Writing tools

Thesis Formatting Checker

Enter your program's required formatting alongside your document's actual settings to check margins, fonts, and spacing. Structural items you need to confirm yourself are listed as a checklist below.

Measurable formatting

Item	Required	Your document	Status
Font			Not entered
Font size (pt)			Not entered
Line spacing			Not entered
Paragraph spacing (pt after)			Not entered
Margins (inches)			Not entered
Paper size			Not entered
Text alignment			Not entered

Structural checklist

These can't be verified automatically in a browser. Check each yourself, then mark it.

Title page follows the required format

Abstract is present and within the word/page limit

Table of contents lists all sections with correct page numbers

List of figures / list of tables included, if required

Heading hierarchy is consistent (e.g. Heading 1, 2, 3 used correctly)

Headings are numbered consistently, if required

Pages are numbered according to program requirements

References follow the required citation style

Figures and tables are labeled and captioned consistently

Appendices are labeled and referenced in the text

Passed

Needs attention

Unable to verify

University thesis requirements vary. Always verify your final document against your university's official thesis guidelines before submission.

How to use the thesis formatting checker

Set your program's required font, size, spacing, margins, paper size, and alignment in the "Required" column, then check your document in Word or your PDF viewer and enter its actual settings in the "Your document" column. Each row updates automatically to show Passed or Needs attention. Below that, work through the structural checklist by hand, since a browser can't inspect things like heading hierarchy or table of contents accuracy without reading the file directly.

Why this isn't a file-upload checker

Reliably reading font, margin, and spacing metadata out of a .docx or .pdf isn't something a browser can do without uploading the file to a server for processing. Rather than fake that capability or require an upload of your thesis, this tool asks you to enter your document's actual settings so the comparison is accurate to what you tell it, and clearly marks what still needs a manual check.

Common thesis formatting requirements

Most thesis formatting guidelines cover margins, font, font size, and line spacing as a baseline, typically 1 to 1.5 inch margins, a standard serif font at 11-12pt, and double spacing for body text. Beyond the page-level settings, programs usually require a specific title page layout, a formatted table of contents, consistent heading levels throughout, and page numbers placed and styled a particular way, often starting the count from the first page of the introduction rather than the title page.

Universities differ

Formatting requirements vary widely between institutions and even between departments at the same school. Always check your program's official thesis or dissertation formatting guide as the final authority, and use this tool as a working checklist rather than a substitute for that guide.

Does this tool read my actual Word or PDF file?

No. It compares the formatting values you enter against the requirements you set. A browser can't reliably inspect font, margin, and spacing metadata inside a .docx or .pdf without uploading the file to a server, which this tool doesn't do. Check your document's settings in Word or your PDF viewer, then enter them here for an accurate comparison.

Why are some checklist items manual instead of automatic?

Structural items like whether your table of contents is present and correctly formatted, or whether your headings follow a consistent numbering pattern, aren't things a browser can verify without reading the file. Those are marked for manual self-check instead of showing a fake automatic result.

What are common thesis formatting requirements?

Most programs specify a font (often Times New Roman or a similar serif), a font size around 11-12pt, double line spacing, and margins around 1 to 1.5 inches, sometimes wider on the binding edge. Beyond that, programs typically require a specific title page format, a table of contents, consistent heading levels, and page numbers in a defined position and style. These requirements vary significantly, so always check your program's official guide.

My university's requirements aren't in this list. What do I do?

Enter your program's actual required values into the requirement fields. This tool doesn't assume a universal standard, since thesis formatting requirements vary significantly between universities and departments.