This presentation was given to postgraduate students to assist them with using Microsoft Word and it's functions for formatting to present a polished looking document.

1. Tips on how to format your
thesis
2 0 F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 8
ElizabethMoll-Willard
Librarian:ResearchCommons
emw@sun.ac.za

2. In this session we’ll be looking at
Page setup
Title page
Pagination
Headings
Captions
Insert Table of Contents
Insert tables of figures
2

3. Let’s start
Open the word document provided on SunLearn
We will practice on this as we go along.
3

4. Page setup
4
Select Margins
under the
Layout tab and
select a
predefined or
custom layout.
Margins: 2cm
width open
around all text
areas,
Orientation:
Portrait and
size: A4

5. 5
Title Page
 See library website – online thesis submission page:
 http://library.sun.ac.za/en-za/Help/Pages/online-thesis-
submission.aspx

6. Document Layout
This is also contained on the library website:
◦ Title page: Masters Degree - Doctoral Degree.
◦ SU Crest: The Scholar team will add the SU crest to the accepted pdf. See:
General Yearbook 2019; pg. 187 (you don’t need to add a watermark)
◦ Declaration - Masters Degree / Declaration - Doctoral Degree
◦ English - Abstract (max. 500 words)
◦ Afrikaans - Opsomming (max. 500 words)
◦ Acknowledgements
◦ Table of Contents
◦ List of Figures
◦ List of Tables
◦ Content (e.g. Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.)
◦ Reference List (Referencing techniques)
◦ Addenda (e.g. Addendum A, Addendum B, etc.)
6

7. Focus for this session:
This is also contained on the library website:
◦ Title page: Masters Degree - Doctoral Degree.
◦ SU Crest: The Scholar team will add the SU crest to the accepted pdf. See:
General Yearbook 2019; pg. 187 (you don’t need to add a watermark)
◦ Declaration - Masters Degree / Declaration - Doctoral Degree
◦ English - Abstract (max. 500 words)
◦ Afrikaans - Opsomming (max. 500 words)
◦ Acknowledgements
◦ Table of Contents
◦ List of Figures (Table of Figures)
◦ List of Tables (Table of Figures)
◦ Content (e.g. Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.)
◦ Reference List (Referencing techniques)
◦ Addenda (e.g. Addendum A, Addendum B, etc.)
7

8. 8
Pagination
 Page breaks separate content
 Section breaks divide the document into different
sections – content and formatting
 To separate number sequences, or numerals, section
breaks are inserted
 Inserting
 unnumbered title page,
 preliminary pages and
 Chapter pages
 Start by inserting page numbers into your document

9. 9
Unnumbered title page
 Insert a section break at the bottom of your title page
 Click in the header/footer of your following page
 Select Design from the menu ribbon
 Uncheck “link to previous”
 You can now delete the page number

10. 10
Unnumbered title page
Select
Layout, click
breaks, and
select the
“next page”
option

11. 11
Unnumbered title page
Place your cursor
in the header or
footer, select
Design from the
menu ribbon and
uncheck “link to
previous”

12. 12
Preliminary pages
 Insert section break at the bottom of the last
preliminary page
 Select Insert from the ribbon menu
 Click page numbers and select format page numbers
 Select roman numerals and start the sequence at 1

13. 13
Preliminary pages
Place your
cursor at the
bottom of your
last preliminary
page, select
Layout, click
breaks, and
select the “next
page” option

14. 14
Preliminary pages
While your cursor
is on your first
preliminary page,
select insert from
the ribbon menu,
click insert page
numbers and
format page
numbers

15. 15
Chapter pages
Place your cursor
on your first
chapter page,
select insert from
the ribbon menu,
click page numbers
and select format
page numbers

16. 16
Chapter pages
Select roman
numerals from the
dropdown menu
and start the page
at 1

17. 17
Headings
 In order to generate your Table of Contents, you first
need to insert headings
 The first step is to modify your headings
 Assign headings as necessary, Heading 1, Heading 2 etc.
 Activate the navigation page to see the TOC that you
are building

18. 18
Headings
Right click on
heading and
select modify

19. 19
Headings
Modify your
heading by
adjusting the font,
font size, colour,
spacing etc.
Do this for each
heading

20. 20
Headings
Select View from
the menu ribbon
and activate the
navigation pane
This will allow you
to see the
construction of
the TOC as you
assign headings

21. 21
Chapter numbers
 To add auto numbering of chapters, click multi level list
from the in the Home menu
 Select the specific multi level list that you want or
define a new list

22. 22
Chapter numbers
Select multilevel
list from the home
menu, choose
your preferred list
or define a new
one

23. 23
Chapter numbers
Select the number
on the left and
format the level
below
The positioning
and alignment can
also be edited for
each level

24. 24
Table of Contents
 Once you’ve inserted your headings and completed
your write up, insert the table of contents
 Select References from the ribbon menu
 Click insert table of contents
 Select insert custom table of contents

25. 25
Table of Contents
Select References
from the ribbon
menu, click table of
contents and select
custom table of
contents

26. 26
Table of Contents
You can adjust the
TOC leader and
choose a specific
template and style
It is important to
set the levels to
the number you
have specified –
heading 1 – 4 will
be 4 levels

27. 27
Captions
 In order to insert a list of tables or table of figures, you
need to insert captions
 Select References from the menu ribbon
 Place you cursor below the figure or table and select
insert caption
 Make sure to select the correct label (table, figure etc.)
for the caption

28. 28
Captions
Place your curser
below the
table/figure or
select it
Select references
on the Ribbon
Menu and click
Insert Caption

29. 29
Captions
Insert the caption
for the
label/figure
Select the
correctly label,
making sure that
it is set to figure
when you are
working with a
figure and vice
versa

30. 30
Captions
You can also
create a new label
by selecting New
Label and creating
it in the pop-up
box

31. 31
Table of Figures
 Once you’ve inserted all your captions (for tables,
figures, equations etc.) you can insert the list of tables
or table of figures
 Select References from the menu ribbon
 Click Insert table of figures
 In the box provided, make your adjustments, it is
important to select the correct label for the correct
table (table, equation, figure, illustration etc.)

32. 32
Table of figures
Select References
from the ribbon
menu, click insert
table of figures

33. 33
Table of figures
Like with the TOC,
you can adjust the
leader and choose a
specific template
It is important to
choose the correct
label for what you
are inserting
e.g. List of tables
Table of figures

34. Referencing help
Reference Manager (Mendeley)
• Pros
• Gathers all your references
and PDFs in one place
• Automatic referencing
• Cons
• There are errors – still need
to go over your references
• Requires internet connection
Referencing by hand
• Pros
• Accuracy
• Cons
• Time consuming
• Difficult to cross-reference
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35. Thank you
35
Email: emw@sun.ac.za