College of Graduate Studies

Theses & Dissertations: Content/Chapters

Always start a new chapter on a new page. Use the page break function to insert a blank page; do not use the Enter key multiple times.
Type Chapter 1: Title of Chapter at the top of the page; your chapters will be numbered sequentially starting at 1. Be sure to label each title as a chapter title heading to format it properly; see the headings section below for instructions.
Leave the next line blank.
Start your chapter.
Chapter 1 needs to start on an odd-numbered document page according to Microsoft Word (not according to your page numbers). This may or may not happen naturally. Use the page break function to insert a blank page if it does not happen naturally; do not use the Enter key multiple times.
Insert two double-spaced blank lines after the Chapter Title.
In addition, you will insert two double-spaced blank lines before and after the center headings within the text and before and after freestanding side headings within the text.

The headings will populate your table of contents.
Follow these instructions to set up and label headings in your document.
There are six possible levels of headings described in the table below.
The title level is for page titles and chapter titles.
Level 1 headings are for main sections within a chapter, level 2 headings are subsections of level 1, level 3 headings are subsections of level 2, etc.
Your paragraphs will "sway" throughout the paper to accommodate binding.
You will only use bold and italics when it's a level heading, table or figure. You will not bold any or italicize any words within a paragraph.
Pay close attention to word spacing in your heading and paragraphs Review for potential spacing errors.

Heading Level	Heading Example
Page Title or Chapter Title	CENTERED, BOLD, ALL CAPS
Level 1	Centered, Bold, Title Case for the Heading Next paragraph begins indented as usual.
Level 2	Flush Left, Bold, Title Case for the Heading Text Next paragraph begins indented as usual.
Level 3	Flush Left, Bold, Italics, Title Case for the Heading Text Next paragraph begins indented as usual.
Level 4	Indented, Bold, Title Case for the Heading Text, End with a Period. Next paragraph begins right after heading.
Level 5	Indented, Bold, Italics, Title Case for the Heading Text, End with a Period. Next paragraph begins right after heading.

Experience Tech For Yourself

Visit us to see what sets us apart.