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• 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.

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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.

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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.

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.

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George, T. (2022, May 15). Dissertation Table of Contents in Word | Instructions & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 29 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/contents-page/

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• Writing Tips

How to Structure the Table of Contents for a Research Paper

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.

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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 .

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How to Create a Table of Contents for Dissertation, Thesis or Paper & Examples

Table of contents

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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

As you can see, this contents page includes sections with different levels.

Thesis/Dissertation Table of Contents Example

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.

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.

Joe Eckel is an expert on Dissertations writing. He makes sure that each student gets precious insights on composing A-grade academic writing.

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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. 

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.

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Table of Contents Templates

21 table of contents templates & examples [word, ppt].

A table of contents, often abbreviated as a TOC, is found at the beginning of a book or long document, listing all of the chapters or section titles.  A table of contents template helps to guide the reader through a long, complex book or essay with the name of the chapter and the page number they need to find it.

Table of Contents

• 1 Table of Contents Templates
• 2 What is a Table of Contents?
• 3 What is included in a Table of Contents template?
• 4 Table of Contents Examples
• 5.1 Keep the layout simple
• 6.1 Using a Table of Contents template (Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages)
• 6.2 Creating a manual table of contents
• 7 Table of Contents Desings
• 8 How to create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
• 9 How to create a Table of Contents in Google Docs
• 10 What is the purpose of a table of contents template?

With this in mind, it is essential that the table of contents template looks visually appealing whilst being easy to use. You can download one of our blank table of contents templates to begin designing your table of contents to be efficient and simple for readers. You can then edit this on MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages.

What is a Table of Contents?

A table of contents template is used at the beginning of a lengthy document, such as a dissertation or research paper , or at the beginning of a textbook. The table is a critical part of any extensive research, as it helps the reader to navigate their way through.

A table of contents serves several purposes, with the main purpose being to help the reader easily find information using the correct page number.

Without it, readers can become overwhelmed and thus lose interest in the text itself. When completing research, it can be demotivating to have to sift through pages and pages of irrelevant text before finding what you actually need. That’s why a table of contents template is so essential when writing a long essay, or creating a textbook.

What is included in a Table of Contents template?

A table of contents essentially informs the reader of the book or document’s outline. It tells the reader how many chapters there are, what each section of the book is about, how long the book or document is, and where they can find specific sections or chapters using page numbers.

Here are the three key things you need to include:

• Chapter names
• Specific sections within each chapter
• Page numbers

Additional features to include

Of course, there are many other features you can include to customize your table of contents. These include:

• Different heading levels and indentations
• A brief description of each chapter
• Create hyperlinks to take the reader directly to the page they need

A table of contents no longer needs to be a simple list of chapters and page numbers. There are many ways to make the content templates more engaging for readers.

Table of Contents Examples

What makes a good table of contents template?

It sounds quite simple to just write a list of all the chapters in a book or essay, along with their page numbers along dotted lines.

However, a good table of contents is more than just that.  A good table of contents must be perfectly precise, ensuring that each page number is accurate. It must be formatted in a clear and concise way so that readers are not confused visually. This can be done using simple a heading style, to prevent overwhelming the reader from the first page.

Keep the layout simple

It can be tempting to squash each line on the table of contents together to fit it all on one page. However, a good table of contents template for a long document will use indents to keep information clear and organized. It may even take up more than one page to keep things easy to read.

A good table of contents template is also visually engaging. Using a colorful table of contents may help your document to stand out from other, similar documents, and can help researchers to choose your writing over another’s. Using a unique heading format, along with a pleasing color, can be a great way to design and customize your table of contents template.

How to create a table of contents

There are many types of table of contents and table of contents templates to use. Whether you use MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages to write your online document, you can edit a table of contents template using any of these word processors.

The Basic Format

Depending on your preference, you may opt for a classic, basic table of contents template. This will simply list both the heading of each section or chapter of the document, along with the corresponding page numbers along dotted lines. This table of contents format is both easy to create and use.

Adding Detail

However, for your table of contents template, you may choose to name individual sections and then write the chapters included within that section underneath, using different heading levels.

This style is still a very simple design for a title page, and I recommend using one of these formats when creating your table of contents and using a table of contents template. MS Word, Google Docs and Apple Pages all offer these format options.

Using a Table of Contents template (Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages)

Using a table of content template helps to eliminate the standard, boring look of a table of contents. With a table of contents template, you can simply download and input your data using MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages.

Remember, the table of contents is likely the first page that readers will see, so you can engage them further by using a unique design for your table of contents page.

It is likely that many academics have looked at many articles or documents before yours, so using an accessible and user-friendly table of contents template will help to keep them engaged in their research and your document.

Creating a manual table of contents

However, you can create a table of contents manually using a word processor, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages.

This is an efficient way to create your table of contents, but you are more limited in terms of how visually appealing the table will look. The overall table of contents layout is more restricted by what MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages offers.

Table of Contents Desings

How to create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

Many people choose to use MS Word to create their table of contents pages. This word processor offers a lot of features to help create the perfect table of contents.

Although I recommend using a table of contents template to format your document, using a word processor such as MS Word or Google Docs is also a simple way to present the table of contents.

MS Word in particular offers built-in heading styles, as well as a range of options for the table of contents layout. You can also download a Microsoft Word table of contents template to input your data using MS Word.

• Apply the desired heading styles group. In MS Word, you can use one of the built-in ‘heading styles’ from the ‘home’ tab for your table of contents. Using a heading style is a great way to get started with a table of contents. However, using custom styles can help your table of contents to stand out, and using a table of contents template can make your title page look more unique. To find a heading style in MS Word, simply select the text that you want to format, and choose a heading from the ‘ Styles’ section on the ‘ Home ’ tab.
• Insert your table of contents. This step only takes a few simple clicks with MS Word. Click the ‘ References’ tab, and then select ‘ Table of Contents .’ From here, you can choose one of the layouts from the menu. This will create a table of contents in your document.  You can edit the font style and size to your desired preference. The built-in styles offered by MS Word are great, and often suit a classic TOC style. An excellent feature that MS Word uses are clickable links within the table of contents. It essentially helps to create hyperlinks for you. Once the table of contents appears in your document, you can hover over each section with your cursor, press CTRL and click , and it will take you to the correct place in the document.
• Update the table of contents. If you create the table of contents whilst the document is still unfinished, then you will need to edit and update your table of contents. To do this, simply click on the ‘ References ’ tab. From here, you can choose to update the page numbers only, or update the entire table, by selecting either option.

How to create a Table of Contents in Google Docs

The most popular word processors to create a table of contents are MS Word, Google Docs and Apple Pages. If you prefer to use Google Docs for your writing, the process of creating a table of contents here is even easier.

Google Docs is a great place to write and edit academic work as an online document, as the work saves automatically if you have an internet connection.

Personally, I use Google Docs for all of my academic writing, and I did so throughout university. MS Word is equally as useful, but creating a table of contents in Google Docs is a really straightforward process.

• Choose your preferred location for your table of contents on the document.
• Click ‘Insert’ and choose ‘Table of contents.’
• Decide on your chosen table of contents format.

And that’s it! Google Docs makes creating a table of contents a really simple process. A benefit of using Google Docs is that it will automatically update the entire table for you once you add additional headings. All you have to do is ‘refresh’ the page.

What is the purpose of a table of contents template?

If you are writing a long document, such as a thesis or any kind of research paper, or if you’re planning on writing a non-fiction book of your own, then you will definitely benefit from using a table of contents template.

• Accessible for the reader. A table of contents template provides the reader with structure and organization when they are reading your work. It helps them to access specific information easily using the correct page number, saving them time and making your document organized and helpful for them. A table of contents template provides a greater user experience for the reader than if they were to read a document without one.
• Reflects the quality of your work. A table of contents is an essential part of any piece of non-fiction writing, so it is important that your table of contents reflects the rest of your document. If the table is messy and difficult to read, users will immediately be put off by the rest of your work. Using a table of contents template helps to eliminate this issue.
• An important tool for students to navigate. In university, students must become familiar with using a table of contents. Research can be daunting, especially when students first begin university.  They must learn not only how to create a table of contents in their own work, but also how to use a table of contents when researching the work of others.

Using a table of contents template in class is a great resource to help students understand and navigate longer pieces of writing or difficult textbooks. You can download our templates, choose to ‘ print ‘ document, and use these as table of contents examples in class for your students.

Whether you’re an academic, a student, or a writer, a table of contents template is a crucial part of the formatting process. It can be easy to forget about, but this simple page at the beginning of your document or book can make all the difference to a reader’s experience.

You can download one of our free table of contents templates to save time manually creating a table of contents yourself. You can then input your data using MS Word, Google Docs or Apple Pages. Make your work accessible, appealing, and clear by selecting the best table of contents template for you.

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If you start your dissertation directly with an introduction, it’ll be like throwing your readers into a battlefield in which they have no idea who the enemy is or who they’re fighting. That’s where the table of contents comes into the picture. It is an organized listing of your document’s chapters, sections, and figures which are clearly labeled by page number. A good table of contents page should be accurate, easy to follow, and thoroughly formatted. 

Where should the table of contents come?

The table of contents page ideally comes after the acknowledgments section and before the chapters. 

How should you write a table of contents page?

You first write the title or chapter names of your research paper in chronological order. Secondly, you write the subheadings or subtitles. After that, you write the page numbers for the corresponding headings and subheadings. 

What is included in the page?

A table of contents includes the title of the paper at the very top, followed by the chapter names and subtitles in chronological order. At the end of each line, is the page number of the corresponding headings. 

Why is it important?

A table of contents is very important for two important reasons. 

• Firstly, it helps the reader easily locate contents of particular topics itemized as chapters or subtitles. 
• Secondly, it helps the writer arrange their work and organize their thoughts so that important sections of an academic project are not left out.

Tips to write a table of contents page:

• The table of contents is best completed after you have finished your thesis. But it’s a good idea to draw up a mock table of contents in the early stages of writing, which allows you to formulate a rough structure and think about how you are going to do your research.  
• An unclear or sloppy table of contents may even have an adverse effect on your grade because the dissertation is difficult to follow.
• The formatting of your table of contents will depend on your academic field and thesis length. Whichever discipline you are working in, you need to create an organized list of all chapters in their order of appearance, with chapter subheadings clearly labelled.
• Don’t list subheadings for one chapter and forget them for another. They are not always required but they can be very helpful if you are dealing with a detailed topic. 
• Chapter titles and subheading titles must match their corresponding pages. For example, if your first chapter is called “Chapter 1: An Introduction”, it must be written as such on both the table of contents and the first chapter page.

Where should you create a table of contents page?

You can produce a manually generated table of contents page in Microsoft Word, but it will be a lot easier if you use the automated feature. 

So there you have it. Bookmark this article for when you would need to write a dissertation and it will make things a lot easier! For more dissertation-related articles, visit our Resource Center !

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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."

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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 1,066,012 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

Creating the Table of Contents on a Word Processor

• 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.

• For example, you may write down main headings like, “Introduction,” “Case Study 1,” or “Conclusion.”

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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

• You should also check the subheadings or sub-subheadings in the Table of Contents, if applicable, to ensure they match those in the document.

• 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.

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• ↑ 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

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

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WTO / Personal / Lists / Free Table of Contents Templates (for Microsoft Word)

Free Table of Contents Templates (for Microsoft Word)

Whether you are writing a book, large essay, dissertation, or other longer academic papers, you will have to include a table of contents. It will act as a roadmap for the reader to each portion of your writing. It helps the reader to locate specific information in a document or revisit their favorite parts easily within the text. A well-structured TOC should simplify the way the reader finds what they are looking for and should always be placed on a separate page, just after the first page of an academic paper and after the abstract.

Depending on the type of writing , you may find that different documents require different styles of a TOC. Some may require numbers, while others may require a non-numbered TOC. It is, therefore, the writer’s duty to check the type of TOC they are required to include in their writing.

Free Table of Contents Templates

Simple templates

What is a Table of Contents?

A Table of Contents (TOC) is an organized list of all the parts of a document or book organized in the order in which the parts appear.

The TOC usually contains the titles, chapters, figures, and major sections of a document clearly labeled by their page number. It should be added last or updated after completing the whole document or book to capture all the contents accurately.

The Purpose of table of contents

If a book, business proposal, business report , or publication is long enough to include chapters, then a TOC will likely be included at the beginning of the book, report, or publication.

The TOC provides a sequential list of the book’s organizational structure, most commonly denoting the title, chapter number, and the starting page location. The chapter, page number, and title will help guide the reader in finding specific sections.

Basically, it serves two main purposes; one is to provide the reader with a general overview of what is contained in the document and how the content is organized, and the other is to enable the reader to go directly to the specific section of an on-line document.

Key Elements of a Table of Contents

The TOC is where one lists the chapters and major sections of their document, together with their page numbers. A clear and well-out table is very important as it indicates a quality paper is structured.

The key elements that should be included in the TOC are:

• The page titles
• Clear headings and subheadings
• The page numbers that show where in the document each section can be found

When creating your table, make sure to include all level one and two headings. You may also decide to include level three headings, although they are optional to include and should not be included in the TOC has reached its maximum length of two pages.

Level One:   CHAPTER 2: Literature Review

Level Two: 2.1 Overview of Information

Level Three: 2.1.1 Discipline of Knowledge

Ensure that you use clear headings throughout your document to make your table easy to understand. Keep in mind that the reader will see the table first before reading through your document.

Other things to include in your table include the appendices and tables. Including these two, however, depend largely on how many there are in your document.

If there are more than three tables and figures, you might consider listing them on a separate page. Else, you can include them in your table.

Steps to Create a Table of Contents in MS Word

For you to create a TOC in Microsoft Word, you must first define what you’d like to include in this part. First, start off by applying the different heading styles throughout your document.

Once you’ve done that, follow these steps to insert a TOC in MS Word automatically:

Add a title on the TOC page. Ensure that you follow the standard format specific to your document or as per your department’s guidelines.

Put your cursor where you want the table to go. The table is usually included between the abstract and the introduction.

In the ribbon, find the reference section and locate the TOC section. Use the search tab on the ribbon to search for the table.

Click the arrow that is next to the TOC icon and select Custom Table of Contents. Here, select the level of heading that you would like to include in your table and also make the necessary adjustments to each level by clicking the modify button.

Click on Custom table of contents.

After you’ve made sure that everything is OK. Click OK, and your TOC will be automatically generated.

Tips on Preparing Table of Contents

It is recommended that you use your TOC template last after to make sure that it provides a clear overview of your document. You can still draw up a mock TOC in your early stages of writing to help you formulate a structure and think through your topics and how you are going to research.

Make sure that all the heading levels are properly defined in your document before inserting the template.

Remember that the reader will most likely go through your table first before diving into the document to get an overview of what to expect. Make sure that your TOC is clear and that it captures your entire document.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, the TOC is basically a snapshot of the headings, tables, and page numbers in a document and does not automatically update itself as you make changes. Anytime you make changes to your document, you can update it by simply right-clicking on it and selecting the update field.

No, the TOC is usually included between the abstract and the introduction.

Yes, the maximum length of a TOC should be two pages, regardless of the type of document you are writing.

Regardless of your document’s type or size, using a TOC can help direct the readers to exactly where they want to be. Other than making your document more reader-friendly , the table also makes it easier for the author to go back and change or update contents throughout their document if necessary. By default, MS Word generates a TOC when you use the first three built-in heading styles, i.e., Heading 1, Heading 2, and Heading 3. To apply the different heading styles, simply select the style from the “Home” tab, or you can use a TOC template. Once you’ve properly defined the heading styles, follow the procedure given above to insert your table automatically.

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Thesis & Dissertation Title Page | Free Templates & Examples

Published on May 19, 2022 by Tegan George . Revised on July 18, 2023.

The title page (or cover page) of your thesis , dissertation , or research paper should contain all the key information about your document. It usually includes:

• Dissertation or thesis title
• The type of document (e.g., dissertation, research paper)
• The department and institution
• The degree program (e.g., Master of Arts)
• The date of submission

It sometimes also includes your dissertation topic or field of study, your student number, your supervisor’s name, and your university’s logo.

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Table of contents

Title page format, title page templates, title page example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions.

Your department will usually tell you exactly what should be included on your title page and how it should be formatted. Be sure to check whether there are specific guidelines for margins, spacing, and font size.

Title pages for APA and MLA style

The format of your title page can also depend on the citation style you’re using. There may be guidelines in regards to alignment, page numbering, and mandatory elements.

• MLA guidelines for formatting the title page
• APA guidelines for formatting the title page

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We’ve created a few templates to help you design the title page for your thesis, dissertation, or research paper. You can download them in the format of your choice by clicking on the corresponding button.

Research paper Google Doc

Dissertation Google Doc

Thesis Google Doc

A typical example of a thesis title page looks like this:

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The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.

Usually, no title page is needed in an MLA paper . A header is generally included at the top of the first page instead. The exceptions are when:

• Your instructor requires one, or
• Your paper is a group project

In those cases, you should use a title page instead of a header, listing the same information but on a separate page.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.

Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.

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George, T. (2023, July 18). Thesis & Dissertation Title Page | Free Templates & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/dissertation/title-page/

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Table of Contents/Lists Pages Templates

• Table of contents template (DOC)

This Microsoft Word document can be saved to your computer to use as a template. It was created using Microsoft Office 2013 version of Word. Please email [email protected] if you have problems with the download.

Home » Blog » Table of Contents - Definition, Types, Formats & Examples

Table of Contents – Definition, Types, Formats & Examples

Table of contents.

The Table of Contents (TOC) is very important in the academic world, especially for research projects and final year dissertations. The Table of Contents can be considered the map of your research paper, a tool that helps readers find their way through your ideas.

Readers, from peers and professors to experts in your field, can find specific areas of your study without having to look through the whole document. This makes the structure of your work easier to navigate and understand. This can help them understand your work better and help them understand it better overall.

Table of Contents in a Research Paper

While the student is writing their final year project, the Table of Content helps them keep track of everything. With the Table of Content, students can create a structured framework, or skeleton, for their work. This helps them stay focused on their research’s main goals and sub-questions. This methodical order also forces them to put their ideas in a way that makes sense so that their arguments make sense from one section to the next.

Table of Contents Definition

The Table of Contents is an important part of any extensive written book, research paper, report, or dissertation . The Table of Content gives a detailed list of a document’s sections and important subsections. This list is usually set up in a hierarchy.

Each entry in the TOCs refers to a different part of the work and gives the page numbers where readers can find it. Usually, the Table of Contents is at the beginning of the document. It acts as a navigational guide and gives a quick overview of the structure and layout of the paper.

The Table of Contents is carefully structured with different levels of headings and subheadings that match how the main body of the work is organized. These levels show how the content is organized, with the main headings representing broad categories and the subheadings representing more specific details within these categories.

Some TOCs also has a list of figures, tables, and appendices, which makes it easier for readers to find these parts. So, the TOC acts as a map, giving readers a quick idea of how the document is put together and helping them move quickly through the work.

The Importance of Table of Contents

Easy navigation for readers.

The Table of Contents is an important tool that helps readers find their way around. Whether it’s a novel, a research paper , or a business report, the reader may want to go straight to a specific part of the text without reading the whole document. This is made easy by the Table of Contents, which has a detailed list of sections, subsections, and the page numbers that go with them.

With a TOCs, Readers can quickly find the content they want, which saves them time and makes reading more enjoyable and effective. This feature of the TOC can’t be overstated, especially when it comes to academic research or business documentation, where readers often need to refer back to the same sections.

Provides an Overview of the Content

The Table of Contents is also very important because it gives an overview of the content. Before getting into the details of a document, a reader might want to get a sense of its scope and depth. As a small version of the whole document, the TOCs gives the reader just that. It tells what the document is about, the main points, and how the whole paper is put together. The reader can understand how the information flows, guess what will come next, and see how the different parts fit together. By giving this overview, the TOC makes reading a more interesting and informative experience.

Content Organization

The Table of Contents is important in putting the work together and showing where to go next. Creating a TOC can help the author plan and organize their thoughts and ideas in a way that makes sense. This order becomes the document’s backbone. It guides the writing process and ensures the work stays on track and makes sense. Also, the clear divisions between sections and subsections in the TOC help readers follow the author’s train of thought. They can easily find where they are in the document and see how each part fits into the whole. So, the TOC is important for making a structured, well-organized document and making it easier for the reader to understand and remember the content.

Types of Table of Contents

Short-form vs. long-form table of contents.

There are different kinds of Tables of Contents in the documentation and content creation. Each is made for a different kind of document and a different set of needs. Most of the time, people use short-form and long-form TOCs. As its name suggests, the short-form Table of Contents gives a quick document overview.

It mostly lists the main sections and main subheadings, which makes it perfect for short documents or ones where a general overview is enough. On the other hand, the long-form TOC goes into much more detail, listing not only the main headings but also all the different subheadings and sub-subheadings. This type of Table of Contents is best for long, complicated documents where each piece of content adds something different to the story.

Descriptive Table of Contents

The descriptive Table of Contents is another interesting type. In contrast to the short and long-form Table of Contents, which are mostly just lists of headings, the descriptive TOCs also includes a short summary or synopsis of each section. This method gives the reader a better idea of what each section is about and helps them understand the structure and content of the document better. A descriptive Table of Contents is very helpful when each chapter or section can stand independently, like in anthologies, edited books, or collections of essays.

Hierarchical Table of Contents

A hierarchical Table of Contents shows the structure of the document. It shows the order of sections, sub-sections, and lower-level headings with indentation, typography, and sometimes even pictures. This kind of TOCs is useful for complicated documents because it lets the reader see how the content is organized and how the different parts relate.

The Figure-centric and Table-centric Table of Contents

The figure-centric and table-centric Table of Contents is made for documents like scientific research papers or technical manuals with many figures or tables. A table-centric TOCs does the same thing for tables as a figure-centric TOCs does for figures.

These specialized Table of Contents make it easy for readers to find and refer to the visual or tabular information that may be important for them to understand the text. So, the type of TOCs chosen will depend on what the document is about and what the reader needs.

Table of Contents Formats: The Classic Method

Traditional book format.

A traditional book format, Table of Contents, is usually a detailed and hierarchical list of chapters or sections at the beginning of a book. It lists the title of each chapter or section and the page number where it begins. When a book has more than one part or volume, the TOCs often lists the titles of these larger sections.

Traditional Book Format Table of Contents Example

A fiction book table of contents:.

Acknowledgments…………………………………..iii Introduction………………………………………..v

PART ONE: THE BEGINNING

Chapter 1: The Mysterious Stranger……………………1 Chapter 2: An Unexpected Journey…………………..15 Chapter 3: Friends and Foes……………………………32

PART TWO: THE MIDDLE

Chapter 4: The Hidden World…………………………51 Chapter 5: Secrets Revealed………………………….68 Chapter 6: Battles and Betrayals…………………….84

PART THREE: THE END

Chapter 7: The Final Stand…………………………..100 Chapter 8: Homecoming……………………………..118 Epilogue…………………………………………..131

A Non-Fiction Book Table of Contents:

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preface…………………………………………..vii Introduction…………………………………….xiii

PART I: FOUNDATIONS

Chapter 1: Introduction to The Topic………………..1 Chapter 2: Historical Overview……………………..20 Chapter 3: Key Concepts……………………………36

PART II: CASE STUDIES

Chapter 4: Case Study One………………………….55 Chapter 5: Case Study Two………………………….72 Chapter 6: Case Study Three………………………..90

PART III: CONCLUSIONS

Chapter 7: Analysis and Interpretations……………110 Chapter 8: Future Directions………………………128 Bibliography…………………………………….140 Index…………………………………………..150

Digital Formats

In digital formats like e-books, websites, and digital reports, the main purpose of the Table of Contents is to help you find your way around. But it usually comes with extra features that use the benefits of digital technology.

The Table of Contents in a digital report or a PDF document often works the same way, with links to the relevant sections. Some PDF viewers even have a navigation pane where the TOCs stays visible and accessible as you read the document. This feature makes it easy to move around, especially in long and complex documents.

Digital Formats Example

Introduction…………………………………Link to Section Chapter 1: Basics of Digital Marketing………….Link to Section 1.1 Definition and Scope………………….Link to Section 1.2 Types of Digital Marketing…………….Link to Section Chapter 2: Social Media Marketing………………Link to Section 2.1 Platforms…………………………..Link to Section 2.2 Strategy and Planning…………………Link to Section Chapter 3: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)……..Link to Section 3.1 Basics of SEO……………………….Link to Section 3.2 Keyword Research…………………….Link to Section Chapter 4: Email Marketing…………………….Link to Section 4.1 Building an Email List……………….Link to Section 4.2 Crafting Effective Emails…………….Link to Section Conclusion………………………………….Link to Section References………………………………….Link to Section

Table of Contents Format for Academic Research Papers

The academic format of a Table of Contents serves as a road map for research papers, dissertations, theses, or any other scholarly documents, giving a detailed hierarchical structure of the content. Like other TOCs, an academic Table of Contents lists the document’s main sections and the page numbers where they begin. But academic TOCs often goes into more detail, showing not only the main chapters but also different levels of subheadings. This ensures that a scholarly work’s complex structure is shown accurately. This is especially important for long research projects involving complex arguments and looking into many different topics.

In this academic format, Table of Contents, each entry has a page number, and main sections and subsections are separated by indentation. Remember that the TOC’s structure can change depending on your institution’s rules or the academic style you’re using (like APA, MLA, or Chicago Style).

Academic Format Example

Abstract…………………………………………. ii Acknowledgments………………………………. iii List of Tables…………………………………… iv List of Figures………………………………….. v

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………. 1 Problem Statement………………………….. 2 Research Questions………………………….. 3 Significance of the Study……………………. 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW………………… 8 Theoretical Framework………………………. 9 Review of Related Literature………………… 11

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY……………………… 20 Research Design……………………………. 21 Participants……………………………….. 24 Data Collection……………………………. 25 Data Analysis……………………………… 27

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS……………………………. 30

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION……………………….. 40 Implications……………………………….. 41 Recommendations for Future Research………… 43

References……………………………………… 50 Appendices……………………………………… 54

How to Create Table of Contents: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating table of contents manually.

A Table of Contents (TOC) can be created in different ways, such as manually or by using a software such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs that creates TOCs automatically.

If you are working with a small document and want full control over the details of your Table of Contents, making one manually might be the best option. With this method, you just type out the title of each section and the page number that goes with it in your document. Make sure that your formatting and indentation are consistent so that your sections and subsections show the correct order.

Remember that creating a TOCs manually can take a long time for long documents, and you’ll have to update it manually if you add, remove, or change the order of sections.

Creating Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word has a great tool for automatically making a Table of Contents, which can save you a lot of time and work, especially for longer documents.

To make a Table of Contents in Word, you must first give the text you want to include in the Table of Contents heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.). Word’s “Home” tab is where you’ll find these heading styles. Once you’ve added these styles, you can add a Table of Contents by going to the “References” tab and clicking “Table of Contents.” Based on the heading styles you used and the page numbers, MS Word will automatically make a TOCs. When you make changes to your document, you can update the Table of Contents by right-clicking on it and choosing “Update Field.”

Creating Table of Contents in Google Docs

Google Docs also lets you make an automatic Table of Contents in a similar way. To do this, use the toolbar at the top to add heading styles to your text. Once you’ve done this, click where you want your Table of Contents to be, then go to “Insert,” choose “Table of Contents,” and you’ll see two options: one with links and one with page numbers. If your document is meant to be used online, links are the way to go. Choose page numbers if you want to print the document. If you make changes to your document, you can update the Table of Contents by clicking on it and then clicking the “Refresh” icon that appears.

Table of Contents Best Practices

No matter what method you use, the best thing you can do is make sure your Table of Content is clear, correct, and easy to navigate. It should give a quick summary of your document’s content and structure, making it easy for people to find the information they need. Check your Table of Content often to make sure it matches the content of your document, especially after making major changes.

The Bottom Line

In conclusion, the importance of a Table of Contents in any document – whether it’s a book, an academic paper, an eBook, or a report. It helps readers find their way around the document by giving them an organized overview of the content and showing them how the document is structured. A well-written TOCs tells readers right away what the document is about and how it is organized, making it easy for them to find specific sections.

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• Academic essay overview
• The writing process
• Structuring academic essays
• Types of academic essays
• Academic writing overview
• Sentence structure
• Academic writing process
• Improving your academic writing
• Titles and headings
• APA style overview
• APA citation & referencing
• APA structure & sections
• Citation & referencing
• Structure and sections
• APA examples overview
• Commonly used citations
• Other examples
• British English vs. American English
• Chicago style overview
• Chicago citation & referencing
• Chicago structure & sections
• Chicago style examples
• Citing sources overview
• Citation format
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• College essay overview
• Application
• How to write a college essay
• Types of college essays
• Commonly confused words
• Definitions
• Dissertation overview
• Dissertation structure & sections
• Dissertation writing process
• Graduate school overview
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Table Of Contents Example – Free, Downloadable Templates

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A table of contents , also known as TOC or Contents, is a vital component of any research paper , guiding readers through the intricate structure of the manuscript. By providing an organized listing of chapters and sections with accurate page numbers, a well-TOC enhances readability and ensures that readers can easily navigate the document, grasping the flow of your research. In this article, we offer numerous table of contents examples and templates for academic submissions and other functions.

In what format are you currently required to submit your thesis?

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• 1 Table of contents examples

Table of contents examples

Below, you can find numerous free, downloadable TOC example templates that you can utilize.

Single-level table of contents

For shorter documents, a single level table of contents example can be used. This is a short and succinct table of contents example which utilizes only single-level entries on sections or chapters. Remember, you’ll need to include properly formatted dots to lead the reader’s eye to the page number on the far right. The following table of contents example, available as PDF and Word document, explores this basic structure:

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• Subdivided table of contents

A subdivided table of contents is required for more lengthy papers, offering a subdivision of sections within chapters. These are more detailed and are recommended for higher-level dissertations like a master’s or a bachelor’s thesis.

When formatting a subdivided table of contents, ensure that chapters are listed in bold font whereas that subsections are not. It’s common to denote each subsection by a number (1.1, etc.). You’ll also want to indent the subsections so that they can be read easily. The following table of contents example explores this structure:

• Multi-level table of contents

Adding additional levels to your table of contents is known as a multi-level table of contents. These would be numbered 1.1.1 and onwards. Be aware that while you want to guide your reader through your manuscript, you should only highlight important areas of your manuscript, like sections and subsections, rather than random areas or thoughts in your manuscript. Creating too many levels will make your table of contents unnecessarily busy and too complex. We have provided a multi-level table of contents example for you below.

Table of contents example: Bachelor’s thesis

A bachelor’s degree thesis has no set word or page limit, and will depend entirely on your university’s or department’s guidelines. However, you should expect a thesis under 60 pages to be between 10,000 and 15,000 words long.

As such, you won’t be expected to produce a long and detailed table of contents with multiple levels and subsections. This is because your main body is rather limited in terms of word count. At most, you may find yourself using a subdivided table of contents similar to the table of contents example above. A TOC for a bachelor’s thesis can look like the following example:

Table of contents example: Master’s thesis

A master’s table of contents is more complex than a bachelor’s thesis. This is because they average at about 80 pages with up to 40,000 words. Because this work is produced at a higher academic level, it normally includes a subdivision of chapters and subheadings, with a separate introduction and conclusion, as well as an abstract, which should be one paragraph long. If you need guidance on shortening an abstract , we also have a comprehensive article available for you.

A table of contents example for a master’s thesis may look something like this:

Table of contents example: APA

Academic papers in fields of anthropology, sociology, psychology, and other social sciences use the APA style format. Generally, APA guidelines do not require a table of contents; however, if you do provide one for a better reading experience, there is a format you should adhere to. Below, we have provided you with a table of contents example for APA.

Table of contents example: PowerPoint

Table of contents example: portfolio, what is the order of abstract and table of contents.

For an academic paper, the order is as follows:

• Acknowledgements
• Table of contents with page numbers
• List of tables, figures, or illustrations (if relevant)
• List of abbreviations (if relevant)
• List of symbols (if relevant)
• Appendices (if relevant)
• Endnotes (if relevant)

Are references included in table of contents?

Yes, the references are included in TOCs, as you can see from our TOC examples. However, the acknowledgement for thesis and the abstract are usually not included. It is imperative to check with your institution if it is required to follow this format.

What variations of table of content examples exist?

The table of contents can be displayed in the following formats:

• Single level table of contents
• Academic table of contents

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Here's the Easy Way to Insert a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

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A table of contents is incredibly useful, especially in long documents, as it eliminates the need to scroll through numerous pages to find the information you need. Thankfully, Microsoft Word makes inserting a table of contents into your document easy.

Microsoft Word can automatically create a table of contents (TOC) based on the headings in your document. To use this feature, you first need to apply Word’s built-in heading styles to the headings and subheadings in your document.

To create headings, select the text, go to the Home tab, and choose the appropriate heading style from the Styles group. For example, use Heading 1 for main headings, Heading 2 for subheadings, and so on.

Once you've finished creating headings, follow these steps to insert a table of contents into your Word document.

• In your Word document, place the cursor where you want to insert the table of contents.
• Switch to the References tab.
• Click Table of Contents .
• Select Automatic Table 1 or Automatic Table 2 from the menu.

Word will create and insert the table of contents at the specified location. You can then navigate to a heading quickly by holding the CTRL key and clicking on the entry you want to jump to.

If you want to remove the table of contents from your document, simply go to References > Table of Contents and select Remove Table of Contents .

While Word makes it easy to create TOCs, it doesn't automatically update them when you edit headings or move them to different pages . Fortunately, updating the table of contents manually is straightforward. Here's how to do it:

• Click anywhere within the table of contents to select it.
• Click the Update Table button that appears.
• Choose Update page numbers only if you have only made changes that affect the page numbers.
• Select Update entire table if you want to update the entire table of contents, including the headings.
• Hit OK to confirm.

Your table of contents will now be updated to reflect the latest changes in your Word document .

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Journal Article References

This page contains reference examples for journal articles, including the following:

• Journal article
• Journal article with an article number
• Journal article with missing information
• Retracted journal article
• Retraction notice for a journal article
• Abstract of a journal article from an abstract indexing database
• Monograph as part of a journal issue
• Online-only supplemental material to a journal article

1. Journal article

Grady, J. S., Her, M., Moreno, G., Perez, C., & Yelinek, J. (2019). Emotions in storybooks: A comparison of storybooks that represent ethnic and racial groups in the United States. Psychology of Popular Media Culture , 8 (3), 207–217. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000185

• Parenthetical citation : (Grady et al., 2019)
• Narrative citation : Grady et al. (2019)
• If a journal article has a DOI, include the DOI in the reference.
• Always include the issue number for a journal article.
• If the journal article does not have a DOI and is from an academic research database, end the reference after the page range (for an explanation of why, see the database information page ). The reference in this case is the same as for a print journal article.
• Do not include database information in the reference unless the journal article comes from a database that publishes works of limited circulation or original, proprietary content, such as UpToDate .
• If the journal article does not have a DOI but does have a URL that will resolve for readers (e.g., it is from an online journal that is not part of a database), include the URL of the article at the end of the reference.

2. Journal article with an article number

Jerrentrup, A., Mueller, T., Glowalla, U., Herder, M., Henrichs, N., Neubauer, A., & Schaefer, J. R. (2018). Teaching medicine with the help of “Dr. House.” PLoS ONE , 13 (3), Article e0193972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193972

• Parenthetical citation : (Jerrentrup et al., 2018)
• Narrative citation : Jerrentrup et al. (2018)
• If the journal article has an article number instead of a page range, include the word “Article” and then the article number instead of the page range.

3. Journal article with missing information

Missing volume number.

Lipscomb, A. Y. (2021, Winter). Addressing trauma in the college essay writing process. The Journal of College Admission , (249), 30–33. https://www.catholiccollegesonline.org/pdf/national_ccaa_in_the_news_-_nacac_journal_of_college_admission_winter_2021.pdf

Missing issue number

Sanchiz, M., Chevalier, A., & Amadieu, F. (2017). How do older and young adults start searching for information? Impact of age, domain knowledge and problem complexity on the different steps of information searching. Computers in Human Behavior , 72 , 67–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.038

Missing page or article number

Butler, J. (2017). Where access meets multimodality: The case of ASL music videos. Kairos: A Journal of Rhetoric, Technology, and Pedagogy , 21 (1). http://technorhetoric.net/21.1/topoi/butler/index.html

• Parenthetical citations : (Butler, 2017; Lipscomb, 2021; Sanchiz et al., 2017)
• Narrative citations : Butler (2017), Lipscomb (2021), and Sanchiz et al. (2017)
• If the journal does not use volume, issue, and/or article or page numbers, omit the missing element(s) from the reference.
• If the journal is published quarterly and the month or season (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer) is noted, include that with the date element; see the Lipscomb example.
• If the volume, issue, and/or article or page numbers have simply not yet been assigned, use the format for an advance online publication (see Example 7 in the Publication Manual ) or an in-press article (see Example 8 in the Publication Manual ).

4. Retracted journal article

Joly, J. F., Stapel, D. A., & Lindenberg, S. M. (2008). Silence and table manners: When environments activate norms. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 34 (8), 1047–1056. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167208318401 (Retraction published 2012, Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38 [10], 1378)

• Parenthetical citation : (Joly et al., 2008)
• Narrative citation : Joly et al. (2008)
• Use this format to cite the retracted article itself, for example, to discuss the contents of the retracted article.
• First provide publication details of the original article. Then provide information about the retraction in parentheses, including its year, journal, volume, issue, and page number(s).

5. Retraction notice for a journal article

de la Fuente, R., Bernad, A., Garcia-Castro, J., Martin, M. C., & Cigudosa, J. C. (2010). Retraction: Spontaneous human adult stem cell transformation. Cancer Research , 70 (16), 6682. https://doi.org/10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-10-2451

The Editors of the Lancet. (2010). Retraction—Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet , 375 (9713), 445. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(10)60175-4

• Parenthetical citations : (de la Fuente et al., 2010; The Editors of the Lancet, 2010)
• Narrative citations : de la Fuente et al. (2010) and The Editors of the Lancet (2010)
• Use this format to cite a retraction notice rather than a retracted article, for example, to provide information on why an article was retracted.
• The author of the retraction notice may be an editor, editorial board, or some or all authors of the article. Examine the retraction notice to determine who to credit as the author.
• Reproduce the title of the retraction notice as shown on the work. Note that the title may include the words “retraction,” “retraction notice,” or “retraction note” as well as the title of the original article.

6. Abstract of a journal article from an abstract indexing database

Hare, L. R., & O'Neill, K. (2000). Effectiveness and efficiency in small academic peer groups: A case study (Accession No. 200010185) [Abstract from Sociological Abstracts]. Small Group Research , 31 (1), 24–53. https://doi.org/10.1177/104649640003100102

• Parenthetical citation : (Hare & O’Neill, 2000)
• Narrative citation : Hare and O’Neill (2000)
• Although it is preferable to cite the whole article, the abstract can be cited if that is your only available source.
• The foundation of the reference is the same as for a journal article.
• If the abstract has a database accession number, place it in parentheses after the title.
• Note that you retrieved only the abstract by putting the words “Abstract from” and then the name of the abstract indexing database in square brackets. Place this bracketed description after the title and any accession number.
• Accession numbers are sometimes referred to as unique identifiers or as publication numbers (e.g., as PubMed IDs); use the term provided by the database in your reference.

7. Monograph as part of a journal issue

Ganster, D. C., Schaubroeck, J., Sime, W. E., & Mayes, B. T. (1991). The nomological validity of the Type A personality among employed adults [Monograph]. Journal of Applied Psychology , 76 (1), 143–168. http://doi.org/10.1037/0021-9010.76.1.143

• Parenthetical citation : (Ganster et al., 1991)
• Narrative citation : Ganster et al. (1991)
• For a monograph with an issue (or whole) number, include the issue number in parentheses followed by the serial number, for example, 58 (1, Serial No. 231).
• For a monograph bound separately as a supplement to a journal, give the issue number and supplement or part number in parentheses after the volume number, for example, 80 (3, Pt. 2).

8. Online-only supplemental material to a journal article

Freeberg, T. M. (2019). From simple rules of individual proximity, complex and coordinated collective movement [Supplemental material]. Journal of Comparative Psychology , 133 (2), 141–142. https://doi.org/10.1037/com0000181

• Parenthetical citation : (Freeberg, 2019)
• Narrative citation : Freeberg (2019)
• Include the description “[Supplemental material]” in square brackets after the article title.
• If you cite both the main article and the supplemental material, provide only a reference for the article.

Journal article references are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 10.1 and the Concise Guide Section 10.1