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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.

Acadwrite Team
Direct answer: Follow the newest template from your institution or target journal. Use national standards to verify paper structure and treat generic online parameter tables only as operational references.
Heading levelsText area · Captions · Page numbers

Establish the Rule Priority First

The closer a rule is to your actual submission context, the higher its priority.

1

Current institutional or journal template

This controls final submission formatting and system validation.
2

Department supplements

Also follow department-specific rules for covers, headers, or appendices.
3

National and industry standards

Use them to understand paper structure, writing, and bibliographic rules.
4

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.

ObjectParameters to confirmWhere to manage it in Word
PagePaper size, margins, gutter, header and footer distanceLayout and section breaks
BodyCJK and Latin fonts, size, spacing, paragraph spacing, first-line indentBody style
HeadingsFont, numbering, spacing, and page-break rules at each levelHeading 1/2/3 styles
Figures and tablesCaption location, numbering, font, and sourceCaptions and cross-references
Page numbersNumbering systems and starting pages for front matter and bodyPage-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.

  1. 1
    Set paper size, margins, and sections first; separate the cover, abstracts, contents, and main text.
  2. 2
    Create body and heading styles instead of changing fonts paragraph by paragraph.
  3. 3
    Use captions and cross-references for figures, tables, and equations; never type numbering manually.
  4. 4
    Manage references in the required style and verify that every in-text citation has a matching entry.
  5. 5
    Generate the automatic table of contents from heading styles and update the entire table after revisions.
  6. 6
    Export 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

  1. 1
    China's National Standards Full-Text System

    Search for GB/T 7713.2—2022, Rules for Academic Papers, to verify paper components and writing conventions.

  2. 2
    Microsoft Support: Customize or create new styles

    Microsoft's instructions explain how styles keep headings and body text consistent without manual paragraph-level changes.

  3. 3
    Microsoft Support: Insert a table of contents

    An automatic table of contents depends on heading styles and can be updated after the document changes.

Continue Reading

Automatic Tables of Contents in WordReference FormattingInsert References in Word