How to Format a Thesis

Thesis formatting requirements are set by your university and often by your specific department, so this is a general overview, not a substitute for your program's official guide.

Page-level formatting

• Font: commonly Times New Roman or a similar serif font, though some programs allow Arial or Calibri.
• Font size: typically 11 or 12pt for body text.
• Line spacing: usually double-spaced, sometimes 1.5 for footnotes or block quotes.
• Margins: often 1 inch on all sides, sometimes wider (1.5 inch) on the binding edge for printed copies.

Structural elements

Most theses require, in order: a title page, an abstract, a table of contents, the main chapters, a reference list, and appendices if applicable. Some programs also require a list of figures and a list of tables if your thesis includes several of each.

Headings and numbering

Heading levels (Chapter, Section, Subsection) should be visually distinct and consistent throughout, often using a numbering system like 1, 1.1, 1.1.1. Page numbers typically start after the title page, sometimes using roman numerals for front matter (abstract, table of contents) before switching to arabic numerals for the main text.

Always check your program's official guide

These conventions are common but not universal. Departmental formatting guides can specify different margins, different citation styles, or additional required sections. Treat your program's guide as the final authority, and use this as a starting checklist.

Compare your own settings against a custom checklist with the thesis formatting checker.