correctly, it becomes easy to insert a Table of Contents.  

Insert the Contents Page 

A contents page is normally inserted at the beginning of the document.  

• Scroll to the top of the document and position the cursor before the first letter of the first word in the document 
• Press  CTRL+Enter  to insert a page break 
• Click the  References  tab 
• Click  Table of Contents  

Word makes it simple to quickly add a Table of Contents by providing a small selection of in-built tables. In this example, I have selected  Automatic Table 1 .  

Hold down the  CTRL  key and click on a page number to jump to that page.  

Modify a Table of Contents 

You can make changes to the Table of Contents and format it as you please.  

• Click on the Table of Contents to select it 
• Click on the  References  tab 
• Click  Custom  Table of Contents  

Tab leaders and levels 

Tab leaders  

Tab leaders are the dots you see between the heading and the page number in the Table of Contents. You can change these to solid lines or dashes.  

Show levels  

You can also specify how many levels of heading you want to show in the Table of Contents. For example, you might have four levels of heading in the document, but you only want to show two levels in the Table of Contents.  

• Click  OK  

If you make a change to the Table of Contents, Word will ask if you would like to replace the current Table of Contents.  

• Click  OK  to replace 

Updating a Table of Contents 

It’s rare for a document to stay the same forever. New paragraphs might be added either at the end of the document or somewhere within it. With each new addition, headings are pushed on to new pages, and the new items need to be added to the Table of Contents.

Fortunately, it’s very easy to update a Table of Contents in Word.  

In this example, I’ve added a paragraph for  ‘Pluto’  at the end of the document. I’ve formatted it with a heading 2 style.  

I now need to update my Table of Contents to include the additional heading.  

• Click the  Update Table  button 

Word will ask if you want to update the pages numbers only or the entire table.  

If you have reorganized your document and moved headings on to different pages but not added any new headings, you could select ‘ Update page numbers only.’ For everything else, select  ‘Update entire table.’   

Custom Table of Contents 

You can customize the look and feel of your Table of Contents by modifying the formatting. For example, you might decide that you want all level 2 headings to display in a bold, red font.  

• Click  Modify  

Modifying  ‘TOC 1’  will affect all level 1 headings. Modifying  ‘TOC 2’  will affect all level 2 headings and so on.  

• Select  TOC 1  

• Make the desired formatting changes 

Video Tutorial 

To see a demo of how to create a Contents Page in Word, please watch the following video tutorial.  

How to create a Contents Page in Word Video (15:09) 

For more Free Microsoft Office tutorials from Simon Sez IT. Take a look at our MS Office Resource Center .

To learn Word with Simon Sez IT. Take a look at the Word courses we have available.

Deborah Ashby

Deborah Ashby is a TAP Accredited IT Trainer, specializing in the design, delivery, and facilitation of Microsoft courses both online and in the classroom.She has over 11 years of IT Training Experience and 24 years in the IT Industry. To date, she's trained over 10,000 people in the UK and overseas at companies such as HMRC, the Metropolitan Police, Parliament, SKY, Microsoft, Kew Gardens, Norton Rose Fulbright LLP.She's a qualified MOS Master for 2010, 2013, and 2016 editions of Microsoft Office and is COLF and TAP Accredited and a member of The British Learning Institute.

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Table of Contents Templates

21 table of contents templates & examples [word, ppt].

A table of contents, often abbreviated as a TOC, is found at the beginning of a book or long document, listing all of the chapters or section titles.  A table of contents template helps to guide the reader through a long, complex book or essay with the name of the chapter and the page number they need to find it.

Table of Contents

• 1 Table of Contents Templates
• 2 What is a Table of Contents?
• 3 What is included in a Table of Contents template?
• 4 Table of Contents Examples
• 5.1 Keep the layout simple
• 6.1 Using a Table of Contents template (Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages)
• 6.2 Creating a manual table of contents
• 7 Table of Contents Desings
• 8 How to create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
• 9 How to create a Table of Contents in Google Docs
• 10 What is the purpose of a table of contents template?

With this in mind, it is essential that the table of contents template looks visually appealing whilst being easy to use. You can download one of our blank table of contents templates to begin designing your table of contents to be efficient and simple for readers. You can then edit this on MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages.

What is a Table of Contents?

A table of contents template is used at the beginning of a lengthy document, such as a dissertation or research paper , or at the beginning of a textbook. The table is a critical part of any extensive research, as it helps the reader to navigate their way through.

A table of contents serves several purposes, with the main purpose being to help the reader easily find information using the correct page number.

Without it, readers can become overwhelmed and thus lose interest in the text itself. When completing research, it can be demotivating to have to sift through pages and pages of irrelevant text before finding what you actually need. That’s why a table of contents template is so essential when writing a long essay, or creating a textbook.

What is included in a Table of Contents template?

A table of contents essentially informs the reader of the book or document’s outline. It tells the reader how many chapters there are, what each section of the book is about, how long the book or document is, and where they can find specific sections or chapters using page numbers.

Here are the three key things you need to include:

• Chapter names
• Specific sections within each chapter
• Page numbers

Additional features to include

Of course, there are many other features you can include to customize your table of contents. These include:

• Different heading levels and indentations
• A brief description of each chapter
• Create hyperlinks to take the reader directly to the page they need

A table of contents no longer needs to be a simple list of chapters and page numbers. There are many ways to make the content templates more engaging for readers.

Table of Contents Examples

What makes a good table of contents template?

It sounds quite simple to just write a list of all the chapters in a book or essay, along with their page numbers along dotted lines.

However, a good table of contents is more than just that.  A good table of contents must be perfectly precise, ensuring that each page number is accurate. It must be formatted in a clear and concise way so that readers are not confused visually. This can be done using simple a heading style, to prevent overwhelming the reader from the first page.

Keep the layout simple

It can be tempting to squash each line on the table of contents together to fit it all on one page. However, a good table of contents template for a long document will use indents to keep information clear and organized. It may even take up more than one page to keep things easy to read.

A good table of contents template is also visually engaging. Using a colorful table of contents may help your document to stand out from other, similar documents, and can help researchers to choose your writing over another’s. Using a unique heading format, along with a pleasing color, can be a great way to design and customize your table of contents template.

How to create a table of contents

There are many types of table of contents and table of contents templates to use. Whether you use MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages to write your online document, you can edit a table of contents template using any of these word processors.

The Basic Format

Depending on your preference, you may opt for a classic, basic table of contents template. This will simply list both the heading of each section or chapter of the document, along with the corresponding page numbers along dotted lines. This table of contents format is both easy to create and use.

Adding Detail

However, for your table of contents template, you may choose to name individual sections and then write the chapters included within that section underneath, using different heading levels.

This style is still a very simple design for a title page, and I recommend using one of these formats when creating your table of contents and using a table of contents template. MS Word, Google Docs and Apple Pages all offer these format options.

Using a Table of Contents template (Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages)

Using a table of content template helps to eliminate the standard, boring look of a table of contents. With a table of contents template, you can simply download and input your data using MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages.

Remember, the table of contents is likely the first page that readers will see, so you can engage them further by using a unique design for your table of contents page.

It is likely that many academics have looked at many articles or documents before yours, so using an accessible and user-friendly table of contents template will help to keep them engaged in their research and your document.

Creating a manual table of contents

However, you can create a table of contents manually using a word processor, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages.

This is an efficient way to create your table of contents, but you are more limited in terms of how visually appealing the table will look. The overall table of contents layout is more restricted by what MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages offers.

Table of Contents Desings

How to create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

Many people choose to use MS Word to create their table of contents pages. This word processor offers a lot of features to help create the perfect table of contents.

Although I recommend using a table of contents template to format your document, using a word processor such as MS Word or Google Docs is also a simple way to present the table of contents.

MS Word in particular offers built-in heading styles, as well as a range of options for the table of contents layout. You can also download a Microsoft Word table of contents template to input your data using MS Word.

• Apply the desired heading styles group. In MS Word, you can use one of the built-in ‘heading styles’ from the ‘home’ tab for your table of contents. Using a heading style is a great way to get started with a table of contents. However, using custom styles can help your table of contents to stand out, and using a table of contents template can make your title page look more unique. To find a heading style in MS Word, simply select the text that you want to format, and choose a heading from the ‘ Styles’ section on the ‘ Home ’ tab.
• Insert your table of contents. This step only takes a few simple clicks with MS Word. Click the ‘ References’ tab, and then select ‘ Table of Contents .’ From here, you can choose one of the layouts from the menu. This will create a table of contents in your document.  You can edit the font style and size to your desired preference. The built-in styles offered by MS Word are great, and often suit a classic TOC style. An excellent feature that MS Word uses are clickable links within the table of contents. It essentially helps to create hyperlinks for you. Once the table of contents appears in your document, you can hover over each section with your cursor, press CTRL and click , and it will take you to the correct place in the document.
• Update the table of contents. If you create the table of contents whilst the document is still unfinished, then you will need to edit and update your table of contents. To do this, simply click on the ‘ References ’ tab. From here, you can choose to update the page numbers only, or update the entire table, by selecting either option.

How to create a Table of Contents in Google Docs

The most popular word processors to create a table of contents are MS Word, Google Docs and Apple Pages. If you prefer to use Google Docs for your writing, the process of creating a table of contents here is even easier.

Google Docs is a great place to write and edit academic work as an online document, as the work saves automatically if you have an internet connection.

Personally, I use Google Docs for all of my academic writing, and I did so throughout university. MS Word is equally as useful, but creating a table of contents in Google Docs is a really straightforward process.

• Choose your preferred location for your table of contents on the document.
• Click ‘Insert’ and choose ‘Table of contents.’
• Decide on your chosen table of contents format.

And that’s it! Google Docs makes creating a table of contents a really simple process. A benefit of using Google Docs is that it will automatically update the entire table for you once you add additional headings. All you have to do is ‘refresh’ the page.

What is the purpose of a table of contents template?

If you are writing a long document, such as a thesis or any kind of research paper, or if you’re planning on writing a non-fiction book of your own, then you will definitely benefit from using a table of contents template.

• Accessible for the reader. A table of contents template provides the reader with structure and organization when they are reading your work. It helps them to access specific information easily using the correct page number, saving them time and making your document organized and helpful for them. A table of contents template provides a greater user experience for the reader than if they were to read a document without one.
• Reflects the quality of your work. A table of contents is an essential part of any piece of non-fiction writing, so it is important that your table of contents reflects the rest of your document. If the table is messy and difficult to read, users will immediately be put off by the rest of your work. Using a table of contents template helps to eliminate this issue.
• An important tool for students to navigate. In university, students must become familiar with using a table of contents. Research can be daunting, especially when students first begin university.  They must learn not only how to create a table of contents in their own work, but also how to use a table of contents when researching the work of others.

Using a table of contents template in class is a great resource to help students understand and navigate longer pieces of writing or difficult textbooks. You can download our templates, choose to ‘ print ‘ document, and use these as table of contents examples in class for your students.

Whether you’re an academic, a student, or a writer, a table of contents template is a crucial part of the formatting process. It can be easy to forget about, but this simple page at the beginning of your document or book can make all the difference to a reader’s experience.

You can download one of our free table of contents templates to save time manually creating a table of contents yourself. You can then input your data using MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages. Make your work accessible, appealing, and clear by selecting the best table of contents template for you.

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24 Free Table of Contents Templates and Examples (Word | PDF)

When working on extremely long Microsoft Word documents such as a huge report or academic paper, it most likely will extend for hundreds of pages. Due to the large nature of this document, it can be quite challenging to know exactly a page that has particular information. This can be very frustrating, and you’ll need to go over the hundreds of pages searching for the content you want. However, you don’t have to deal with this issue when working with Microsoft Word, as you can create a table of content that makes it simple to plan and navigate through the document.

Table of Contents Templates & Examples

What Is a Table of Contents?

The Table of content, or as it’s commonly referred to as the TOC, acts as the list of chapters you’ll see at the start of a book stating the document’s different sections and page numbers that these sections start. There’s a common misconception that the Table of content should only be used for huge novels, dense reports, but this is far from the truth. You can also use the Table of content for something simple as a school assignment or a daily journal. Therefore, you shouldn’t feel shy about creating a table of content any time you feel that having one is appropriate.

How to create a Table of Content

When looking to create a table of content, you need to follow a couple of steps. Fortunately, Microsoft Word makes this a lot easier for you by automatically building the TOC. After that, your work will be outlining the content and later stating the heading styles by observing basic formatting. Here are the steps you should follow when creating a table of content.

• To do this, head to Ribbon > Home > Styles . Consequently, choose the text and apply headings for every text which should be included in the TOCs.
• With help from the heading styles, you can design a hierarchy in the main chapters. For example, using Heading 1 for the new chapters or sections and subsequently making use of Heading 2 for the subsections in each particular section and Heading 3 for the smaller topics or units in them.
• Microsoft Word will then scan the document for all the text formatted as Heading 1, 2, or 3 and use these when creating the Table of content format.
• Place the TOC on the page: You should then position the cursor on the exact spot you want the Table of content to show on your Word document. This typically is at the start of your document.
• Click on the TOC command: Head over to Ribbon > References > Table of Contents and pick either of the two automatic kinds you see there. These two only differ in the heading of “Table of Contents” or “Contents” at the top.
• The TOC update is added automatically: Your document is scanned by MS Word, which then uses the heading styles in building the sections and subsections order as well as their page numbers. This is the Table of content’s skeleton, and you can work on it further to make it look appealing to the eye.
• Update the TOC anytime you want: Feel free to further update the TOC that was created automatically. Update the TOC by changing the styles, changing the text, or rearranging the content. You must also update the Table of Content after making changes to the content affecting the page numbers. When updating the TOC created automatically, you should click on Reference > Update Table.
• You can also select to Update entire Table or Update page numbers only when looking to update the text and page numbers.
• Manually create the TOC: With the automatic method of creating the TOC so effortless, why bother creating one manually? There are two reasons why this may be so including;
• The document doesn’t have any styles that Microsoft Word can identify
• The document has numerous varieties, thereby making an automatic table of content challenges.

When creating a manual TOC, head to Reference > Table of Contents, > Click on the dropdown to show the option for the Manual Table.

The Table of Content on MS Word is usually inserted with placeholders making it easier to edit. You can adjust this using your colors and fonts. In addition, remember to add the page numbers manually.

You can’t automatically update the Table of Contents when it’s created manually. However, you shouldn’t settle for this basic TOC created by Microsoft Word. Instead, you can alter the TOC and even build a personalized TOC by yourself.

How to customize the Table of Contents

Do you want to give your Table of Contents a customized look? If so, here are the steps you need to follow.

• Select A Different Format for Your Table of Content. It’s possible to change the whole Table by simply selecting a different format. To do this, head to the General section and then expand the Formats dropdown and select the appearance.
• Change How Items on The Table of Content Look. The style definitions usually determine the final look of your Table of Content. You can also change the TOC’s overall appearance by making custom styles for the headings. These improved styles can be saved together with in-built ones and implemented throughout the document to give it a consistent appearance.

Here are the steps to follow when doing this;

• Click on Modify: If the Modify button has been grayed out, adjust the Formats to From Template.
• In the Styles list: Click on the level you’re hoping to change and consequently click on Modify . You’ll see TOC1, which usually corresponds to your document’s heading level 1, TOC2 to heading 2, TOC3 to heading level 3, and the same is replicated across the different TOCs and headings.
• You can alter the color or font by going to the Modify Style dialog box. You can also put in place other formatting changes such as text indentation, and after that, click OK.
• Before clicking OK, there’s the option to choose if the style changes should be applied only to the current document or across every other future document. To save this for future use, go to Add to Styles gallery and click on the checkbox.
• Change The Style Headings Level Being Displayed. You can include major sections or itemize the Table of Contents. Using the Show levels number, you can adjust the number of levels shown on the TOC. The “Levels” refers to the headings style applied to the different sections. For example, H1, H2, H3, H4, H5, and so on. By setting it on 2, the Heading 2 style is shown, or every text that’s got the Heading 1 style.
• Add or Change The Dot Leaders In The Table of Content. The dots or lines connecting the items showing on the index to page numbers are referred to as dot leaders. These leader lines are stated in different style guides as vital sections of thesis documents. In the TOC dialog box, click the Tab leader list’s dropdown and choose the dotted line option. You can also pick the leader line that you wish or choose “none” to take it out from the Table of Content.
• Add A Non-Heading Style. After inserting an automatic Table of Content, Microsoft Word doesn’t include a non-heading style. This is because Word, by default, only adds headings 1 to 9 and then provides techniques of adding another style created in the index. For instance, if you want to add a different heading, “An In-Depth Guide,” at the Table of Content and content top. To do this, click on the Options button in the TOC dialog box, and a screen will pop up. This will display the styles being used only to the Table of Content levels. These are typically three styles, Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3, and they’re charted as levels 1, 2, and 3. Head down to the box until you see Title, which doesn’t have a mapped Table of Content level. To map the Title, enter one at the Table of the Content top level. Consequently, click twice on OK to leave the dialogs. Word will then request you to replace these contents, and you should click Yes for the TOC to be replaced.
• Make A Clickable TOC. In today’s digital age, it’s expected that you create a hyperlinked TOC as it makes navigation a lot quicker. In addition, it’s a condition when submitting a dissertation or thesis. To add these hyperlinks, you should click the checkbox Use hyperlinks instead of page numbers. In addition, make sure to uncheck the Show page numbers box when looking only to use hyperlinks.
• Put A Simple Border Surrounding the TOC. Using the Microsft Word feature Shapes, add a border around your Table of Contents. Set Shape Fill to “No Fill” and then use Format Shape or add Shape Styles when designing the pseudo-border surrounding the Table.

Final Thoughts

The Table of Content helps ensure your large documents be it a thesis or dissertation, are a lot easier to navigate when searching for content. In this guide, you’ve been taken through the steps to follow when a TOC. And if you didn’t know how to do this, reading this guide has no doubt provided you with great insights.

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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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Table of contents

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.

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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.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or research bias, make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

Research bias

• Anchoring bias
• Halo effect
• The Baader–Meinhof phenomenon
• The placebo effect
• Nonresponse bias
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

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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40 Professional Table of Contents Templates [2024 Update]

Written by: Orana Velarde

Are you creating a document or writing a report , and you’re stuck on the Table of Contents page? Does your Word document look more boring than ever?

In general, most tables of contents pages are dull and uneventful, but they don’t need to be that way. Visme's custom table of contents templates is here to save the day.

In this guide, we’ve collected 40 different template designs for Table of Contents pages. All templates in the list below are part of multipage documents and printable templates in Visme .

Forget the boring Word templates, and you’ll find what you need here, from many free tables of contents templates to the more premium offerings.

Click on the category that interests you in the list below, or scroll until you find a template that works for you.

Let’s get started!

Here's a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit Table of contents templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more below:

40 Table of Contents Templates for Various Documents

What does a table of contents do, category #1: table of contents for business plans, category #2: table of contents for marketing plans, category #3: table of contents for proposals, category #4: table of contents for ebooks, category #5: table of contents for white papers, category #6: table of contents for reports.

• Category #7: Table of Contents for Brand Guidelines
• Category #8: Table of Contents for Employee Handbooks
• Category #9: Table of Contents for Lead Magnets

Table of Contents FAQs

Just in case you need some help designing your document, here's a tutorial video that will show you how to make a marketing plan with Visme.

• A Table of Contents is typically placed immediately after the title page to provide readers with an overview of the document's contents and their corresponding page numbers.
• A well-structured table of contents should have a clear and concise title, section headers with corresponding page numbers and a hierarchical structure that is easy to navigate.
• In this article, we have shared a Table of Contents for business plans, marketing plans, proposals, ebooks, whitepapers, reports, whitepapers, brand guidelines, employee handbooks and lead magnets.
• All the templates listed here are included in multi-page editable document templates available in the Visme template library . If you found the table of contents templates appealing, you will be thrilled with the complete templates across different categories such as reports , plans , proposals , ebooks , whitepapers , case studies , training manuals and other document types .

Every document with more than four or five pages benefits from having a table of contents. This page is placed immediately after the title page to inform the readers what they can expect to find inside the document and on which page.

A good table of contents includes a title header, a list of sections and page numbers that show levels of hierarchy. A great table of contents includes a design element that unites it to the cover page and the rest of the document.

For digital PDF documents, the table of contents should be interactive. Each list item links to its page, making navigation easier for readers. Including a home tab on every page to take readers back to the table of contents will add even more value.

Regardless if you’re looking for design ideas for your table of contents or maybe a customizable template, we’ve got your back.

Let’s dive into our selection of table of content examples.

Business Plans are documents that showcase a specific plan for a business. It can be an overarching plan or a particular project plan . These include pages like goals, projections and timelines .

Here are some table of contents templates for business plans.

Template #1: SaaS Business Plan

This SaaS business plan table of content template has a white background with purple accents. It’s a minimal design in a bullet point format. The heading text in this template is in a vertical layout, while the table of contents has good spacing around it.

Use this template for a document with a simple design with a pop of color. It’ll fit into the business plan it belongs to or other documents like it.

Template #2: Startup Business Plan

The table of contents in the startup business plan uses a color block design to showcase the section titles. The section numbers are orange over dark gray, making them pop.

Pitch your startup business plan in style with this customizable document template. Or, just use the table of contents for any other document you're creating.

Template #3: Fashion Business Plan

Are you in search for a sleek design that looks elegant and professional? Look no further than this fashion business plan.

The table of contents template in this document is center-aligned over a black background. Thin vertical lines complete the design, creating a visual hierarchy of elements.

Choose the fashion business plan if you want to impress the reader with a professional and timeless design.

Template #4: Consulting Business Plan

This table of contents template takes a fresh approach with a list of sections separated into color into two columns separated by a thin and lengthy arrow point downwards.

The consultancy business plan as a whole is friendly and approachable and is perfect for any business looking to attract high-end clients.

Template #5: Restaurant Business Plan

This table of contents page uses a unique layout style with an inviting image of food in a circular frame. The sections in this design include the word ‘page’ with each corresponding number.

Use this template if you’re looking for an elegant, modern design that appeals to the senses. Update this table of contents easily by copying from your Word document into your Visme project.

Next up on our list are tables of contents for marketing plans . These are for documents that detail a specific marketing plan for your business, such as explaining how you plan to tackle social media or emails after visualizing your target market and ideal audience.

Create your marketing plan with a professional table of contents easily with Visme templates. Let’s dive in.

Template #1: Social Media Marketing Plan

The social media marketing plan template has a fun and colorful layout. The thin pink line to the left unifies all the elements, creating a flowing visual hierarchy. The contents are listed at the top of the page over a collage of images.

Customize this template easily with your images and colors.

Template #2: Real Estate Marketing Plan

This clean-cut table of contents design uses a different style of layout. Instead of a list, the sections are organized as items on a grid. Moving away from the usual, this table of contents template will surely make an impact.

Swap the background image with one that fits your business better, or change for a background pattern or color .

Template #3: Marketing Communication Plan

Large numbers make this table of contents template stand out. The section titles are displayed in all caps, further emphasizing the hierarchy. The design of interlocking circles continues throughout all the pages of this template for a fresh, artistic feel.

For a digital design, add a relevant hyperlink to both the number and the section title.

Template #4: Digital Marketing Plan

Here’s another table of contents template with a grid design. This one goes one step further and uses yellow gradients for each item’s background. The minimalistic image at the top is a supporting element that helps the yellow squares shine.

Use this template with your colors by replacing the yellow with a six-layer gradient of your brand color.

Template #5: Restaurant Marketing Plan

This template is all about vertical layouts and color columns. The pink color block holds the section numbers while the section titles are aligned over the white. It's simple and to the point, with minimal customization needed.

Use this versatile table of contents template with any document design that uses color blocks. Then, simply save it to your custom block library.

A well-designed proposal makes a positive impression towards the reader accepting what you propose. Including a table of contents that’s inviting and approachable will help the readers navigate your document easily.

When sharing a PDF version of your proposal, make sure to hyperlink the table of contents to their corresponding pages. Include a back to ToC button on every page so readers don’t get lost.

Template #1: Roofing Proposal

Like other table of contents layouts on our list, this one uses a vertical block of color but replaces the solid color with a bold image. This image repeats throughout the proposal as a unifying element.

The section titles and numbers are center-aligned on the right panel, with the numbers using a zero instead of single digits. This design will help if you have more than ten sections to list and don’t want to lose the visual balance.

Template #2: Insurance Proposal

This sleek table of contents template uses contrasting colors and circles for the section numbers and light lettering for the section titles. The layout is standard but uses unique visual elements that stand out.

Easily customize this template with your brand colors and fonts. Then, for heightened productivity, use the whole template and save it as a brand template when finished. This way, your team will use the brand proposal and customize it accordingly for every new client.

Template #3: Documentary Proposal

This table of contents template is fresh and colorful — well-balanced contrasting colors make the page stand out. You can easily swap the film icon for an element that matches your business or project. The background can also be replaced with one that’s more suited to your brand.

If you have trouble finding heading styles for your table of contents, take a look at other templates on this list or use one of our pre-design header blocks.

Template #4: Grant Proposal

Part of securing a grant is making a good impression with your proposal. This elegant and minimalistic table of contents design showcases the section titles with a half arrow instead of numbers.

Use this template if you’re looking for a professional and clean-cut design that’s impactful and inviting.

Template #5: Real Estate Investment Proposal

This table of contents template is a bit different from the others. The layout is unique and exciting, with a pop of neon as the page number that repeats on every document page.

Although a design like this works well with the other pages in the same template, it won’t match different document templates.

Easily the most common lead magnet in content marketing and blogging, eBooks also need a table of contents page. Since eBooks are generally longer than proposals or reports, the ToC layout needs to be slightly different to fit more section titles and numbers.

Let’s take a look at the available eBook table of contents templates available in Visme.

Template #1: WordPress eBook

Longer eBooks usually have a higher number of sections or chapters; therefore, they need a table of contents that can handle more listed items. To save space, this table of contents template uses a vertical title design.

This design is versatile and highly customizable, and will fit right in with other eBook templates if you wish to mix and match.

Template #2: The Future of Event Marketing eBook

Simplicity never goes unnoticed. This minimalistic table of contents template might seem like a standard layout except that the section numbers and section titles have a wide gap between them.

This minimalistic design solution makes the page stand out while also keeping it sleek and non-conforming.

Template #3: Graphic Design eBook

This table of contents example is separated into two visual sections; a top image header and a list on the bottom half. The numbers are encased inside a colored rectangle, creating a visual hierarchy for the section list.

Use this eBook table of contents template if you have no more than ten sections. Alternatively, you can shrink the top image header to fit more section items.

Template #4: Environmental Protection eBook

This table of contents template has a frame design that makes the white area stand out. The background image is repeated from the cover to create a harmonious balance between pages.

Use this template with a dark photography background so the inside block is more noticeable.

Template #5: HR eBook

Here, we have another unique layout design with a diagonal grid. In this case, the item squares are supported with images and gray triangles for better visual flow. The two-toned vertical line on the right completes the layout. Customize this template easily with your brand colors and fonts.

If you’re running out of time and need to create your ebook quickly, take advantage of our AI Document Generator to generate professional-looking ebooks in minutes. Simply provide information about the type of ebook you want to create, select your design style and let the tool do the rest.

The difference between an eBook and a brand is the audience. The former includes easily skimmable information for non-experts, while the latter is mostly an in-depth report of expert information relayed to professionals in a certain field.

White papers are similar to research papers , and sometimes there’s an overlap between the two styles. Our template library has many options, no matter which side of the spectrum your document stands on.

Since white papers also have many pages, they need a table of contents page. Let’s look at the table of contents examples you have access to in your Visme dashboard.

Template #1: Environmental White Paper

This table of contents template design includes a colored column containing all the content. A two-color line on the right of the page continues throughout the entire template.

If you are using this template with another document design, we suggest you remove that line. Or, use the white paper document template in its entirety and simply modify the content inside.

Template #2: Public Health Awareness White Paper

If you’re looking for a table of contents template that makes an impact, look no further than this public health awareness white paper template. The black background, red splatter and white text of this table of contents page create great visual contrast.

Easily customize this template with your choice of colors and fonts. Then, copy the text from your Word document or Google Docs file.

Template #3: Tackling a Social Problem White Paper

Dark backgrounds with a pop of bright color are always a great idea when you’re looking to make a statement. This table of contents template is no different. The layout includes a narrow image column on the left and the contents list aligned to the left for a unique visual approach.

If you have bright and contrasting colors in your branding, this template design will fit right in.

Template #4: Social Media Privacy Concern White Paper

This example is another framed design for a table of contents page. The background is an image at the top and soft gray on the bottom two-thirds. The yellow rectangle that contains the content keeps everything orderly and easy to navigate.

Select this template and save it as a custom content block; then you can use it on any of your multipage document projects.

Template #5: Levels of Arsenic Contamination in Water White Paper

Vertical columns with images are a great framing option for a table of contents that would otherwise look boring and uneventful. This particular design uses line separations between section titles, resembling a table layout.

Easily customize this template with your fonts, images and a semi-transparent background of your lightest brand color.

The last category on our list of table of contents template inspiration is for reports. One of the most common and widely used document projects, reports come in all sizes and styles . As long as they have more than three pages, they’ll need a table of contents.

Keep scrolling to browse table of contents examples for reports, all available to customize and download inside your Visme dashboard.

Template #1: Market Research Report

This colorful table of contents template includes unique rounded shapes as a visual element plus a cutout tiger framing the content list. The contrasting colors make this layout eye-catching and exciting.

For your project, replace the tiger with another cutout element that better matches your content and message. Keep the formatting of the colored shapes for a unique visual feature.

And if you’re struggling to create an outline for your report, use Visme’s AI writer to generate a draft outline, create unique copy or proofread your report.

Template #2: Inspection Report

This table of contents template uses a two-tone color overlay on a photo. The contrasting color overlays create a separation between header and subsections. For example, the bright pop of orange stands out from the dark blue making it easier to skim the sections.

Further into this report template, you’ll be able to import data from Excel, Google Sheets or Google Analytics.

Template #3: Technical Report

The overall design of this report template uses a three-shape concept that repeats from page to page. In part, the arrow directs the reader to the rest of the document from the table of contents page, creating a guiding line.

Select this colorful table of contents template, especially if you plan to use the report template in its entirety. Each page complements the other for a coherent feel.

Template #4: Sales Calls Report

When it comes to branded templates , this is a great example. The decorative design on the side of this table of contents layout is a logo repeated as a pattern.

To use this printable table of contents template for your brand, follow the suggested format and replace each placeholder logo with your own. Upload a high-quality PNG image with transparent background to achieve the effect.

The top right corner detail is repeated on each report page, creating a union between the table of contents and each page of the document.

Template #5: Green Annual Nonprofit Report

This full-color page design lays out the content aligned to the left. The arrows on the left create flow for the rest of the page. It's not as contrasting as other designs, but still very striking and impactful.

Use your bold brand color in the background and change the fonts to your own.

When it comes to creating report, Visme’s AI Report Writer makes it a breeze. Just input a prompt describing what you want to create, choose your preferred design and let the tool do the heavy lifting.

Category #7: Table of Content for Brand Guidelines

Brand guidelines are rules that govern how you communicate your brand. They determine the overall design, look and feel of brand elements, including voice, logos, colors and typography.

Template # 1: Marketing Consultancy Firm Brand Guidelines

This table of content template features a rich blend of images, colors and icons to create a strong visual impression.

The content page design is split into three unequal parts. The left block contains a high-quality image, while the title and number list sit pretty on the right block. The dark blue background and white and sky-blue fonts create a strong visual contrast, making the text readable.

The third block has a sky blue background and a white call-out icon that ushers readers into the rest of the document. Feel free to replace text, images, fonts and colors to make this template your own.

Template #2: Software Company Brand Guidelines

Are you looking for a table of content examples with captivating and professional design? Look no further. This template is a perfect fit.

This template has a white background, lined with a soft blue accent at the top and a gray accent at the bottom. The critical sections of the document are listed in an arrow-shaped bullet format along with page numbers.

This table of contents template can be customized and used for other documents. You can edit content, apply custom colors, change images and upload your company logo.

Template #3: Interior Design Company Brand Guidelines

This table of contents template has a unique layout, a dark green background and a brightly colored font. The title occupies the top part of the page, followed by a centered image in an oval frame. Below the image, you'll find the numbered list of sections separated into two columns.

This striking design concept gives your documents an elegant feel, making them ideal for any creative or design project. You can use your visuals or select from Visme's rich image and design library.

Category 8: Table of Contents for Employee Handbooks

An employee handbook can be a vital onboarding resource for your company. You can use it to educate employees about your company's policies, culture and code of ethics.

Template # 1: Institute Employee Handbook

Give your audience a brief rundown of your handbook using this stunning table of content example. The template has an eye-catching design layout. The numbered list is left aligned on a bright red background while the text creates a strong visual contrast.

Use this template with your brand style and colors. Replace the logo with your own and your document is ready for download.

Template # 2: MGAccounts Employee Handbook

This template's striking layout design and color combination make your document come alive. The contents are listed at the top of the page. Below the content is a gorgeous black and white image

The arrangement and image contrast draw the viewer in and guide their gaze throughout the design. Swap the template logo, color and images with elements that match your brand identity.

Template #3: Topflix Employee Handbook

This is another example of a template with a numbered list design. This table of contents page uses a multicolored background, making the visuals and design elements stand out. It features the logo and title at the top and an image right at the center of the page. The numbered list is written in small beautiful fonts, right under the image.

Using Visme's editor, you can change the content, list format, fonts and other design elements. Feel free to add your logo and colors to reflect your brand image.

Template #4: Textile Company Employee Handbook

This table of content example uses a symmetrical layout to create a visual balance. On the left, you'll find an image aligned vertically while the contents list is presented in a numbered list and aligned to the right.

You can add hyperlinks to the section titles and page numbers to make your content interactive. Modify the background color and images to match your unique style.

Category 9: Table of Contents for Lead Magnets

A lead magnet is a free and valuable resource that entices potential customers to provide their contact information.

What's in it for you? Lead magnets help you acquire leads and position your brand as an authority in your niche.

Template #1: Digital Marketing Checklist

You can create stunning lead magnets using editable templates like the one below. You can use it to promote your brand or nudge prospects to submit their information.

The table of contents page features bold numbers and section titles displayed in caps. The intersection of multiple bright colors evokes emotions and attracts the reader's attention.

Select your background, color and font style to make your template personal. You can add photos and mix and match elements from Visme's library to make your designs pop.

Template #2: Business Guide Lead

This template has a distinct design and layout. In this case, the numbered content list isn't presented in the conventional vertical format. Instead, the list of sections is embedded in two frames facing each other, with section numbers sitting above the text.

Each frame uses elements that create a solid visual contrast, ensuring the text is visible. You can use fonts, images and colors to suit your unique needs.

Share valuable insights with your audience using this editable document template. Or, you can use the table of contents for any other lead magnet you're creating.

Template #3: Roadmap Lead Magnet Template

Do you want to promote your business or showcase your expertise? This eye-catching lead magnet template is your best bet.

This template arranges the table of content in a grid layout. It also features a compelling image and design that blends with the rest of the document. The orange color fonts on the light background make the text legible.

To increase the impact of your lead magnet, you can download this template and use it as it is. Or customize this design using Visme's intuitive drag and drop template editor.

Feel free to apply a custom color scheme or add new design elements such as elegant fonts, free stock photos and high-quality icons.

Q. What Is a Good Table of Contents Layout?

A good table of contents layout should:

• Use clear headings and subheadings to represent the hierarchy of the document.
• Utilize consistent formatting for each level of the hierarchy. For example, use bold for main headings and italics for subheadings.
• Keep the text aligned, whether it's left-aligned or centered, to maintain a neat appearance.
• Include page numbers aligned with the corresponding sections or headings.
• Use appropriate spacing between entries to enhance readability.
• Use a legible font and an appropriate font size for the text in your table of contents. Consistency
• Have hyperlinks that allow readers to click and navigate directly to the corresponding section.

Q. Can Canva Generate a Table of Contents?

While Canva doesn’t automatically generate a Table of Contents, it provides tools to help you create one manually for any type of document.

Q. What Is the Easiest Way to Create a Table of Contents?

One of the easiest ways to create a Table of Contents is by using Microsoft Word, Google Docs and Visme templates. Most of the document templates in Visme come with a Table of Contents so you can customize it to match your preferred format or style. Visme also provides features to help you build an interactive table of contents and clickable menus.

Q. What Can I Write Instead of a Table of Contents?

If you're considering alternatives to a traditional table of contents, you might explore different ways to guide readers through your document. You can use any of these strategies.

• Include visually appealing thumbnails or images next to each section title
• In digital documents, especially those viewed online, you can include interactive links in the introduction or header that guide readers to specific sections when clicked.
• Create a visual timeline or flowchart that represents the document's structure
• Use icons or symbols next to each section title to represent the content or theme of that section.
• Provide a brief paragraph or bullet points before each major section, summarizing what readers can expect to find in that part of the document.
• Visualize the document's structure as a mind map, presenting the interconnectedness of ideas and topics.
• If you're creating a digital document, consider using dropdown menus or collapsible sections for an interactive and space-efficient way to organize content.
• Instead of a separate section, provide a comprehensive summary or overview at the beginning of the document.
• If your document is technical or contains specific terms, create an index or keyword list that directs readers to relevant sections. Regardless of how you want

Q. How Do You Create a Table of Contents Without Using Headings?

One way to create a table of contents without using headings is to manually create a list of the sections or chapters in your document and their corresponding page numbers. This list can then be placed at the beginning of the document and formatted to resemble a table of contents. Another option is to use bookmarks or hyperlinks to create a clickable table of contents.

To do this, you would first need to select the text you want to include in the table of contents and then create a bookmark or hyperlink for that text. Once all bookmarks or hyperlinks are created, they can be listed in a separate section at the beginning of the document and formatted to resemble a table of contents.

Create Your Next Professional Document

Surely, after looking at all this visual inspiration of our table of contents templates, you’ve found the one you’ll use. But why stop at the table of contents when you can have the whole package!

Every template on this list is part of a multipage editable document template available in Visme. If you liked the table of contents templates, you’re going to love the full templates for your reports, eBooks, white papers, proposals and more.

So, ditch Microsoft Word or PowerPoint and make your documents shine over the rest.

Create a free Visme account today and get started with your favorite table of contents template from the list above. Or, visit our template library to browse more options.

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About the Author

Orana is a multi-faceted creative. She is a content writer, artist, and designer. She travels the world with her family and is currently in Istanbul. Find out more about her work at oranavelarde.com

Basics of Assignment Structure and Format

Some students, particularly those in their freshman years, tend to overthink things and try to go for assignment structures that are unnecessarily complicated, thinking this will help them stand out from their peers and get better grades. It doesn’t have to be that hard.

This guide will give you an overview of basic assignment structure which you can use as a checklist for your assignments. This will help make sure that you haven’t missed any critical sections which are typically expected in assignment papers.

You will have to trust us when we say that your teachers will be really grateful that you’ve stuck to the standard format as it will make their grading process easier.

If you’re pressed for time, you can also head on over to our resources page to download some free assignment paper templates with generic outlines which you can tweak further to suit your needs. However, if you do happen to use any of these, then please ensure to follow our guide on checking document metadata details to avoid being flagged incorrectly for plagiarism.

• Table of Contents

Overview of basic assignment structure

A very common advice is that any written work, which includes assignments, should have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion . This is a form of oversimplification but should you give you general idea of what is expected. In reality, academic writing requires additional subheadings under in the body or main part of your text to convey your ideas in a structured way.

So, here’s a more specific overview of the main structural parts of an assignment.

• Introduction
• Literature Review
• Methodology
• Conclusions

We explain each of these in more details in the next sections

What are the essential parts in assignment structure?

The 4 parts of an academic writing work which should be considered essential are Introduction, Body, Conclusion and References . The last one should be obvious to any of our readers, but it’s surprising to see many students overlook the introduction and conclusion sections. Teachers often expect to see a short summary that sets the background and tone for the assignment, and they most definitely want to see what conclusions the student has reached by the end of their paper based on their study and research.

To make it simple, all you need do in the introduction is to give a brief overview of the topic which your paper is about, why this topic is relevant and important. In the conclusions section, you just need to summarize your research process, what you’ve learnt about the topic along the way and any final inferences.

These aren’t sections that you would have to do separate research for – if you’ve done your paper by yourself, you should be able to easily write a conclusion for it in no less than an hour (and we’re being very liberal with that estimation).

This is an easy to way to add in some additional words, which brings you closer to the required word count and reducing the words that you need to write for the other sections too, so why wouldn’t you want to do this, right?

As we have covered in our separate guide on how to manage word count of assignments , the introduction and conclusion sections are almost always included in the word count unless explicitly mentioned otherwise. You should be able to allocate about 200 to 300 words of the word count allowance to each of sections. This would cut down the amount of fresh content you need by about 400 to 600 words right off the bat!

Another critical section to be included in nearly all assignments would be a Table of Contents section. We have a full guide on how to easily make a good table of contents section which your teachers will be grateful to have when they are checking your work!

What are the circumstantial parts in assignment structure?

Moving on to the main part of your assignment, you could have a whole variety of headings and subheadings based on the type of paper that you are writing. Typically,

For thesis and dissertations, an Abstract section is almost always expected. Even if it hasn’t been specifically requested, we would highly recommend including this section for such long format papers because its purpose is to guide the readers with a ‘hook’ and make them more interested in reading your paper.

You can think of this section as a short summary of the main points from each of the broader headings in your paper. You don’t need to have more than 200 words for this section, and it shouldn’t be that hard to write as soon as you are done with your paper since the content that you’ve written should still be fresh in your mind.

The Rationale section is also expected in papers with longer word counts, especially those which are research oriented. In this section, you just need to explain the background of your chosen topic or research problem and why it is relevant and significant. You are expected to justify the need for your research on this topic. Some other research-oriented subsections include Research Aim & Objectives and Research Question , which you may potentially need, especially for long-form writing such as theses and dissertations.

Literature Review is a heading which can be considered as almost essential for most assignments since teachers want to see what external reading you have done on existing academic theory. The reason we have included this in the circumstantial section rather than the essential section above is because there are occasionally some assignments for which teachers explicitly mention not to define or explain academic theory and instead, they expect to see your understanding through direct application to the case.

This type of scenario typically arises when the word count for the assignment is not that high, so a full-blown literature review could be seen as ‘word-padding’ and have a negative impact on your overall grade for that assignment. We go over this issue of word-padding and how you can avoid it in a separate guide on managing word count as mentioned earlier.

A couple of sections that you can include in assignments where you are focusing on a particular industry or company are External Analysis and Internal Analysis respectively. As we cover in our guide on common academic words and what they mean, these are also known as Situational Analysis and Company Analysis , or Macro-analysis and Micro-analysis respectively. For company analysis, SWOT analysis one of the most common tools that are used, while another tool called TOWS is also occasionally used to combine internal and external analysis. Here’s a guide explaining the difference between SWOT and TOWS analysis .

Conceptual Framework is another circumstantial subsection which you may want to add if your research revolves around identifying independent and dependent variables.

For papers which require some research to be done as part of the assignment, you are going to need some sections like Methodology , Findings, Discussion and Analysis .

Within Methodology, you might have other subsections like Data Collection , Sampling Method etc.

What are some additional parts in assignment structure?

A section on Ethical Consent is often expected within the Research Methodology heading if your paper involves primary research gathered from respondents. We have a guide on ethical consent here and you can also check out our resources page to get a free sample ethical consent form which you could use in your papers (but be sure to also check out our guide on how to avoid getting flagged incorrectly for plagiarism so that you do not get wrongly flagged for plagiarism by using this sample form).

For research-oriented assignments, another typical expectation (although it isn’t always the case) is for a Research Timeline which illustrates the research process. This is often presented visually, and we have a separate guide on how to make good Gantt Charts easily using some of our free templates which you can find in our resources section.

Recommendations , and Limitations are also sometimes expected in some assignments, especially those that are long form, such as detailed research work.

If you have a lot of tables and figures in your work, which is usually the case for thesis and dissertations, you should also try to add a list of tables and figures (separate list for each).

Another section that you may wish to include in your assignments, especially if you have too many images or tables within your work, or if these are not to be included in the word count or in the body of the assignment, is the Appendix section. This is just a list of the additional content that is of direct relevance to your research adds to the quality and depth of your assignment. This section is typically not included in the word count allowance. Hence, it is often used to show that you have covered more ground in your research, but could not include it in main body due to word count limitation.

How to plan structure for essay assignments

Unlike standard academic reports, essays typically do not have subheadings but are instead expected to be structured in a logical way such that you transition from one idea to another by interlinking them.

However, we have come across some essay requirements in which the teachers have specifically asked for subheadings that indicate the central theme or idea which is being discussed in each section. If you are going to have subheadings in an essay though, then you should avoid numbering them as you would in other academic papers.

Taking assignment structures from the requirements files

Most teachers expect to see a standard structure in their assignments which helps them identify and assess the key learning outcomes of the module or the assignment. It is often the case that they will leave you some breadcrumbs by spelling out an assignment outline clearly within the requirements file, or in the presentations linked to the coursework, or perhaps during their lectures.

Sometimes, a structure would not have been defined clearly in the assignment requirements file, but there are ways to still get an almost explicit list of necessary headings such as by dissecting the marking guidelines which your tutors typically provide. We cover this in our guide on how to get better grades using a surefire method of drafting an outline which matches what the teachers are expecting.

Other teachers like to spice things up and give you free rein to structure your paper anyway you see it, but with this freedom of choice, you may find yourselves lost if you’re quite new to academic writing. In any of these cases, you can go over the upcoming list of standard sections and subsections that are present in academic papers to cross-check whether you have covered the relevant parts in your papers.

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