Formatting

Overall, it is important to submit a thesis that has a consistent and readable appearance. Here you will find useful information about thesis format and style, including templates for Word and LaTeX.

Styles & Templates

Reference: Procedures for Thesis Formats and Content

Consistency in style and formatting of a thesis is essential. Tools for creating styles, footnotes, a table of contents, and other features, including the recommended order of the sections of a thesis, have been formatted into an SGPS thesis template available in WORD and LaTeX formats.

Word Template

LaTeX Template (What is LaTeX?)*

LyX Template (What is LyX?)*

We strongly recommended that authors use a thesis template. A template can be applied at any stage of the writing process, but using one early on will simplify writing and later conversion. These templates are meant to assist you with the formatting and production of your thesis, but you must ensure that your thesis meets SGPS formatting requirements. If you prefer not to use an SGPS template you are free to use the tools provided for indexing, page numbering and so on provided by your word processing software.

Technical Requirements

Reference: Procedures for Thesis Formats and Content

The thesis must be submitted in .pdf, .rtf or .doc format and may also include supplementary files for multimedia, sound, video or HTML pages with embedded files.  Supplementary files may be in any file format, however, please consider the audience when attaching these files.  Some file types require specific software that may not be readily available to the public.  Upon submitting the thesis, the file, if not already, will be converted to .pdf.

Common Formatting Errors

The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies reviews all theses prior to publication.  

Here is a list of the most common errors that cause a delay in the final publication of theses:

Title Page

  • a title page is automatically generated and attached to the front of your thesis upon upload to Scholarship@Western

Table of Contents

Page Numbering

  • the body of your thesis is Page 1
  • all pages that precede Page 1 are to be numbered with roman numerals
  • for page numbering assistance in Microsoft Word please view "Add and format page numbers"

Contact Information

  • do not include any signatures, email address, phone numbers or mailing addresses throughout the thesis, this includes any appendices and your CV
  • please redact any signatures or contact information provided on documentation