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Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Published on 8 June 2022 by Tegan George .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Download Word template Download Google Docs template

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

Example 1: Passive construction

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

Example 2: IS-AV construction

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

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

Example 3: The I construction

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

Example 4: Mix-and-match

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cite this Scribbr article

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

George, T. (2022, June 08). Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved 14 May 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/outline-thesis-dissertation/

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Theses: Templates

Finding theses @ Soton
Deposit - Faculty Office
Deposit - PGR Manager & Pure
Thesis Data Deposit
Restricting Access
Info. for Faculty Admin
Info. for Supervisors

Useful Links

Library Research Services home page

Guidance from Quality Handbook :

Producing your thesis
Submitting your thesis
Permission to Deposit Thesis Form
Permission to Deposit Thesis - Guidance
Declaration of authorship form
Submission of a Research Paper PhD Thesis: Guidance
Intention to submit research thesis form

There are also examples of the thesis title and abstract pages in submission and completion section of the Quality Handbook .

Data Management Plan for your PhD

Data Management Plans for Doctoral Students (Blackboard Course)

Data Management Plan guidance

For open access and institutional repository enquiries [email protected]

For research data management queries please email [email protected]

Need further help? Use our L ibrary Research Skills support service

Thesis Templates

The University provides templates in Word and LateX which meet the requirements set out in the Regulations.

Training : iSolutions also offer sessions on using Word to work with text, graphics and page layout in your thesis and turning your thesis into a PDF/A. The full course schedule and booking links can be found in the PGR Development Hub

Word or LaTeX?

LaTeX is extensively used by engineers and scientists because it handles maths and equations brilliantly, and by linguists because it can cope with multiple (and obscure) languages. The University now offers Professional Accounts via Overleaf. Sign up for an account via the University of Southampton portal .

Word is the most widely used word processing software in the university. Unless you will be including lots of special character sets or equations, we would recommend using Word.

Whole thesis template

Use this to produce the whole thesis in one long Word document. It contains all of the required sections from title page to bibliography, with refreshable Tables of Contents, Table of Figures and Table of Tables.

Word template help
Always use in conjunction with the Quality Handbook Producing your thesis guidance

Separate Chapter, Front Matter & End Matter templates for Word & Mac

If you don’t wish use the whole document template then use these to create each chapter of the thesis and the front matter. It comes ready made with usable styles that meet the University’s thesis Guidance requirements

Chapter template for Word 2007 /2010 /2013 /2016 (PC) or 2008 /2011 /2016 (Mac)
Front matter template for Word 2007 /2010 /2013 /2016 (PC) or 2008 /2011 /2016 (Mac)
End Matter for Word 2007 /2010 /2013 /2016 (PC) or 2008 /2011 /2016 (Mac)

Copyright Statement coversheet

All e-theses require the University thesis copyright statement is included in front of the main title page in the final e-version submitted. The wording of the statement should not be altered in any way.

The Word template (PC or Mac) above has the statement included but earlier versions did not. Should the statement be missing from your file it should be:

added before creating the final pdf version
located in front of the main title page using the document below
should not be included in the numbering of the thesis.

LaTeX templates currently do not include instruction on how to add the statement so it will need it to be added individually as a single double-sided page. Alternatively, add the pdf version into your final pdf file using Adobe Acrobat Pro.

The statement is not required in the print copies submitted for examination or as a final copy.

Thesis Copyright Statement Thesis copyright statement cover sheet
Thesis Copyright Statement PDF version of the thesis copyright statement to be included in every thesis

The following guides outline how this can be done in Word documents.

Adding copyright statement in Word (PC) Guide to adding the statement in Word on a PC
Adding copyright statement in Word (Mac) Guide to adding the statement in Word on a Mac

Visual guides are also available on YouTube:

Using UoS Thesis Templates

iSolutions have created a training guide to introduce the Word template for theses and show you how to use a range of useful Word features to make creating and working with your thesis easier. These also direct you to relevant LinkedIn Learning.com videos on the use of features in Word.

Thesis guidance

iSolutions also offer sessions on using Word to work with text, graphics and page layout in your thesis. The full course schedule and booking links can be found in the PGR Development Hub

LaTeX Templates

Support for the use of LaTeX can be found on the Overleaf website . LaTeX is also supported by a wide online community - see LaTeX Project .

How to make sure your thesis is an archival PDF/A

Your final University e-thesis must submitted in an accessible and archival format so that it will be readible in years to come, currently this format is PDF/A-3 .

Mac users If you are using Word for Mac then start by using the Save As PDF facility. This produces a really good baseline file to continue working on in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. If for any reason you are not happy with the output as this process, then try converting the file by using Adobe Acrobat Pro's own 'Create a PDF from'. If you are still not happy with the result then contact serviceline to discuss other options.
PC users For PC users the Adobe Acrobat Pro DC facility will produce the best output. You'll find the steps below under the heading Create the PDF for PC below.
LaTeX to PDF/A-3 If you are using Overleaf, the automatic pdf conversion will be create a PDF/A file. Overleaf have created instructions on how to make sure your LaTeX PDF conforms to the archival standards . Please note we would prefer that you chose a-3b (propritising display) or a-3u (prioritising searchability) rather than a-1b. You may find the following paper helpful: Moore, R. (2014). PDF/A-3u as an Archival Format for Accessible Mathematics . In: Watt, S.M., Davenport, J.H., Sexton, A.P., Sojka, P., Urban, J. (eds) Intelligent Computer Mathematics. CICM 2014. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 8543. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-08434-3_14 , also available as an ArXiv pre-print .

Checking you PDF/A accessibility: You can check how well your PDF meets the PDF/A accessibility standards using the Abode Acrobat Pro preflight checker and the accessibility checker .

How to download Abode Acrobat Pro: Details of how to access or download Adobe Acrobat Pro DC can be found at iSolutions' How to install Adobe Acrobat DC Advice page .

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Last Updated: May 7, 2024 10:13 AM
URL: https://library.soton.ac.uk/thesis

What’s Included: The Dissertation Template

If you’re preparing to write your dissertation, thesis or research project, our free dissertation template is the perfect starting point. In the template, we cover every section step by step, with clear, straightforward explanations and examples .

The template’s structure is based on the tried and trusted best-practice format for formal academic research projects such as dissertations and theses. The template structure reflects the overall research process, ensuring your dissertation or thesis will have a smooth, logical flow from chapter to chapter.

The dissertation template covers the following core sections:

The title page/cover page
Abstract (sometimes also called the executive summary)
Table of contents
List of figures /list of tables
Chapter 1: Introduction (also available: in-depth introduction template )
Chapter 2: Literature review (also available: in-depth LR template )
Chapter 3: Methodology (also available: in-depth methodology template )
Chapter 4: Research findings /results (also available: results template )
Chapter 5: Discussion /analysis of findings (also available: discussion template )
Chapter 6: Conclusion (also available: in-depth conclusion template )
Reference list

Each section is explained in plain, straightforward language , followed by an overview of the key elements that you need to cover within each section. We’ve also included practical examples to help you understand exactly what’s required in each section.

The cleanly-formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX.

FAQs: Dissertation Template

What format is the template (doc, pdf, ppt, etc.).

The dissertation template is provided as a Google Doc. You can download it in MS Word format or make a copy to your Google Drive. You’re also welcome to convert it to whatever format works best for you, such as LaTeX or PDF.

What types of dissertations/theses can this template be used for?

The template follows the standard best-practice structure for formal academic research projects such as dissertations or theses, so it is suitable for the vast majority of degrees, particularly those within the sciences.

Some universities may have some additional requirements, but these are typically minor, with the core structure remaining the same. Therefore, it’s always a good idea to double-check your university’s requirements before you finalise your structure.

Will this work for a research paper?

A research paper follows a similar format, but there are a few differences. You can find our research paper template here .

Is this template for an undergrad, Masters or PhD-level thesis?

This template can be used for a dissertation, thesis or research project at any level of study. It may be slight overkill for an undergraduate-level study, but it certainly won’t be missing anything.

How long should my dissertation/thesis be?

This depends entirely on your university’s specific requirements, so it’s best to check with them. As a general ballpark, Masters-level projects are usually 15,000 – 20,000 words in length, while Doctoral-level projects are often in excess of 60,000 words.

What about the research proposal?

If you’re still working on your research proposal, we’ve got a template for that here .

We’ve also got loads of proposal-related guides and videos over on the Grad Coach blog .

How do I write a literature review?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack how to write a literature review from scratch. You can check out the literature review section of the blog here.

How do I create a research methodology?

We have a wealth of free resources on the Grad Coach Blog that unpack research methodology, both qualitative and quantitative. You can check out the methodology section of the blog here.

Can I share this dissertation template with my friends/colleagues?

Yes, you’re welcome to share this template. If you want to post about it on your blog or social media, all we ask is that you reference this page as your source.

Can Grad Coach help me with my dissertation/thesis?

Within the template, you’ll find plain-language explanations of each section, which should give you a fair amount of guidance. However, you’re also welcome to consider our dissertation and thesis coaching services .

Dissertations & projects: Formatting

Research questions
The process of reviewing
Project management
Literature-based projects

Jump to content on these pages:

You are not being examined on your ability to use Microsoft Word. The Skills Team have therefore provided you with a template that already has most of the formatting work done for you. This has been approved centrally by the university.

This page has links to the template, guidance document and videos to support you with using the official University of Hull MS Word templates for creating undergraduate dissertations or independent projects or taught masters dissertations. This is not a mandatory template, but using it will streamline the formatting of such a long document.

University templates

The University has created templates which can help take the stress out of formatting your dissertation or final year project.

Students studying any subject other than those listed below can use the general template provided:

Download the undergraduate final year project or dissertation template here

Download the taught masters dissertation template here

Modified versions

In some disciplines, the undergraduate template has been modified and is available via your dissertation or independent project module's Canvas site. Currently this is the case for the following subject areas:

Biomedical Sciences

Guidance document

Templates guidance document

It includes information on:

Working with template files
Working with text (styles, table of contents)
Working with images and tables (captions)
Adding landscape pages

Whilst this says it is for undergraduate dissertations, it is also relevant to the taught masters template.

Video support

We have created a set of videos to support you with using the template. These can be accessed below.

The videos below cover the following (click or tap to jump to video):

Downloading the template and filling in the title page.
Using styles and updating the table of contents.
Labelling your figures and tables.
Using the cross-referencing tool to refer to figures and tables.
Adding a landscape page to your document.

Please note that there is a separate playlist for using the History template: Using the UoH undergraduate dissertation template for History .

Video 1: Downloading the UG dissertation or independent project template and filling in front matter

Note that if you have downloaded the template already from the link above, you can skip to 1 min 30 sec.

Video 2: Using styles and updating the table of contents

Video 3: Labelling your figures and tables

Video 4: Using the cross-referencing tool to refer to figures and tables

This is an optional feature - if you don't have many tables or figures you may wish to do this manually.

Video 5: Adding a landscape page to your document

Not everyone will need this feature but it is useful for large tables or some figures.

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Last Updated: Apr 24, 2024 1:09 PM
URL: https://libguides.hull.ac.uk/dissertations
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Microsoft word thesis template for research students

Frances Ryan in the School of Computing has created a standardised Thesis template for research degree students.

The template is a good example of how to layout and structure a thesis, and can be downloaded below.

Please note that you should discuss the eventual structure and content of your thesis with your supervisor, and this template may not apply to all theses.

*** DOWNLOAD WORD THESIS TEMPLATE HERE *** (.docx file)

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Research thesis – how to produce it in microsoft word and converting it to a pdf/a-3, more like this.

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This article contains a list of useful links about producing and converting your research thesis to a PDF/A-3. It contains direct links to the university thesis templates, training seminars, and guidelines.

This article is a repository – all the links and information listed along with the article are published on the following pages:

University thesis guidance
Word: creating a thesis: Six steps to PC thesis heaven series
Producing your thesis in Word
Thesis Seminars: Using Microsoft Word to create your thesis
Videos of previous Doctoral College seminars and recordings
Creating accessible PDFs
Theses deposit through PGR Manager and Pure
Producing your thesis - a guide for research students
Submitting your thesis - a guide for research students

To convert your thesis to PDF/A-3 you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Pro installed on your computer. To know how to download and install Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, please read the article How to install Adobe Acrobat Pro .

Set out to create an accessible document as you work, step 3 – manage tables, graphics, references, and layout settings, standard checks, accessibility checks, step 5 – finishing check-list, converting your file from the desktop version of word for windows, converting a word file to pdf using ms word’s conversion tool, converting your file from the desktop version of word for apple macos, converting your file from word web access, converting pdfs to pdf/a-3, submission and completion, video tutorials, no file title, no file tagging tree, use of symbol font which pdf/a-3 will not accept, unable to find the pdf/a-3 option in adobe pro, preflight profiles do not appear on acrobat installed on windows pc, no access to adobe pro, related content, how to create a pdf document compliant with the university guidelines, step 1 – download and start using the university word templates.

The University provides templates which meet the requirements set out in the Producing your thesis and Submitting your thesis guidelines.

Use these templates to produce the whole thesis in one long Word document. It contains all the required sections, including:

The Title page
Abstract page
Refreshable Tables of Contents
Table of contents
Table of Tables
Table of Figures
Bibliography

Download the template from the page Thesis templates .

Creating accessible documents in Word is one of the best practices you should always keep in mind.

Accessibility is an important legal requirement to ensure that information is available to all. The University is regarded as a public body under the 2018 accessibility regulations and so must be compliant with its requirements.

By using Word’s accessibility checker to create an accessible Word file, you will be sure that:

All users can use it with or without the aid of assistive technology software and devices.
As much work as possible has been done in the source file.
Accessibility features can also be migrated across to the PDF whenever a new version of the PDF is created. Not putting the work in on the Word file would mean that this accessibility work must be repeated in Adobe every time a PDF is created.
You will save time when submitting your thesis and help meet some of the PDF/A-3 requirements for thesis submission to PGRManager and Pure .

To know more about this topic and find guidance, we recommend taking a look at the SharePoint page Creating accessible PDFs .

Step 2 – Build your document using Styles

Styles are a collection of formatting and reviewing features that have been given a name.

You can use styles to:

Keep your formatting consistent and controllable
Follow accessibility compliance
Generate auto-numbered headings
Use single-click document navigation
Assist in generating a refreshable Table of Contents
Assist in generating refreshable cross-referencing
Set up the use of proofing with several languages

To make life things easier, as mentioned earlier, you can use the University's thesis template. It already has a range of Styles suited to meeting the University's regulations.

To know more about Styles, visit the web page You want my advice? Learn Styles .

On every Word document, you can change the settings of:

References (including cross-references, footnotes, and table of figures)
Layout settings

If you need guidance, please:

1. Open the SharePoint site Producing your thesis in Word - Home

2. Look at the menu bar and select the right tab to discover the content available:

Step 4 – Review your document

Before going further, review your document as follows:

1. Open the SharePoint site Producing your thesis in Word - Home

2. Look at the menu bar and select the Reviewing tab

To know more about this topic and find guidance, we recommend taking a look at the SharePoint Creating accessible PDFs .

Before converting your Word file to PDF format, be sure that the following checklists have been completed:

Page layout
Accessibility check

We recommend running an accessibility check after making all the changes. Changing your file after running the check may have an impact on the accessibility of the file.

Step 6 - Convert your file to Adobe PDF

Follow the instructions below to produce a good baseline file to continue working on in Adobe Acrobat Pro. You can find further information on the SharePoint page Creating accessible PDFs .

We recommend installing Adobe Acrobat Pro before converting your file. If you need help, read the article " How to install Adobe Acrobat Pro ".

1. Before starting, ensure that:

You have added all required file properties and metadata
You have saved the file.

2. Complete the steps in the sections Setting Acrobat preferences for Windows (steps 1-16).

3. Open your file

4. From the menu bar, select the Acrobat tab

5. Select the button Create PDF . If the Word file has not been saved, then you will be asked to do so – select Yes .

6. In the Save Adobe PDF File As dialog box navigate to the location in which to save the file

7. In the File name field enter the name of the new file

8. Select Save

1. Select the File menu

2. Select Save a copy

3. Select Browse

4. Navigate to the required file location

5. Set the Save as type field to PDF (*.pdf)

6. Set the Optimize for field to Standard (publishing online and printing)

7. Select Options

8. In the Options dialog box tick the Create bookmarks using box, and beneath it select Headings

9. Tick Document properties

10. Tick Document structure tags for accessibility

11. Select OK

12. In the Save As dialog box you may want to tick Open file after publishing , then select Save

1. Open your file

2. From the menu bar, select the File tab

3. Select the option Save As…

4. In the Save As... dialogue box:

Enter the name of the new file
Navigate to the location in which to save the file
Select the file format to be PDF
Select the option " Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (uses Microsoft online service) "

5. Select the button Export

3. Select the option Save As

4. Select the option Download as PDF

5. Select the button Download

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If you are required to apply PDF archiving requirements (such as PDF/A-3) then you will need to ensure that the file is saved in a specific format.

PDF/A formats are an internationally recognised archive format. This means the document will be openable by future technology by meeting a set of strict requirements. A final University e thesis must be submitted in such a format and this is so our research will be available in years to come.

If you need guidance on creating a PDF/A-3 from your thesis’ PDF, watch the video below or follow the SharePoint page Create accessible PDFs - Save .

Find further information about this topic on the page Submission and Completion - Quality Handbook .

Word: creating a thesis: Six steps to PC thesis heaven series
Doctoral College thesis in Word seminars
PGR Session_Creating a PDF_A–3a version of your thesis from Word

Common issues and fixes

If your document does not contain the document’s title, Adobe will show you an error message like the following one:

Adobe error message saying that the Title check failed

The document's title:

Does not coincide with the file name
Is part of the file properties and metadata
Is often a more meaningful and user-friendly name than the file name and this is the preferred metadata by accessibility screen readers.
For a PhD thesis, this should be the thesis title.

To fix this problem, follow the instructions listed in the page File properties and metadata.

If your document is missing the file tagging three, adobe will show you the following error message:

Use the correct conversion options to bring this across – If you need help, read the information published within the section " Step 6 - Convert your file to Adobe PDF "
Also, check if the correct Heading Styles and hierarchy has been used in the source Word file.

If your document is using a symbol font (for example: Symbols, Wingdings), Adobe will show you the following error message:

How to fix this problem:

Run the Report. If you need help to create the report, read the guide Creating a PDF/A file conversion report . This guide explains how to get the PDF/A-3 error report and the example given in step 8 shows how individual instances of Symbol can be identified in the file.
Fix all examples in the source file. Find further information about symbols for PC and Mac in the page Symbols .
Reconvert to PDF then to PDF/A-3.

It might happen that you are not able to find the PDF/A-3 option or find that the PDF/A-3 option is disabled.

You might not be able to convert your PDF to PDF/A-3 because there are no profiles listed under the "Profiles" field.

To fix this problem you need to import Preflight profiles as follows:

Open Adobe Acrobat
Select the Tool tab
Select the Print production icon
From the right sidebar, select the option Preflight
Select the button Options
Select the option Import Profile…
Select Local Disk (C:) from the sidebar on the left
Select the folder Program files
Select the folder Adobe
Select the folder Acrobat
Scroll down and select the folder plug_ins
Select the folder Preflight
Select the file Default.kfp
The File name field will be populated with "Default.kfp"
Select the button Open

Adobe will bring back all the missing default files and will populate your Preflight field:

To know how to download and install Adobe Acrobat Pro, read the article " How to install Adobe Acrobat Pro ".

PGR Development Hub - Home

Good practice for writing links

Making inclusive font choices

Good practice for creating a PDF from your Word file

Good practice for formatting headings in Word

How to install Adobe Acrobat Pro

Missing Preflight Profiles in Adobe Acrobat

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University of Southampton thesis template for MS Word 2010/2013/2016 (PC) and 2011/2016 (Mac)

The template is for use with both Word 2010/2013/2016 for PC and Word 2011/2016 for Apple Mac. The template that used to be stored here in EdShare has been moved. Please see the links on the document now stored in this resource. The template provides a structure and format that meets with the University's quality requirements for a thesis such as mirror margins to allow for double-sided printing. It is not compulsory to use the template when writing a thesis, however it's use, in conjunction with the supporting material referenced at the start of the template, will make your thesis well presented and should save you a lot of time and effort. If you have Word 2003 there is a separate template for this version of Word available. Since this is not a University supported version of Office there are no supporting videos.

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Tools to use when writing a thesis using Word 2011 (for Apple computers)
Tools to use when writing a thesis in Word 2010/2013 (PC)

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Formatting Your Thesis

Thesis layout and presentation, conversion to pdf, depositing associated multimedia files, creating an edited version of your thesis, presentation of the print thesis.

University guidelines on the layout and presentation of your thesis are available. It is recommended that you consult them if you are unsure of how to present your thesis. You should also check with your School if they have any specific requirements for thesis presentation.

For further help with preparing your thesis you are strongly encouraged to attend the course on ' Using Word to prepare your thesis ' run by IT Services. This course is primarily based on the University guidelines mentioned already.

The required format for deposit in the Theses Service is PDF. It is assumed that you will be using a standard piece of software to create the electronic version of your thesis, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer or LaTeX. Before you deposit your thesis you need to convert it to PDF format. Ideally your thesis should consist of a single PDF file . However, it is acceptable to deposit a small number of individual files if you experience major difficulties in producing a single file for conversion to PDF. Before converting to PDF you need to ensure that you have incorporated any elements of the thesis created in programmes such as Excel, Access, PowerPoint etc. into the main body of the thesis. If using Microsoft Word to produce your thesis, you should do this by using the Insert>Object, Insert>Picture or Insert>File options rather than by copying and pasting. However, if there are e.g. multimedia elements that you are unable to incorporate into the main body of your thesis it may be possible to to upload these as a separate file. See Depositing associated multimedia file s for more information on what can be deposited. Details of how to deposit associated multimedia files can be found in Depositing your thesis .

For help and advice on preparing the electronic version of your thesis you will find it extremely useful to attend the course on ' Using Word to prepare your thesis' run by IT Services. The course will include information on how to convert your thesis to PDF. While you are strongly encouraged to attend this course, the documentation for the course can also be accessed here:

Main course notes [ PDF - campus only]

University thesis preparation guidelines [ PDF - campus only]

List of thesis styles [ PDF - campus only]

Template 1 - to be used when ready to combine chapters and create complete thesis [Word template file Thesis1_2010.dotx - campus only]

Template 2 - to be used to create all individual chapters [Word template file Thesis2_2010.dotx - campus only]

To access these files login with your GUID. If you still cannot open the files e-mail [email protected] .

If you have any questions about the use of these files, please contact Judith Harriman-Hunter ( [email protected] ext. 4858).

This documentation is for the use of University of Glasgow students only.

You should save the PDF version of your thesis using the following filename format:

year - name - degree.pdf e.g. 2007smithphd.pdf or 2008jonesmphil.pdf

If you need to deposit two files, one complete and one with 3rd party copyright material edited out you should give them different filenames using the following format:

Public version: year - name - degree.pdf (e.g. 2007smithphd.pdf)

Full (not for public view) version: year - name - degree internal.pdf (e.g. 2007smithphdinternal.pdf)

If you need to deposit additional multimedia files that cannot be incorporated into the main PDF file you should use the same file name with the addition of information about the type of media being deposited. e.g.

2007smithphd_audio.mpeg

If you are concerned that your PDF file is very large please contact [email protected] for advice on the options available. The online deposit system can cope with very large files being deposited, but from the point of view of people trying to access your thesis it is best if PDF files are kept to a reasonable size.

Instructions for conversion to PDF

To convert your thesis to PDF format using a CSCE PC or a PC running the Standard Staff Desktop you have various options. If you have access to a computer running Office 2010 you can use the Save as PDF option in Word. In addition, all PCs in the Library offer access to PDF Creator . To use PDF Creator:

Open your thesis in Word or Writer
Choose File - Print
In the drop-down box opposite Printer name choose PDF Creator
You will then be asked to supply various pieces of information including document title and author. You do not need to complete the subject and keywords fields
Click on Options and then on the link to PDF under Formats
Next click on the Security tab
Click on Use security
Ensure that the option to disallow copying text and images is selected
Click on Save
You will now be back at the original screen - click on Save
Name your file according to the convention specified
Choose where you want to save the file to.
A box will appear asking for a password - click the Cancel button
A box will then appear saying that the document is not protected - this is fine (it means that user of your thesis will not be asked for a username and password to read it). Click on Ok
Your thesis will then be saved as a PDF file. Note that it may take several minutes to convert a large file. If you have problems converting to PDF because your file is very large it may be necessary to spilt it into chapters and to upload each separately.
The PDF file will be automatically opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader so you can check it.

If you have created the electronic version of your thesis using LaTeX then you are probably already proficient in producing PDF output. The main routes are by (1) distilling postscript output, for example using PDF Creator described above, (2) using dvipdfm to convert the standard dvi output from LaTeX or (3) using pdfLaTeX to produce PDF output in a single step. Further information can be obtained from the UK List of TeX Frequently Asked Questions: "Making Acrobat PDF documents from (La)TeX".

If you have used a Mac to prepare your thesis you should be able to create a PDF version by choosing the option to Print to PDF.

If you have access to the full version of Adobe Acrobat you will also be able to use this to convert your thesis to PDF format. The full version of Adobe Acrobat is now available on the scanner PCs on Level 3 of the Library. If you are having difficulties using PDF Creator to produce a PDF version of your thesis it is recommended that you use the full version of Adobe Acrobat instead.

If you are off campus you can download a free copy of PDF Creator and install this on your own computer.

The main body of your thesis, including associated images, data, tables etc. must be deposited as a PDF document. However, if your thesis has associated multimedia e.g. sound file or video clips these can be uploaded separately. There are no restrictions on the type of multimedia files that can be uploaded, but no guarantee can be give that such files will continue to be accessible in the future. The relevant software for playing such files will not be provided by the Thesis Service. If you are providing the full text of your thesis on a CD-ROM/memory stick you must include on the disk a separate file that explains what the associated files, i.e. name of file, what type of file it is, what the file consists of, so that when your thesis is made publicly available Library staff know what the files are. If you do not include this we may not be able to upload the files. Note that you should only upload multimedia files where you own the copyright, or where you have cleared any necessary rights.

If you have been unable to secure all the necessary third party copyright permissions for your thesis you will not be able to make the full version available online. You will still be required to deposit this copy, and it will be held securely. However, you may wish to make an edited version publicly available. If this is the case you should save an additional copy of your thesis, remove the relevant material and insert a place holder at this point in the document, e.g.

Figure (Text/Chart/Diagram/image etc.) has been removed due to Copyright restrictions.

Remember that you need to deposit both the full and the edited version of your thesis, and that these should be given different Filenames.

Good quality paper (range 70g/m2>100g/m2) of A4 size should be used. Margins should be not less than 15mm, and 40mm at binding edge.
The thesis should be firmly sewn and securely attached to its boards to ensure sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing on a shelf. The boards should be of dark coloured cloth. The author's name and title of the thesis should appear on the front cover; and the author's name (including initials), the degree for which submitted and the year of submission should appear on the spine, lettered from top to bottom. The volume number (if any) should also be given on the spine.
Illustrations of all kinds should normally be bound in with the thesis. Any material which cannot conveniently be bound should be packaged so that it can be kept with the thesis, and should be labelled in a similar way.

A list of local bookbinders is available.

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Thesis Format

Format of thesis and Binding

Title page – including the thesis title, the student's full name and the degree for which it is submitted
Abstract - of up to 5,000 words
Table of contents – including any material not bound in the book, and a list of tables, photographs and any other materials

Word limits

PhD - not to exceed 100,000 words
MPhil - not to exceed 60,000 words
MD(Res) - not to exceed 50,000 words
MPhilStud - not to exceed 30,000 words
Professional Doctorates - at least 25,000 words and not to exceed 55,000 words

Thesis word limit inclusions and exclusions The thesis word count includes everything from the start of chapter 1 up to the end of the last chapter. This means: Including all words included within:

Footnotes/Endnotes
Table/figure legends
Tables of contents/of figures/of tables/ of acronyms
Acknowledgements/dedications
References/Bibliography
'Editions of texts (except where the edition or editions themselves constitute the thesis under examination)'
Students are only required to submit an electronic thesis for their examiners, in PDF format, this should be emailed to [email protected] no later than your deadline
If examiners have requested a printed copy a member of the Research Degrees Examinations team will get in touch with you
Margins - as we no longer require printed copies of the thesis, the margin edge is at the student's discretion, however bear in mind if examiners prefer a printed copy then it may need to be spiral bound
Spacing - Double or 1.5 spacing (except for indented quotations or footnotes which can be single spaced)
Font size - It is recommended to use font size 12 to ensure examiners are able to read it
Page numbering - All pages must be numbered in one continuous sequence, i.e. from the title page of the first volume to the last page of type, from 1 onwards. This sequence must include everything in the volume, including maps, diagrams, blank pages, etc.

Illustrative materials - May include: audio recordings and photographic slides, these can be emailed to [email protected]

Additional material - Any material which cannot be included in the PDF thesis maybe emailed separately to the [email protected]

Some examiners may prefer to work from a printed version of the student's thesis rather than the PDF, if this is the case:

The Research Degrees Examinations team will in the first instance check with the examiner if they would be happy to print the thesis themselves. If the examiner is happy to do this and is able to, they can claim back the expenses following the examination
If the examiner is unable to print the thesis, the Research Degrees Examinations team will contact the student to make arrangements for a print version to be posted directly to the examiner(s) or via a binders
It is the students' responsibility to get their thesis printed and bound if examiners require a copy. Students may only claim back postage costs.

PRINT COPIES MUST NOT BE POSTED PRIOR TO OFFICIAL DISPATCH BY THE RESEARCH DEGREES EXAMINATION TEAM

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Thesis and Examination: The Code of Practice

Thesis formats

Guidance on the various formats permitted by the University.

The University permits theses to be submitted in a range of formats, depending on the nature of the research undertaken and to allow inclusion of material in a form suitable for submission for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

The student and supervisory team should discuss at an early stage which thesis format would be most beneficial to their learning and career path.

Sponsored students are advised to check first with their sponsor whether there are any restrictions on the format of their thesis. Some sponsors may only allow the submission of a monograph format thesis.

The following formats are permitted:

Thesis including published works (or works formatted with the intention or possibility of publication)

Practice-based thesis

Irrespective of the format, all doctoral students must be able to satisfy the examiners that the thesis

is original work undertaken under the supervision of a Sheffield supervisor which forms an addition to knowledge; and
shows evidence of systematic study and of the ability to relate the results of such study to the general body of knowledge in the subject; and
is worthy of publication either in full or in an abridged form.

In addition, the format of the thesis should be such that it is demonstrably a coherent body of work, i.e. includes a summary, an introduction, a description of the aims of the research, an analytical discussion of the related findings to date, the main results and conclusions, and sets the total work in context.

A thesis submitted for examination must be substantially different from any material that has previously been submitted by the student for any degree or qualification at this or any other institution.

Monograph format thesis

A monograph-style thesis is a thesis comprising several chapters. The thesis typically includes the following: a summary, an introduction, chapters describing the aims of the research and a description of the methods used and the theoretical basis underpinning them, and an analysis of the results and conclusions that sets the work in context. The student is the sole author.

Publication format thesis

This format incorporates a collection of papers that are in a format suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. This may include scientific papers, book chapters or other appropriate published formats. The papers may appear alongside traditional thesis chapters, or they may comprise the majority of the thesis as a collection of published works that forms a substantial and coherent whole, supported by a commentary that links the submitted works and outlines their coherence and significance.

Materials included in the publication format thesis may include those that are solely and/or partly authored by the student. The papers or chapters may have already been published, be accepted for publication, or be planned for submission for publication where a specific format is expected. Equally, there may be no intention of submitting the papers for publication because of the nature of the results, but the purpose is to familiarise the student with the conventions of academic publishing. The benefit to students in incorporating any such publications into their thesis is that there is no requirement for them to be re-written into a more traditional, monograph-style format thesis, thus saving students from undertaking unnecessary additional work.

The thesis must remain an original contribution to the field of research. Within the introductory section to the thesis, the student should clearly explain the nature and extent of their contribution to each of the publications presented, as well as the contribution of any co-authors and other collaborators. The materials contained within the thesis must normally be derived from original research undertaken by the student while supervised by a University of Sheffield supervisor. There may be exceptional cases where this is not the case, e.g. where a student has transferred to Sheffield, having already commenced their research at another university.

The intention to submit a publication-based thesis must be discussed and agreed upon with the supervisors at an early stage to ensure that there is a clear understanding of the expectations required for thesis submission.

Contributions and permissions

The normal expectation is that the student should be the primary contributor to the writing of each of the papers, including the design and conduct of the reported research. It is relatively commonplace in some disciplines for students to co-author publications with their supervisory team or wider research group. In many disciplines, ‘primary contributor’ would be denoted by the student being the first or last author.

This is not, however, the case in all disciplines. Where a student has made a substantial contribution to a paper that they wish to include, but is not the first or last author, they should include a statement clarifying the nature and extent of their contribution, and that of any collaborators, within the thesis, to justify its inclusion.

If there is any doubt as to the specific contribution of the student to material with multiple authors, the University retains the right to contact other authors to seek assurance about the student’s contribution.

If a thesis contains published material the length of which has been determined by a particular publisher’s requirements, students must ensure that additional explanatory text pertaining to methodology or detailed and critical analysis of the work or supplementary statistical data or other aspects are included to ensure the thesis is a coherent whole.

Confirmation that permission has been obtained where appropriate to include material that has been published or accepted for publication in the thesis must be obtained by the student.

The main function of the thesis is to allow the examiners to conduct an assessment of the student’s work; therefore, it is essential that the thesis contains a strong general introduction and that the pagination of the thesis makes sense and is easy for the examiners to navigate. Where possible, the pagination sequence should flow throughout the thesis. This might necessitate including separate versions of the papers, rather than inserting pre-prints.

To ease readability, figures, tables and accompanying legends should be included at the appropriate point in the text, and not at the end of the text as would often be typical for a paper submitted for publication. Should this not be possible, the thesis may include published material that already has its own pagination. However, in this instance, the pages of the publications themselves should not be included in the overall pagination sequence of the thesis to avoid confusion.

If the same information is repeated across multiple chapters/publications, students should consider ways to make the thesis more concise and readable. For example, if common experimental details are included in each publication, it might make more sense to include them once as a concise methods chapter.

It is recommended that a page should be included before each publication with the publication number, title and page number of the thesis. The pagination sequence of the thesis will then resume at the end of the publication.

Copyright considerations

A paper that has been published or accepted for publication may have involved the student signing a copyright transfer agreement, transferring the copyright to the publisher.

Some publishers allow the retention of certain rights, sometimes including reprinting a whole paper or parts of it in a thesis. Students must confirm this with the publisher at the time of publication. If not confirmed at the time of publication, retrospective permission must be sought before submitting a final electronic thesis.

Students should deposit the author accepted manuscript (post peer review) version of journal articles accepted for publication in the University repository, White Rose Research Online, via myPublications, at the point of its acceptance by a publisher. The University Library will then offer assistance in managing adherence with any embargo periods.

Publishers may permit the inclusion of the author-accepted manuscript in the ethesis under embargo for the relevant period.

Amendments to published work

The examiners may request corrections to a part of the thesis that is already a published paper following the viva examination. It is recommended that where corrections to published papers are requested this should be addressed in the final thesis by the insertion of a page immediately following the paper in question explaining the nature of the corrections required by the examiners.

Where these are substantive changes, the student and supervisor may need to consider whether a formal correction also needs to be submitted to the journal as well, although this will be a rare occurrence.

A practice-based thesis allows students to submit a shortened monograph-style thesis supplemented by additional material comprising a practical component, for example, a portfolio of original compositions, portfolio of creative work, a recital or performance. This format is only accepted in specified degree programmes.

The thesis must clearly present the additional material in its relevant context and describing the research methodology and process. A permanent record of the additional material will be bound and submitted with the thesis, where practicable.

Students should follow the regulations for the specific degree programmes where such a submission is allowed. Apart from the inclusion of practical materials, the thesis itself should conform to the same standards expected for a monograph format thesis.

A template statement for acknowledging collaborative work included within the thesis is available to download.

Acknowledgement of collaborative work in the thesis - example (PDF, 32KB)

Related information

Contact the Research Degree Support Team

Preparing a thesis

Library Subject Guides

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

Books on Thesis Writing
Thesis Formatting (MS Word)
Referencing

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

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

Word Thesis Formatting workshops run throughout the year.

Some useful documents.

Word Formatting Instructions PDF This PDF contains the same instructions that are available on this page.
Sample Thesis Document with No Formatting This sample thesis file can be used to practise formatting. It is not a template for how to format a thesis. UC does not provide any guidelines on formatting a thesis.
APA 7th Edition Formatting Example This document is formatted according to APA 7th Edition formatting guidelines. It could be used as a template or as an example to follow. It contains some additional instructions for certain APA formatting in Word.

For more APA formatting advice see the APA Style Blog's excellent Style and Grammar Guidelines .

Finding Examples

Look at examples and ask your supervisor.

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

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

General Recommendations

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

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

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

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

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

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

View->check Navigation Pane

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

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

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

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

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

In the modify screen click Format->Numbering.

Then click ‘ Define New Number Format’.

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

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

Right click figure or table and select Insert Caption

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

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

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

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

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

Adding Page Numbers

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

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

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

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

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

Change Page Orientation

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

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

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Last Updated: Feb 8, 2024 12:29 PM
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Thesis / dissertation formatting manual (2024).

Filing Fees and Student Status
Submission Process Overview
Electronic Thesis Submission
Paper Thesis Submission
Formatting Overview
Fonts/Typeface
Pagination, Margins, Spacing
Paper Thesis Formatting
Preliminary Pages Overview
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
Table of Contents
List of Figures (etc.)
Acknowledgements
Text and References Overview
Figures and Illustrations
Using Your Own Previously Published Materials
Using Copyrighted Materials by Another Author
Open Access and Embargoes
Copyright and Creative Commons
Ordering Print (Bound) Copies
Tutorials and Assistance
FAQ This link opens in a new window

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

Annotated Template (Dissertation) 2024 PDF of a template with annotations of what to look out for
Word: Thesis Template 2024 Editable template of the Master's thesis formatting.
PDF Thesis Template 2024
Word: Dissertation Template 2024 Editable template of the PhD Dissertation formatting.
PDF: Dissertation Template 2024
Overleaf (LaTex) Template
<< Previous: Tutorials and Assistance
Next: FAQ >>
Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 2:09 PM
URL: https://guides.lib.uci.edu/gradmanual

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MyGlasgow Research

Formatting your Thesis
Including copyright material
Restricting Access
Depositing your Thesis
Help and Advice
Frequently Asked Questions
Information for College Staff
Information for Supervisors
Digitisation

Formatting your thesis

Thesis layout and presentation.

University guidelines on the layout and presentation of your thesis are available (University staff and students only). It is recommended that you consult them if you are unsure of how to present your thesis. You should also check with your School if they have any specific requirements for thesis presentation.

Additionally, IT Services run a frequent Thesis and Dissertation Workshop: http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/it/training/wordprocessing/#/thesisanddissertationworkshop to help those preparing a Thesis with any problems that you may have with the formatting of the document.

An instructor will be available to look at issues that you might be having and advise on how to resolve them. If you have any questions about the use of these files, please contact IT Services via email ( [email protected] ) or contact Blair Thompson (ext. 4858).

Conversion to PDF

The required format for deposit in the Theses Service is PDF. It is assumed that you will be using a standard piece of software to create the electronic version of your thesis, e.g. Microsoft Word, OpenOffice Writer or LaTeX. Before you deposit your thesis you need to convert it to PDF format. Ideally your thesis should consist of a single PDF file . However, it is acceptable to deposit a small number of individual files if you experience major difficulties in producing a single file for conversion to PDF. Before converting to PDF you need to ensure that you have incorporated any elements of the thesis created in programmes such as Excel, Access, PowerPoint etc. into the main body of the thesis. If using Microsoft Word to produce your thesis, you should do this by using the Insert>Object, Insert>Picture or Insert>File options rather than by copying and pasting. However, if there are e.g. multimedia elements that you are unable to incorporate into the main body of your thesis it may be possible to to upload these as a separate file. See Depositing associated multimedia files for more information on what can be deposited. Details of how to deposit associated multimedia files can be found in Depositing your thesis .

Main course notes [ PDF - University staff and students only]

University thesis preparation guidelines [ PDF - University staff and students only]

List of thesis styles [ PDF - University staff and students only]

Templates to use when ready to combine chapters and create complete thesis [ Word 365 Templates.zip - University staff and students only]

To access these files login with your GUID. If you still cannot open the files e-mail [email protected] .

If you have any questions about the use of these files, please contact IT Services.

This documentation is for the use of University of Glasgow students only.

You should save the PDF version of your thesis using the following filename format:

year - name - degree.pdf e.g. 2022smithphd.pdf or 2021jonesmphil.pdf

If you need to provide two files, one complete and one with 3rd party copyright material edited out you should give them different filenames using the following format:

Public version: year - name - degree.pdf (e.g. 2022smithphd.pdf)

Full (not for public view) version: year - name - degree internal.pdf (e.g. 2022smithphdinternal.pdf)

If you need to provide additional multimedia files that cannot be incorporated into the main PDF file you should use the same file name with the addition of information about the type of media being deposited. e.g.

2022smithphd_audio.mpeg

Instructions for conversion to PDF

Open your thesis in Word or Writer
Choose File - Print
In the drop-down box opposite Printer name choose PDF Creator
You will then be asked to supply various pieces of information including document title and author. You do not need to complete the subject and keywords fields
Click on Options and then on the link to PDF under Formats
Next click on the Security tab
Click on Use security
Ensure that the option to disallow copying text and images is selected
Click on Save
You will now be back at the original screen - click on Save
Name your file according to the convention specified
Choose where you want to save the file to.
Click on Save
A box will appear asking for a password - click the Cancel button
A box will then appear saying that the document is not protected - this is fine (it means that user of your thesis will not be asked for a username and password to read it). Click on Ok
Your thesis will then be saved as a PDF file. Note that it may take several minutes to convert a large file. If you have problems converting to PDF because your file is very large it may be necessary to spilt it into chapters and to upload each separately.
The PDF file will be automatically opened in Adobe Acrobat Reader so you can check it.

If you have used a Mac to prepare your thesis you should be able to create a PDF version by choosing the option to Print to PDF.

If you are off campus you can download a free copy of PDF Creator and install this on your own computer.

Depositing associated multimedia files

The main body of your thesis, including associated images, data, tables etc. must be deposited as a PDF document. However, if your thesis has associated multimedia e.g. sound file or video clips these can be uploaded separately. There are no restrictions on the type of multimedia files that can be uploaded, but no guarantee can be give that such files will continue to be accessible in the future. The relevant software for playing such files will not be provided by Enlighten : Theses. If you are providing the full text of your thesis you must also provide a separate file that explains what the associated files, i.e. name of file, what type of file it is, what the file consists of, so that when your thesis is made publicly available Library staff know what the files are. If you do not include this we may not be able to upload the files. Note that you should only upload multimedia files where you own the copyright, or where you have cleared any necessary rights.

Creating an edited version of your thesis

Figure (Text/Chart/Diagram/image etc.) has been removed due to Copyright restrictions.

Remember that you need to deposit both the full and the edited version of your thesis, and that these should be given different Filenames.

If you have included signatures and personal data such as mobile phone number/s, IDs you will not be able to make the full version available online. You will still be required to deposit this copy, and it will be held securely. However, you may wish to make an edited version publicly available.

Use the University file transfer service: https://transfer.gla.ac.uk/ to supply both copies to [name] Enlighten: Theses at [address] [email protected]

Presentation of the print thesis

Although the award will no longer be contingent on provision of a physical copy (electronic receipt of the final version of the thesis will be considered sufficient for award of the degree) there are some thesis which will require a physical copy, e.g. if you are submitting a portfolio work a print commentary accompanying physical components is welcome.

The following guidelines apply specifically to the print version of your thesis:

Good quality paper (range 70g/m2>100g/m2) of A4 size should be used. Margins should be not less than 15mm, and 40mm at binding edge.
The thesis should be firmly sewn and securely attached to its boards to ensure sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the work when standing on a shelf. The boards should be of dark coloured cloth. The author's name and title of the thesis should appear on the front cover; and the author's name (including initials), the degree for which submitted and the year of submission for examination should appear on the spine, lettered from top to bottom. The volume number (if any) should also be given on the spine.
Illustrations of all kinds should normally be bound in with the thesis. Any material which cannot conveniently be bound should be packaged so that it can be kept with the thesis, and should be labelled in a similar way.

A list of local bookbinders is available.

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Proposal Templates

9+ thesis proposal templates.

A thesis proposal samples gives the initial view of a research, helps recognize needed resources, and provides the schedule for the research and writing process. It is also a way of defining issues regarding necessary levels of involvement and distribution of resources.

203+ Word Proposal Templates
203+ Sample Proposal Templates

Thesis Proposal Template

Google Docs

PhD Thesis Proposal

Thesis Project

Doctoral Thesis

Master Research Thesis

Thesis Research

What Needs to be Included in a Thesis Proposal?

You should determine as to why the work is necessary.
What other work has been done so far?
Make sure to identify the meaning of any key words used.
What other approaches were considered?
What criteria are being used in measuring the success of the thesis proposal?
Analytical background. If in case there are some vital assumptions in your approach, this is the best section to explain them.
Procedure . You should explain how you will approach the problem by giving out a detailed series of steps. This can be accompanied by images or drawings.
Equipment and support. List all the materials instruments, facilities, and financial support that will carry out you research.
A breakdown of schedule and tasks. This part should be develop with some care, since it will show you a means of measuring the progress in relevance to the specific time given.
Bibliography . Create a list of all publications consulted in your research.

Engineering Thesis

Thesis Proposal in PDF

Bachelor Thesis Proposal

Types of Thesis Proposal Templates

PhD Thesis Proposal Template – If you are making a proposal that focuses and outlines a proposed project that is designed to define a clear question and approach, this template is what you need.
Doctoral Thesis Template – If you are making a thesis for completing your doctoral study. Make use of this template for reference. This is best suited for that scenario.
Master Research Thesis Template – This template is intended for a thesis in the completion of a masters degree. A well-written template that is great for this setting.
Engineering Thesis Template – As the name implies, this template is for engineering thesis making. If you are making one, for convenience, make use of this template instead.
Thesis Proposal in PDF – If you are looking for a thesis proposal which is made in a PDF document, then this template is absolutely for you.

More in Proposal Templates

Bachelor thesis template, thesis title page template, scientific thesis template, thesis statement essay template, thesis action plan template, doctoral thesis template, thesis plan template, thesis timeline template, thesis cover page template.

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18 Thesis Outline Templates and Examples (Word
Microsoft Word Thesis Template Database
🌷 Introduction thesis format. Free Thesis Introduction Chapter Template
18 Thesis Outline Templates and Examples (Word
45 Perfect Thesis Statement Templates (+ Examples) ᐅ TemplateLab
6+ Dissertation Outline Template

VIDEO

Writing That PhD Thesis
Literature Review Template for Thesis/Proposal
How to write thesis in Ms word part 1
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Complete MS Thesis Template
02 How to use features in the thesis template

COMMENTS

Dissertation & Thesis Outline
Example 1: Passive construction. The passive voice is a common choice for outlines and overviews because the context makes it clear who is carrying out the action (e.g., you are conducting the research ). However, overuse of the passive voice can make your text vague and imprecise. Example: Passive construction.
Templates
Whole thesis template. Use this to produce the whole thesis in one long Word document. It contains all of the required sections from title page to bibliography, with refreshable Tables of Contents, Table of Figures and Table of Tables. Thesis template for Word 2007 /2010 /2013 /2016 (PC) or Word 2008 /2011 /2016 (Mac) Word template help.
Free Dissertation & Thesis Template (Word Doc & PDF)
The cleanly-formatted Google Doc can be downloaded as a fully editable MS Word Document (DOCX format), so you can use it as-is or convert it to LaTeX. Download The Dissertation Template. Download Grad Coach's comprehensive dissertation and thesis template for free. Fully editable - includes detailed instructions and examples.
Dissertations & projects: Formatting
The University has created templates which can help take the stress out of formatting your dissertation or final year project. Students studying any subject other than those listed below can use the general template provided: Download the undergraduate final year project or dissertation template here. Download the taught masters dissertation ...
Word Thesis Template
Microsoft word thesis template for research students Frances Ryan in the School of Computing has created a standardised Thesis template for research degree students. The template is a good example of how to layout and structure a thesis, and can be downloaded below.
PDF Formatting your dissertation/thesis
Make the formatting changes in the Formatting area [1]: Click on the Format button [2], and select the Paragraph option from the list. 2. Apply paragraph 'Spacing' [3] to your headings using the arrow buttons to increase/decrease, or type directly into the 'Before' and/or 'After' boxes. 3.
PDF Formatting your dissertation in Word
Word has many built-in styles ready to use and is an efficient and consistent method to format text. Start with a blank Word document and define all the Styles you need for formatting your dissertation by either modifying existing styles or creating new ones. Save this as a template for all your writing. Using a Quick Style
Research thesis
Step 1 - Download and start using the University Word templates. The University provides templates which meet the requirements set out in the Producing your thesis and Submitting your thesis guidelines. Use these templates to produce the whole thesis in one long Word document. It contains all the required sections, including: The Title page ...
PDF Producing your thesis
updating of the table of contents. iSolution's 'Producing your thesis in Word' websitelso offer useful guides on the completion of your a thesis using Word for Windows or Mac using such templates. Training on the use of Word and the thesis template is available via the Doctoral College's Workshops and events pages. 7.2 Text must be presented:
University of Southampton thesis template for MS Word 2010/2013/2016
The template is for use with both Word 2010/2013/2016 for PC and Word 2011/2016 for Apple Mac. The template that used to be stored here in EdShare has been moved. Please see the links on the document now stored in this resource. The template provides a structure and format that meets with the University's quality requirements for a thesis such as mirror margins to allow for double-sided printing.
Formatting Your Thesis
Template 1 - to be used when ready to combine chapters and create complete thesis [Word template file Thesis1_2010.dotx - campus only] Template 2 ... If you are concerned that your PDF file is very large please contact [email protected] for advice on the options available. The online deposit system can cope with very large files being deposited ...
King's College London
Format of thesis and Binding. The thesis must include. Title page - including the thesis title, the student's full name and the degree for which it is submitted. Abstract - of up to 5,000 words. Table of contents - including any material not bound in the book, and a list of tables, photographs and any other materials.
Dissertation & Thesis Outline
Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates. Published on June 7, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on November 21, 2023. A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical early steps in your writing process.It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding the specifics of your dissertation topic and showcasing its relevance to ...
Dissertation Template
This dissertation template has in-depth notes on each chapter, the full layout of a typical dissertation and a full example table of contents. The basic structure is: The dissertation template doc then has some notes on presentation, spelling, grammar and writing style. The final section contains a useful example table of contents.
Thesis formats
Monograph format thesis. A monograph-style thesis is a thesis comprising several chapters. The thesis typically includes the following: a summary, an introduction, chapters describing the aims of the research and a description of the methods used and the theoretical basis underpinning them, and an analysis of the results and conclusions that sets the work in context.
4. Writing up your Research: Thesis Formatting (MS Word)
Haere mai, tauti mai—welcome! These instructions are designed to be used with recent versions of MS Word. Please note there is no template or specific formatting guidelines for a thesis at UC. Please talk to your supervisor and take a look at theses in the UC Research Repository to see how they are usually formatted.
Templates
UCI Libraries maintains the following templates to assist in formatting your graduate manuscript. If you are formatting your manuscript in Microsoft Word, feel free to download and use the template. ... Word: Thesis Template 2024. Editable template of the Master's thesis formatting. PDF Thesis Template 2024. Word: Dissertation Template 2024 ...
University of Glasgow
Templates to use when ready to combine chapters and create complete thesis [ Word 365 Templates.zip - University staff and students only] To access these files login with your GUID. If you still cannot open the files e-mail [email protected]. If you have any questions about the use of these files, please contact IT Services.
Dissertation Template Word Uk
Dissertation Template Word Uk - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. Scribd is the world's largest social reading and publishing site.
Thesis Proposal Template
Size: 118 kB. Download Now. As soon as you have a subject to work on, use the thesis sample template to create a comprehensive outline for the proposed project. The sample outline should be a cut above the many average bear document written by other students.
Thesis Proposal Template-9+ Free Word, PDF Format Download
A thesis proposal samples gives the initial view of a research, helps recognize needed resources, and provides the schedule for the research and writing process. It is also a way of defining issues regarding necessary levels of involvement and distribution of resources. 203+ Word Proposal Templates. 203+ Sample Proposal Templates.
Thesis Template Word Uk
Thesis Template Word Uk - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free.

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Dissertation & Thesis Outline | Example & Free Templates

Table of contents

Example 1: Passive construction

Example 2: IS-AV construction

Example 3: The I construction

Example 4: Mix-and-match

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Theses: Templates

Useful Links

Thesis Templates

Whole thesis template

Separate Chapter, Front Matter & End Matter templates for Word & Mac

Copyright Statement coversheet

Using UoS Thesis Templates

How to make sure your thesis is an archival PDF/A

What’s Included: The Dissertation Template

FAQs: Dissertation Template

What types of dissertations/theses can this template be used for?

Will this work for a research paper?

Is this template for an undergrad, Masters or PhD-level thesis?

How long should my dissertation/thesis be?

What about the research proposal?

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Dissertations & projects: Formatting

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University templates

Modified versions

Guidance document

Video support

Video 1: Downloading the UG dissertation or independent project template and filling in front matter

Video 2: Using styles and updating the table of contents

Video 3: Labelling your figures and tables

Video 4: Using the cross-referencing tool to refer to figures and tables

Video 5: Adding a landscape page to your document

Microsoft word thesis template for research students

University of Southampton

Table of Contents

Step 2 – Build your document using Styles

Step 4 – Review your document

Step 6 - Convert your file to Adobe PDF

Common issues and fixes

You have been directed to the official University of Southampton website

University of Southampton thesis template for MS Word 2010/2013/2016 (PC) and 2011/2016 (Mac)

Collection(s)

Enlighten Theses

Formatting Your Thesis

Instructions for conversion to PDF

King's College London - Homepage

Format of thesis and Binding

Thesis formats

Practice-based thesis

Monograph format thesis

Publication format thesis

Contributions and permissions

Copyright considerations

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Related information

Library Subject Guides

Word Thesis Formatting workshops run throughout the year.

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Formatting your thesis

Conversion to PDF

Instructions for conversion to PDF

Depositing associated multimedia files

Creating an edited version of your thesis

Presentation of the print thesis

Proposal Templates