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247 How to create the table of contents
Creating a table of contents is not rocket science if you keep a few things in mind. Even in this first overview, there are a few important things that are important for the examiners. It is not uncommon for universities to have individual specifications on how a table of contents should look. However, we will tell you general rules. You must format the table of contents yourself according to the individual requirements of your university. With a good table of contents, you can immediately make a good impression on the examiner. Such a document serves as the first overview after the cover sheet and should be designed accordingly.
Page numbers
Whether it is a term paper, a Bachelor’s thesis or a Master’s thesis: Each page of your paper must contain a page number. In the table of contents you can then specify exactly which topics can be found where. A detailed table of contents is simply a must for scientific work or writing. Page numbers give a precise overview at a glance of where each topic area is in the paper. This makes it easier to search for specific areas in particular and provides a better overview. You can use Roman page numbers for the following parts of your work:
- List of figures and tables
- List of references
- Appendix
All actual text pages (introduction, main part, conclusion) should be numbered with Arabic page numbers.
Subchapters
Another important point is subchapters. You should not only divide your work into main chapters. Especially with complicated topics, it is important to create subchapters so that different subject areas on your topic can be better illuminated. You should also include these subchapters in the table of contents. This way, the reader can see at first glance what it is about. With subchapters, you can structure your work better and more intensively. Subchapters should of course be used sensibly. Once this has been done, a comprehensible and logical structure of the work can be created. This can even influence the design to some extent.
Numbering
Another important point in a table of contents is the numbering. This should also be broken down logically and sensibly into chapters and sub-chapters. A table of contents should therefore be designed chronologically. Particularly if your bachelor’s or master’s thesis contains complex topics that build on one another, coherent numbering is crucial for understanding. The numbering acts as a kind of guide. With sensible numbering, you can guide the reader accordingly and give your work a character. The numbering in a table of contents itself is secondary. Nevertheless, you should definitely include it. It always depends on the individual requirements of your university what is required and what is not. Please note, however, that some headings are always unnumbered:
- List of figures
- List of tables
- List of abbreviations
- List of references
- Appendices
- Affidavit
Table of contents template for download
Download the template and look at our table of contents as an example for your work.
Table of contents template without subchapters:
Table of contents
1. Introduction………………………………………….…………………..…………………..…..1
2. Definition of terms…………………………………………………………………….….2
3. Theories………………..…………………………………………………………………..…3
4. Current developments…………………………………………..……………..…3
5. Analysis…………………………………….………………………………….….4
6. Discussion of the facts………………………………………….……4
7. Conclusions…………………………………………………………………….5
Bibliography……………………………….………………………………………6
Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………….…7
Declaration of independence………………………………………………….….8
Download table of contents template 1
Table of contents template with subchapters:
Table of contents
List of figures and tables…………………..…………………………..…….1
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..…..2
Theoretical aspects…………………………….…..………………………………..3
2.1. Theory I……………………………………………………………………………….…..3
2.2. Theory II…………………………………………………………………………………3
Research concepts…………………………….……………………………….…….4
3.1.Hypothesis I………………………………………………………………………………4
3.1.1. Viewpoint of researcher A……………………………….…………..…..4
3.1.2. Viewpoint of researcher B……………………………..………………..4
3.2. Hypothesis II……………………………………………………………………………4
3.1.2. Viewpoint of researcher B…………………………………..…………..5
Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………..….5
Critical consideration and discussion…………………………………..….6
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………..…..7
Bibliography………………………………………………….…………………..8
Affidavit……………………………………………………………9
Download table of contents template 2
Formatting the table of contents
The correct formatting of the table of contents is an important point. It should be clear, but not too sketchy. When creating the table of contents, you should consider whether it will be read digitally or analogically. If it is a digital document, the respective contents in the table of contents should be clickable. This takes the user directly to the desired paragraph in your work. This not only saves time, but is also useful. With just a few simple steps, such an important step can be quickly turned into reality. Below is a more detailed list of what you should pay attention to when formatting:
- Make sure you use an appropriate font size and font to match the rest of the work.
- Structure your table of contents with the respective chapters and subchapters.
- Link the contents in the document if it is a digital work.
- Make sure that the table of contents is at the beginning of the work, directly behind the cover page.
Create an automatic table of contents in Word – instructions
To create a table of contents automatically in Word, you do not need any great knowledge. However, you should pay attention to a few things so that the table of contents is created automatically. Here you will find out how to proceed in detail, step by step:
- First, mark your headings individually and, depending on the structure level, choose between “Heading 1”, “Heading 2”, “Heading 3” etc. in the template.
- Navigate to the place where you want your table of contents to be and click on “Table of contents” under “References”.
- Then select your preferred design.
- If you want a special table of contents, you can customize and adapt it under “custom table of contents”.
- In the preview field, you can view the table of contents and then insert it into your document.
This small list is just a rough schematic guide. Inserting in detail can be correspondingly more extensive. Updating the table of contents is always possible.
Format headings correctly
Formatting the headings is particularly important when creating a table of contents template. You should use the headings according to the pre-made templates from Word. Only then can the desired index be created from them.
- Use different levels of heading structure for chapters and sub-chapters as well as main headings.
- The headings should not be longer than 2 lines.
- Choose informative headings that match the content of the chapter.
- Do not use punctuation marks (question marks, commas, etc.).
Most important tips and tricks for the table of contents
To create a clear table of contents, you should follow our tips:
✔️Avoid common mistakes: the table of contents itself should not be mentioned in your table of contents.
✔️You can find various templates or samples for free download on the Internet.
✔️Don’t forget to check at the end whether all headings and page numbers match the content.
✔️Your table of contents must be clear. Avoid too many levels of structure such as 1.1.1.1.
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