Published on May 15, 2022 by Tegan George. Revised on September 29, 2022. The table of contents is where you list the chapters and major sections of your thesis,
dissertation, or research paper, alongside their page numbers. A clear and well-formatted table of contents is essential, as it demonstrates to your reader that a quality paper will follow. The table of contents (TOC) should be placed between the abstract and the introduction. The
maximum length should be two pages. Depending on the nature of your thesis, dissertation, or paper, there are a few formatting options you can choose from. Download Word
doc Download Google doc Depending on the length of your document, you can choose between a single-level, subdivided, or multi-level table of contents. 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 tablesYou 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.
What not to include in your table of contentsAll 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:
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. Receive feedback on language, structure and formattingProfessional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
See an example Creating a table of contents in Microsoft WordTo automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, be sure to first apply the correct heading styles throughout the document, as shown below.
Once that’s all set, follow these steps:
Table of contents examplesThe key features of a table of contents are:
Check with your educational institution to see if they have any specific formatting or design requirements. Updating a table of contents in Microsoft WordWrite 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. Other lists in your thesis, dissertation, or research paperIn 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:
It is less common to include these lists in a research paper. Frequently asked questions about the table of contentsHow do I create a table of contents? To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:
Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field. Sources in this articleWe strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below. This Scribbr article
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... What part of research paper contains the accurate paging of each part?Table of Contents contains the accurate paging of each part of the research paper. Which is not true about summary, conclusions and recommendations? Your conclusion should be based on your findings. Recommendations should be directly based on the significance of the study.
Which part of the research paper that list the details of the contents of the paper?Reference Page. The very last section of your research paper is a reference page where you should collect the academic sources along with all the publications you consulted, while fleshing out your research project.
Which of the following parts of the research paper answers the research questions of the study?The results section provides the answers to the research questions. In the discussion section, authors interpret the findings in relation to other similar studies and explore the implications of the research, practice, or policy. Limitations of the study should be described by the authors.
What are the parts of a research paper explain each?A complete research paper in APA style that is reporting on experimental research will typically contain a Title page, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, and References sections. Many will also contain Figures and Tables and some will have an Appendix or Appendices.
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