Thesis Formatting · Microsoft Word
Paper Formatting Guide: Apply Your Institution's Word Template Consistently
Requirements differ across institutions, departments, and journals. Confirm the current template, then use Word styles to control headings, body text, captions, and the table of contents.
Establish the Rule Priority First
The closer a rule is to your actual submission context, the higher its priority.
Current institutional or journal template
This controls final submission formatting and system validation.
Department supplements
Also follow department-specific rules for covers, headers, or appendices.
National and industry standards
Use them to understand paper structure, writing, and bibliographic rules.
Online tutorials and old files
Use them only as references after checking the year and intended audience.
Complete the Paper Structure Before Adjusting Fonts
This is a common review order for theses; your institution still determines exact names and sequence.
Front matter
Cover, declarations, abstracts in both languages, keywords, contents, and notation.
Main text
Introduction, research content, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion.
Back matter
References, appendices, acknowledgements, and outputs completed during study.
Turn Requirements into an Execution Worksheet
Open your institution's template and complete every field before formatting.
| Object | Parameters to confirm | Where to manage it in Word |
|---|---|---|
| Page | Paper size, margins, gutter, header and footer distance | Layout and section breaks |
| Body | CJK and Latin fonts, size, spacing, paragraph spacing, first-line indent | Body style |
| Headings | Font, numbering, spacing, and page-break rules at each level | Heading 1/2/3 styles |
| Figures and tables | Caption location, numbering, font, and source | Captions and cross-references |
| Page numbers | Numbering systems and starting pages for front matter and body | Page-number format after section breaks |
The Right Order for Formatting a Paper in Word
If the order is wrong, contents, numbering, and pagination create repeated rework.
- 1Set paper size, margins, and sections first; separate the cover, abstracts, contents, and main text.
- 2Create body and heading styles instead of changing fonts paragraph by paragraph.
- 3Use captions and cross-references for figures, tables, and equations; never type numbering manually.
- 4Manage references in the required style and verify that every in-text citation has a matching entry.
- 5Generate the automatic table of contents from heading styles and update the entire table after revisions.
- 6Export to PDF and inspect line breaks, orphan lines, blank pages, split figures and tables, and bookmarks page by page.
Pre-Submission Checklist
- The template version matches the department and degree type.
- Table-of-contents titles and levels match the main text.
- Page numbers begin on the required page and use the correct system.
- Every figure and table has a caption and source and is cited in the text.
- No in-text citation or reference-list entry is orphaned.
- Fonts, equations, images, and links display correctly in the PDF.
- Comments, tracked changes, and personal sensitive information are removed.
- The filename and page count meet the submission system's requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there one standard font and size for every paper?
No single parameter table applies to every institution and journal. Follow the current template and submission instructions published by your graduate school, department, or target journal.
Should I standardize formatting only at the end?
Create heading styles, captions, cross-references, and sections early. Final work should be proofreading; manual last-minute changes commonly break contents, pagination, and figure numbering.
Are reference style and page layout the same requirement?
No. Page layout covers pages, headings, figures, tables, and paragraphs. Bibliographic entries follow the style specified by the institution or journal, such as GB/T 7714, APA, or MLA.
Standards and Official Word Instructions
- 1China's National Standards Full-Text System
Search for GB/T 7713.2—2022, Rules for Academic Papers, to verify paper components and writing conventions.
- 2Microsoft Support: Customize or create new styles
Microsoft's instructions explain how styles keep headings and body text consistent without manual paragraph-level changes.
- 3Microsoft Support: Insert a table of contents
An automatic table of contents depends on heading styles and can be updated after the document changes.