dissertation templates word

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Thesis / dissertation formatting manual (2024).

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UCI Libraries maintains the following  templates to assist in formatting your graduate manuscript. If you are formatting your manuscript in Microsoft Word, feel free to download and use the template. If you would like to see what your manuscript should look like, PDFs have been provided. If you are formatting your manuscript using LaTex, UCI maintains a template on OverLeaf.

• Annotated Template (Dissertation) 2024 PDF of a template with annotations of what to look out for
• Word: Thesis Template 2024 Editable template of the Master's thesis formatting.
• PDF Thesis Template 2024
• Word: Dissertation Template 2024 Editable template of the PhD Dissertation formatting.
• PDF: Dissertation Template 2024
• Overleaf (LaTex) Template
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• Last Updated: Aug 26, 2024 11:00 AM
• URL: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/gradmanual

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FREE Templates, Examples & Resources 📥

Practical Examples

Research proposal example

Literature review example

Research methodology example

Research topic ideas & examples

Research question examples

Full dissertations & theses

Other Templates & Tools

Full dissertation template (all in one)

Ultimate dissertation writing checklist

Research topic evaluation tool (Excel)

Literature review catalogue/matrix (Excel)

Research paper template (Word)

APA 7 template |  MLA 9 template

Tools & Templates - Frequently Asked Questions

Are these templates and tools really free.

Yes . These templates and tools form part of the many free resources we provide to students. There are no costs or contractual obligations.

If you’re looking for more dissertation and thesis-related information, be sure to visit our blog and YouTube channel for lots of free content.

Can I edit the templates?

Yes. The templates are provided in MS Word format (DOCX), so you can edit the files to suit your specific needs.

Can I share the templates?

You’re welcome to share these templates with your friends or colleagues in their original form via email or chat .

If you wish to wish to share the templates on your website or anywhere else on the public web, please link to this page instead .

Should I follow the templates verbatim?

The templates are based on standardized chapter structures, but the exact structure and layout required by your university may differ. Therefore, it’s always best to review the specific requirements of your university and program before settling on a structure.

What's the difference between the full template and the chapter templates?

The full dissertation/thesis template provides a high-level outline structure, whereas the individual chapter templates provide more detail.

If you’re just starting the writing process, the former could help you structure your outline document and get a feel for how it all fits together, whereas the latter (chapter-specific templates) can be used as you approach each chapter.

What if I need more help?

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University Thesis and Dissertation Templates

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Theses and dissertations are already intensive, long-term projects that require a lot of effort and time from their authors. Formatting for submission to the university is often the last thing that graduate students do, and may delay earning the relevant degree if done incorrectly.

Below are some strategies graduate students can use to deal with institutional formatting requirements to earn their degrees on time.

Disciplinary conventions are still paramount.

Scholars in your own discipline are the most common readers of your dissertation; your committee, too, will expect your work to match with their expectations as members of your field. The style guide your field uses most commonly is always the one you should follow, and if your field uses conventions such as including all figures and illustrations at the end of the document, you should do so. After these considerations are met, move on to university formatting. Almost always, university formatting only deals with things like margins, font, numbering of chapters and sections, and illustrations; disciplinary style conventions in content such as APA's directive to use only last names of authors in-text are not interfered with by university formatting at all.

Use your university's formatting guidelines and templates to your advantage.

If your institution has a template for formatting your thesis or dissertation that you can use, do so. Don't look at another student's document and try to replicate it yourself. These templates typically have the necessary section breaks and styles already in the document, and you can copy in your work from your existing draft using the style pane in MS Word to ensure you're using the correct formatting (similarly with software such as Overleaf when writing in LaTeX, templates do a lot of the work for you). It's also often easier for workers in the offices that deal with theses and dissertations to help you with your work if you're using their template — they are familiar with these templates and can often navigate them more proficiently.

These templates also include placeholders for all front matter you will need to include in your thesis or dissertation, and may include guidelines for how to write these. Front matter includes your table of contents, acknowledgements, abstract, abbreviation list, figure list, committee page, and (sometimes) academic history or CV; everything before your introduction is front matter. Since front matter pages such as the author's academic history and dissertation committee are usually for the graduate school and not for your department, your advisor might not remember to have you include them. Knowing about them well before your deposit date means you won't be scrambling to fill in placeholders at the last minute or getting your work returned for revision from the graduate school.

Consider institutional formatting early and often.

Many graduate students leave this aspect of submitting their projects until it's almost too late to work on it, causing delays in obtaining their degree. Simply being aware that this is a task you'll have to complete and making sure you know where templates are, who you can ask for help in your graduate office or your department, and what your institution's guidelines are can help alleviate this issue. Once you know what you'll be expected to do to convert to university formatting, you can set regular check-in times for yourself to do this work in pieces rather than all at once (for instance, when you've completed a chapter and had it approved by your chair). 

Consider fair use for images and other third-party content.

Most theses and dissertations are published through ProQuest or another publisher (Harvard, for instance, uses their own open publishing service). For this reason, it may be the case that your institution requires all images or other content obtained from other sources to fall under fair use rules or, if an image is not considered under fair use, you'll have to obtain permission to print it in your dissertation. Your institution should have more guidance on their specific expectations for fair use content; knowing what these guidelines are well in advance of your deposit date means you won't have to make last-minute changes or removals to deposit your work.

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• Dissertation & Thesis Template

As a resource for graduate students, sample Word templates are available to assist with the initial formatting of doctoral dissertations and master's theses. Students are expected to fully format their dissertation/thesis according to the   " Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses ".

• This template is a starting point and students may have to add or remove sections/text to accurately reflect their document and adhere to all requirements in the manual.
• Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (GEPA) does not provide technical support for any of the templates below.
• If using these templates, students must still refer to the formatting manual for full instructions.

The below templates are in Word. If you prefer to use LaTeX, here is a recommended unofficial template . We are not able to provide technical support for LaTeX.

Note: opening the Word template in Google Docs may cause auto-formatting features to be lost or auto-formatting features may appear differently.

A sample template of a co-author permission letter and cover letter from the committee chair can be found here . For complete information on submission of permission letters, please see this page and/or refer to the full Manual . 

Master’s Degree Thesis

Download template

Doctoral Degree Dissertation

• Degree Completion
• Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Dissertation & Thesis Manual

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Microsoft Word for Dissertations

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

Help with Microsoft Word

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

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

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

Contact Information

Introduction to Word for Dissertations

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

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

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

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

Dissertation Template and other Resources

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

A word about LaTeX

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

Here are some other very useful resources:

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

Can I use Google Docs for my dissertation?

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

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

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

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

Writing Assistance

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

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

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

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

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• Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Published on 8 June 2022 by Tegan George .

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process . It helps you to lay out and organise your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation, such as:

• Your anticipated title
• Your abstract
• Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review, research methods, avenues for future research, etc.)

In the final product, you can also provide a chapter outline for your readers. This is a short paragraph at the end of your introduction to inform readers about the organisational structure of your thesis or dissertation . This chapter outline is also known as a reading guide or summary outline.

Table of contents

How to outline your thesis or dissertation, dissertation and thesis outline templates, chapter outline example, sample sentences for your chapter outline, sample verbs for variation in your chapter outline, frequently asked questions about outlines.

While there are some inter-institutional differences, many outlines proceed in a fairly similar fashion.

• Working Title
• ‘Elevator pitch’ of your work (often written last).
• Introduce your area of study, sharing details about your research question, problem statement , and hypotheses . Situate your research within an existing paradigm or conceptual or theoretical framework .
• Subdivide as you see fit into main topics and sub-topics.
• Describe your research methods (e.g., your scope, population , and data collection ).
• Present your research findings and share about your data analysis methods.
• Answer the research question in a concise way.
• Interpret your findings, discuss potential limitations of your own research and speculate about future implications or related opportunities.

To help you get started, we’ve created a full thesis or dissertation template in Word or Google Docs format. It’s easy adapt it to your own requirements.

 Download Word template    Download Google Docs template

It can be easy to fall into a pattern of overusing the same words or sentence constructions, which can make your work monotonous and repetitive for your readers. Consider utilising some of the alternative constructions presented below.

Example 1: Passive construction

The passive voice is a common choice for outlines and overviews because the context makes it clear who is carrying out the action (e.g., you are conducting the research ). However, overuse of the passive voice can make your text vague and imprecise.

Example 2: IS-AV construction

You can also present your information using the ‘IS-AV’ (inanimate subject with an active verb) construction.

A chapter is an inanimate object, so it is not capable of taking an action itself (e.g., presenting or discussing). However, the meaning of the sentence is still easily understandable, so the IS-AV construction can be a good way to add variety to your text.

Example 3: The I construction

Another option is to use the ‘I’ construction, which is often recommended by style manuals (e.g., APA Style and Chicago style ). However, depending on your field of study, this construction is not always considered professional or academic. Ask your supervisor if you’re not sure.

Example 4: Mix-and-match

To truly make the most of these options, consider mixing and matching the passive voice , IS-AV construction , and ‘I’ construction .This can help the flow of your argument and improve the readability of your text.

As you draft the chapter outline, you may also find yourself frequently repeating the same words, such as ‘discuss’, ‘present’, ‘prove’, or ‘show’. Consider branching out to add richness and nuance to your writing. Here are some examples of synonyms you can use.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organise your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

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.

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, June 08). Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 9 September 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/outline-thesis-dissertation/

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ETD Templates

This page includes templates for both Microsoft Word and LaTeX. Scroll down to find the LaTeX templates and learning resources.

Microsoft Word templates

Before using these templates, read all of the following instructions.

It would be best for you to start out writing your thesis or dissertation in a template. If you copy and paste a previously written thesis or dissertation into a template, incorrect formatting settings may also be copied into the document. If you do need to insert existing work into the template, it’s best to separately insert individual sections of body text. When doing so, make sure to maintain the standard headers and set formatting.

These templates are provided to get you started. These files are not guaranteed to be perfect for everyone as the files require customization. Even if you use a template, you are required to fix anything that does not meet the requirements covered in the ETD Guide. Therefore, you must consult the ETD Guide prior to electronically submitting the file to the Graduate School for review.

Styles These templates include three pre-programmed Styles–Body 1, Heading 1, and Subtitle–which are already applied to the existing headers and body text. The “Styles” box appears on the right-hand side of the “Home” tab. To apply these styles to new text, you have two options:

• Click the desired style and then type in that style.
• Highlight existing text and apply the desired style by clicking on its Style square.

ETD guidelines do allow some flexibility in formatting. You can alter these styles in the following ways:

• Change Subtitle style to be italicized instead of bold.
• Change chapter headers to be larger and move them to a different location on the page.

To alter a Style, you can do one of the following:

• Highlight your altered text, right click on the style square, and select the first option, “Update Style to Match Selection.”
• Right click on the style square and select “Modify.” 

The Heading 1 style maintains the bold setting, but you must keep all main headers ALL CAPS. Styles do not maintain this automatically. However, you can alter the font of headers to match the font you’ve chosen for your entire text (font must be consistent throughout the document). 

Table of Contents

There are different ways to create a Table of Contents page. The templates use Tabs, found in the “Paragraph” settings, which will be explained below. Alternatively, you can insert a Table of Contents from the References tab, as long as its formatting and appearance match that of the Table of Contents in the ETD Guide . In the templates, the tabs are set so that you simply need to type out a Table of Contents entry, hit “Tab” on your keyboard, and type the appropriate page number. Hitting “Tab” will create a dotted leader line that will change length as you type.

An ETD requirement is that your Table of Contents has a spacing hierarchy that differentiates main sections from subsections. This requires indenting the entry text for subsections. Since the templates already have altered Tab rules for the dotted lines, you must use the Ruler bar at the top of the page to make simple indentations. If you do not see the Ruler, go to the “View” tab and check the “Ruler” box.

In addition to the dotted line Tab settings, the templates already have a tab rule set for .5 inches from the left margin (it appears as a little black notch on the ruler bar). This allows you to indent lines with the Tab key while also maintaining the rules for dotted lines. However, if you need to indent lines further than this, to create another level of hierarchy, you must add a new Tab by clicking the ruler bar on the desired Tab location, creating a new notch on the ruler.

MS Word Template 1 (Page numbers at the top of the page) – or – MS Word Template 2 (Page numbers at the bottom of the page)

LaTeX templates

These LaTeX templates were created and supplied by fellow graduate students and faculty. Unfortunately, NCSU does not support LaTeX—meaning the NCSU Helpdesk and the Graduate School (ETD Reviewer and Webmaster) are not able to provide technical support for these files. You are encouraged to utilize your fellow classmates, your faculty, and the internet for assistance.

These templates are provided to get you started. These files are not guaranteed to be perfect for everyone as the files require customization. You are required to fix anything that does not meet the requirements set forth in the ETD Guide even if you used one of the templates. Therefore, you must use the Appendix A Checklist in the ETD Guide prior to electronically submitting the file to the Graduate School for the thesis review.

Thesis Class and Template Files:

A graduate student recently helped us update our LaTeX template to better reflect the latest ETD Guidelines. These files are linked below. If you find have issues or find errors in the updated template files, please let me know ([email protected]).

• Updated Template files

NOTE: the most common issue students have with their LaTeX ETD file is the right-hand margin; sometimes tables, figures, or lines of text extend too far right, and violate the required 1-inch margin. Prior to submitting, please ensure that all of your content fits within the main body area of the document.

There are some websites that may be helpful. A few are listed here. Do a search in your favorite search engine to discover more.

* LaTeX information Dr. Bloomfield’s Website (For information purposes only. Assistance is not offered). * LaTeX information LaTeX project site * LaTeX information Trinity College * LaTeX information University of Cambridge Department of Engineering * LaTeX information Emory University

Graduate Student Success Center

Thesis and dissertation template.

The Graduate College offers a thesis/dissertation template that contains all required content and formatting. You can either write your document from within the template or apply the template’s formatting to your previously created work.

Need help working in the template? Schedule an appointment today.

Before You Begin

The first time you download the template, save the template file to your computer before you begin work on your document. This is important if you are composing your thesis/dissertation within the template or if you are copying and pasting your content into the template. You may need the original template file in the future.

Please note: We offer the Google Doc template for initial drafts of your thesis/dissertation to share easily with your committee chair. We do not accept Google Documents as the final document of your thesis/dissertation. Google Docs does not have the functionality we require for our final theses/dissertations. Please use the Google Doc template while keeping in mind that you will need to convert your document to Microsoft Word later.

Download Thesis and Dissertation Template (Word Doc) Download Thesis and Dissertation Template (LATEX) Download Thesis and Dissertation Template (Google Doc)

Word Template Last Updated: February 2021

Word Document Template Information

Download instructions.

• Download the Boise State Template from the orange callout ribbon above.
• Show the downloaded file in the Downloads folder.
• Right click and select Open
• Enable Content
• Click File > Save As and name the file, for instance, Boise_State_Template.dotm (note the extension is “.dotm”) and  Save as type:  Word Macro-Enabled Template (*.dotm) .  It is recommended locating this file on your desktop – it may come in handy if you need to reattach the template to your document in the future (see below).
• Close this file.

Working Within the Template

To work within the template, styles are applied throughout the document. These styles can be found by clicking the arrow in the lower right hand corner of the Styles section in the Home tab. To apply a style, simply highlight the text that you wish to format and click the appropriate name from the styles list.

When entering your own work into the template, be sure to apply the following styles to the appropriate parts of your document. Failure to do so will mean that your Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables will be incorrect.

• Format a Heading 1 in all caps, and centered
• Format a Heading 2 in title-caps, bold, and centered
• Format a Heading 3 in title-caps, underlined, and aligned left
• Format a Heading 4 in title-caps, underlined, and indented once
• Format a Heading 5 in title-caps, underlined and indented twice
• Figure Captions are bolded and centered in the template. They may also be justified.
• Table Captions are bolded and aligned left in the template. They may also be justified.
• Appendix Heading 2
• Appendix Heading 3

Formatting Landscape Pages

When setting pages of your document to landscape orientation to accommodate large figures or tables, you must reformat their page numbers so that they will still be visible after binding.

• Open the landscape page’s header by double-clicking within the header.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab. Repeat this step for the page following the landscape page.
• Delete the landscape page’s current page number.
• Click Insert → Page Number (in the Header & Footer section)→Page Margins.
• Select Landscape Page Numbers.

Note: If your other pages’ pagination disappears after inserting landscape page numbers, you likely did not turn off Link to Previous. Undo your changes to the page numbers and restart the instructions.

Replacing Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables

After your writing and editing is complete, you will need to replace the Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables.

• Right click the existing TOC, LOF, or LOT.
• Click Update Field.
• Select Update entire table and click Ok.

Note: All other lists (such as a List of Abbreviations or List of Graphs) are not updated automatically. Instead, the template includes examples of manually-created lists that can be altered to fit your needs.

Attaching the Template to a Preexisting Document. If your document is at or near completion, it may be easier for you to attach the template to your existing file than to paste your document into a new template.

Formatting Styles and Applying Styles

Before attaching the Thesis/Dissertation template to your document, you must first apply the following styles to the appropriate sections of your work. It does not matter how these styles look – when you first apply them they will not look right – only that the names of the styles match those in the following list exactly. After you have applied all the styles and attach the template the document will be formatted correctly.

These styles can be found by clicking the arrow in the lower right hand corner of the Styles section in the Home tab. Leave this menu open while you work through the document. To apply a style, simply highlight the text that you wish to format and click the appropriate name from the styles list.

Attaching Styles

• Access the Styles menu by clicking the lower-right corner of the Styles box on the Home tab in Windows. Keep this menu open on the side of your screen and apply the styles to your document as you work.
• Highlight the text you wish to format (it is often only necessary to “click in” the section you wish to format)
• Click the appropriate style from the Styles menu

Note: If the style you are looking for is not included in the list you may need to create the style (see next).

Creating Styles

Some required styles will not be listed in the premade styles, thus you will need to create them yourself.

• Highlight the text that you wish to format
• Right click the text and select Styles → Save Selection as a New Quick Style.
• Enter the appropriate style name and click OK.

Note: Remember, it does not matter how these styles look at this time, only that the style names match the names listed in the table above.

Attaching the Template

After applying styles to your document, you can attach the template, which will fix most of your document’s formatting issues.

• Download the Boise State Thesis and Dissertation Template and save it to your computer. See instructions above under “Before you Begin.”
• Open the Word document containing your thesis/dissertation, click file, click options, click add-ins, and select templates from the Manage drop down menu at the bottom of the page. Click go.
• In the Document Template section, click Attach.
• Navigate to the folder in which you saved the template and select it.
• Important: Check the box labeled “Automatically update document styles.”

Adjusting Margins

• Click Ctrl+A to select the entire document.
• In the Home ribbon, click layout, click margins and select the mirror margin option that contains inside margin 1.5″, top and bottom margins 1.”

Setting Page Numbers

Be careful that you set section breaks between front matter and body text and also between portrait and landscape-oriented pages (see Manually Formatting Your Document for instructions on setting page breaks). Each has a different way of formatting their pagination.

Front Matter

•  Set a continuous section break immediately before the Heading 1 on the first page that follows your approval pages.
• Set a continuous section break immediately before the title of Chapter 1.
• Open the footer on the first page following your approval page by clicking the Footer button in the Header & Footer section of the Insert tab and selecting Edit Footer.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab. This step is only necessary for the first numbered page in the front matter.
• Insert page numbers. Front matter page numbers should be in lowercase Roman numerals and should be centered at the bottom of each page.
• Double-click inside the footer of the first page in Chapter 1.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab. This step is only necessary for the first page in the body text.
• Delete the page numbers from the footer.
• Open the header on the same page by double-clicking inside the header.
• Deselect Link to Previous, located in the Navigation section of the Design tab.
• Insert alpha-numeric page numbers, starting with 1, into the upper right-hand corner of the pages.

Landscape Pages

• Repeat step 3 on the page following the landscape page.
• Click Insert → Page Number (in the Header & Footer section) → Page Margins.

Inserting Table of Contents and Lists of Figures or Tables

Finally, after your document’s content is complete, you will need to create the Table of Contents, List of Figures, and List of Tables.

• In the Home ribbon, select References , then select Table of Contents and choose the first option.
• To build your list of tables or figures do the following: on the Home ribbon, select references, select Insert List of Table of Figures, on the options drop down select either table captions or figure captions depending on which you are creating. You will then have to manually insert the heading.

Note: The template does not include macros for automatically generating other lists such as a List of Abbreviations or List of Graphs. However, it does include example lists that can be copied, pasted, and altered to meet your needs.

Helpful Tips

• Access the Styles menu by clicking the lower-right corner of the styles box on the Home tab in Windows. Keep this menu open on the side of your screen, or on a second screen, and apply the styles to your document as you work. To make the document styles behave, use the styles in the template. For example, for all Heading 1s, use the Heading 1 style, which will automatically insert a break and a 2 inch margin, etc. As long as the styles are used, the document should behave appropriately, and the table of contents will include the headings once updated. To modify the Table of Contents, click once to highlight the table in gray, right-click and select “Update Entire Field.”
• Show formatting marks as you work in your document.  Click on the File tab, then Options, Display, and click on the box “Show all formatting marks” and OK.

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="dissertation templates word"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

The following Microsoft Word templates are available for download and comply with all formatting requirements:

• Introduction for dissertation  (.docx)
• Introduction for thesis  (.docx)
• Chapters and text body for papers option  (.doc)
• Chapters and text body for non-papers option  (.doc)
• LaTeX templates  (.zip)

Formatting your dissertation in Word

About this guide.

Learn how to use Word features effectively and efficiently:

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

Before you start:

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

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

Tutorials for formatting your dissertation in Word

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

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

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

Supplementary handouts and slides

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

Helpful tools and services from the Libraries

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

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

• Dissertation Templates
• Dissertation Copyright
• Dissertation Embargo Guidelines
• ETD Administrator
• Formatting FAQs
• Sample Dissertation Title Page

Formatting Guide

The  PhD Dissertation Formatting Guide  (updated Spring 2023) is the source of all formatting requirements and guidelines for PhD Dissertations. Make sure to follow the guide when writing your dissertation.

Double check your formatting with the  PhD Dissertation Formatting Checklist  before submission.

LaTeX Template

The University provides a standard LaTeX template that complies with all formatting requirements.    

University of Pennsylvania PhD Dissertation Template in LaTeX

Word Templates

The University provides a standard Word template that complies with all formatting requirements.    

Dissertation Template in Word  (updated Spring 2023)

Example PDF of Proper Formatting

Overleaf LaTeX PDF

Note: You may need to activate your UPenn Overleaf account to view this PDF.  Penn Overleaf account page. 

Additional information is available in our  Formatting FAQs . 

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Dissertation Template - Yours to download for free!

Our expert dissertation writers have put together this free dissertation template example for you to use.

You can download this dissertation template in the .doc MS Word format here

There is a brief outline of what the Word template contains below

The purpose of this template is to provide you with an overview of the type of structure and form to be used when preparing your successful dissertation. It is based upon a general undergraduate research project, which combines the use of secondary and primary data and can vary between 10,000 to 20,000 words. The template is divided into three sections as follows:

• Section 1 - Structure of a typical dissertation template with accompanying notes on each section and chapter
• Section 2 - Other notes and advice
• Section 3 - An example table of contents

This dissertation template has in-depth notes on each chapter, the full layout of a typical dissertation and a full example table of contents. The basic structure is:

• Table of contents
• List of figures
• List of tables
• Introduction
• Literature review
• Research methodology
• Research findings
• Discussion and analysis of findings
• Conclusion and recommendations

The dissertation template doc then has some notes on presentation, spelling, grammar and writing style. The final section contains a useful example table of contents.

Related Content

In addition to the dissertation template above we also have a range of other study materials to help you with your own dissertation:

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APA-WORD TEMPLATES

Updated 8/19/2020 for the current APA 7th edition (2020)

All APA 7th edition Word templates are available to download from my Etsy store . (Note: I finally figured out how to set the available quantity in Etsy so the store doesn’t show “sold out” after one sale. Sorry it took so long! Email me if you have questions.)

$2.99 USD for four Word files and instructions on how to choose the one you need. You won’t need all four files, but you’ll have them in case something changes.

Dissertators often have trouble formatting their documents to comply with the format and style requirements dictated by their institutions. Many dissertators fail to comply with the requirements of their style guides. Further, many dissertators don’t know how to use Word styles and waste valuable time formatting content (e.g., headings) individually instead of setting styles one time and applying with a click wherever they are needed. That means formats are applied inconsistently or incorrectly throughout their papers. Incorrect heading styles can derail your chances of getting approvals for your dissertation proposal or manuscript.

Download a Word template to save time

To save you the time and hassle of styling your own Word document to comply with APA 7th edition style requirements, I offer you four versions of a preformatted Word 2013 document (.docx). Two heading schemes are offered for a dissertation proposal and for a dissertation manuscript. See below for descriptions, images, and specifications of each heading scheme.

About the APA-7th ed. Word templates

First, make sure your institution requires APA 7th ed. (2020), not some other style guide. Most social science programs will require APA. If you are in the humanities, you might need to comply with MLA style, and these templates might not work well for you.

These documents are Word documents (created on a PC) preformatted with heading styles that will comply with the heading style requirements of your institution.

IMPORTANT : Before you download a template, check your institution’s dissertation handbook for the preferred heading style scheme. Specifically, determine whether the chapter title headings are considered level 1 (strict APA style) or level 0 ( not strict APA style). The images below show examples of the two heading schemes, updated for APA 7th edition.

Heading scheme 0

Heading scheme 1

Next, choose the document that suits your current status: proposal or manuscript . The proposal contains the first three chapters typically found in a social sciences dissertation proposal (Introduction, Literature Review, and Methodology), plus the front matter (Title page, Abstract, Lists of Tables/Figures, and the Table of Contents) and the back matter (References and Appendices). The manuscript includes all five chapters (Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings, and Conclusions/Implications), plus the front and back matter.

Template descriptions

In addition to the formatted body of the paper, all the templates include placeholder pages and text for the front matter (Title page, Abstract, Lists of Tables/Figures, Table of Contents) and the back matter (References and Appendices).

NOTE: These files are regular Word 2013 documents (.docx) formatted using Word styles. You can use these documents as a template. These files are not actual Word TEMPLATEs (.dot or .dotm), which your virus scanning software may not accept. If you don’t know what that means, don’t worry about it.

APA-7th ed.-Word Template: PROPOSAL 0123

Chapter titles are level zero. Heading level 1 is bold, centered, title case. Heading level 2 is bold, left-aligned, and title case. Heading level 3 is bold, left aligned, italicized, title case. Heading level 4 is a paragraph-level heading, bold, title case, and ends with a period. Heading level 5 is a paragraph-level heading, bold, italicized, title case, and ends with a period. See APA 7th ed. (2020), section 2.27, for details and examples. Note that the APA examples will not show level zero headings. Many institutions require chapter headings to be document level (chapter title) level heading. This style departs from APA style.

APA-7th ed.-Word Template: PROPOSAL 123

Chapter titles are level 1 headings. Heading level 2 is bold, left-aligned, and title case. Heading level 3 is bold, left aligned, italicized, title case. Heading level 4 is a paragraph-level heading, bold, title case, and ends with a period. Heading level 5 is a paragraph-level heading, bold, italicized, title case, and ends with a period. See APA 7th ed. (2020), section 2.27, for details and examples. Heading styles comply strictly with APA style.

APA-7th ed.-Word Template: MANUSCRIPT 0123

Apa-7th ed.-word template: manuscript 123, heading scheme specifications.

The Styles Panes for the two APA 7th ed. heading schemes are shown below.

To view your Styles Pane in one of the later versions of Word for PC, on the Home Ribbon, click the little arrow at the bottom right hand corner of the Styles command section. If your Styles Pane doesn’t look like this, you can adjust the view using the Options button. When I’m working, I usually show just the styles in the document, and I like them in alphabetical order.

How to use these templates

• After downloading the appropriate template for your needs, open the file.
• Enable editing (click the button so you can edit the document. Your virus software will scan to make sure the file is safe to open on your computer).
• Save the file with a new name (usually using the naming conventions required by your institution) in a place you can find it again. This new version is the one you can start editing. Keep the original template somewhere on your computer so you can refer back to the style scheme as needed.
• Scroll through the document and look at the sections to make sure the template and format will work for you.
• Start adding your own content. Customize the heading text with the headings required by your institution. The template is preformatted so you can simply type your text over the heading placeholders.
• Check your institutional guidelines for other formatting requirements that may depart from strict APA style. For example, some institutions require block quotes and references lists to be single-spaced with one blank line after.
• I’ve included some comments in the margins of the templates to guide you as you go. Remove these comments when they aren’t useful (right-click, Remove Comment).
• To remove the yellow highlighting, you can select the text and type over it or you can select the text and turn off the highlighting (find the Highlighter tool on the Home Ribbon, select No Color).

Dissertation, Doctoral Project, and Thesis Information & Templates

Note: Forms required for the submission of theses and dissertations are available on the  Academic Forms  page.

Important Notes for Dissertation, Doctoral Project & Thesis Writers

• Information is available in Section IV.B.2 Research on Human Subjects of the  Graduate Bulletin   (from the  Resources and Policies page ).
• Additional information and forms are available on the   IRB website . Your IRB approval number must be included on the Thesis or Dissertation Proposal Form.
• Consult the  Guidelines for Dissertation, Doctoral Project and Thesis Writers  before beginning your thesis or dissertation.
• Download a template to assist with formatting your work. The templates are unlocked and can be edited (links to the template can be found in the “Submission Procedures” sections below).
• Check the Resources & Guidelines section of the ProQuest website for instructions on using the site. The Library has created a very informative series of  short videos  about the choices you must make on the ProQuest site.
• Additional information on copyright, publishing options and other topics is available on  Lauinger’s Scholarly Communication  website.
• More information about the requirements for dissertations, doctoral projects and theses can be found in the  Graduate Bulletin .

Submission of the Thesis, Doctoral Project or Dissertation

Information on the forms required leading up to a defense and also afterward appear on Submission of Thesis  and  Submission of Dissertation or Doctoral Project .

Download a Thesis / Doctoral Project / Dissertation Template

(for Master’s and Doctoral candidates) We recommend that you download a Thesis / Doctoral Project / Dissertation Template using Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Google Chrome browsers. There are some reported issues for students trying to download using Internet Explorer. The download links are shown below:

• The combined  Master’s Thesis / Doctoral Project / Doctoral Dissertation Template  for MS-Word for Windows is available at: Thesis/Project/Dissertation Template-PC
• The  Master’s   Thesis Template  for Word for Mac is available at:  Thesis Template-MAC
• The  Doctoral Template  for Word for Mac is available at  Dissertation Template-MAC
• If you use the LaTeX markup language, you can download a ZIP file folder containing several template and style documents, as well as an extensive tutorial manual, at this link:  Thesis/Dissertation Template-LaTeX . An updated .sty file was uploaded in June 2020.

LaTeX users please note: These LaTeX template materials are provided for the use of those who are already proficient in the use of LaTeX. Neither the Graduate School nor the faculty who helped develop this template are able to provide support or training in the use of this specialty software.

• Help and FAQ

Home > ETD > ETD Standards & Templates

Standards and Templates for Thesis and Dissertation Formatting

Submissions from 2019 2019.

ETD Templates for Word Users

Instructions for using the 8th edition MSU thesis/dissertation Word automated templates , Mississippi State University Libraries and James Nail

Standards for preparing theses and dissertations , Office of Thesis and Dissertation Format Review

ETD Template for LaTeX Users , Office of Thesis and Dissertation Format Review, Edward B. Allen, and Jeffrey A. Winger

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Dissertation Template Files

The Neumann Library provides Microsoft Word templates to help you compose your dissertation in the format required by the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Templates define the correct pagination, margins, font size and style, and other formatting settings according to the guidelines specified in the guide.

Why use a template? Templates automate much of the dissertation formatting, saving you time. They make use of Styles, which are on the Home ribbon in Microsoft Word. A Style is a command used to format your text with predefined settings, including font size, spacing, indentation, and so on. If you highlight some text and click a style button, it will format that text according to the style. The Table of Contents will pull from these styles to automatically update the headings and page numbers.

For help using these files, please make an appointment on the Contact Us tab.

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• Dissertation
• 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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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George, T. (2023, July 18). Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/table-of-contents/

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