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• Figure & Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples

Figure & Table Lists | Word Instructions, Template & Examples

Published on 24 May 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on 25 October 2022.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation, along with their corresponding page numbers. These lists give your reader an overview of how you have used figures and tables in your document.

While these lists are often not required, you may want to include one as a way to stay organised if you are using several figures and tables in your paper. Your educational institution may require one, so be sure to check their guidelines. Ultimately, if you do choose to add one, it should go directly after your table of contents .

You can download our Microsoft Word template below to help you get started.

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How to create a list of figures and tables in Word

Example of a list of tables and figures, additional lists to consider, frequently asked questions.

The first step to creating your list of figures and tables is to ensure that each of your figures and tables has a caption . This way, Microsoft Word will be able to find each one and compile them in your list automatically.

To do this, follow these steps:

• Navigate to the References tab, and click ‘Insert Caption’, which you can find in the Captions group.
• Give your caption a name. In the Label list, you can select the label that best describes your figure or table, or make your own by selecting ‘New Label’.

Next, you can insert the list of tables and figures directly by clicking ‘Insert Table of Figures’, which can be found to the right of the ‘Insert Caption’ button. Be careful here – the list will only include items that you have marked using the ‘Insert Caption’ tool!

You can choose the formatting and layout within this menu as well, as you can see below.

There are a few things to remember as you go:

• Figures and tables always need to be numbered, with clear titles.
• If a figure or table is taken from or based on another source, be sure to cite your sources .

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In addition to your list of tables and figures, there are a few other lists to consider for your thesis or dissertation. They can be placed in the following order:

• title=”Abbreviations of a dissertation” Abbreviation list

Copyright information can usually be found wherever the table or figure was published. For example, for a diagram in a journal article , look on the journal’s website or the database where you found the article. Images found on sites like Flickr are listed with clear copyright information.

If you find that permission is required to reproduce the material, be sure to contact the author or publisher and ask for it.

Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and they aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .

If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organised. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.

APA doesn’t require you to include a list of tables or a list of figures . However, it is advisable to do so if your text is long enough to feature a table of contents and it includes a lot of tables and/or figures .

A list of tables and list of figures appear (in that order) after your table of contents, and are presented in a similar way.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.

Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.

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List of Figures and Tables in a Dissertation – Examples in Word

Published by Owen Ingram at August 13th, 2021 , Revised On September 20, 2023

“List of tables and figures is a list containing all the tables and figures that you have used in your dissertation paper. Typically, dissertations don’t have many tables and figures unless the research involved is too deep and lengthy.”

Another reason to have an independent list of figures and tables in the dissertation and corresponding page numbers is the research’s nature. For example, research on a topic from physical sciences or engineering could include many figures and tables. Ideally, quantitative research studies tend to contain more tables and/or figures than qualitative ones.

The purpose of presenting the list of figures and tables in the dissertation on a separate page is to help the readers find tables and figures of their interest without looking through the whole dissertation document.

First of all, we need to decide whether we require the figure and table list in the dissertation to begin with.

If your dissertation includes many tables and figures, this list will prove to be helpful for the readers, because the figures will have relative page numbers mentioned with them so they can navigate to the figure or table of their choice with just one click.

A list of table or figures in a dissertation typically follows this simple format:

Also Read: How to Best Use References in a Dissertation

Referencing List of Figures and Tables in the Dissertation

When mentioning tables and figures in the list, one must be sure that they have been clearly numbered and titled. If a figure has been obtained from an external source, that source should be clearly referenced in the text and the references section.

Regardless of the  referencing style , you are using, it is mandatory to provide a reference along with the title. This will help the readers to track the origin of the figure.

Adding Titles and Numbers to Figures and Tables

Adding titles and page numbers in your list of figures and tables within Microsoft Word is very quick and straightforward. Follow the steps mentioned below to generate a Microsoft Word-supported   list of figures and tables in the dissertation with their captions and corresponding page numbers.

• Highlight the table or the figure you want to add title and number to, right-click and click Insert Caption .
• Next, select the Above selected item if you are working with tables. Similarly, choose Below selected items if you want to add the title and page number to a figure.

Also read: How to Write the Abstract for the Dissertation.

Does your Dissertation Have the Following?

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If not, we can help. Our panel of experts makes sure to keep the 3 pillars of the Dissertation strong.

Generating List of Figures and Tables Automatically

After adding all your captions, MS Word will automatically generate the figures and tables list for you. Remember, the list will only contain those you already marked using the Insert Caption … tool.

To generate a list of tables and figures in MS Word automatically:

Step #1 – Decide where to Insert the List

Place your cursor at the point where you wish to insert the tables and figures list. The most suitable spot is always right below the table of contents in your dissertation paper.

Step #2 – Insert the List of Figures and Tables in the Dissertation

• In the Word menu bar, click on References .
• In the dialogue box that appears, click on Insert: Table of figures .
• In the dialogue box caption label, you can choose between a Figure or a Table , as appropriate. Moreover, you will be able to choose a design that appears most suitable for you. The reference provides all information that is required to find the source, e.g., Vinz, S.

Example of list of tables and figures

Other Useful Lists you can add to your Dissertation Paper

Although tables and figures lists can be beneficial, we might need a few more lists, including abbreviations and a glossary in dissertations. We can have a sequence for this which is as follows:

• Table of contents (ToC)
• List of tables and figures
• Abbreviations list

ResearchProspect has helped students with their dissertations and essays for several years, regardless of how urgent and complexes their requirements might be. We have dissertation experts in all academic subjects, so you can be confident of having each of your module requirements met. Learn more about our dissertation writing services and essay writing services .

FAQs About List of Tables and Figures in a Dissertation

Which comes first a list of figures or a list of tables.

Simply put, a list of tables comes first—right after the table of contents page, beginning from a new page—in a dissertation.

Are tables also figures?

No; tables have rows and columns in them, whereas figures in a dissertation can comprise any form of visual element, mostly images, graphs, charts, diagrams, flowcharts, etc. furthermore, tables generally summarise and represent raw data, such as the relationship between two quantitative variables.

Do I need to create a list of tables/figures even if I have only one table or figure in my dissertation?

Typically, yes; dissertation writing guidelines stipulate that we create a list even if we have used only one table and/or figure within our dissertation.

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How to Write the List of Figures for a Thesis or Dissertation

• By DiscoverPhDs
• September 20, 2020

A list of figures for your thesis or dissertation is exactly that: it’s a list of the names of all figures you’ve used in your thesis or dissertation, together with the page number that they’re on.

The list of figures is especially useful for a reader to refer to as it (1) gives the reader an overview of the types of figures you’ve included in your document and (2) helps them easily find a particular figure that they’re interested in.

Where Does the List of Figures go?

Write your list of figures and list of tables immediately after your list of contents. Unless specifically asked by a journal, you should not include a separate list of figures in a manuscript for peer-review.

Important Points to Remember

Ensure that the figure title in your list of figures are exactly the same as actually used in the main document. Double check that the page numbering is correct and the font size, margins and all other formatting is correct.

Formatting the List of Figures

Starting off, use Roman Numbers (e.g. iv and viii) to number the sections of the Table of Contents, List of Figures and List of Tables (the title page does not have a number written on it). Arabic numbering (e.g. 1, 2, 3) should start from the Introduction onwards.

Keep your margins consistent with those of the rest of the document, as required by your university. Usually this will be a margin of 4cm on the side of the paper that will be bound and 2cm on the opposing side (e.g. the pages printed that will be on the right hand side of the thesis will have a left margin of 4cm).

While the font size of your figure legends will be slightly smaller than the main text, keep the font style of the list of figures the same as the main text (usually 12 pt).

Title this section in all capital letters as “LIST OF FIGURES”.

List each new figure caption on a new line and capitalise the start of each word. Write the figure number on the left, then caption label and finally the page number the figure corresponds to on the right-hand side.

Apply the same formatting principle to the List of Tables in your thesis of dissertation. That is to insert each table numberon a new line, followed by the table title.

Example of the List of Figures

The example below was created in Microsoft Word. You could also consider incorporating other tools such as Endnote to help automate some of the work of entering a new caption for a figure or table. Be mindful of the Figure labelling convention required by your university. For example, you may need to align the Figure numbers with each chapter (e.g. Figure 1.1, 1.2, 1.3…. for Chapter 1 and Figure 2.1, 2.2, 2.3…. for Chapter 2).

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Formatting Your Thesis or Dissertation with Microsoft Word

• Lists of Tables and Figures
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• Page Numbers
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Lists of tables and figures

Just like the table of contents, Microsoft Word can be used to automatically generate both a list of tables and a list of figures. Automatic generation of these lists has the same advantages as automatically generating the table of contents:

• You don't have to manually type the list of tables or the list of figures
• You don't have to go back and edit the lists if any of the figures or tables changes pages. A couple of clicks and Word will automatically update the list of tables or the list of figures for you.

Below is a tutorial demonstrating how to create the list of tables and the list of figures.

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Formatting Your Dissertation (or Thesis): List of Figures and Tables

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List of Figures and Tables

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List of Figures and Tables is a separate section in your dissertation or thesis that provides a comprehensive list of all the figures and tables included in your document. It helps readers locate specific figures and tables quickly. 

You can list and organize the figures, pictures, or tables in your Word document by creating a table of figures, much like a table of contents. First add captions to your figures, and then use the  Insert Table of Figures  command on the  References  tab. Word then searches the document for your captions and automatically adds a list of figures, sorted by page number.

Before you create a table of figures, you must add captions to all the figures and tables that you want included in your table of figures. For more information, see  Add, format, or delete captions in Word .

Insert a table of figures

Click in your document where you want to insert the table of figures.

Click  References  >  Insert Table of Figures .

You can adjust your  Format  and  Options  in the  Table of Figures  dialog box. Click  OK .

Add, format, or delete captions in Word

You can add captions to figures, equations, or other objects. A caption is a numbered label, such as "Figure 1", that you can add to a figure, a table, an equation, or another object. It's comprised of customizable text ("Figure", "Table", "Equation" or something else that you type) followed by an ordered number or letter ("1, 2, 3..." or "a, b, c..." typically) which can be optionally followed by some additional, descriptive, text if you like.

1. Text that you select or create.

2. Number that Word inserts for you

If you later add, delete, or move captions, you can easily update the caption numbers all at once.

You can also use those captions to create a table of the captioned items for example, a  table of figures  or a table of equations.

Update a table of figures

If you add, delete, change, or move captions, use  Update Table  so the table of figures reflects your changes.

Click on the table of figures in your document. This will highlight the entire table.

Click  References  >  Update Table .

Note:    Update Table  becomes an option only when you click the table of figures in your document. You can also press F9 to update your table of figures.

Select an  Update  in the in the  Update Table of Figures  dialog box.

Select  Update page numbers  if you need to adjust the page numbers.

Select  Update entire table  if you have moved figures or altered captions.

Click  OK .

Add captions automatically

Word can add captions automatically as you insert tables or other objects.

Select the object (table, equation, figure, or another object) that you want to add a caption to.

On the  References  tab, in the  Captions  group, click  Insert Caption .

On the  Captions  dialog box, click  AutoCaption , and then select the check boxes for the items that you want Word to automatically add captions to. You can also choose which position to add captions to in the  Position  drop-down list.

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Formatting Requirements

Tables, figures and illustrations, workday student support.

Graduate students can find "how to" guides and support information on our Workday support page .

Tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items should be identified with the word "Table", "Figure", or other appropriate descriptor, and include a title and/or caption. The title or caption must be included in the List of Tables, List of Figures, or other list.

You must use a consistent format for titles and captions of tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items throughout the thesis.

• lettering in tables and figures should be at least 2 mm high to ensure that the information is easy to read
• tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items must have titles or captions, and must be numbered
• titles or captions can go either above or below the table, figure, or illustration
• headings must be repeated on the second and subsequent pages of tables that split over two pages or more
• tables should be split at an appropriate place, e.g. just before a new subheading
• the format for titles and captions of tables, figures, illustrations, and other such items must be consistent throughout the thesis.

Tables, figures, illustrations and other such items must be numbered consecutively in order of appearance within the thesis.

There are two methods for numbering Tables, Figures and other items:

• sequentially throughout the thesis, e.g. 1, 2, 3…
• chapter number first, then numbered sequentially within each chapter, e.g.:

Tables in Chapter 1: Table 1.1, 1.2, 1.3…

Figures in Chapter 3: Figure 3.1, 3.2, 3.3…

Whichever method you choose, the numbering style must be the same for all numbered items; for example: Table 1.1 and Figure 1.3, or Table 1 and Figure 3, not Table 1 and Figure 1.3.

Tables and figures in the Appendices may be labelled A1, A2, etc.

There are three acceptable locations for tables and figures:

• within the chapter immediately following first reference to them
• grouped at the end of the relevant chapter
• grouped at the end of the thesis before the bibliography

Whichever method you choose, you must be consistent.

If your tables and figures are grouped at the end of the thesis, you must include an entry in the table of contents that directs the reader to their location.

If the caption for a figure, table, etc., will not fit on the same page as its accompanying illustration, place the illustration on a separate page.

Reproducing and Reducing

Copying and/or reducing the size of figures (e.g. charts, drawings, graphs, photographs, maps, etc.) may make certain images illegible. After reduction, all lettering must be large enough to fulfill the font size requirements, and must be clear and readable.

Copyrighted Material

If you remove copyrighted tables, figures, or illustrations from your thesis you must insert the following at the spot where the table, figure, or illustration previously appeared:

• A statement that the material has been removed because of copyright restrictions
• A description of the material and the information it contained, plus a link to an online source if one is available
• A full citation of the original source of the material

See the Theses and Dissertations Guide “ Unable to get Permission? ”

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Thesis / dissertation formatting manual (2024).

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Lists of Figures, Tables, Illustrations, Formulae, etc.

• Required, if applicable.
• Include a separate page(s) for each type of list
• Include symbols, tables, figures, illustrations, etc. that appear in the text section only (do not include those in your appendix/appendices)

List of Tables Example

Here is an example of a List of Figures from the Template. Note that each List should be its own page.

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These rules are taken from the KU Office of Graduate Studies Thesis or Dissertation Formatting Guidelines. To see the full thesis or dissertation formatting requirements, visit https://graduate.ku.edu/submitting

Adding Captions, Cross-Linking Text and Generating a List of Figures

     ...or tables, maps, plates or more

You can use Word's "Insert Caption" function to add automated updating to your document for figure numbers and in-text references to figures and to create an automatic "List of Tables" for your table of contents.

• Caption Tools Word 2013 and 2016
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• Caption Tools Mac Word 2011
• APA Formatting for Chapter Headings and Table Titles Formatting chapter headings and table titles and getting them to appear properly in the table of contents can be a bit tricky. Making some text "invisible" by employing a white font can help bypass this problem. Here's how to do it.

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Organizing and Formatting Your Thesis and Dissertation

Learn about overall organization of your thesis or dissertation. Then, find details for formatting your preliminaries, text, and supplementaries.

Overall Organization

A typical thesis consists of three main parts – preliminaries, text, and supplementaries. Each part is to be organized as explained below and in the order indicated below:

1. Preliminaries:

• Title page (required)
• Copyright page (required)
• Abstract (required) only one abstract allowed
• Acknowledgments (optional) located in the Preliminary Section only
• Preface (optional)
• Autobiography (optional)
• Dedication (optional)
• Table of Contents (required)
• List of Tables (optional)
• List of Figures (optional)
• List of Plates (optional)
• List of Symbols (optional)
• List of Keywords (optional)
• Other Preliminaries (optional) such as Definition of Terms

3. Supplementaries:

• References or bibliography (optional)
• Appendices (optional)
• Glossary (optional)
• List of Abbreviations (optional)

Preliminaries

These are the general requirements for all preliminary pages.

• Preliminary pages are numbered with lower case Roman numerals.
• Page numbers are ½” from the bottom of the page and centered.
• The copyright page is included in the manuscript immediately after the title page and is not assigned a page number nor counted.
• The abstract page is numbered with the Roman numeral “ii”.
• The remaining preliminary pages are arranged as listed under “Organizing and Formatting the Thesis/Dissertation” and numbered consecutively.
• Headings for all preliminary pages must be centered in all capital letters 1” from the top of the page.
• Do not bold the headings of the preliminary pages.

A sample Thesis title page pdf is available here ,  and a sample of a Dissertation title page pdf is available here.

Refer to the sample page as you read through the format requirements for the title page.

• Do not use bold.
• Center all text except the advisor and committee information.

The heading “ Thesis ” or “ Dissertation ” is in all capital letters, centered one inch from the top of the page.

• Your title must be in all capital letters, double spaced and centered.
• Your title on the title page must match the title on your GS30 – Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form

Submitted by block

Divide this section exactly as shown on the sample page. One blank line must separate each line of text.

• Submitted by
• School of Advanced Materials Discovery 
• School of Biomedical Engineering
• Graduate Degree Program in Cell and Molecular Biology
• Graduate Degree Program in Ecology

If your department name begins with “School of”, list as:

• School of Education
• School of Music, Theatre and Dance
• School of Social Work

If you have questions about the correct name of your department or degree, consult your department. Areas of Study or specializations within a program are not listed on the Title Page.

Degree and Graduating Term block

• In partial fulfillment of the requirements
• For the Degree of
• Colorado State University
• Fort Collins, Colorado (do not abbreviate Colorado)

Committee block

• Master’s students will use the heading Master’s Committee:
• Doctoral students will use the heading Doctoral Committee:
• The Master’s Committee and Doctoral Committee headings begin at the left margin.
• One blank line separates the committee heading and the advisor section.
• One blank line separates the advisor and committee section.
• Advisor and committee member names are indented approximately half an inch from the left margin.
• Titles before or after the names of your advisor and your members are not permitted (Examples – Dr., Professor, Ph.D.).

Copyright Page

• A sample copyright page pdf is available here.
• A copyright page is required.
• A copyright page is included in the manuscript immediately after the title page.
• This page is not assigned a number nor counted.
• Center text vertically and horizontally.
• A sample abstract page pdf is available here – refer to the sample page as you read through the format requirements for the abstract.
• Only one abstract is permitted.
• The heading “ Abstract ” is in all capital letters, centered one inch from the top of the page.
• Three blank lines (single-spaced) must be between the “ Abstract ” heading and your title.
• Your title must be in all capital letters and centered.
• The title must match the title on your Title Page and the GS30 – Thesis/Dissertation Submission Form
• Three blank lines (single-spaced) must be between the title and your text.
• The text of your abstract must be double-spaced.
• The first page of the abstract is numbered with a small Roman numeral ii.

Table of Contents

• A sample Table of Contents page pdf is available.
• The heading “ Table of Contents ” is in all capital letters centered one inch from the top of the page.
• Three blank lines (single-spaced) follow the heading.
• List all parts of the document (except the title page) and the page numbers on which each part begins.
• The titles of all parts are worded exactly as they appear in the document.
• Titles and headings and the page numbers on which they begin are separated by a row of dot leaders.
• Major headings are aligned flush with the left margin.
• Page numbers are aligned flush with the right margin.

The text of a thesis features an introduction and several chapters, sections and subsections. Text may also include parenthetical references, footnotes, or references to the bibliography or endnotes.

Any references to journal publications, authors, contributions, etc. on your chapter pages or major heading pages should be listed as a footnote .

• The entire document is 8.5” x 11” (letter) size.
• Pages may be in landscape position for figures and tables that do not fit in “portrait” position.
• Choose one type style (font) and font size and use it throughout the text of your thesis. Examples: Times New Roman and Arial.
• Font sizes should be between 10 point and 12 point.
• Font color must be black. 
• Hyperlinked text must be in blue. If you hyperlink more than one line of text, such as the entire table of contents, leave the text black. 
• Margins are one inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).
• Always continue the text to the bottom margin except at the end of a chapter.

• Please see preliminary page requirements .
• Body and references are numbered with Arabic numerals beginning with the first page of text (numbered 1).
• Page numbers must be centered ½” from the bottom of the page.

Major Headings

• A sample page pdf for major headings and subheadings is available here.
• Use consistent style for major headings.
• Three blank lines (single-spaced) need to be between the major heading and your text.
• Each chapter is started on a new page.
• The References or Bibliography heading is a major heading and the formatting needs to match chapter headings.

Subheadings

• A sample page pdf for major headings and subheadings is available here .
• Style for subheadings is optional but the style should be consistent throughout.
• Subheadings within a chapter (or section) do not begin on a new page unless the preceding page is filled. Continue the text to the bottom of the page unless at the end of a chapter.
• Subheadings at the bottom of a page require two lines of text following the heading and at least two lines of text on the next page.

Running Head

Do not insert a running head.

When dividing paragraphs, at least two lines of text should appear at the bottom of the page and at least two lines of text on the next page.

Hyphenation

The last word on a page may not be divided. No more than three lines in succession may end with hyphens. Divide words as indicated in a standard dictionary.

• The text of the thesis is double-spaced.
• Bibliography or list of reference entries and data within large tables may be single-spaced. Footnotes should be single spaced.
• Footnotes and bibliography or list of reference entries are separated by double-spacing.
• Quoted material of more than three lines is indented and single-spaced. Quoted material that is three lines or fewer may be single-spaced for emphasis.

Poems should be double-spaced with triple-spacing between stanzas. Stanzas may be centered if lines are short.

• Consult a style manual approved by your department for samples of footnotes.
• Footnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis.
• Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page on which the reference is made.
• Footnotes are single-spaced.
• Consult a style manual approved by your department for samples of endnotes.
• Endnotes are numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis.
• Endnotes may be placed at the end of each chapter or following the last page of text.
• The form for an endnote is the same as a footnote. Type the heading “endnote”.

Tables and Figures

• Tables and figures should follow immediately after first mentioned in the text or on the next page.
• If they are placed on the next page, continue the text to the bottom of the preceding page.
• Do not wrap text around tables or figures. Text can go above and/or below.
• If more clarity is provided by placing tables and figures at the end of chapters or at the end of the text, this format is also acceptable.
• Tables and Figures are placed before references.
• Any diagram, drawing, graph, chart, map, photograph, or other type of illustration is presented in the thesis as a figure.
• All tables and figures must conform to margin requirements.
• Images can be resized to fit within margins
• Table captions go above tables.
• Figure captions go below figures.
• Captions must be single spaced.

Landscape Tables and Figures

• Large tables or figures can be placed on the page landscape or broadside orientation.
• Landscape tables and figures should face the right margin (unbound side).
• The top margin must be the same as on a regular page.
• Page numbers for landscape or broadside tables or figures are placed on the 11” side.

Supplementaries

These are the general requirements for all supplementary pages.

• Supplementary pages are arranged as listed under “Organizing and Formatting the Thesis/Dissertation” and numbered consecutively.
• Headings for all supplementary pages are major headings and the formatting style needs to match chapter headings.

References or Bibliography

• The References or Bibliography heading is always a major heading and the formatting style needs to match chapter headings.
• References or Bibliography are ordered after each chapter, or at the end of the text.
• References or Bibliography must start on a new page from the chapter text.
• References are aligned flush with the left margin.
• The style for references should follow the format appropriate for the field of study.
• The style used must be consistent throughout the thesis.
• Appendices are optional and used for supplementary material.
• The Appendices heading is a major heading and the formatting style needs to match chapter headings.
• As an option the appendix may be introduced with a cover page bearing only the title centered vertically and horizontally on the page. The content of the appendix then begins on the second page with the standard one inch top margin.
• Quality and format should be consistent with requirements for other parts of the thesis including margins.
• Page numbers used in the appendix must continue from the main text.

A Foreign Language Thesis

Occasionally, theses are written in languages other than English. In such cases, an English translation of the title and abstract must be included in the document.

• Submit one title page in the non-English language (no page number printed).
• Submit one title page in English (no page number printed).
• Submit one abstract in the non-English language (page number is ii).
• Submit one abstract in English (page number is numbered consecutively from previous page – example: if the last page of the abstract in the foreign language is page ii the first page of the abstract in English is numbered page iii).

Multipart Thesis

In some departments, a student may do research on two or more generally related areas which would be difficult to combine into a single well-organized thesis. The solution is the multi-part thesis.

• Each part is considered a separate unit, with its own chapters, bibliography or list of references, and appendix (optional); or it may have a combined bibliography or list of references and appendix.
• A single abstract is required.
• The pages of a multi-part thesis are numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis, not through each part (therefore, the first page of Part II is not page 1).
• The chapter numbering begins with Chapter 1 for each part, or the chapters may be numbered consecutively.
• Pagination is consecutive throughout all parts, including numbered separation sheets between parts.
• Each part may be preceded by a separation sheet listing the appropriate number and title.

Thesis and Dissertation Guide

• « Thesis & Dissertation Resources
• The Graduate School Home
• Introduction

Copyright Page

Dedication, acknowledgements, preface (optional), table of contents.

• List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

List of Abbreviations

List of symbols.

• Non-Traditional Formats
• Font Type and Size
• Spacing and Indentation
• Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
• Formatting Previously Published Work
• Internet Distribution
• Open Access
• Registering Copyright
• Using Copyrighted Materials
• Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials
• Submission Steps
• Submission Checklist
• Sample Pages

I. Order and Components

Please see the sample thesis or dissertation pages throughout and at the end of this document for illustrations. The following order is required for components of your thesis or dissertation:

• Dedication, Acknowledgements, and Preface (each optional)
• Table of Contents, with page numbers
• List of Tables, List of Figures, or List of Illustrations, with titles and page numbers (if applicable)
• List of Abbreviations (if applicable)
• List of Symbols (if applicable)
• Introduction, if any
• Main body, with consistent subheadings as appropriate
• Appendices (if applicable)
• Endnotes (if applicable)
• References (see section on References for options)

Many of the components following the title and copyright pages have required headings and formatting guidelines, which are described in the following sections.

Please consult the Sample Pages to compare your document to the requirements. A Checklist is provided to assist you in ensuring your thesis or dissertation meets all formatting guidelines.

The title page of a thesis or dissertation must include the following information:

• The title of the thesis or dissertation in all capital letters and centered 2″ below the top of the page.
• Your name, centered 1″ below the title. Do not include titles, degrees, or identifiers. The name you use here does not need to exactly match the name on your university records, but we recommend considering how you will want your name to appear in professional publications in the future.

Notes on this statement:

• When indicating your degree in the second bracketed space, use the full degree name (i.e., Doctor of Philosophy, not Ph.D. or PHD; Master of Public Health, not M.P.H. or MPH; Master of Social Work, not M.S.W. or MSW).
• List your department, school, or curriculum rather than your subject area or specialty discipline in the third bracketed space. You may include your subject area or specialty discipline in parentheses (i.e., Department of Romance Languages (French); School of Pharmacy (Molecular Pharmaceutics); School of Education (School Psychology); or similar official area).
• If you wish to include both your department and school names, list the school at the end of the statement (i.e., Department of Pharmacology in the School of Medicine).
• A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Public Policy.
• A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the School of Dentistry (Endodontics).
• A thesis submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in the Department of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health.
• A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Education (Cultural Studies and Literacies).
• The words “Chapel Hill” must be centered 1″ below the statement.
• One single-spaced line below that, center the year in which your committee approves the completed thesis or dissertation. This need not be the year you graduate.
• Approximately 2/3 of the way across the page on the right-hand side of the page, 1″ below the year, include the phrase “Approved by:” (with colon) followed by each faculty member's name on subsequent double-spaced lines. Do not include titles such as Professor, Doctor, Dr., PhD, or any identifiers such as “chair” or “advisor” before or after any names. Line up the first letter of each name on the left under the “A” in the “Approved by:” line. If a name is too long to fit on one line, move this entire section of text slightly to the left so that formatting can be maintained.
• No signatures, signature lines, or page numbers should be included on the title page.

Include a copyright page with the following information single-spaced and centered 2″ above the bottom of the page:

© Year Author's Full Name (as it appears on the title page) ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

This page immediately follows the title page. It should be numbered with the lower case Roman numeral ii centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.

Inclusion of this page offers you, as the author, additional protection against copyright infringement as it eliminates any question of authorship and copyright ownership. You do not need to file for copyright in order to include this statement in your thesis or dissertation. However, filing for copyright can offer other protections.

See Section IV for more information on copyrighting your thesis or dissertation.

Include an abstract page following these guidelines:

• Include the heading “ABSTRACT” in all capital letters, and center it 2″ below the top of the page.
• One double-spaced line below “ABSTRACT”, center your name, followed by a colon and the title of the thesis or dissertation. Use as many lines as necessary. Be sure that your name and the title exactly match the name and title used on the Title page.
• One single-spaced line below the title, center the phrase “(Under the direction of [advisor's name])”. Include the phrase in parentheses. Include the first and last name(s) of your advisor or formal co-advisors. Do not include the name of other committee members. Use the advisor's name only; do not include any professional titles such as PhD, Professor, or Dr. or any identifiers such as “chair” or “advisor”.
• Skip one double-spaced line and begin the abstract. The text of your abstract must be double-spaced and aligned with the document's left margin with the exception of indenting new paragraphs. Do not center or right-justify the abstract.
• Abstracts cannot exceed 150 words for a thesis or 350 words for a dissertation.
• Number the abstract page with the lower case Roman numeral iii (and iv, if more than one page) centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.

Please write and proofread your abstract carefully. When possible, avoid including symbols or foreign words in your abstract, as they cannot be indexed or searched. Avoid mathematical formulas, diagrams, and other illustrative materials in the abstract. Offer a brief description of your thesis or dissertation and a concise summary of its conclusions. Be sure to describe the subject and focus of your work with clear details and avoid including lengthy explanations or opinions.

Your title and abstract will be used by search engines to help potential audiences locate your work, so clarity will help to draw the attention of your targeted readers.

You have an option to include a dedication, acknowledgements, or preface. If you choose to include any or all of these elements, give each its own page(s).

A dedication is a message from the author prefixed to a work in tribute to a person, group, or cause. Most dedications are short statements of tribute beginning with “To…” such as “To my family”.

Acknowledgements are the author's statement of gratitude to and recognition of the people and institutions that helped the author's research and writing.

A preface is a statement of the author's reasons for undertaking the work and other personal comments that are not directly germane to the materials presented in other sections of the thesis or dissertation. These reasons tend to be of a personal nature.

Any of the pages must be prepared following these guidelines:

• Do not place a heading on the dedication page.
• The text of short dedications must be centered and begin 2″ from the top of the page.
• Headings are required for the “ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS” and “PREFACE” pages. Headings must be in all capital letters and centered 2″ below the top of the page.
• The text of the acknowledgements and preface pages must begin one double-spaced line below the heading, be double-spaced, and be aligned with the document's left margin with the exception of indenting new paragraphs.
• Subsequent pages of text return to the 1″ top margin.
• The page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals (starting with the page number after the abstract) centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.

Include a table of contents following these guidelines:

• Include the heading “TABLE OF CONTENTS” in all capital letters, and center it 2″ below the top of the page.
• Include one double-spaced line between the heading and the first entry.
• The table of contents should not contain listings for the pages that precede it, but it must list all parts of the thesis or dissertation that follow it.
• If relevant, be sure to list all appendices and a references section in your table of contents. Include page numbers for these items but do not assign separate chapter numbers.
• Entries must align with the document's left margin or be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
• Major subheadings within chapters must be included in the table of contents. The subheading(s) should be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
• If an entry takes up more than one line, break up the entry about three-fourths of the way across the page and place the rest of the text on a second line, single-spacing the two lines.
• Include one double-spaced line between each entry.
• Page numbers listed in the table of contents must be located just inside the right page margin with leaders (lines of periods) filling out the space between the end of the entry and the page number. The last digit of each number must line up on the right margin.
• Information included in the table of contents must match the headings, major subheadings, and numbering used in the body of the thesis or dissertation.
• The Table of Contents page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.

Lists of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations

If applicable, include a list of tables, list of figures, and/or list of illustrations following these guidelines:

• Include the heading(s) in all capital letters, centered 1″ below the top of the page.
• Each entry must include a number, title, and page number.
• Assign each table, figure, or illustration in your thesis or dissertation an Arabic numeral. You may number consecutively throughout the entire work (e.g., Figure 1, Figure 2, etc.), or you may assign a two-part Arabic numeral with the first number designating the chapter in which it appears, separated by a period, followed by a second number to indicate its consecutive placement in the chapter (e.g., Table 3.2 is the second table in Chapter Three).
• Numerals and titles must align with the document's left margin or be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
• Page numbers must be located just inside the right page margin with leaders (lines of periods) filling out the space between the end of the entry and the page number. The last digit of each number must line up on the right margin.
• Numbers, titles, and page numbers must each match the corresponding numbers, titles, and page numbers appearing in the thesis or dissertation.
• All Lists of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.

If you use abbreviations extensively in your thesis or dissertation, you must include a list of abbreviations and their corresponding definitions following these guidelines:

• Include the heading “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS” in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the page.
• Arrange your abbreviations alphabetically.
• Abbreviations must align with the document's left margin or be indented to the right of the left page margin using consistent tabs.
• If an entry takes up more than one line, single-space between the two lines.
• The List of Abbreviations page(s) must be numbered with consecutive lower case Roman numerals centered with a 1/2″ margin from the bottom edge.

If you use symbols in your thesis or dissertation, you may combine them with your abbreviations, titling the section “LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS”, or you may set up a separate list of symbols and their definitions by following the formatting instructions above for abbreviations. The heading you choose must be in all capital letters and centered 1″ below the top of the page.

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​​It is rare for student papers to utilize a table of contents or list of tables/figures. However, documents that follow the  Saybrook Handbook of Format and Style (2020)  will need to include a table of contents and, in some cases, may also require a list of tables and/or figures.

Creating a Table of Contents

To generate a table of contents in Microsoft Word, use the following instructions.

• Make sure all headings that should appear in the table of contents are tagged with the appropriate style. For instructions, see our page  The Styles Pane ​.
• Place the cursor on the page where the table of contents should be.
• Click the References tab.
• Click the “Table of Contents" button. On the drop-down menu, select “Custom Table of Contents."
• Make sure the number of levels to be displayed is correct, according to how many heading levels are present in the document.
• Click “Modify." The new dialogue box lists each table of contents (TOC) level. TOC 1 corresponds to Heading 1, and so forth. Make sure each TOC level matches APA or  Saybrook Handbook of Format & Style  requirements by clicking TOC 1 so that it is blue, clicking “Modify," and adjusting the preset formatting rules as needed. Click “Okay." Repeat this process for each TOC level needed. When all formatting has been adjusted, click “Okay." The table of contents should be generated wherever the cursor is.

Anything that is tagged with a Heading style will be pulled into the table of contents and formatted there according to the TOC formatting input.

If a video walkthrough is beneficial, check out Microsoft 365's video “ How to add a table of contents in Microsoft Word ." This video presents the basic instructions for generating a table of contents. Additionally, check out Microsoft's webpage “ Format or customize a table of contents " for more details on how to make modifications to the table.

Updating the Entire Table of Contents: During the writing and revision process, headings may be added, deleted, or edited in the body of the paper. Rather than typing in new headings or editing headings in the table of contents manually, the table of contents can be automatically updated to match the document.

• Right-click anywhere over the table of contents.
• Select “Update Field."
• Select “Update entire table," then click “Okay."

Updating Page Numbers in the Table of Contents: Headings may shift to different pages during revision. The page numbers of a table of contents generated in Microsoft Word can be automatically updated.

• Right-click over the page numbers.
• Select “Update page numbers only," then click “Okay." 

Creating A List of Tables/Figures

Some longer works (e.g., dissertations) that use tables and/or figures must have a corresponding list of tables and/or figures. See ​ Formatting Tables & Figures ​ for more information about what lists of tables and/or figures are, what documents require them, and how they should be formatted.

The video  How to Insert a List of Tables or Figures in Word  from the Research Masterminds YouTube channel provides a thorough explanation of how to insert a list of tables or figures into your Word document. Watch the video or use the following instructions to insert a list of tables/figures.

• Highlight the name of the first table or figure (such as “Table 1").
• On the References tab, select “Insert Caption."
• In the window that pops up, make sure the Label is set to the correct type, either “Table" or “Figure." Click “Okay." This usually changes the font of the table/figure name so that it is formatted incorrectly.
• Edit the font of the table/figure name so that it is formatted correctly.
• Then, highlight the corrected font, go to the Home tab, and in “Styles," find the S​​tyle box marked “Caption."
• Right-click “Caption" and select “Update Caption to Match Selection." This will keep Microsoft Word from changing the font formatting of any other table/figure names that still need to be captioned.
• Proceed with captioning the rest of the tables/figures in order, following the steps given, with the exception of steps 4, 5, and 6, as there should be no need to edit font formatting.

Once all tables/figures are captioned, the list is ready to be generated.

• Put the cursor in the spot where the list of tables/figures should appear.
• Open the References tab and click “Insert Table of Figures."
• Under, “General," make sure the proper Caption label is selected, “Tables" or “Figures" depending on which list is being generated.
• The layout of the list can be modified by selecting “Modify," “Modify," and then updating formatting settings as needed.
• Click “Okay" to generate the list of tables/figures.
• If a second list is needed, insert a page break and follow the same instructions to generate the next list. ​
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List of Tables, List of Figures

If even one numbered table or figure appears in your manuscript, then a List of Tables and/or a List of Figures must be included in your manuscript following the Table of Contents. If both are used, arrange the List of Tables before the List of Figures.

NOTE: The templates were created using the 2013 version of Microsoft Word. If a template is downloaded in another version of Word or another word processing program, the formatting may be incorrect. Also, if a template is copied and pasted into another document, the settings of that document (margins, page number settings, font style, etc.) may affect the look of the template.

• List of Tables template (DOC)

This Microsoft Word document can be saved to your computer to use as a template. It was created using Microsoft Office 2013 version of Word. Please email [email protected] if you have problems with the download.

• List of Figures template (DOC)

The Graduate College at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Figures and tables.

Refer to the Sample (Straight Numbering) or Sample (Decimal Numbering) pages as you read through this section.

A thesis may include tables, figures, photographs, musical examples, charts, graphs, line drawings, maps, and other illustrative materials. In addition, a thesis may include statements such as definitions, corollaries, lemmas, theorems, propositions, and schemes. For the following discussion about numbering and placement, these items will be called figures.

• All figures must fit within the minimum 1-inch margins. Theses with any material extending beyond these margins will not be accepted for deposit.
• Figures must be numbered consecutively throughout the entire thesis. Students may choose from one of two options:
• A straight sequence (1, 2, 3, etc.). (Using this method, continue figure numbering from the previous chapter. Do not re-start the numbering at 1.)
• The decimal system (1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.1, 2.2, etc.), in which the first digit corresponds to the chapter number and the digit after the decimal point is the figure number within the chapter. (Do not number figures by section (e.g., 1.2.1, 1.3.2, or the like. Using this method, figures in Appendix A, B, C, and so forth would be numbered A.1, A.2, B.1, B.2, C.1 and so on.)
• Each type of content (figures, tables, etc.) should be numbered independently.
• Figure captions may be single-spaced and are not required to be set in the same font style or size as that of the main text.
• Figure captions should appear on the same page as the figure to which they refer.

Figure Placement

• Figures should not be placed out of the order in which they are numbered.
• If figures are grouped at the end of a chapter or the main text, each figure may be placed on a separate page.
• Multiple figures may be placed on the same page as long as doing so does not compromise their legibility.
• Figures grouped at the end of a chapter are considered a section, the first page of which should display the appropriate section heading (i.e., “Figures”, “Tables”, “Figures and Tables”, etc.).
• Figures grouped at the end of the main text are considered a chapter, the first page of which should display the appropriate chapter title (i.e., “Figures”, “Tables”, “Figures and Tables”, etc.).
• Do not add figure callouts (i.e., <place Figure 2.1 about here>) anywhere in the thesis.

Multiple-Page Figures

• Every page containing part of a multiple-page figure must include at least an abbreviated figure label such as “Figure 2.5 (cont.)”.
• The figure caption is only required to appear once; an abbreviated label may be used on subsequent pages.

Rotated Figures

• Page numbers, headings, captions, and titles may be rotated with the figure.

Color Figures

Use of color in the thesis is acceptable. However, because theses may be converted to black-and-white if they are archived on microfilm or partially reproduced on a black-and-white printer, labels, symbols and other data within figures should be identified through other means than the use of color.

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List Of Figures And Tables For Your Dissertation

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The list of figures and tables in a research paper , thesis, or dissertation provides a structured overview of graphic elements included in the paper. This list guides readers to find specific graphs, images, tables, or charts effortlessly. The process of compiling this list needs more than just listing the captions; it also requires proper formatting and sequencing in line with academic guidelines. This article explores creating a well-structured list of figures and tables with examples.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• 1 List of Figures and Tables – In a Nutshell
• 2 Definition: List of figures and tables
• 3 Creating the list of figures and tables in Word
• 4 Example list of figures and tables
• 5 List of figures and tables: Additional lists

List of Figures and Tables – In a Nutshell

The American Psychological Association publishes the APA style guide, which aims to:

• Facilitate concise academic and scholarly communication worldwide.
• Act as a reference for the various components and conventions of scientific and technical writing.
• Improve the readability of documents.

Definition: List of figures and tables

Tables show numerical values or text arranged in rows and columns. In contrast, figures typically consist of graphs, illustrations, or drawings.

The APA style guide defines figures as graphical displays other than tables, including photographs, graphics, charts, and non-textual information.

Suppose a dissertation contains one or more tables or figures. In that case, the APA guide specifies including a list of figures and tables as appropriate.

Every list of figures and tables includes a tabulated, numerical enumeration of the titles of each relevant item. This uniform and consistent approach enables dissertation readers – including examiners – to quickly scan and locate the sources, findings, and key points in long documents.

By following APA recommendations to make a list of figures and tables, college and university students can present their dissertations correctly.

List of Tables

Table 1             Title of Table One ……………………………………………………………………………..2 Table 2             Title of Table Two .…………………………………………………………………………….3 Table 3             Title of Table ‘Three ………………………………………………………………………….3

List of Figures

Figure 1            Title of Figure One …………………………………………………………………………..4 Figure 2            Title of Figure Two …………………………………………………………………………..5 Figure 3            Title of Figure Three ………………………………………………………………………..5

This article will delve into how to include a list of figures and tables in APA style in your dissertation.

Creating the list of figures and tables in Word

Creating a list of figures and tables is straightforward in most word processing software, such as Microsoft Word.

• Firstly, we must add captions to each figure or table. The figure number goes in bold above the figure (e.g. Figure 1). Then, the figure title appears as one double-spaced line below the figure number in italics in title case, i.e. with the first letter of major words capitalized.
• Next, use the command on the “References” menu to complete the detailed settings you require. On confirming, the software will create the list sorted by page number and include it in your document.

Note: It is essential to eschew plagiarism if you are creating a list of figures and tables based on copying from another document.

Also, remember that the source document settings and format may affect how the table looks in your new paper: font style, page number conventions, margin widths, etc.

• Firstly, we must add captions to each figure or table. The figure number goes in bold above the figure (e.g., Figure 1). Then, the figure title appears as one double-spaced line below the figure number in italics in title case, i.e., with the first letter of major words capitalized.

Further information on formatting standards for a list of figures and tables are on pages 225 to 250 of the APA Publication Manual 7th Edition (2020).

Example list of figures and tables

List of figures and tables: Additional lists

Other lists you might consider including in a dissertation are:

• A list of abbreviations
• A table of contents

After the title, approval signature, and copyright page(s) as applicable, we recommend you arrange the pages of a dissertation in the following order:

• Table of Contents

Occasionally, research results or lengthy analyses may extend to hundreds of rows. Instead of including all the detail, a clickable link or URL (universal resource locator) to an online version may be preferable.

We recommend opting for a data repository or an arXiv location, as privately hosted websites may change or disappear.

Best practice guidelines advocate the long-term availability of datasets for at least five years after publication. 2 Resources such as nature.com publish details of storage options by scientific field.

How do you list tables in a dissertation?

Your list of figures and tables comes after the table of contents. If both lists are present, the list of titles appears before the list of figures.

What are figure keys?

Figure legends (also known as keys) explain uncommon symbols used in the figure image. They should appear within the borders of the figure.

What are figure notes?

Figure notes explain, describe, clarify, or supplement the information in the image. Only some figures include notes, as and when necessary.

Where do I position notes for figures or tables?

According to the APA style guide, notes appear below the figure or table. Use double line spacing and left justification.

I’m so happy with how my dissertation turned out! The order process was very...

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• Updated 18 April 2024
• Published 24 December 2022

Dissertation Figure and Table List | Tips and Examples

Table of contents.

The list of figures or tables is part of the series on  how to write your dissertation  and it should be placed immediately following the table of contents in your dissertation. This list should include all figures or tables used in the document, along with their captions and corresponding page numbers. While these lists are not required, they can make the overall document more organized and easy to navigate. Additionally, be sure to provide descriptive captions for each figure or table, such as “High Field Quasi-Optical Experimental Setup” instead of simply “Experimental Setup.”

How to create a list of figures in Word

To create a list of figures, tables or even equations in MS Word, can be difficult if you do not know where to look. Below I explain with figures and text how to make your own list. For additional information, please consult the website of Microsoft Office .

• Place the cursor on the top of the page where you want the list of figures/tables to be.
• Go to References > Insert Table of Figures (Even if you want to make a list of tables or equations).

• In the dialog box, select the label for which you want to make the list from the “Caption Label Pulldown” (this can be Equation, Figures, Tables).
• You can change the formatting in the same dialog box to Formal.

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1. Flowchart of the research methodology……………………………………………………………………………………………1

Figure 2. Bar graph illustrating the relationship between X and Y variables……………………………….2

Figure 3. Scatterplot showing the correlation between A and B…………………………………………………………..3

Figure 4. Schematic diagram of the experimental setup…………………………………………………………………………4

Figure 5. Pie chart representing the distribution of survey responses……………………………………………5

Figure 6. Line graph depicting the trend of the data over time…………………………………………………………….6

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How necessary is a List of Figures and a List of Tables in a dissertation?

I am writing my dissertation (word-limit 10,000 words) and am wondering if I should include a separate List of Figures and List of Tables Section after my Table of Contents? The university guidelines do not specify whether they're required or not.

I will have about 3 figures and 4 tables when I'm finished.

• 5 Then do whatever you like (after asking your supervisor/advisor of course). –  seteropere Commented Mar 29, 2013 at 17:38

2 Answers 2

To be honest, with a short dissertation with only a few figures and tables, it probably doesn't really matter one way or the other.

If your institution's dissertation guidelines say anything about it, follow them. If not, I'd say just include the lists, unless you feel you have some good reason not to. In which case, don't. Your advisor should let you know if they believe such lists should be added or removed, anyway.

Or you could just ask your advisor about it to begin with.

You should definitely ask your advisor but normally you only need a list of tables or a list of figures if there will be more than 5 items in the list. For three or four items, I would not include a list.

However, in the schools I am familiar with, there are clear dissertation guidelines so it is understood what is expected. If it is unspecified then I would go with what I said above.

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Microsoft Word for Dissertations

Tips & tricks.

• 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
• The Two-inch Top Margin
• Troubleshooting
• Finalizing Without Styles
• Preparing Your Final Document

This is just a collection of tips and tricks we think you'll find useful, but which don't really fit anywhere else in this Guide.

How do I keep a table from splitting across two pages?

• An explanation of this is found in our instructions for "Exporting to PDF". Mac users will run into a problem if their file size is greater than about 40MB, so either follow the instructions under "Save as PDF/A > Mac", or save your file to PDF from a Windows machine.
• How do I integrate figures and supplemental figures in the same List of Figures?
• Rackham tells me my chapter titles need to be in title case. What is title case?
• Can I divide my dissertation into "Parts"?

• Go to the Home tab 

• In the dialog box that appears, click the Line and Page Breaks tab

• Click  OK .

Now, even if you add text above that table, as soon as it gets to the point that it would normally push the caption or the last row to another page, instead it will move the whole table and caption/title to the next page.

Exporting to PDF

After spending so much time ensuring that the Word document is accessible, it is now time to export the Word document to PDF so that all the accessibility features are preserved. First we'll make sure that your fonts will be embedded in your document (especially important if you're using specialized or uncommon fonts). Then we'll save the file in the PDF/A format,

What is PDF/A?

PDF/A is a variation of the PDF format that ensures a document can be reproduced exactly the same way, regardless of what software -- including screenreaders -- is used. Basically, all of the information necessary for displaying the document and its elements in the same manner is embedded in the file—leaving your documents safe, accessible, and secure for the long term. 

First, set Microsoft Word to embed fonts in your PDF

1) Edit the Save settings for Microsoft Word:

• On a Mac, open the Word menu and select Preferences
• On a Windows computer, go to the File tab and open Options

2) Then, select the  Save  settings and make sure the two options to "Embed fonts in the file" and "Embed only the characters used..." are checked.

3) Click OK (Windows) or close the Save settings window (Mac)

Second, save the file as PDF/A

For most things we do in Word, there's not much difference between Mac and Windows. Unfortunately, there are some differences when it comes to this particular process, and even some differences depending on your own computer setup.

 — WINDOWS —

With your file open, go to the File tab. If you see "Save as Adobe PDF" as an option, then:

• Click Save as Adobe PDF
• In the window that appears, click Options
• Check the box for "Create PDF/A-1a:2005 compliant file"
• Ensure that the boxes for "Create Bookmarks" and "Convert Word Headings to Bookmarks" are checked.
• Select a location to save your file, and click Save
• You're done

If you do NOT see "Save as Adobe PDF" as an option in the File tab, then:

• Click Save As
• Where the file format says "Word Document", click to open the menu and instead choose "PDF *.pdf"
• Select More options , which is right under "PDF (*.pdf)"
• In the window that appears, make sure "Optimize for:" is set to Standard
• Click Options
• In the Options window, check the box for "PDF/A compliant"
• Check the box for "Create bookmarks using: Headings"
• Click OK to close the window
• Select the location to save your file, and click Save

 — MAC —

Word on a Mac won't give you an option to save as PDF/A directly, so we'll first have to create a PDF and then use Adobe Acrobat to convert that file to PDF/A. This adds a few steps over what Windows users have to do, unfortunately.

• With your file open, go to the File menu and select Save As...
• From the File Format: pop-up menu, select "PDF"
• Select "Best for electronic distribution"
• If Word complains that your file is too big, then start again and this time instead of "Best for electronic distribution", choose "Best for Printing". This will happen if your file size is greater than about 40MB, and it just means that the Table of Contents and your various Lists won't be "clickable".  Rackham doesn't require that, and the document will still be accessible and in good shape when we're done.

Once your PDF is finished exporting, open it in Adobe Acrobat (not Acrobat Reader)

If you don't already have Adobe Acrobat on your computer, U-M students can download it for free from here . When you launch Acrobat, be sure to log in  with your umich credentials ( more info available here ).

• With your file open in Acrobat, open the File menu and select Save as Other
• Choose  Archivable PDF (PDF/A)

My chapter titles have to be in title case. What is title case?

Case has to do with which words should be capitalized. 

• lowercase means that none of the words are capitalized.
• Sentence case means you capitalize the first word of the sentence.
• I BET YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT UPPERCASE MEANS!
• And Title Case Means You Should Capitalize All the Major Words in the Text, but Not the Minor Ones.

If you're uncertain what might be a "major" or "minor" word, here's a fun little web site that will take care of it for you, based on the requirement of your particular Style Guide.

Can I divide my dissertation into "Parts"

Rackham generally prefers that you  not  divide your dissertation into Parts (Part I, Part II) in addition to chapters, but if you feel strongly that it is important for helping the reader understand or navigate your dissertation, then they won't turn you down if you include them.  But they  will  insist that the part title ("Part I") not be on a page by itself. So if you'd like to include Parts, place it just before the Chapter title, style the "Part" as Heading 1 and delete the "Chapter X" that will appear.  This will ensure that the title, "Part I", will have the two-inch top margin that Rackham requires.

Chapter 1 - Introduction

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FHFA Statistics 2024Q1 UAD Aggregate Statistics: Volume and Median Appraised Value for Both Purchase and Refinance Appraisals Rose over the Past Year and Quarter

The number of U.S. home appraisals increased both between the first quarters of 2023 and 2024 and the fourth quarter of 2023 and the first quarter of 2024. The median appraised value for both purchase and refinance appraisals also increased between the same periods.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) published the 2024Q1 update of the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) Aggregate Statistics Data File and Dashboards on June 27, 2024. [1]  The Agency is a trusted and leading source of housing finance data, and publishing the UAD Aggregate Statistics provides transparency to the public.  This blog presents key summary statistics from this most recent release of the data.

Changes in the Number of Appraisals and Median Appraised Value in the United States

In 2024Q1, as compared to the year-earlier period, the number of appraisals increased 2.3 percent for purchase and refinance loans combined, 0.1 percent for purchase loans only, and 9.2 percent for refinance loans only (see Table 1).  Over the same period, the median appraised value increased 3.1 percent for purchase loans and 8.1 percent for refinance loans.

Compared to the previous quarter, the number of appraisals in 2024Q1 increased 18.3 percent for purchase and refinance loans combined, 16.5 percent for purchase loans only, and 23.5 percent for refinance loans only (see Table 1).  This quarter-over-quarter increase in appraisal volume is significantly higher than previous years’ increases in the first quarter.  Since 2014, the number of first-quarter purchase appraisals has increased compared to the previous quarter every year except in 2020 and 2021, rising 4.1 percent, on average. [2]  

Finally, compared to the previous quarter, the median appraised value increased 2.6 percent for purchase loans and 3.1 percent for refinance loans. 

Table 1: Changes in Number of Appraisals and Median Appraised Value by Loan Purpose

Source : Federal Housing Finance Agency, Uniform Appraisal Dataset Aggregate Statistics

Year-Over-Year Changes in Median Appraised Values for Purchase Appraisals (2023Q1 – 2024Q1)

Figure 1 shows the year-over-year percent change in median appraised value for purchase appraisals for each state and the District of Columbia.  Forty-nine states and the District of Columbia witnessed increases, with the largest gains in Hawaii, Vermont, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and Maine. Oklahoma was the only state to experience a decline, dropping 0.4 percent.  

Figure 1: Year-Over-Year Changes in Median Appraised Value for Purchase Loans, 2023Q1–2024Q1

Year-Over-Year Changes in Median Appraised Values for Refinance Appraisals (2023Q1 – 2024Q1)

Figure 2 describes the year-over-year percent change in median appraised value for refinance appraisals for each state and the District of Columbia.  Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia experienced increased median appraised values, with the largest increases in New Jersey, South Dakota, Kansas, New York, and Nevada.  Declines were observed only in Delaware and Utah. 

Figure 2: Year-Over-Year Changes in Median Appraised Value for Refinance Loans, 2023Q1–2024Q1

Quarter-Over-Quarter Changes in Median Appraised Values for Purchase Appraisals (2023Q4-2024Q1)

Figure 3 depicts the quarter-over-quarter percent change in median appraised value for purchase appraisals for each state and the District of Columbia.  Forty-eight states and the District of Columbia witnessed increases, with the largest gains in the District of Columbia, Wisconsin, Illinois, New York, and New Hampshire.  Only Texas experienced a decline, while New Mexico experienced no change.

Figure 3: Quarter-Over-Quarter Changes in Median Appraised Value for Purchase Loans, 2023Q4-2024Q1

Quarter-Over-Quarter Changes in Median Appraised Values for Refinance Appraisals (2023Q4-2024Q1)

Figure 4 presents the quarter-over-quarter percent change in median appraised value for refinance appraisals for each state and the District of Columbia.  Thirty-eight states had increases in median appraised value, with the greatest increases in Maine, Virginia, Washington, Nebraska, and Nevada.  Twelve states had declines in median appraised value, with the largest in Wyoming, Idaho, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. 

Figure 4: Quarter-Over-Quarter Changes in Median Appraised Value for Refinance Loans, 2023Q4-2024Q1

The 2024Q1 UAD Aggregate Statistics show that the number of appraisals increased over both the last year and the last quarter.  Meanwhile, the median appraised value for purchase appraisals increased from last year, with the largest increases spread out in the Northeast, Midwest, and West.  Similarly, the median appraised value rose over the quarter for purchase appraisals, with the largest increases occurring in the Northeast and Midwest. 

The median appraised value for refinance appraisals rose over the last year and quarter.  Year-over-year increases were spread throughout all regions of the United States.  Fourteen states experienced year-over-year increases in median appraised value of over 10 percent for refinance appraisals.  The quarter-over-quarter changes were more mixed, with declines more prevalent in the South and the Mountain states. 

These trends reported in this blog could be further explored with the UAD Aggregate Statistics and other FHFA data.  The UAD Aggregate Statistics continue to serve as a key resource to glean information on appraisals.  For additional aggregate statistics at the national, state, county, census tract, and metropolitan area levels, see the UAD Aggregate Statistics Advanced Analytics Dashboard , State and County Dashboards , and Census Tracts Dashboard .  Trends in the Top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas are available in our interactive dashboard: Top 100 Metro Areas Dashboard .

[1] FHFA derives UAD Aggregate Statistics from aggregating UAD appraisal records. The UAD is a standardized industry dataset for appraisal information that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac receive electronically through the Uniform Collateral Data Portal© (UCDP©). The UAD Aggregate Statistics data universe is comprised of single-family properties appraised using Fannie Mae Form 1004/Freddie Mac Form 70. FHFA excludes condominiums, manufactured homes, small multifamily rental properties, and other non-standard appraisals. The universe includes properties appraised for the purposes of a sale or refinance. FHFA excludes other types of appraisals, such as construction loan appraisals. FHFA includes appraisals for properties in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, and excludes the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. For more information, please refer to the UAD Aggregate Statistics Data File Overview document .

[2] The average first-quarter percent change in the number of appraisals was calculated by averaging the percent changes between the fourth and the first quarters each year from 2013 to 2024.

By: Rashida Dorsey-Johnson

Branch Chief, Statistical Products

Office of the Chief Data Officer

Division of Research and Statistics

By: Diego Saltes

Senior Survey Statistician, Statistical Products Branch

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Methodology

• How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates

Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.

What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .

There are five key steps to writing a literature review:

• Search for relevant literature
• Evaluate sources
• Identify themes, debates, and gaps
• Outline the structure
• Write your literature review

A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.

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Table of contents

What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.

• Quick Run-through
• Step 1 & 2

When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:

• Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
• Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
• Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
• Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
• Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.

Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.

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Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.

• Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
• Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
• Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
• Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)

You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.

Download Word doc Download Google doc

Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .

If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .

Make a list of keywords

Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.

• Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
• Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
• Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth

Search for relevant sources

Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:

• Your university’s library catalogue
• Google Scholar
• Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
• Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
• EconLit (economics)
• Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)

You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.

Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.

You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.

For each publication, ask yourself:

• What question or problem is the author addressing?
• What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
• What are the key theories, models, and methods?
• Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
• What are the results and conclusions of the study?
• How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?

Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.

You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.

Take notes and cite your sources

As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.

It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.

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To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:

• Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
• Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
• Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
• Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
• Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?

This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.

• Most research has focused on young women.
• There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
• But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.

There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).

Chronological

The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.

Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.

If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.

For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.

Methodological

If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:

• Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
• Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
• Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources

Theoretical

A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.

You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.

Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.

The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.

Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.

As you write, you can follow these tips:

• Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
• Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
• Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
• Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts

In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.

When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !

This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.

Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.

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If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Sampling methods
• Simple random sampling
• Stratified sampling
• Cluster sampling
• Likert scales
• Reproducibility

 Statistics

• Null hypothesis
• Statistical power
• Probability distribution
• Effect size
• Poisson distribution

Research bias

• Optimism bias
• Cognitive bias
• Implicit bias
• Hawthorne effect
• Anchoring bias
• Explicit bias

A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .

It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.

There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:

• To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
• To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
• To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
• To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
• To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic

Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.

The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

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Politics | Biden vs. Trump: How to watch and what to look…

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Politics | Biden vs. Trump: How to watch and what to look for in first debate

Inflation, war, abortion, competency; all this and more figures to be on the table in the earliest face-off in presidential campaign history..

If you’re thinking it’s early for such a showdown — technically neither Biden nor Trump is their party’s official nominee — you’re not wrong. This is the earliest presidential debate in U.S. history.

But, history aside, the early debate is crucial for both candidates. Polling shows both men struggle with likeability. Both also face questions about their ages and mental fitness and competency to be the commander in chief. And Trump brings the additional baggage of his recent felony convictions in a hush-money case.

Though debates offer the candidates a chance to present their policies in an unvarnished way to a huge audience, debates also are theater, a stage on which candidates can perform in a way that — they hope — appeals to voters. That means debates also are a potential minefield, a unique opportunity to slip up or, conversely, to cause their opponent to appear unprepared.

In an era of social media and wall-to-wall news coverage, such moments could haunt or help either candidate for the remainder of the campaign.

“Both Biden and Trump are defined by their weaknesses,” said Dan Schnur, who teaches political messaging at USC and UC Berkeley. “And both need to find a way to reassure skeptical voters that those weaknesses shouldn’t determine their vote.”

For Biden, that’s age. Though at 81 he’s only three years older than Trump,  a special counsel report this year described Biden’s memory as “hazy” with “significant limitations.” While Biden’s camp has howled that the description wasn’t fair, the report echoed polling that suggests much of the American public is worried about his competency.

For Trump, one concern is conduct. The former president, known for his volatile and at times outright offensive off-the-cuff remarks, often lashes out at opponents or people he does not like. With his penchant for verbal attacks, it wouldn’t be surprising if Trump hits his opponent over his son, Hunter Biden, who this month was convicted of felony federal gun charges .

Biden, on the other hand, might talk about Trump’s own criminal convictions . Biden’s campaign recently rolled out ads in battleground states highlighting Trump’s legal woes, even though the president previously had generally stayed away from the issue.

And Trump, who just turned 78, has faced questions about his own competency as well, particularly in the wake of recent speeches in which he spoke about sharks and electrocutions .

A CBS News poll from June 13 shows nearly one in four of all voters (23%) believe neither Biden nor Trump has the “mental and cognitive health” to be president, while just one in 12 voters (8%) think both men are up to the task.

Still, allies for both men are hoping their candidates stay on message about policy.

And, on that front, one of the biggest topics figures to be immigration.

Juggling the issues

Recent polling shows immigration — along with the economy — is top of mind for many California voters.

For Biden, the debate comes fresh on the heels of recent whipsaw actions on immigration.

On June 4, he signed an executive order to limit migrants’ asylum requests at the southern border and let immigration officials speed up the process of deporting people who illegally enter the U.S. Two weeks later he announced a program meant to help migrant families stay together and aid recipients of deferred action to more swiftly get work visas under certain conditions, a policy that could affect about 500,000 people.

Immigration has been one of the toughest challenges Biden has faced as president, and he’s expected to go on the offensive with it during tonight’s debate, according to CNN , which is hosting the contest.

Trump’s advisors, too, have implored him to focus on issues like crime, inflation and immigration, CNN reported .

For Trump, a topic that’s proven difficult to navigate is abortion.

His views on the issue haven’t been particularly consistent . Prior to running for president, Trump said he was pro-choice, but he also backed legislation to ban abortion. As president, he nominated conservative justices to the Supreme Court, and three of his appointees were on the high court two years ago this month when it stripped away constitutional protections for abortion — something Trump reminded conservative voters about as recently as last week. Yet he’s also avoided backing an outright national ban on abortion.

While voters’ opinions on abortion have fluctuated over time, polling in the two years since the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade has shown a strong swing in favor of abortion rights.

“Trump has to convince (swing) voters that he is more compassionate on abortion than they believe,” said Schnur.

Another sticking point in the debate could be foreign policy, especially the Israel-Hamas war.

Biden has had to walk a tight line between defending Israel, a long-time ally, and supporting Palestinians, a priority, particularly, among the more progressive wing of his party. Trump has said he supports Israel, though he too has urged a quick end to the war.

Related: Biden-Trump debate: Where and when to watch it

The House effect

How the candidates fare in Thursday’s debate doesn’t impact just the Biden and Trump campaigns.

Most voters who identify as Democrats and Republicans have, it’s safe to say, already made up their minds on which of the two presidential candidates they’re supporting come November.

But how the political parties reach swing voters is crucial, particularly for tight congressional races in Southern California and around the country.

There are a few close House races in California, in particular, that will determine which party has the speaker’s gavel whenever either Biden or Trump (presumably) is in the White House next year. Key races include the 27th congressional district in Los Angeles County, the 41st in the Inland Empire, and the 45th and 47th in Orange County.

Suppose either candidate uses the debate to take a hardline position on an issue that turns off swing voters. If it happens, House candidates will have to decide just how much they can align with their party’s nominee.

Newsom’s in the building

Fresh off a pre-recorded and political State of the State address , Gov. Gavin Newsom is headed to Atlanta to serve as a post-debate surrogate for the Biden campaign.

Newsom has traveled around the country to campaign for Biden; he was even at a Republican presidential primary debate last year in Simi Valley to tout the president. But his involvement with the debate (he’ll be in the ‘spin room’ post-debate, talking about Biden’s accomplishments on stage, much as conservative allies of Trump will be offering commentary to boost their candidate) only underscores rumors about Newsom’s political ambitions.

“To be fair to Newsom, every supporter of the two candidates isn’t necessarily running for president in four years,” said Schnur. “But most of those other surrogates haven’t been traveling around the country for the last several months expanding their national profile either.”

How to watch

The 90-minute contest will be live on CNN at 6 p.m. local time. Check your local listings for channels that will carry the debate.

The debate can also be streamed online. USA Today, for example, will broadcast it on its YouTube page . Two CNN anchors, Dana Bash and Jake Tapper will serve as debate moderators.

The one-on-one matchup of Biden and Trump will have some rules that haven’t been used in every other presidential debate. For example, there will be no live audience and no opening remarks. Also, candidate microphones will be muted except when it’s their turn to speak. Only paper, pen and a bottle of water will be available to Biden and Trump during the debate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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