- Link to facebook
- Link to linkedin
- Link to twitter
- Link to youtube
- Writing Tips
![](http://farmaciacoslada.online/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
How to Structure the Table of Contents for a Research Paper
![how to write a table of content for a research paper How to Structure the Table of Contents for a Research Paper](https://proofed.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/uploads/2023/08/16-Graphic-How-to-Structure-the-Table-of-Contents-for-a-Research-Paper-628x492.png.webp)
4-minute read
- 16th July 2023
So you’ve made it to the important step of writing the table of contents for your paper. Congratulations on making it this far! Whether you’re writing a research paper or a dissertation , the table of contents not only provides the reader with guidance on where to find the sections of your paper, but it also signals that a quality piece of research is to follow. Here, we will provide detailed instructions on how to structure the table of contents for your research paper.
Steps to Create a Table of Contents
- Insert the table of contents after the title page.
Within the structure of your research paper , you should place the table of contents after the title page but before the introduction or the beginning of the content. If your research paper includes an abstract or an acknowledgements section , place the table of contents after it.
- List all the paper’s sections and subsections in chronological order.
Depending on the complexity of your paper, this list will include chapters (first-level headings), chapter sections (second-level headings), and perhaps subsections (third-level headings). If you have a chapter outline , it will come in handy during this step. You should include the bibliography and all appendices in your table of contents. If you have more than a few charts and figures (more often the case in a dissertation than in a research paper), you should add them to a separate list of charts and figures that immediately follows the table of contents. (Check out our FAQs below for additional guidance on items that should not be in your table of contents.)
- Paginate each section.
Label each section and subsection with the page number it begins on. Be sure to do a check after you’ve made your final edits to ensure that you don’t need to update the page numbers.
- Format your table of contents.
The way you format your table of contents will depend on the style guide you use for the rest of your paper. For example, there are table of contents formatting guidelines for Turabian/Chicago and MLA styles, and although the APA recommends checking with your instructor for formatting instructions (always a good rule of thumb), you can also create a table of contents for a research paper that follows APA style .
- Add hyperlinks if you like.
Depending on the word processing software you’re using, you may also be able to hyperlink the sections of your table of contents for easier navigation through your paper. (Instructions for this feature are available for both Microsoft Word and Google Docs .)
To summarize, the following steps will help you create a clear and concise table of contents to guide readers through your research paper:
1. Insert the table of contents after the title page.
2. List all the sections and subsections in chronological order.
3. Paginate each section.
4. Format the table of contents according to your style guide.
5. Add optional hyperlinks.
If you’d like help formatting and proofreading your research paper , check out some of our services. You can even submit a sample for free . Best of luck writing your research paper table of contents!
What is a table of contents?
A table of contents is a listing of each section of a document in chronological order, accompanied by the page number where the section begins. A table of contents gives the reader an overview of the contents of a document, as well as providing guidance on where to find each section.
Find this useful?
Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.
What should I include in my table of contents?
If your paper contains any of the following sections, they should be included in your table of contents:
● Chapters, chapter sections, and subsections
● Introduction
● Conclusion
● Appendices
● Bibliography
Although recommendations may differ among institutions, you generally should not include the following in your table of contents:
● Title page
● Abstract
● Acknowledgements
● Forward or preface
If you have several charts, figures, or tables, consider creating a separate list for them that will immediately follow the table of contents. Also, you don’t need to include the table of contents itself in your table of contents.
Is there more than one way to format a table of contents?
Yes! In addition to following any recommendations from your instructor or institution, you should follow the stipulations of your style guide .
Share this article:
Post A New Comment
Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.
5-minute read
Free Email Newsletter Template (2024)
Promoting a brand means sharing valuable insights to connect more deeply with your audience, and...
6-minute read
How to Write a Nonprofit Grant Proposal
If you’re seeking funding to support your charitable endeavors as a nonprofit organization, you’ll need...
9-minute read
How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation
Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...
8-minute read
Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement
Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...
7-minute read
Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization
Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...
Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio
Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Logo Harvard University](https://proofed.com/wp-content/webp-express/webp-images/uploads/2020/11/logo-harvard.png.webp)
Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.
- Privacy Policy
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research Method](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/logo.png)
Home » APA Table of Contents – Format and Example
APA Table of Contents – Format and Example
Table of Contents
![how to write a table of content for a research paper APA Table of Contents](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/APA_Table_of_Contents-1024x576.jpg)
APA Table of Contents
The APA (American Psychological Association) Table of Contents is a structured outline that provides an overview of the content of a research paper or manuscript. It is typically included in the front matter of the document and lists the major sections and subsections of the paper, along with their page numbers. The Table of Contents is an important organizational tool that helps readers navigate the document and locate specific information quickly and easily.
How to Make APA Table of Contents
Here are the steps you can follow:
- Create a new page for the table of contents. The page number should be the Roman numeral “i”.
- Center the title “Table of Contents” at the top of the page.
- List all the headings and subheadings in your paper in order. Be sure to include all major sections and subsections.
- Align the page numbers to the right margin of the page.
- Use dot leaders to connect the headings to their respective page numbers. Dot leaders are a row of dots that help guide the reader’s eye from the heading to the page number.
I. Introduction ……………………………………………………… i
II. Literature Review ……………………………………………….. 1
A. Subheading ………………………………………………………… 2
B. Subheading ………………………………………………………… 3
III. Methodology ………………………………………………………….. 4
A. Participants ………………………………………………………… 5
B. Procedure …………………………………………………………… 6
IV. Results ……………………………………………………………………. 8
V. Discussion ……………………………………………………………… 10
VI. Conclusion …………………………………………………………….. 12
How to Make APA Table of Contents in MS Words
To create an APA table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
- Start by typing out your document in Microsoft Word.
- Once you have finished typing your document, place your cursor at the beginning of your document.
- Click on the “References” tab in the top menu bar.
- Click on the “Table of Contents” option on the left-hand side of the menu bar.
- Choose one of the APA table of contents styles from the drop-down menu that appears. There are two options for an APA table of contents: “APA 6th Edition” and “APA 7th Edition.”
- Once you have chosen your preferred APA table of contents style, click on it to insert it into your document.
- Now you need to format your headings to be included in the table of contents. Select the heading you want to include in your table of contents.
- Click on the “Styles” option in the top menu bar.
- Choose the appropriate heading style from the drop-down menu that appears. You can choose from “Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” “Heading 3,” etc.
- Repeat the previous two steps for each heading you want to include in the table of contents.
- Once you have formatted all the headings, go back to the “References” tab in the top menu bar.
- Select the “Update Table” option from the drop-down menu that appears.
- Choose whether you want to update the page numbers only or the entire table of contents.
- Click “OK” to update your table of contents.
Your APA table of contents is now complete!
APA Table of Contents Format
Here’s the general format for creating a table of contents in APA style:
- Start a new page after the title page and abstract.
- Type “Table of Contents” at the top of the page, centered.
- List all the major sections of your paper, including the introduction, body, and conclusion.
- Indent each level of subheading, using either the tab key or your word processor’s formatting tools.
- Use the same font and size for the table of contents as you did for the rest of the paper.
- Align page numbers on the right side of the page, directly after each section and sub-section.
- Include any appendices and references in the table of contents, if applicable.
Here is an example of an APA-formatted table of contents:
Table of Contents Format
Introduction ………………………………………. 1
Literature Review ………………………………… 2
Methods ………………………………………….. 6
Participants ……………………………………. 6
Procedure ……………………………………….. 8
Results ………………………………………….. 10
Discussion ………………………………………. 15
Appendices ………………………………………. 20
References ………………………………………. 21
APA Table of Contents Example
Here is an example of an APA-style table of contents:
I. Introduction ……………………………………………………………………. 1
II. Literature Review …………………………………………………………….. 3
A. Background………………………………………………………………… 3
B. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………………… 5
C. Empirical Studies………………………………………………………… 7
III. Methodology …………………………………………………………………. 10
A. Research Design ………………………………………………………… 10
B. Participants ……………………………………………………………….. 11
C. Materials ………………………………………………………………….. 12 ‘
D. Procedure …………………………………………………………………. 14
IV. Results …………………………………………………………………………. 16
V. Discussion ……………………………………………………………………… 19
A. Summary of Findings …………………………………………………. 19
B. Implications ………………………………………………………………. 21
C. Limitations and Future Directions ………………………………… 23
VI. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………. 25
VII. References …………………………………………………………………… 27
VIII. Appendices ………………………………………………………………….. 31
When to use APA Table of Contents
You should use an APA TOC when:
- You are writing a research paper or a thesis that is more than 5 pages in length.
- Your document has multiple headings and subheadings that require organization and clarification for the reader.
- You want to make it easy for readers to find specific sections or information within your document.
- You want to comply with the APA style guidelines for formatting and referencing.
- Your document contains complex information that requires a clear structure to make it more comprehensible for the reader.
Advantages of APA Table of Contents
The American Psychological Association (APA) style table of contents has several advantages, including:
- Easy navigation: A well-organized table of contents makes it easy for readers to find the information they need quickly and easily. This is especially important in longer documents such as academic papers, theses, and dissertations.
- Standardized formatting: The APA style table of contents follows a standardized formatting style that is familiar to many academic readers. This makes it easier for readers to understand the structure and organization of the document.
- Consistency : By using the APA style table of contents, authors can ensure that the document is consistent and follows a clear organizational structure. This can help readers to better understand the content and stay focused on the main points.
- Professional appearance : A well-formatted APA style table of contents can enhance the professional appearance of the document. This is particularly important in academic and research settings where a professional appearance can increase the credibility of the work.
- Compliance with academic standards : Many academic institutions require the use of the APA style for academic papers, theses, and dissertations. By using the APA style table of contents, authors can ensure that their work complies with these academic standards.
About the author
Muhammad Hassan
Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer
You may also like
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Appendices](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Appendices-145x100.png)
Appendices – Writing Guide, Types and Examples
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Conceptual Framework](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Conceptual_Framework-145x100.png)
Conceptual Framework – Types, Methodology and...
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research Summary](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Research_Summary-145x100.png)
Research Summary – Structure, Examples and...
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research Process](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Research_Process-145x100.png)
Research Process – Steps, Examples and Tips
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research Paper Formats](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Research_Paper_Formats-145x100.png)
Research Paper Format – Types, Examples and...
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research Findings](https://researchmethod.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Research_Findings-145x100.png)
Research Findings – Types Examples and Writing...
Have a language expert improve your writing
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, automatically generate references for free.
- Knowledge Base
- Dissertation
- Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples
Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples
Published on 15 May 2022 by Tegan George .
The table of contents is where you list the chapters and major sections of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, alongside their page numbers. A clear and well-formatted table of contents is essential, as it demonstrates to your reader that a quality paper will follow.
The table of contents (TOC) should be placed between the abstract and the introduction. The maximum length should be two pages. Depending on the nature of your thesis, dissertation, or paper, there are a few formatting options you can choose from.
Download Word doc Download Google doc
Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text
Be assured that you'll submit flawless writing. Upload your document to correct all your mistakes.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/grammar-check.webp)
Table of contents
What to include in your table of contents, what not to include in your table of contents, creating a table of contents in microsoft word, table of contents examples, updating a table of contents in microsoft word, other lists in your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, frequently asked questions about the table of contents.
Depending on the length of your document, you can choose between a single-level, subdivided, or multi-level table of contents.
- A single-level table of contents only includes ‘level 1’ headings, or chapters. This is the simplest option, but it may be too broad for a long document like a dissertation.
- A subdivided table of contents includes chapters as well as ‘level 2’ headings, or sections. These show your reader what each chapter contains.
- A multi-level table of contents also further divides sections into ‘level 3’ headings. This option can get messy quickly, so proceed with caution. Remember your table of contents should not be longer than 2 pages. A multi-level table is often a good choice for a shorter document like a research paper.
Examples of level 1 headings are Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, and Bibliography. Subsections of each of these would be level 2 headings, further describing the contents of each chapter or large section. Any further subsections would be level 3.
In these introductory sections, less is often more. As you decide which sections to include, narrow it down to only the most essential.
Including appendices and tables
You should include all appendices in your table of contents. Whether or not you include tables and figures depends largely on how many there are in your document.
If there are more than three figures and tables, you might consider listing them on a separate page. Otherwise, you can include each one in the table of contents.
- Theses and dissertations often have a separate list of figures and tables.
- Research papers generally don’t have a separate list of figures and tables.
The only proofreading tool specialized in correcting academic writing
The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts and by native English editors. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads//2019/12/before-editing.png)
Correct my document today
All level 1 and level 2 headings should be included in your table of contents, with level 3 headings used very sparingly.
The following things should never be included in a table of contents:
- Your acknowledgements page
- Your abstract
- The table of contents itself
The acknowledgements and abstract always precede the table of contents, so there’s no need to include them. This goes for any sections that precede the table of contents.
To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, be sure to first apply the correct heading styles throughout the document, as shown below.
- Choose which headings are heading 1 and which are heading 2 (or 3!
- For example, if all level 1 headings should be Times New Roman, 12-point font, and bold, add this formatting to the first level 1 heading.
- Highlight the level 1 heading.
- Right-click the style that says ‘Heading 1’.
- Select ‘Update Heading 1 to Match Selection’.
- Allocate the formatting for each heading throughout your document by highlighting the heading in question and clicking the style you wish to apply.
Once that’s all set, follow these steps:
- Add a title to your table of contents. Be sure to check if your citation style or university has guidelines for this.
- Place your cursor where you would like your table of contents to go.
- In the ‘References’ section at the top, locate the Table of Contents group.
- Here, you can select which levels of headings you would like to include. You can also make manual adjustments to each level by clicking the Modify button.
- When you are ready to insert the table of contents, click ‘OK’ and it will be automatically generated, as shown below.
The key features of a table of contents are:
- Clear headings and subheadings
- Corresponding page numbers
Check with your educational institution to see if they have any specific formatting or design requirements.
Prevent plagiarism, run a free check.
Write yourself a reminder to update your table of contents as one of your final tasks before submitting your dissertation or paper. It’s normal for your text to shift a bit as you input your final edits, and it’s crucial that your page numbers correspond correctly.
It’s easy to update your page numbers automatically in Microsoft Word. Simply right-click the table of contents and select ‘Update Field’. You can choose either to update page numbers only or to update all information in your table of contents.
In addition to a table of contents, you might also want to include a list of figures and tables, a list of abbreviations and a glossary in your thesis or dissertation. You can use the following guides to do so:
- List of figures and tables
- List of abbreviations
It is less common to include these lists in a research paper.
All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents . That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.
The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list .
Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.
To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
- Apply heading styles throughout the document.
- In the references section in the ribbon, locate the Table of Contents group.
- Click the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon and select Custom Table of Contents.
- Select which levels of headings you would like to include in the table of contents.
Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.
The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction.
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
George, T. (2022, May 15). Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 12 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/contents-page/
Is this article helpful?
Tegan George
Other students also liked, dissertation title page, how to write an abstract | steps & examples, thesis & dissertation acknowledgements | tips & examples.
- How it works
![how to write a table of content for a research paper researchprospect post subheader](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/3-3.webp)
How to Create the Best Table of Contents for a Dissertation
Published by Owen Ingram at August 12th, 2021 , Revised On September 20, 2023
“A table of contents is an essential part of any article, book, proceedings, essay , and paper with plenty of information. It requires providing the reader’s guidance about the position of the content.”
When preparing a dissertation , you may cram as much information into it as appropriate. The dissertation may be an extremely well-written one with a lot of valuable information to offer. Still, all that information could become perplexing if the reader cannot easily find the information.
The length of dissertations usually varies from a few pages to a few hundred pages, making it very difficult to find information that you may be after.
Instead of skimming through every page of the dissertation, there is a need for a guideline that directs the reader to the correct section of the dissertation and, more importantly, the correct page in the section.
Also read: The List of Figures and Tables in the Dissertation .
What is the Table of Contents in the Dissertation?
The table of contents is the section of a dissertation that guides each section of the dissertation paper’s contents.
Depending on the detail level in a table of contents, the most useful headings are listed to provide the reader concerning which page the said information may be found.
The table of contents is essentially a list found at the beginning of a dissertation , which contains names of the chapters, section titles and/or very brief descriptions, and page numbers indicated for each.
This allows the reader to look at the table of contents to locate the information needed from the dissertation. Having an effective table of contents is key to providing a seamless reading experience to the reader.
Here in this article, we will uncover every piece of information you need to know to write the dissertation’s abstract.
This article helps the readers on how to create the best table of contents for the dissertation. An important thing to note is that this guide discusses creating a table of contents in Microsoft Word.
Looking for dissertation help?
Researchprospect to the rescue then.
We have expert writers on our team who are skilled at helping students with dissertations across a variety of disciplines. Guaranteeing 100% satisfaction!
![how to write a table of content for a research paper quantitative dissertation](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/quantitative_dissertation_help-removebg-preview.webp)
Styles for Dissertation Table of Contents
Making an effective table of contents starts with identifying headings and designating styles to those headings.
Using heading styles to format your headings can save a lot of time by automatically converting their formatting to the defined style and serves as a tool to identify the heading and its level, used later when creating a thesis table of contents .
Each heading style already has predefined sizes, fonts, colours, spacing, etc. but can be changed as per the user’s requirements. This also helps once all headings have been created and you intend to change the style of a certain type of heading.
All that is needed to change the style of a type of heading is automatically reflected on all headings that use the style.
Below is how the styles menu looks like;
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Style-menus](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Style-menus.webp)
To allocate a style to a heading, first select a heading and then click on one of the styles in the ‘Styles’ menu. Doing so converts the selected heading to the style that is selected in the Styles menu.
You can style a similar heading level in the same style by selecting each heading and then clicking on the style in the Style menu.
It is important to note that it greatly helps and saves time if you allocate styles systematically, i.e., you allocate the style as you write.
The styles are not limited to headings only but can be used for paragraphs and by selecting the whole paragraph and applying a style to it.
Changing Appearance of Pre-Defined Styles
To change the appearance of a style to one that suits you,
- You would need to right-click on one of the styles to open a drop-down menu.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Changing-Apperance-of-Predefined-Styles](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Changing-Apperance-of-Predefined-Styles.webp)
- Select ‘Modify’ from the menu. This would display a window with various formatting and appearance options. You can select the most appropriate ones and click ‘OK.’ The change that you made to the style reflects on all headings or paragraphs that use this style.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Changing-Apperance-of-Predefined-Styles](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Changing-Apperance-of-Predefined-Styles-1.webp)
Further changes can be made to headings, but using styles is an important step for creating the table of contents for the thesis. Once this step is completed, you can continue to create a thesis table of contents.
Also Read: What is Appendix in Dissertation?
Things to Consider when Making APA Style Table of Contents
- The pages before the body of the dissertation, known as the ‘Prefatory Pages,’ should not have page numbers on them but should be numbered in the Roman Numerals instead as (i, ii, iii…).
- Table of Contents and the Abstract pages are not to contain any numbers.
- The remaining pages would carry the standard page numbers (1,2,3…).
- The section titles and page numbers in the dissertation table of contents should have dotted lines between them.
- All the Prefatory pages, Sections, Chapter Titles, Headings, Sub Headings, Reference Sections, and Appendices should be listed in the contents’ thesis table. If there are a limited number of Tables or Figures, they may be listed in the dissertation’s table contents.
- If there are many figures, tables, symbols, or abbreviations, a List of Tables, List of Figures , List of Symbols, and List of Abbreviations should be made for easy navigation. These lists, however, should not be listed in the thesis table of contents.
- The thesis/dissertation must be divided into sections even if it is not divided into chapters, with all sections being listed in the table of contents for the thesis.
Generating Dissertation Table of Contents
First, to generate the Table of Contents, start by entering a blank page after the pages you need the table of contents to follow.
- To do so, click on the bottom of the page you want before the Table of Contents.
- Open the ‘Insert’ tab and select ‘Page Break’.
- This will create a page between the top and bottom sections of the Table of Contents area.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Generating-Table-of-Contents-for-Your-Dissertation](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Generating-Table-of-Contents-for-Your-Dissertation.webp)
By the time you reach this section, you would have given each heading or sub-heading a dedicated style, distinguishing between different types of headings. Microsoft Word can automatically generate a Table of Contents, but the document, particularly the headings, needs to be formatted according to styles for this feature to work. You can assign different headings levels, different styles for Microsoft Word to recognize the level of heading.
How to Insert Table of Contents
- Place the cursor where you want to place the Table of Contents on the page you added earlier.
- On the ‘References’ tab, open the Table of Contents group. This would open a list of different Table of Contents designs and a table of contents sample.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Inserting-Table-of-Contents](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Inserting-Table-of-Contents.webp)
- You can select an option from the available Table of Contents or make a Custom Table of Contents. Although the available Table of Contents samples is appropriate, you may use a custom table of contents if it is more suitable to your needs. This allows you to modify different formatting options for the Table of Contents to satisfy your own
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Inserting-Table-of-Contents-1](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Inserting-Table-of-Contents-1.webp)
Updating the Table of Contents
As you proceed with editing your dissertation, the changes cause the page numbers and headings to vary. Often, people fail to incorporate those changes into the Table of Contents, which then effectively serves as an incorrect table and causes confusion.
It is thus important to update the changes into the table of contents as the final step once you have made all the necessary changes in the dissertation and are ready to print it.
These changes may alter the length of the thesis table of contents , which may also cause the dissertation’s formatting to be altered a little, so it is best to reformat it after updating the table of contents.
To update the table of contents,
- Select ‘Update Table’ in the References tab.
- This would open a dialogue box. Select ‘Update Entire Table’ to ensure that all changes are reflected in the contents table and not just the page numbers. This would display all changes and additions you have made to the document (Anon., 2017).
Using this guide, you should understand how to create the best table of contents for the dissertation. The use of a Table of Contents, while being important for most written work, is even more critical for dissertations, especially when the proper methodology of creating the table of contents is followed.
This includes the guidelines that must be considered to correctly format the table of contents so that it may be shaped so that it follows the norms and is effective at helping the reader navigate through the content of the dissertation.
The use of Microsoft Word’s Table of Contents generation feature has greatly helped people worldwide create, edit, and update the table of contents of their dissertations with ease.
Here in this article, we will uncover every piece of information you need to know how to write the dissertation’s abstract .
Are you in need of help with dissertation writing? At ResearchProspect, we have hundreds of Master’s and PhD qualified writers for all academic subjects, so you can get help with any aspect of your dissertation project. You can place your order for a proposal , full dissertation paper , or individual chapters .
Is it essential to add a table of content to the dissertation?
Yes, it is important to add a table of content in a dissertation .
How to make an effective table of contents for the dissertation?
Using heading styles to format your headings can save a lot of time by automatically converting their formatting to the defined style and serves as a tool to identify the heading and its level, used later when creating a thesis table of contents.
How do I update the table of contents?
You may also like.
This brief introductory section aims to deal with the definitions of two paradigms, positivism and post-positivism, as well as their importance in research.
Have you failed dissertation, assignment, exam or coursework? Don’t panic because you are not alone. Get help from our professional UK qualified writers!
USEFUL LINKS
LEARNING RESOURCES
![how to write a table of content for a research paper researchprospect-reviews-trust-site](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/researchprospect-reviews-trust-site.webp)
COMPANY DETAILS
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research-Prospect-Writing-Service](https://www.researchprospect.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Research-Prospect-Writing-Service.webp)
- How It Works
- Bipolar Disorder
- Therapy Center
- When To See a Therapist
- Types of Therapy
- Best Online Therapy
- Best Couples Therapy
- Best Family Therapy
- Managing Stress
- Sleep and Dreaming
- Understanding Emotions
- Self-Improvement
- Healthy Relationships
- Student Resources
- Personality Types
- Sweepstakes
- Guided Meditations
- Verywell Mind Insights
- 2024 Verywell Mind 25
- Mental Health in the Classroom
- Editorial Process
- Meet Our Review Board
- Crisis Support
A Table of Contents in APA Format
General guidelines.
- Table of Contents
APA style does not require a table of contents, but there are cases where you may need to include one. For example, your instructor may specify that your paper must be submitted with a table of contents. A table of contents can be particularly helpful in cases where your paper is lengthy or covers a lot of material, such as a thesis paper or dissertation. Research papers, in particular, may benefit from the addition of a table of contents.
APA style is the official publication style of the American Psychological Association. APA style is used in psychology courses as well as other social science classes including those in social science, behavioral sciences, and education.
The table of contents serves as a basic roadmap of your paper. It should list all of the major headings and subheadings within the body of your paper. For a standard psychology paper, it might include listings for the introduction, method, results, and discussion sections of your paper.
While the APA may not specify guidelines for a table of contents, you should use the basic APA format for formatting your table of contents:
- Use one-inch margins on all sides
- Use 12-point Times New Roman font
- Double-space
Since APA does not require a table of contents, you should always refer to your instructor’s guidelines when deciding whether or not to include one.
It is also important to note that the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association was published in 2020, and included updated guidelines on many topics.
For example, while the previous edition of the style manual required a running head on each page of a paper, the 7th edition has eliminated that requirement on student papers unless your instructor specifies to include it. Always ask first.
If you are using a standard APA paper format, your table of contents should include the following sections:
- Introduction
The above format may work well for a standard lab report or research paper. However, your table of contents will look much different if you are writing something such as a critique, essay, or case study.
Notice, that the table of contents does not include the abstract or acknowledgments pages. When applicable, it should list the appendices and the lists of tables and figures.
The exact order of your paper depends largely on the type of paper you are writing. In general, your paper should be presented in the following order:
- Main Body of Paper
Table of Contents Format
Because there is no standard format for a table of contents in APA style, you should always defer to the provided guidelines for your assignment.
If your instructor does not have a preferred format, consider using the following:
- Title the page “Table of Contents” and center the title at the top of the page.
- Most papers should include at least two levels of headings, up to five levels.
- Level one headings will be for main topics, such as chapter titles like "Chapter One; Name of Chapter," or research sections like "Method," "Results," and "Discussion."
- All level-one headings should be flush-left and sub-headings should be indented five spaces deeper than the last.
- All heading levels should be in title case, capitalizing the first letter of each word. The font type, style, and size stay the same for each level.
- The page number for each heading is formatted flush-right. Include dot leaders between the headings and the page number to improve readability.
While you might not think that following APA format is important, it is one of those areas where students can lose points for making small errors. It pays to spend a little extra time and attention making sure that your paper is formatted in proper APA style.
- If you need help, you can get assistance from your school's writing lab.
- Getting your own copy of the latest edition of the APA publication manual can be very helpful.
- Always refer to any instructions or guidelines that were provided by your course instructor.
- There is a helpful feature in most word processors that you can use to pre-format your paper in APA style. It takes a little effort to set it up, but well worth it in the end, especially for longer documents. You can save the style to apply to your future papers saving you the effort next time.
For those writing a paper to submit for publication, check with the publisher for any specific formatting requirements that they may have.
American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.) ; 2020.
By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."
- University of Michigan Library
- Research Guides
Microsoft Word for Dissertations
- Table of Contents
- Introduction, Template, & Resources
- Formatting for All Readers
- Applying a Style
- Modifying a Style
- Setting up a Heading 1 Example
- Images, Charts, Other Objects
- Footnotes, Endnotes, & Citations
- Cross-References
- Appendix Figures & Tables
- List of Figures/Tables
- Chapter and Section Numbering
- Page Numbers
- Landscape Pages
- Combining Chapter Files
- Commenting and Reviewing
- Tips & Tricks
- The Two-inch Top Margin
- Troubleshooting
- Finalizing Without Styles
- Preparing Your Final Document
- Take a break
Automatic Table of Contents
An automatic Table of Contents relies on Styles to keep track of page numbers and section titles for you automatically. Microsoft Word can scan your document and find everything in the Heading 1 style and put that on the first level of your table of contents, put any Heading 2’s on the second level of your table of contents, and so on.
If you want an automatic table of contents you need to apply the Heading 1 style to all of your chapter titles and front matter headings (like “Dedication” and “Acknowledgements”). All section headings within your chapters should use the Heading 2 style. All sub-section headings should use Heading 3 , etc....
If you have used Heading styles in your document, creating an automatic table of contents is easy.
- Place your cursor where you want your table of contents to be.
- On the References Ribbon, in the Table of Contents Group , click on the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon, and select Custom Table of Contents .
- We suggest that you set each level (Chapters, sections, sub-sections, aka TOC 1, TOC 2, TOC 3) to be single-spaced, with 12 points of space afterwards. This makes each item in your ToC clump together if they're long enough to wrap to a second line, with the equivalent of a double space between each item, and makes the ToC easier to read and understand than if every line were double-spaced. See the video below for details.
- If you want to change which headings appear in your Table of Contents, you can do so by changing the number in the Show levels: field. Select "1" to just include the major sections (Acknowledgements, List of Figures, Chapters, etc...). Select "4" to include Chapters, sections, sub-sections, and sub-sub-sections.
- Click OK to insert your table of contents.
The table of contents is a snapshot of the headings and page numbers in your document, and does not automatically update itself as you make changes. At any time, you can update it by right-clicking on it and selecting Update field . Notice that once the table of contents is in your document, it will turn gray if you click on it. This just reminds you that it is a special field managed by Word, and is getting information from somewhere else.
Modifying the format of your Table of Contents
The video below shows how to make your Table of Contents a little easier to read by formatting the spacing between items in your Table of Contents. You may recognize the "Modify Style" window that appears, which can serve as a reminder that you can use this window to modify more than just paragraph settings in the ToC. You can modify the indent distance, or font, or tab settings for your ToC, just the same as you may have modified it for Styles.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper an image of the Modify Table of Contents window, where you can set Show Levels](https://libapps.s3.amazonaws.com/accounts/52888/images/diss_TOC_levels.png)
By default, the Table of Contents tool creates the ToC by pulling in Headings 1 through 3. If you'd like to modify that -- to only show H1's, or to show Headings 1 through 4 -- then go to the References tab and select Custom Table of Contents . In the window that appears, set Show Levels to "1" to only show Heading 1's in the Table of Contents, or set it to "4" to show Headings 1 through 4.
Bonus tip for updating fields like the Table of Contents
You'll quickly realize that all of the automatic Lists and Tables need to be updated occasionally to reflect any changes you've made elsewhere in the document -- they do not dynamically update by themselves. Normally, this means going to each field, right-clicking on it and selecting "Update Field".
Alternatively, to update all fields throughout your document (Figure/Table numbers & Lists, cross-references, Table of Contents, etc...), just select "Print". This will usually cause Word to update everything in anticipation of printing. Once the print preview window appears, just cancel and double-check that it updated things.
- PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
- EDIT Edit this Article
- EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Happiness Hub Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
- Browse Articles
- Learn Something New
- Quizzes Hot
- Happiness Hub
- This Or That Game
- Train Your Brain
- Explore More
- Support wikiHow
- About wikiHow
- Log in / Sign up
- Education and Communications
- Technical Writing
How to Write a Table of Contents
Last Updated: June 16, 2024 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,061,548 times.
The Table of Contents in a document acts as a map for the reader, making it easier for them to find information in the document based on title and page number. A good Table of Contents should be organized, easy to read and simple to use. You can write a Table of Contents manually on your computer or have a word processing tool create it for you. Make sure the Table of Contents is formatted properly in your final document so it is as accurate and accessible as possible.
Writing a Table of Contents
To write a simple table of contents, create a new page in your document and type the names of the chapters or sections of your piece of writing. Then, use your word processing program to insert the page number where each section starts. If you move things around, the page number in your table of contents will automatically update.
Sample Tables of Contents
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/20/Table-of-Contents-Template.png/340px-Table-of-Contents-Template.png)
Creating the Table of Contents on a Word Processor
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 1 Start a new page after the title page.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e4/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-1-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-1-Version-4.jpg)
- The Table of Contents should be on its own page. Do not include the introduction or a dedication on the same page as the Table of Contents.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 2 List the headings of the document in order.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/6/64/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-2-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-2-Version-4.jpg)
- For example, you may write down main headings like, “Introduction,” “Case Study 1,” or “Conclusion.”
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 3 Add subheadings if applicable.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/98/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-3-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-3-Version-4.jpg)
- For example, under the main heading “Introduction” you may write the subheading, “Themes and Concepts.” Or under the main heading “Conclusion” you may write, “Final Analysis.”
- You can also include sub-subheadings underneath the subheadings, if applicable. For example, under the subheading “Themes and Concepts” you may have the sub-subheading, “Identity.”
- Some papers do not have subheadings at all, only main headings. If this is the case, skip this step.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 4 Write page numbers for each heading.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/4c/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-4-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-4-Version-4.jpg)
- For example, if the “Introduction” section begins on page 1, you will attach “page 1” to the Introduction heading. If the “Conclusion” section begins on page 45, attach “page 45” to the Conclusion heading.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 5 Put the content in a table.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e6/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-5-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-5-Version-4.jpg)
- Check that the subheadings are located underneath the correct headings, indented to the right.
- Make sure there are page numbers for the subheadings listed as well.
- You can center the content in the table using the table options if you want the content to appear a few spaces away from the lines of the table. You can also leave the content indented to the left if you'd prefer.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 6 Title the Table of Contents.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c4/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-6-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-6-Version-4.jpg)
- You can put the title above the table or in a separate row on the top of the rest of the content.
Using a Word Processing Tool
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 1 Confirm the headings and page numbers are correct in the document.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/28/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-7-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-7-Version-4.jpg)
- You should also confirm the page numbers are correct in the document. Each page should be numbered in order. Having the correct page numbers will ensure the Table of Contents is created correctly when you use the word processing tool.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 2 Open the Styles tab.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b6/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-8-Version-4.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-8-Version-4.jpg)
- If there are subheadings in your document, label them “Heading 2.” Highlight each subheading and click on “Heading 2” in the Styles tab.
- If there are sub-subheadings in your document, label them “Heading 3.” Highlight each subheading and click on “Heading 3” in the Styles tab.
- The text and font for each main heading may change based on the settings for “Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” and “Heading 3.” You can choose your preferred text and font for each main heading so they appear as you like in the Table of Contents.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 4 Start a new page after the title page.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/1/10/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-10-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-10-Version-2.jpg)
- You can choose the built-in Table of Content options, where the tool will automatically choose a font size and style for you.
- You can also go for from a list of custom Table of Contents, where you choose the font color and size based on your preferences.
Polishing the Table of Contents
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 1 Make sure the headings are formatted correctly.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/dc/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-12-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-12-Version-2.jpg)
- You should also check the subheadings or sub-subheadings in the Table of Contents, if applicable, to ensure they match those in the document.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Step 2 Confirm the page numbers match the document.](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/2/20/Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-13-Version-2.jpg/v4-460px-Write-a-Table-of-Contents-Step-13-Version-2.jpg)
- If you created the Table of Contents manually, do this by going in and adjusting the headings and/or the page numbers when they change.
- If you created the Table of Contents with a word processing tool, update it by clicking the Update option by the Table of Contents option on the Reference tab. You can side clicking on the Table of Contents and choosing “update” that way.
Community Q&A
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Community Answer](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0a/CommunityAvatar1.png/-crop-104-104-104px-CommunityAvatar1.png)
You Might Also Like
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Write a Manual](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/db/Write-a-Manual-Step-19-Version-2.jpg/-crop-342-184-245px-Write-a-Manual-Step-19-Version-2.jpg)
- ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word-tips/how-to-create-a-table-of-contents-in-word/1/#
- ↑ https://examples.yourdictionary.com/reference/examples/table-of-content-examples.html
- ↑ http://bitesizebio.com/21549/using-word-to-write-your-thesis-making-a-table-of-contents-inserting-captions-and-cross-referencing/
- ↑ https://guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=283073&p=1886010
- ↑ https://nsufl.libguides.com/c.php?g=413851&p=2820026
About This Article
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/9/9f/Stephanie-Wong-Ken.jpg/-crop-100-100-100px-Stephanie-Wong-Ken.jpg)
To write a table of contents, open a new document and list the major headings, titles, or chapters of the project in chronological order. Next, insert subheadings or subtopics if your project has those. Fill in the page number where each heading starts, then format the content in a table with 2 columns. Place the headings and subheadings in order in the first column, then put the page numbers in the second column. Don't forget to add a "Table of Contents" title at the top of the document! To learn more about polishing your Table of Contents, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No
- Send fan mail to authors
Reader Success Stories
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Eric Snupe](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/0a/CommunityAvatar1.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar1.png)
Mar 22, 2017
Did this article help you?
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Delia](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b0/CommunityAvatar2.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar2.png)
Mar 3, 2022
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Anonymous](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b0/CommunityAvatar2.png/-crop-72-72-72px-CommunityAvatar2.png)
Feb 1, 2018
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Do I Have a Dirty Mind Quiz](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/72/Dirty_mind_test.png/-crop-127-140-127px-Dirty_mind_test.png)
Featured Articles
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Introduce Yourself in Class](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/02/Introduce-Yourself-in-Class-Step-13.jpg/-crop-127-140-127px-Introduce-Yourself-in-Class-Step-13.jpg)
Trending Articles
![how to write a table of content for a research paper What's the Best Vegan Meal Kit for Me Quiz](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/bd/Vegan_meal_plan_quiz.png/-crop-127-140-127px-Vegan_meal_plan_quiz.png)
Watch Articles
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Clean the Bottom of an Oven](https://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/0/07/Clean-the-Bottom-of-an-Oven-Step-12.jpg/-crop-127-140-127px-Clean-the-Bottom-of-an-Oven-Step-12.jpg)
- Terms of Use
- Privacy Policy
- Do Not Sell or Share My Info
- Not Selling Info
Get all the best how-tos!
Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter
Want to Get your Dissertation Accepted?
Discover how we've helped doctoral students complete their dissertations and advance their academic careers!
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Vector-7.webp)
![](http://farmaciacoslada.online/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
Join 200+ Graduated Students
![how to write a table of content for a research paper textbook-icon](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/fi_8920659.webp)
Get Your Dissertation Accepted On Your Next Submission
Get customized coaching for:.
- Crafting your proposal,
- Collecting and analyzing your data, or
- Preparing your defense.
Trapped in dissertation revisions?
How to create a table of contents for a dissertation (apa), published by steve tippins on june 20, 2022 june 20, 2022.
Last Updated on: 7th June 2024, 05:08 am
APA Dissertation Table of Contents Format Guidelines
- The table of contents should be double spaced with one-inch margins on all sides.
- It should be written in the same font and size as the rest of your dissertation.
- At the top of the page, write Table of Contents , centered and in bold.
- Although in the body of the paper you can use up to five levels of headings, up to three levels are usually provided in the Table of Contents. Including lower-level headings is optional.
- Indent each subheading five spaces.
- Write all text in title case. In title case, the first letter of major words is capitalized.
- Provide the page number where the main headings and subheadings begin, and provide dotted lines between the heading and the page number.
- Page numbers for the Dedication, Acknowledgements, and Preface should be in lower case Roman Numbers (i, v, x, l, c, d and m.). The page numbers for the rest of the text should be in Arabic numerals (1,2, 3, 4, etc.).
How to Write a Dissertation Table of Contents in APA Using Microsoft Word
Step 1. Instead of manually trying to write and format the table of contents, you can create a generated one using Microsoft Word. To do this, first go to the Home tab. This is where you will choose the styles for the table of contents.
Step 2. The top-level headings will be your chapter titles, so on the right side of the tab, apply the Heading 1 style.
Step 3. The second-level headings will be your subheadings, so apply the Heading 2 style. This will place your subheadings underneath your main headings.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper screenshot of formatting a heading in Microsoft word](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/APA-Dissertation-Table-of-Contents-heading-format-1024x276.png)
Step 4. You will now produce page links to your document. In the top ribbon, click on the References tab and select Table of Contents .
![title= how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Frame-43757.png)
Step 5. If the style does not indicate APA, such as the one below, use the drop down arrow to select APA.
Step 6. Next, choose the number of levels that you want. In this case, you want to be able to have up to three levels, so choose Automatic Table 2 , which has the appropriate heading for a dissertation.
Step 7. Click ok , and you are all set. Microsoft word will automatically generate your dissertation’s table of contents as you write it.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper screenshot of table of content formatting in microsoft word](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/APA-Dissertation-Table-of-Contents-in-MS-Word-1024x548.png)
List of Tables and Figures
Your list of tables and figures will be written at the end of the list of information in the body of your paper. You will create these lists the same way that you created the main table of contents.
However, the headings will be different.
Instead of the heading “Table of Contents,” the headings will be “List of Tables” and “List of Figures.” (An example is provided in the table of contents example below.)
Sample of a Dissertation Table of Contents
In the example below, there are three level headings. The list of tables and figures are provided at the bottom of the other contents. The sections in your table of contents may be different depending on your college’s requirements.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper screenshot of APA Dissertation Table of Contents formatting](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/APA-Dissertation-Table-of-Contents-Formatting-1024x622.png)
Updating the Dissertation Table of Contents
As you continue working on your dissertation, you will need to update the page numbers because they may change.
![title= how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/g12-3.webp)
To update the page numbers, right-click on the table of contents in your document and select the Update field . Then, the Update Table of Contents box will appear.
You can choose to Update page numbers only or all the information in the table of contents by clicking on Update entire table .
![how to write a table of content for a research paper screenshot of updating page numbers in microsoft word](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/APA-Dissertation-Table-of-Contents-page-numbers-1024x483.png)
Note: For more information, refer to the APA Manual 7 th edition , sections 2.2-2.27.
Steve Tippins
Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins
Related Posts
![how to write a table of content for a research paper female phd student laughing at the laptop](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Dissertation-Memes-360x240.jpg)
Dissertation
Dissertation memes.
Sometimes you can’t dissertate anymore and you just need to meme. Don’t worry, I’ve got you. Here are some of my favorite dissertation memes that I’ve seen lately. My Favorite Dissertation Memes For when you Read more…
![how to write a table of content for a research paper stressed out phd student in front of the computer](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Surviving-Post-Dissertation-Stress-Disorder-360x240.jpg)
Surviving Post Dissertation Stress Disorder
The process of earning a doctorate can be long and stressful – and for some people, it can even be traumatic. This may be hard for those who haven’t been through a doctoral program to Read more…
![how to write a table of content for a research paper asian phd student researching on laptop in the library](https://www.beyondphdcoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/PhD-by-Publication-360x240.jpg)
PhD by Publication
PhD by publication, also known as “PhD by portfolio” or “PhD by published works,” is a relatively new route to completing your dissertation requirements for your doctoral degree. In the traditional dissertation route, you have Read more…
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/user.png)
- Dissertation & Thesis Guides
- Basics of Dissertation & Thesis Writing
- How to Create a Table of Contents for Dissertation, Thesis or Paper & Examples
- Speech Topics
- Basics of Essay Writing
- Essay Topics
- Other Essays
- Main Academic Essays
- Research Paper Topics
- Basics of Research Paper Writing
- Miscellaneous
- Chicago/ Turabian
- Data & Statistics
- Methodology
- Admission Writing Tips
- Admission Advice
- Other Guides
- Student Life
- Studying Tips
- Understanding Plagiarism
- Academic Writing Tips
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/magnifying-glass.png)
- Essay Guides
- Research Paper Guides
- Formatting Guides
- Basics of Research Process
- Admission Guides
How to Create a Table of Contents for Dissertation, Thesis or Paper & Examples
![Dissertation Table of Contents Dissertation Table of Contents](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2Fdissertation_table_of_contents_ca21417930_33efbbdbfe.webp&w=1080&q=100)
Table of contents
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/readability-checker.png)
Use our free Readability checker
A dissertation table of contents is a list of the chapters and sections included in a dissertation or thesis, along with their page numbers. It helps to navigate the document easily and locate specific information. Each chapter or section should be listed with its corresponding page number. The table of contents should be formatted according to the guidelines of the specific style guide being used, such as APA or MLA.
We would guess that students usually start working on the table of contents at the last minute. It is quite apparent and makes sense, as this is the list of chapters and sections with page locations. Do you think it's easy?
From our experience, it can be quite tricky to organize everything according to APA, Chicago, or any other academic writing style. In this blog, we will discuss how to write a table of contents for a research paper , thesis or dissertation in Microsoft Word. We will create it together to guide students through the process.
Also, here you will find examples of table of contents created by thesis writers at StudyCrumb . Let’s go!
What Is a Table of Contents: Definition
It is obvious that the table of contents (TOC) is an essential manuscript part you can’t skip. If you are dealing with a dissertation, thesis or research paper, you need to know how to build it in accordance with academic guidance. This is a detailed roadmap for your work and outlined structure you can follow for a research presentation.
In case you are working on an essay or report, you may not include the table of contents, as it is a short academic text. But for the research paper, thesis or dissertation, table of contents is essential and required. It is possible to say the same about any Master’s project. It should be located between the dissertation abstract and introduction chapter. In most cases, it is about 2-3 pages long.
Our expert dissertation writing service prepared a great template that can be used for your work. Make your research formatting easy with ready solutions!
Types of Table of Contents
How to choose which table of contents will fit your research paper, thesis, dissertation, or report best? Make a decision based on your work length. Some academic writing styles, such as APA paper format or MLA style , have specific formatting for this list.
However, we will outline the most commonly used typology:
- Single-level table of contents. At this type, we use only chapters. For instance, you will have an Introduction, Literature Review, methodology, and other chapters with page numbers. It can be used for shorter research work. For long writing forms like manuscripts, it can be too broad, and you will need to go into details.
- Subdivided table of contents. The most frequently used form to organize the contents table. It will include not only chapters but also sections — a level 2 subheading for each part. It will help to be more specific about what to expect in each part of your research work.
- Table of contents with multiple levels. This is a more divided structure, including subheadings with a level 3 for each section. Quite often, those subheadings can be rewritten or deleted during the last editing. It is essential to keep them in the right order.
Before you decide which type will work best for you, let us share with you some examples of each formatting style.
Example of Table of Contents With a Single Level
Introduction: The Misinformation Roots ………..…… 3 Literature Review .....................................….....………… 10 Research Methodology and Design ……................. 24 Results.............................................................................. 28 Discussion ....................................................................... 32
Sometimes, you will need to put an extra emphasis on subsections. Check this layout to see how your subheadings can be organized.
Example of Table of Contents Page with Subdivided Levels
Introduction: Information War ............……………….. 3 Background…………………………………….………..…… 4 Current State ……………………………………...…...…… 5 Defining Research Questions………………………. 9 Literature Review………………………...……………..……... 11 The Roots of Information Warfare ………....… 11 Information Wars …………………………….………..… 14 Cyber Wars Research ........................................ 17
If you are working on a lengthy, complex paper, this outline will suit your project most. It will help readers navigate through your document by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable sections.
Multi-Level Table of Contents Page Example
Introduction……………………………………………….......……….… 3 Emergence of Climate Change ………..……....….….. 3 Key Activist Groups in Climate Change .............. 5 Greenpeace International ………..…………......... 9 European Climate Foundation …….……………. 10 WWF ……………………………………….……….............. 11 Significant Movements ……………….………....……… 13 Literature Review ……………………………………......…………. 15
What Sections Should Be Included in a Table of Contents?
To start with, the scientific table of contents should include all chapters and its subheading. It is important to choose the formatting that will give your readers a full overview of your work from the very beginning. However, there are other chapters that you may miss constructing the 2-pager table. So, let's look at all you need to include:
- Dissertation introduction
- Literature review
- Research methodology
- Results section
- Dissertation discussion
- Conclusion of a thesis
- Reference list. Mention a number of a page where you start listing your sources.
- Appendices. For instance, if you have a data set, table or figure, include it in your research appendix .
This is how the ideal structured dissertation or research paper table of contents will look like. Remember that it still should take 2 pages. You need to choose the best formatting style to manage its length.
Tables, Figures, and Appendices in TOC
While creating a table of contents in a research paper, thesis or dissertation, you will need to include appendices in each case you have them. However, the formatting and adding tables and figures can vary based on the number and citation style. If you have more than 3 tables or figures, you may decide to have all of them at the end of your project. So, add them to the table of contents.
Figures, graphics, and diagrams in research papers, dissertations and theses should be numbered. If you use them from another source, ensure that you make a proper citation based on the chosen style guide.
Appendix in Table of Contents Example
Appendix A. Row Data Set…………………………………… 41 Appendix B. IBR Data………………………………………….… 43 Appendix C. SPSS Data………………………………………… 44
What Shouldn't Be Included in a Table of Contents?
When creating a dissertation table of contents, students want to include everything they have in a document. However, some components should not be on this page. Here is what we are talking about:
- Thesis acknowledgement
- Paper abstract
- The content list itself
Acknowledgement and abstract should be located before the content list, so there is no need to add them. You need to present a clear structure that will help your readers to navigate through the work and quickly find any requested information.
How to Create a Table of Contents for a Research Paper or Dissertation In Word?
It may look like working with this list can take a long. But we have one proposal for our users. Instead of writing a table of contents manually, create it automatically in Microsoft Word. You do not need any specific tech knowledge to do this. Let’s go through this process step-by-step and explain how to make a table of contents for a research paper or dissertation in a few clicks.
- Open Home tab and choose the style for your table of contents (ToC next).
- Apply heading 1 to your chapters, heading 2 to the subheading, and if needed heading 3 to the level 3 heading.
- Next, you are going to create a research paper or PhD dissertation table of contents. Open References and choose ToC.
- Choose the citation style for your work. For example, let’s choose APL for now. Meeting all style requirements (bold font, title formatting, numbers) is essential.
- Define the number of levels for your dissertation or thesis table of contents. In case you want to have 3 levels, choose Automatic Table 2.
- You are done! Click ok, and here is your page with listed chapters!
You see how easy it can be! Every time you make changes to your text or headings, it will be automatic.
Updating Your Table of Contents in MS Word
Table of contents of a research paper or dissertation is created, and you continue to edit your work until submission. It is common practice, and with MS Word, you can automate all the updates.
Let’s outline this process in our step-by-step guide!
- Right-click on your ToC in a document.
- Update field section is next.
- Choose “update ToC."
- Here, you can update your entire ToC — choose an option that works the best for you!
As you may see, working with automated solutions is much easier when you write a dissertation which has manifold subsections. That is why it is better to learn how to work on MS Word with the content list meaning be able to manage it effectively.
Table of Contents Examples
From our experience, students used to think that the content list was quite a complicated part of the work. Even with automated solutions, you must be clear about what to include and how to organize formatting. To solve the problem and answer all your questions, use our research paper or dissertation contents page example. Our paper writers designed a sample table of contents to illustrate the best practices and various styles in formatting the work.
Check our samples to find advanced options for organizing your own list.
Example of Table of Contents in Research Paper
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Research Paper Table of Contents Example](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2FResearch_Paper_Table_of_Contents_Example_c5a62cc908.png&w=3840&q=75)
As you can see, this contents page includes sections with different levels.
Thesis/Dissertation Table of Contents Example
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Thesis/Dissertation Table of Contents Example](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2FThesis_Dissertation_Table_of_Contents_Example_10c74eadb6.png&w=3840&q=75)
Have a question about your specific case? Check samples first, as we are sure you can get almost all the answers in our guides and sample sets.
>> Read more: APA Format Table of Contents
Tips on Creating a Table of Contents
To finalize all that we shared on creating the table of contents page, let’s go through our tips list. We outline the best advice to help you with a dissertation table of contents.
- Use automated solutions for creating a list of chapters for your report, research papers, or dissertations — it will save you time in the future.
- Be clear with the formatting style you use for the research.
- Choose the best level type of list based on the paper length.
- Update a list after making changes to the text.
- Check the page list before submitting the work.
Bottom Line on Making Table of Contents for Dissertations/ Papers
To summarize, working with a research paper, thesis or dissertation table of contents can be challenging. This article outlines how to create a table of contents in Word and how to update it appropriately. You can learn what to include in the content list, how long it can be, and where to locate it. Write your work using more than one table of contents sample we prepared for students. It is often easy to check how the same list was made for other dissertations before finalizing yours. We encourage you to learn how to create a list with pages automatically and update it. It will definitely make your academic life easier.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=%2Fimg%2Ficons%2F60%2Fhand-pointing.png&w=128&q=100)
Not sure if your work 's quality level is enough for getting a top-notch result? We’ve got you covered! Our team of skilled academic writers is always ready to help once you ask “ write my dissertation for me !" Just select your writer, send them your requirements and get a custom study tailored to your instructions.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Joe_Eckel_1_ab59a03630.jpg](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2FJoe_Eckel_1_ab59a03630_9fa254726b.jpg&w=128&q=75)
Joe Eckel is an expert on Dissertations writing. He makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Illustration](https://studycrumb.com/img/icons/graduation-cap.png)
You may also like
![how to write a table of content for a research paper APA table of contents](https://studycrumb.com/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fd3ueqtv14wizl1.cloudfront.net%2Fthumbnail_2x_aa6fd7d54d.png&w=640&q=100)
CMOS Shop Talk
From the chicago manual of style, how do i format a contents page in turabian/chicago style.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Chicago Style Turabian, Official Chicago Style Tip Sheets](https://i0.wp.com/cmosshoptalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Turabiantipsheetslogogenericcropped.jpg?resize=300%2C175)
Here’s how to set up a Chicago-style table of contents page following the guidelines in Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations . (See section A.2.1.7 in the appendix called “Paper Format and Submission.”)
- Label the first page Contents at the top of the page.
- Leave two blank lines between the title and the first item listed.
- Single-space individual items listed, but add a blank line after each item.
- List in order the parts, chapters, or other units of the text, and then the elements of the back matter.
- Between the lists for the front and back matter and the chapters, or between parts, leave two blank lines. Two blank lines can also intervene between an introduction and the first chapter or between the last chapter and a conclusion.
- Give page numbers only for the first page of each listed item.
- Chapter titles appear flush left, with page numbers flush right.
For more details, see the sample contents page below and section A.2.1.7 of Turabian.
Sample Contents Page
![how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://i0.wp.com/cmosshoptalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Contents-thumbnail2.jpg?resize=118%2C153)
IMPORTANT: Your instructor’s requirements may overrule Chicago’s formatting recommendations!
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Cover of the 9th edition of the Turabian manual](https://i0.wp.com/cmosshoptalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Turabian-9-cover-large.jpg?resize=158%2C248)
- Margins and Page Numbers
- Table of Contents
- List of Tables and Figures
- Introduction or Conclusion
- Sections and Subheads
- Chapter Opening Page
- Figure and Figure Caption
- Bibliography
- Parenthetical Citations
- Reference List
Please see our commenting policy .
Share this:
- Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
- Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
- Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
Related posts
![how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://i0.wp.com/cmosshoptalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Foot-notes_featured.png?resize=50%2C50&ssl=1)
Understanding Chicago-Style Notes and Bibliography Entries
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Chicago Style Turabian logo](https://i0.wp.com/cmosshoptalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Turabiantipsheetslogogenericcropped.jpg?resize=50%2C50&ssl=1)
How Do I Format a Reference List in Turabian/Chicago Style?
How do i format parenthetical author-date citations in turabian/chicago style, discover more from cmos shop talk.
Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.
Type your email…
Continue reading
![how to write a table of content for a research paper CMOS Shop Talk](https://i0.wp.com/cmosshoptalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/February-2020-MOBILE-text-only-logo-copy.png?fit=464%2C64&ssl=1)
![how to write a table of content for a research paper TrueEditors](https://www.trueeditors.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/trueeditorlogo-2.webp)
Table of Contents for Dissertation in 2024
Table of contents, introduction.
A dissertation could never begin with an introduction right off the bat. A table of contents in a dissertation template is imperative to guide your reader through the structure of your research.
The table of contents in a dissertation is a well-organized list of chapters, sections, and figures within your document, each heading corresponding to a page number. A good table of contents page should be accurate, simple to read, and well-formatted. The formatting of the table of contents is important to ensure a clean index that helps readers navigate your high-quality paper. It should generally be of two pages only.
Where should the Table of Contents be Placed?
Typically, within the template of a thesis or a dissertation, the table of contents is positioned prior to the introduction or the main body of chapters and right after the section devoted to acknowledgments.
How should a Table of Contents be Written?
A table of contents is written by listing out the titles or chapter names of sections within your research paper, in perfect chronological order. Subsequently, the subheadings or subtitles must also be included. Finally, the page numbers corresponding to each heading have to be placed in alignment with the headings.
Check with your university or other educational institution to determine if there are any formatting guidelines you must follow.
Generally speaking, three types of headings are included within the table of contents of a dissertation . Level one headings include the Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, and Bibliography. The subsections of these are considered level two headings while further subsections are level three headings.
What are the Components of the Table of Contents?
The title of the paper appears at the top of a table of contents, followed by the chapter names and subtitles, all listed in chronological order. The page number of the corresponding headings is positioned at the end of each line.
Appendices and Tables
All appendices should be included in your table of contents. The number of tables and figures in your dissertation will determine their inclusion within the table of contents.
In case your dissertation has more than three figures and tables, consider placing them on a different page to list them out. Otherwise, you may include them all in the table of contents.
Why is a Table of Contents Important at all?
A table of contents is extremely important for two reasons:
- First, it allows the reader to quickly locate information on specific subjects that have been organized as chapters or subtitles.
- Secondly, the table of contents assists the writer in organizing their work and arguments to ensure that significant portions of their dissertation or thesis are not overlooked.
Tips to Write a Table of Contents:
- Among scholars and researchers who author dissertations or theses, it is a general practice to work on the table of contents after completing the main body of the study. Regardless, a mock table of contents may be added to the dissertation template early on in the writing process to develop a basic framework that will guide how you will carry out your research study.
- Note that a confusing or sloppy table of contents may result in a low score or lack of academic integrity due to the lowered readability of the dissertation.
- The structure of your table of contents will be determined by your academic field and the length of your thesis. Regardless of the discipline, you must develop an organized list of all chapters in their order of appearance, with chapter subheadings properly labeled.
- Subheadings should not be listed for one chapter and then forgotten for the next. While subheadings are not always necessary, they may be considered useful when dealing with a complex subject.
- The titles of chapters and subheadings must correspond to the titles of the relevant pages. For example, if your first chapter is titled “Chapter 1: An Introduction,” it must appear on both the table of contents and as a heading for the first chapter.
Where should a Table of Contents Page be Created?
You may create a manually generated table of contents page in Microsoft Word, but the automatic function will make your life much simpler.
What not to Include in a Table of Contents?
The table of contents generally does not include the sections devoted to acknowledgments, the abstract, or the index page itself. As the first two of these are positioned before the index page, the reader will have already viewed these pages before arriving at the table of contents.
Creating an Automatic Table of Contents on MS Word –
To draft an automatic table of contents on Microsoft Word, certain heading styles must be used consistently throughout the text.
After this has been carried out, proceed as follows:
- Include a title on your contents page. Ensure that you use the standard structure for your citation style or the instructions provided by your university/department.
- Place your cursor where you want your table of contents to appear.
- Locate the Table of Contents option in the Reference tab of the ribbon.
- Select Custom Table of Contents by clicking the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon. You can choose which levels of headers to include in the table of contents and make manual modifications to each level by clicking the Modify button.
- When you are ready to input the table of contents, click OK, and it will be generated automatically.
How does One Set Headings?
To set heading styles, follow these steps:
- Determine the type of formatting required for each heading level. For example, if all level one headings should be Times New Roman, 12 pt, and boldfaced, this style may be applied to the level one headings.
- Find the Styles option on the home tab to automate this formatting for all level one headings.
- Highlight the level one heading and then right-click the Heading 1 style.
- To match the selection, choose Update Heading 1.
Highlight the headings in question and click the styles you wish to format. Then, apply the formatting to each heading in the main body of the dissertation.
The Table of Contents is Automatically Updated
We recommend students to format and update their table of contents at the very end, before submitting or printing out their dissertation , as the alignment and arrangement of text may alter throughout the final revision process. Table of contents formatting in a dissertation must ensure preciseness and accuracy of page numbers.
You may click on the Update option on the menu that appears when you right-click the table of contents, which will update the page numbers or all information within it. We hope that this brief guide of a table of contents within the template of a dissertation provides you with further guidance on how to draft and format your dissertation’s table of contents.
-Isabell S.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.trueeditors.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/logo-1.png)
Leave a Comment Cancel reply
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
- Search Search Please fill out this field.
What Is a White Paper?
Purpose of a white paper, how to write a white paper, the bottom line.
- Trading Strategies
White Paper: Types, Purpose, and How to Write One
Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance. Adam received his master's in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/Q919UgFxwYXjgrqoFhjc5V7cFqE=/90x200/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/adam_hayes-5bfc262a46e0fb005118b414.jpg)
Thomas J Catalano is a CFP and Registered Investment Adviser with the state of South Carolina, where he launched his own financial advisory firm in 2018. Thomas' experience gives him expertise in a variety of areas including investments, retirement, insurance, and financial planning.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/xQKMhSErJc-SGMeAZz2wSYVQuJg=/90x200/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/P2-ThomasCatalano-d5607267f385443798ae950ece178afd.jpg)
Investopedia / Michela Buttignol
A white paper is an informational document issued by a company or not-for-profit organization to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product, or service that it offers or plans to offer.
White papers are also used as a method of presenting government policies and legislation and gauging public opinion.
Key Takeaways
- A white paper promotes a certain product, service, or methodology to influence current and prospective customer or investor decisions.
- Three main types of white papers include backgrounders, numbered lists, and problem/solution white papers.
- A white paper provides persuasive and factual evidence that a particular offering is a superior product or method of solving a problem.
- White papers are commonly designed for business-to-business (B2B) marketing purposes between a manufacturer and a wholesaler, or between a wholesaler and a retailer.
White papers are sales and marketing documents used to entice or persuade potential customers to learn more about a particular product, service, technology, or methodology.
White papers are commonly designed for business-to-business (B2B) marketing purposes between a manufacturer and a wholesaler , or between a wholesaler and a retailer. It can provide an in-depth report or guide about a specific product or topic and is meant to educate its readers.
The facts presented in white papers are often backed by research and statistics from reliable sources and can include charts, graphs, tables, and other ways of visualizing data. A white paper can communicate an organization’s philosophy or present research findings related to an industry.
Types of White Papers
A startup , large corporation, or government agency will use white papers differently. There are three main types of white papers: backgrounders, numbered lists, and problem/solution white papers.
Backgrounders detail the technical features of a new product or service. Designed to simplify complicated technical information, they are used to:
- Support a technical evaluation
- Launch a product
- Promote a product or industry leader
Numbered lists highlight the key takeaways of a new product or service, and are often formatted with headings and bullet points such as the following familiar format:
- 3 Questions to Ask
- 5 Things You Need to Know
Problem/solution papers identify specific problems faced by potential customers and suggest a data-driven argument about how a featured product or service provides a solution to:
- Generate new sales
- Educate salespeople on product characteristics
- Build industry interest
White papers differ from other marketing materials, such as brochures. Brochures and traditional marketing materials might be flashy and obvious, but a white paper is intended to provide persuasive and factual evidence that solves a problem or challenge.
White papers are commonly at least 2,500 words in length and written in an academic style.
A white paper should provide well-researched information that is not found with a simple Internet search and has a compelling narrative to keep the reader’s attention. The author of a white paper should:
- Research and fully define the topic
- Create an accurate outline of information
- Write an attention-grabbing introduction
- Format the paper for easy reading
- Revise and proofread
What Is an Example of a White Paper?
All of the documents listed below, publicly available on Microsoft’s website, focus on aspects of the company’s suite of cloud services. In contrast with brochures, these white papers don’t have a clear sales pitch. Instead, they dive into relevant topics, such as cloud security, hybrid clouds, and the economic benefits of adopting cloud computing.
- Digital Transformation and the Art of the Possible
- Harvard Business Review Analytic Services: Drive Agility and Innovation with ERP in the Cloud
- IDC: The Business Value of Migrating and Modernizing with Azure
How Have New Industries Used White Papers?
Cryptocurrencies have also been known to publish white papers during initial coin offerings (ICOs) and frequently issued white papers to entice users and “investors” to their projects.
Bitcoin famously launched a few months after the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto issued its famous white paper online in October 2008.
Why Is It Called a White Paper?
White papers may have developed from the use of “Blue Papers” in 19th century Britain, where a Parliament report cover was blue. When a topic for the government was less serious, the blue cover was discarded and published with white covers. These reports were called White Papers. In the United States, the use of government white papers often means a background report or guidance on a specific issue.
A white paper is an informational document issued by a company, government agency, or not-for-profit organization to promote the features of a solution, product, or service that it offers or plans to offer. The facts presented in white papers are often backed by research and statistics from reliable sources and are commonly written in one of three formats: backgrounders, numbered lists, and problem/solution papers.
Bitcoin.org. " Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System ."
Michigan State University. " Finding British Parliamentary Papers in the M.S.U. Libraries, Collections Guide No. 6 (Advanced): Parliamentary, or Sessional Papers--Discussion ."
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/jbGGs4yGroty9We_v1qfM3464U0=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(webp)/Software-as-a-service-saas_final-5caef210a00b48f5ac5de4964f72a016.png)
- Terms of Service
- Editorial Policy
- Privacy Policy
Have a language expert improve your writing
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
- Knowledge Base
Methodology
- How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates
How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates
Published on January 2, 2023 by Shona McCombes . Revised on September 11, 2023.
What is a literature review? A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources on a specific topic. It provides an overview of current knowledge, allowing you to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research that you can later apply to your paper, thesis, or dissertation topic .
There are five key steps to writing a literature review:
- Search for relevant literature
- Evaluate sources
- Identify themes, debates, and gaps
- Outline the structure
- Write your literature review
A good literature review doesn’t just summarize sources—it analyzes, synthesizes , and critically evaluates to give a clear picture of the state of knowledge on the subject.
Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text
Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes
![how to write a table of content for a research paper upload-your-document-ai-proofreader](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/grammar-check.webp)
Table of contents
What is the purpose of a literature review, examples of literature reviews, step 1 – search for relevant literature, step 2 – evaluate and select sources, step 3 – identify themes, debates, and gaps, step 4 – outline your literature review’s structure, step 5 – write your literature review, free lecture slides, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions, introduction.
- Quick Run-through
- Step 1 & 2
When you write a thesis , dissertation , or research paper , you will likely have to conduct a literature review to situate your research within existing knowledge. The literature review gives you a chance to:
- Demonstrate your familiarity with the topic and its scholarly context
- Develop a theoretical framework and methodology for your research
- Position your work in relation to other researchers and theorists
- Show how your research addresses a gap or contributes to a debate
- Evaluate the current state of research and demonstrate your knowledge of the scholarly debates around your topic.
Writing literature reviews is a particularly important skill if you want to apply for graduate school or pursue a career in research. We’ve written a step-by-step guide that you can follow below.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Literature review guide](https://www.scribbr.nl/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Literature-review-guide.webp)
Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
- Academic style
- Vague sentences
- Style consistency
See an example
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/dissertation-proofreading-service.png)
Writing literature reviews can be quite challenging! A good starting point could be to look at some examples, depending on what kind of literature review you’d like to write.
- Example literature review #1: “Why Do People Migrate? A Review of the Theoretical Literature” ( Theoretical literature review about the development of economic migration theory from the 1950s to today.)
- Example literature review #2: “Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines” ( Methodological literature review about interdisciplinary knowledge acquisition and production.)
- Example literature review #3: “The Use of Technology in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Thematic literature review about the effects of technology on language acquisition.)
- Example literature review #4: “Learners’ Listening Comprehension Difficulties in English Language Learning: A Literature Review” ( Chronological literature review about how the concept of listening skills has changed over time.)
You can also check out our templates with literature review examples and sample outlines at the links below.
Download Word doc Download Google doc
Before you begin searching for literature, you need a clearly defined topic .
If you are writing the literature review section of a dissertation or research paper, you will search for literature related to your research problem and questions .
Make a list of keywords
Start by creating a list of keywords related to your research question. Include each of the key concepts or variables you’re interested in, and list any synonyms and related terms. You can add to this list as you discover new keywords in the process of your literature search.
- Social media, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok
- Body image, self-perception, self-esteem, mental health
- Generation Z, teenagers, adolescents, youth
Search for relevant sources
Use your keywords to begin searching for sources. Some useful databases to search for journals and articles include:
- Your university’s library catalogue
- Google Scholar
- Project Muse (humanities and social sciences)
- Medline (life sciences and biomedicine)
- EconLit (economics)
- Inspec (physics, engineering and computer science)
You can also use boolean operators to help narrow down your search.
Make sure to read the abstract to find out whether an article is relevant to your question. When you find a useful book or article, you can check the bibliography to find other relevant sources.
You likely won’t be able to read absolutely everything that has been written on your topic, so it will be necessary to evaluate which sources are most relevant to your research question.
For each publication, ask yourself:
- What question or problem is the author addressing?
- What are the key concepts and how are they defined?
- What are the key theories, models, and methods?
- Does the research use established frameworks or take an innovative approach?
- What are the results and conclusions of the study?
- How does the publication relate to other literature in the field? Does it confirm, add to, or challenge established knowledge?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the research?
Make sure the sources you use are credible , and make sure you read any landmark studies and major theories in your field of research.
You can use our template to summarize and evaluate sources you’re thinking about using. Click on either button below to download.
Take notes and cite your sources
As you read, you should also begin the writing process. Take notes that you can later incorporate into the text of your literature review.
It is important to keep track of your sources with citations to avoid plagiarism . It can be helpful to make an annotated bibliography , where you compile full citation information and write a paragraph of summary and analysis for each source. This helps you remember what you read and saves time later in the process.
Don't submit your assignments before you do this
The academic proofreading tool has been trained on 1000s of academic texts. Making it the most accurate and reliable proofreading tool for students. Free citation check included.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.scribbr.com/wp-content/uploads//2019/12/before-editing.png)
Try for free
To begin organizing your literature review’s argument and structure, be sure you understand the connections and relationships between the sources you’ve read. Based on your reading and notes, you can look for:
- Trends and patterns (in theory, method or results): do certain approaches become more or less popular over time?
- Themes: what questions or concepts recur across the literature?
- Debates, conflicts and contradictions: where do sources disagree?
- Pivotal publications: are there any influential theories or studies that changed the direction of the field?
- Gaps: what is missing from the literature? Are there weaknesses that need to be addressed?
This step will help you work out the structure of your literature review and (if applicable) show how your own research will contribute to existing knowledge.
- Most research has focused on young women.
- There is an increasing interest in the visual aspects of social media.
- But there is still a lack of robust research on highly visual platforms like Instagram and Snapchat—this is a gap that you could address in your own research.
There are various approaches to organizing the body of a literature review. Depending on the length of your literature review, you can combine several of these strategies (for example, your overall structure might be thematic, but each theme is discussed chronologically).
Chronological
The simplest approach is to trace the development of the topic over time. However, if you choose this strategy, be careful to avoid simply listing and summarizing sources in order.
Try to analyze patterns, turning points and key debates that have shaped the direction of the field. Give your interpretation of how and why certain developments occurred.
If you have found some recurring central themes, you can organize your literature review into subsections that address different aspects of the topic.
For example, if you are reviewing literature about inequalities in migrant health outcomes, key themes might include healthcare policy, language barriers, cultural attitudes, legal status, and economic access.
Methodological
If you draw your sources from different disciplines or fields that use a variety of research methods , you might want to compare the results and conclusions that emerge from different approaches. For example:
- Look at what results have emerged in qualitative versus quantitative research
- Discuss how the topic has been approached by empirical versus theoretical scholarship
- Divide the literature into sociological, historical, and cultural sources
Theoretical
A literature review is often the foundation for a theoretical framework . You can use it to discuss various theories, models, and definitions of key concepts.
You might argue for the relevance of a specific theoretical approach, or combine various theoretical concepts to create a framework for your research.
Like any other academic text , your literature review should have an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion . What you include in each depends on the objective of your literature review.
The introduction should clearly establish the focus and purpose of the literature review.
Depending on the length of your literature review, you might want to divide the body into subsections. You can use a subheading for each theme, time period, or methodological approach.
As you write, you can follow these tips:
- Summarize and synthesize: give an overview of the main points of each source and combine them into a coherent whole
- Analyze and interpret: don’t just paraphrase other researchers — add your own interpretations where possible, discussing the significance of findings in relation to the literature as a whole
- Critically evaluate: mention the strengths and weaknesses of your sources
- Write in well-structured paragraphs: use transition words and topic sentences to draw connections, comparisons and contrasts
In the conclusion, you should summarize the key findings you have taken from the literature and emphasize their significance.
When you’ve finished writing and revising your literature review, don’t forget to proofread thoroughly before submitting. Not a language expert? Check out Scribbr’s professional proofreading services !
This article has been adapted into lecture slides that you can use to teach your students about writing a literature review.
Scribbr slides are free to use, customize, and distribute for educational purposes.
Open Google Slides Download PowerPoint
If you want to know more about the research process , methodology , research bias , or statistics , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.
- Sampling methods
- Simple random sampling
- Stratified sampling
- Cluster sampling
- Likert scales
- Reproducibility
Statistics
- Null hypothesis
- Statistical power
- Probability distribution
- Effect size
- Poisson distribution
Research bias
- Optimism bias
- Cognitive bias
- Implicit bias
- Hawthorne effect
- Anchoring bias
- Explicit bias
A literature review is a survey of scholarly sources (such as books, journal articles, and theses) related to a specific topic or research question .
It is often written as part of a thesis, dissertation , or research paper , in order to situate your work in relation to existing knowledge.
There are several reasons to conduct a literature review at the beginning of a research project:
- To familiarize yourself with the current state of knowledge on your topic
- To ensure that you’re not just repeating what others have already done
- To identify gaps in knowledge and unresolved problems that your research can address
- To develop your theoretical framework and methodology
- To provide an overview of the key findings and debates on the topic
Writing the literature review shows your reader how your work relates to existing research and what new insights it will contribute.
The literature review usually comes near the beginning of your thesis or dissertation . After the introduction , it grounds your research in a scholarly field and leads directly to your theoretical framework or methodology .
A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .
An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper .
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. (2023, September 11). How to Write a Literature Review | Guide, Examples, & Templates. Scribbr. Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/literature-review/
Is this article helpful?
Shona McCombes
Other students also liked, what is a theoretical framework | guide to organizing, what is a research methodology | steps & tips, how to write a research proposal | examples & templates, get unlimited documents corrected.
✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts
![how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://secure.ride8stir.com/202702.png)
1st Edition
Writing, Imitation, and Performance Insights from Neuroscience Research
![how to write a table of content for a research paper VitalSource Logo](https://www.routledge.com/images/vs.png)
- Taylor & Francis eBooks (Institutional Purchase) Opens in new tab or window
Description
This book reconsiders imitation as a valuable pedagogical approach in Writing Studies. Countering concerns about product-oriented teaching, formulaic writing, paternalistic or elitist pedagogy, and plagiarism, the book maintains that the use of imitation can offer a writer greater insight and help to develop a clear writerly identity. Positing that writers often use imitation as a step toward developing new directions, structures, and styles, and that this imitation is indeed a form of performance, the author explores the neuropsychological aspect of imitation to show how it is a valid form of writing instruction. She explains how learning, experience, and role playing are manifested in the brain and influence one’s sense of self, one’s identity. The book emphasizes that imitation can provide students with opportunities to perform habitually as writers, readers, and critical thinkers, enabling them to develop new understandings and confidence in their ability to improve. It also includes suggestions for classroom application, written by Craig A. Meyer. This book offers important insights for scholars and teachers of writing and composition, education, and communication studies.
Table of Contents
Irene L. Clark is Professor of English and Director of Composition at California State University, Northridge, USA. She has published in The Journal of Basic Writing , College Composition and Communication , WPA Writing Program Administration , Composition Forum , WAC Journal , Writing Center Journal , and Journal of Writing Assessment . Her books include Concepts in Composition: Theory and Practice in the Teaching of Writing , 3rd edition (2019). Her recent scholarship focuses on identity, imitation, critical thinking, and neuropsychological research.
About VitalSource eBooks
VitalSource is a leading provider of eBooks.
- Access your materials anywhere, at anytime.
- Customer preferences like text size, font type, page color and more.
- Take annotations in line as you read.
Multiple eBook Copies
This eBook is already in your shopping cart. If you would like to replace it with a different purchasing option please remove the current eBook option from your cart.
Book Preview
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://www.routledge.com/img/covers/loading-image-sm.png)
The country you have selected will result in the following:
- Product pricing will be adjusted to match the corresponding currency.
- The title Perception will be removed from your cart because it is not available in this region.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper American Psychological Association](https://apastyle.apa.org/Content/Images/megamenu/images@2x/apa-logo.png)
Basic Principles of Citation
APA Style uses the author–date citation system , in which a brief in-text citation directs readers to a full reference list entry. The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. This enables readers to locate the corresponding entry in the alphabetical reference list at the end of the paper.
Each work cited must appear in the reference list, and each work in the reference list must be cited in the text (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix).
Both paraphrases and quotations require citations.
The following are guidelines to follow when writing in-text citations:
- Ensure that the spelling of author names and the publication dates in reference list entries match those in the corresponding in-text citations.
- Cite only works that you have read and ideas that you have incorporated into your writing. The works you cite may provide key background information, support or dispute your thesis, or offer critical definitions and data.
- Readers may find a long string of citations difficult to understand, especially if they are using assistive technology such as a screen reader; therefore, include only those citations needed to support your immediate point.
- Cite primary sources when possible, and cite secondary sources sparingly.
- Cite sources to document all facts and figures that you mention that are not common knowledge.
- To cite a specific part of a source , provide an author–date citation for the work plus information about the specific part.
- Even when sources cannot be retrieved (e.g., because they are personal communications ), still credit them in the text (however, avoid using online sources that are no longer recoverable).
Basic principles of citation are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Sections 8.1 to 8.36 and the Concise Guide Sections 8.1 to 8.34
![how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/icon-same-50x50_tcm11-319244_w1024_n.png)
Related handouts
- In-Text Citation Checklist (PDF, 227KB)
- Six Steps to Proper Citation (PDF, 112KB)
From the APA Style blog
![how to write a table of content for a research paper How to cite your own translations](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/cite-your-own-translations-tile_tcm11-312273_w320_n.jpg)
How to cite your own translations
If you translate a passage from one language into another on your own in your paper, your translation is considered a paraphrase, not a direct quotation.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Key takeaways from the Psi Chi webinar So You Need to Write a Literature Review](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/psi-chi-literature-review-webinar-tile_tcm11-304299_w320_n.jpg)
Key takeaways from the Psi Chi webinar So You Need to Write a Literature Review
This blog post describes key tasks in writing an effective literature review and provides strategies for approaching those tasks.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper image of a laptop with a giant x covering the screen](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/blog-nonrecoverable-sources-tile_tcm11-303013_w320_n.jpg)
How to cite a work with a nonrecoverable source
In most cases, nonrecoverable sources such as personal emails, nonarchived social media livestreams (or deleted and unarchived social media posts), classroom lectures, unrecorded webinars or presentations, and intranet sources should be cited only in the text as personal communications.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper The “outdated sources” myth](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/blog-outdated-sources-myth-index_tcm11-298544_w160_n.jpg)
The “outdated sources” myth
The “outdated sources” myth is that sources must have been published recently, such as the last 5 to 10 years. There is no timeliness requirement in APA Style.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper From COVID-19 to demands for social justice: Citing contemporary sources for current events](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/blog-citing-contemporary-works-index_tcm11-289962_w160_n.jpg)
From COVID-19 to demands for social justice: Citing contemporary sources for current events
The guidance in the seventh edition of the Publication Manual makes the process of citing contemporary sources found online easier than ever before.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Citing classical and religious works](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/blog-citing-classical-religious-works-index_tcm11-286638_w160_n.png)
Citing classical and religious works
A classical or religious work is cited as either a book or a webpage, depending on what version of the source you are using. This post includes details and examples.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper Academic Writer logo](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/blog-academic-writer-logo-thumb_tcm11-283623_w160_n.jpg)
Academic Writer—APA’s essential teaching resource for higher education instructors
Academic Writer’s advanced authoring technology and digital learning tools allow students to take a hands-on approach to learning the scholarly research and writing process.
![how to write a table of content for a research paper how to write a table of content for a research paper](https://apastyle.apa.org/images/webinar-citing-text-square_tcm11-274861_w160_n.jpg)
APA Style webinar on citing works in text
Attend the webinar, “Citing Works in Text Using Seventh Edition APA Style,” on July 14, 2020, to learn the keys to accurately and consistently citing sources in APA Style.
![](http://farmaciacoslada.online/777/templates/cheerup1/res/banner1.gif)
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Generating the table of contents. Now you can generate your table of contents. First write the title "Contents" (in the style of a level 1 heading). Then place your cursor two lines below this and go to the References tab. Click on Table of Contents and select Custom Table of Contents…. In the popup window, select how many levels of ...
Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples. Published on May 15, 2022 by Tegan George.Revised on July 18, 2023. The table of contents is where you list the chapters and major sections of your thesis, dissertation, or research paper, alongside their page numbers.A clear and well-formatted table of contents is essential, as it demonstrates to your reader that a quality ...
The table of contents is usually located at the beginning of the document or book, after the title page and any front matter, such as a preface or introduction. Table of Contents in Research. In Research, A Table of Contents (TOC) is a structured list of the main sections or chapters of a research paper, Thesis and Dissertation. It provides ...
Just like in Word, it's easy to make a table of contents in Google Docs. Click on Insert in the top horizontal menu and then Table of Contents at the bottom of the dropdown menu. You will then have three options: Plain Text: a standard table of contents design. Dotted: a table of contents with dotted leader lines.
To summarize, the following steps will help you create a clear and concise table of contents to guide readers through your research paper: 1. Insert the table of contents after the title page. 2. List all the sections and subsections in chronological order. 3. Paginate each section.
Now you need to format your headings to be included in the table of contents. Select the heading you want to include in your table of contents. Click on the "Styles" option in the top menu bar. Choose the appropriate heading style from the drop-down menu that appears. You can choose from "Heading 1," "Heading 2," "Heading 3," etc.
A multi-level table of contents also further divides sections into 'level 3' headings. This option can get messy quickly, so proceed with caution. Remember your table of contents should not be longer than 2 pages. A multi-level table is often a good choice for a shorter document like a research paper.
At the end of the table of contents, include a page break and start the next section on a separate page. 3 Use 1-inch margins on each side of the page, the standard APA paper format. 4 Use pages that are 8½ by 11 inches—another part of the standard APA paper format. 5 The APA paper format uses a header (called the "running head") on ...
The table of contents forms an essential part of any academic paper. Through the use of headings, sub-headings, and page numbers, we can construct an accurate road map to assist reviewers, evaluators, tutors, and general readers. The table of contents shows how effective the writer is at dividing the thesis into relevant and manageable sections.
Indent the first line of every paragraph of text 0.5 in. using the tab key or the paragraph-formatting function of your word-processing program. Page numbers: Put a page number in the top right corner of every page, including the title page or cover page, which is page 1. Student papers do not require a running head on any page.
First, to generate the Table of Contents, start by entering a blank page after the pages you need the table of contents to follow. To do so, click on the bottom of the page you want before the Table of Contents. Open the 'Insert' tab and select 'Page Break'.
For a standard psychology paper, it might include listings for the introduction, method, results, and discussion sections of your paper. While the APA may not specify guidelines for a table of contents, you should use the basic APA format for formatting your table of contents: Use one-inch margins on all sides. Use 12-point Times New Roman font.
An automatic Table of Contents relies on Styles to keep track of page numbers and section titles for you automatically. Microsoft Word can scan your document and find everything in the Heading 1 style and put that on the first level of your table of contents, put any Heading 2's on the second level of your table of contents, and so on.. If you want an automatic table of contents you need to ...
To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps: Apply heading styles throughout the document. In the references section in the ribbon, locate the Table of Contents group. Click the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon and select Custom Table of Contents.
Make a table with two columns. Then, place the headings and subheadings in the first column in order. Put the applicable page numbers in the second column. Check that the subheadings are located underneath the correct headings, indented to the right. Make sure there are page numbers for the subheadings listed as well.
A table of contents (TOC) is a list of a research paper's main sections and subsections, along with their page numbers. It serves as a roadmap for the reader, allowing them to find the information they need within the paper quickly. The table of contents for a research paper is usually placed at the beginning of the paper, after the title ...
To do this, first go to the Home tab. This is where you will choose the styles for the table of contents. Step 2. The top-level headings will be your chapter titles, so on the right side of the tab, apply the Heading 1 style. Step 3. The second-level headings will be your subheadings, so apply the Heading 2 style.
Open Home tab and choose the style for your table of contents (ToC next). Apply heading 1 to your chapters, heading 2 to the subheading, and if needed heading 3 to the level 3 heading. Next, you are going to create a research paper or PhD dissertation table of contents. Open References and choose ToC.
Here's how to set up a Chicago-style table of contents page following the guidelines in Kate L. Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. (See section A.2.1.7 in the appendix called "Paper Format and Submission.") Label the first page Contents at the top of the page.
The table of contents in a dissertation is a well-organized list of chapters, sections, and figures within your document, each heading corresponding to a page number. A good table of contents page should be accurate, simple to read, and well-formatted. The formatting of the table of contents is important to ensure a clean index that helps ...
Present the results of the paper, in logical order, using tables and graphs as necessary. Explain the results and show how they help to answer the research questions posed in the Introduction. Evidence does not explain itself; the results must be presented and then explained. Avoid: presenting results that are never discussed; presenting ...
Tips on how to create a table of contents in MS WordPlease don't forget to subscribe.. Thanks! =) #TableofContents#MSWord
Sample factor analysis table; Sample regression table; Sample qualitative table with variable descriptions; Sample mixed methods table; These sample tables are also available as a downloadable Word file (DOCX, 37KB). For more sample tables, see the Publication Manual (7th ed.) as well as published articles in your field.
Structuring a Paper. APA Style JARS:Journal Article Reporting Standards JARS-Quant: General pdf 3pgs - Outlines of the content expected within each section of a paper.; See more instructions for specific designs at Quantitative Research and Mixed methods research; See also the advice from Grad Coach: Dissertation Results Chapter / Video (~25 min)
APA Style tables have the following basic components: number: The table number (e.g., Table 1) appears above the table title and body in bold font. Number tables in the order in which they are mentioned in your paper. title: The table title appears one double-spaced line below the table number. Give each table a brief but descriptive title, and capitalize the table title in italic title case.
White Paper: A white paper is an informational document, issued by a company or not-for-profit organization, to promote or highlight the features of a solution, product, or service. White papers ...
Examples of literature reviews. Step 1 - Search for relevant literature. Step 2 - Evaluate and select sources. Step 3 - Identify themes, debates, and gaps. Step 4 - Outline your literature review's structure. Step 5 - Write your literature review.
This book reconsiders imitation as a valuable pedagogical approach in Writing Studies. Countering concerns about product-oriented teaching, formulaic writing, paternalistic or elitist pedagogy, and plagiarism, the book maintains that the use of imitation can offer a writer greater insight and help to develop a clear writerly identity. Positing that writers often use imitation as a step toward ...
While numerous studies have been conducted on abstracts' rhetorical features, scant empirical attention has been paid to negation use in academic writing. The current study seeks to narrow the research gap from a general and diachronic perspective by adopting an interpersonal model of negation.
The in-text citation appears within the body of the paper (or in a table, figure, footnote, or appendix) and briefly identifies the cited work by its author and date of publication. This enables readers to locate the corresponding entry in the alphabetical reference list at the end of the paper.