University of Toronto Thesis Format Guide

The University of Toronto has established comprehensive formatting guidelines for graduate theses and dissertations across all faculties. This guide covers the specific requirements you must follow when preparing your final manuscript for submission to the university library and your department.

Page Setup and Margins

Proper page setup is the foundation of thesis formatting at Toronto. The university’s guidelines are designed to ensure consistency and readability while accommodating binding and archival requirements.

Left Margin: 1.5 inches (38mm) - This extra space on the left side allows for binding without obscuring text. When setting up your document in Microsoft Word, set the left margin in the Page Layout tab under Margins.

Right Margin: 1 inch (25mm) - Standard for academic documents, providing adequate white space for reader comments.

Top Margin: 1 inch (25mm) - Applied uniformly throughout the document to maintain consistent appearance across pages.

Bottom Margin: 1 inch (25mm) - Consistent with the right margin and provides balance to the page layout.

Paper Size: Standard letter size (8.5” x 11”) or A4 (210mm x 297mm). Check with your department for specific preferences. In Word, verify this in Page Layout > Paper Size.

Page Orientation: Portrait (vertical) orientation for all pages, including figures and tables. Landscape orientation may be used for oversized tables or figures, but these should be placed on separate pages with appropriate page numbering continued.

Font Requirements

University of Toronto maintains relatively flexible font requirements, with the primary focus on readability and professional appearance.

Body Text Font: Times New Roman, Courier New, or Arial in 12-point size. Times New Roman is the most traditional and widely accepted choice for academic writing.

Line Spacing: Double-spacing is required for the main body text of your thesis. This applies to all paragraphs, including block quotations. Set this in Word by selecting all text (Ctrl+A), then going to Home > Line Spacing and choosing 2.0.

Font Size Consistency: Maintain 12-point font throughout the body of your thesis. Footnotes and endnotes may be single-spaced in 10-point font. Tables and figures may use smaller fonts if necessary for clarity, but should remain legible.

Headings: First-level headings should be in 14-point bold, second-level headings in 12-point bold, and third-level headings in 12-point bold italic. Maintain consistent heading hierarchy throughout your document.

Title Page Format

Your thesis title page is the first impression of your work and must conform precisely to Toronto’s requirements.

The title page should include:

University Name and Location: Centered near the top of the page - “University of Toronto”

Thesis Title: Centered in the middle of the page in title case, all capital letters, or initial capitals. The title should be repeated exactly as it appears on your abstract and throughout official university documentation.

Author Name: Your full legal name as registered with the university, centered below the title.

Degree Information: The degree you are pursuing (e.g., “A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Department Name”) centered in the lower portion of the page.

Date: The year of graduation, typically centered at the bottom of the page.

Department Name: Your specific department or program should be clearly identified.

Leave substantial white space to create a professional, uncluttered appearance. Use single spacing for the title page itself, despite the double-spacing requirement for body text.

Abstract Requirements

The abstract is a concise summary of your research and must be formatted according to specific Toronto guidelines.

Length: Your abstract should be between 100 and 150 words for master’s theses, and between 150 and 250 words for doctoral dissertations. Check your specific program requirements, as these guidelines may vary by faculty.

Content: Include your research question or problem statement, your methodology, key findings, and the significance of your work. Write in third person, past tense for completed research.

Page Numbering: The abstract page should be numbered with lowercase Roman numerals (iv, v, etc.) as part of your front matter.

Formatting: Double-spaced, using the same font as body text. Some departments require the word “ABSTRACT” centered at the top of the page in all capitals.

Separate Page: The abstract must appear on its own page, typically following the title page and dedication (if applicable) in your front matter.

Table of Contents

Your table of contents must accurately reflect your thesis structure and page numbers.

Format: Include all chapter headings and major sections with their corresponding page numbers. Subsections may be included depending on your thesis complexity and departmental preferences.

Page Numbering: Use lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, etc.) for front matter page numbers in the table of contents itself.

Title: Center “TABLE OF CONTENTS” at the top of the page in all capitals.

Formatting: Double-spaced, matching your body text formatting. Align page numbers to the right with dot leaders connecting headings to page numbers for easy reading.

Word Tools: Use Word’s Table of Contents feature (References > Table of Contents) to automatically generate and update your table of contents. This ensures accuracy and allows for easy updates if page numbers change.

Heading Styles and Hierarchy

Consistent heading hierarchy throughout your thesis improves readability and document organization.

Chapter Headings (Level 1): Centered, 14-point bold, in all capitals or title case. Leave extra space (one blank line) before each chapter heading.

Section Headings (Level 2): Left-aligned, 12-point bold, in title case.

Subsection Headings (Level 3): Left-aligned, 12-point bold italic, in title case.

Subsubsection Headings (Level 4): Left-aligned, 12-point bold, run-in format (at the beginning of a paragraph), followed by a period.

Maintain consistent styling throughout your thesis. Use Word’s Style gallery to create custom styles for each heading level, ensuring uniform formatting across your document.

Page Numbering

Proper page numbering is essential and follows specific conventions for different sections of your thesis.

Front Matter: Use lowercase Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) for title page, dedication, acknowledgments, abstract, table of contents, and list of figures/tables. However, the title page itself is typically not numbered (though it counts as page i in the sequence).

Body Text: Switch to Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) beginning with your introduction or Chapter 1, continuing through your conclusion and bibliography.

Appendices: Continue Arabic numeral page numbering through appendices without resetting.

Page Number Placement: Place page numbers in the upper right corner of each page (except the title page) in standard academic format. Alternatively, center page numbers at the bottom of pages if preferred by your department.

Implementing in Word: Use Insert > Page Numbers to add automatic numbering. To change numbering style mid-document, use Section Breaks (Page Layout > Breaks > Section Break) to separate front matter from body text.

Citation Style Requirements

University of Toronto allows considerable flexibility in citation styles across different disciplines.

Humanities Departments: Chicago Manual of Style (Notes-Bibliography system) is the standard. This uses footnotes or endnotes with a bibliography. Consult the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style for specific formatting.

Social Sciences: American Psychological Association (APA) style is commonly used. In-text citations are parenthetical (Author, Year), with a reference list at the end.

Sciences: Council of Science Editors (CSE) style or APA are standard. Check your department’s specific requirements.

Engineering: IEEE style may be preferred in some engineering departments.

Verify Requirements: Always check with your department’s graduate office before beginning your thesis, as specific citation requirements may vary by program and advisor.

Using GenText: GenText’s citation generator tool helps ensure your citations conform to your chosen style. Visit our platform to generate citations in APA, Chicago, MLA, and CSE formats with a single click.

Figure and Table Formatting

Figures and tables must be professionally formatted and properly integrated into your thesis.

Titles and Labels: Tables have titles placed above the table; figures have captions placed below. Number tables and figures sequentially throughout your thesis (Table 1, Figure 1) or by chapter (Table 3.2, Figure 3.2).

Font and Size: Tables and figures may use fonts smaller than body text if necessary for clarity, but should remain easily readable (minimum 10-point font).

Captions: Include descriptive captions for all tables and figures. These captions should be clear and specific, allowing readers to understand the visual without referring to the text.

Source Citations: Cite the source of data in tables and figures. Include these citations as footnotes to the table/figure or in the caption itself.

Integration: Figures and tables should be integrated into the text near where they are referenced, not grouped at the end of chapters. Ensure adequate white space around figures and tables.

List of Figures/Tables: If your thesis contains more than 5 figures or tables, include a list of figures and/or list of tables following your table of contents in the front matter.

Bibliography and References

The bibliography is the foundation of academic integrity and must be complete and accurately formatted.

Format: Arrange bibliographic entries alphabetically by author’s last name. Format should match your chosen citation style (Chicago, APA, CSE, etc.).

Completeness: Include all sources cited in your thesis. Every citation in the text must have a corresponding entry in your bibliography.

Heading: Center “BIBLIOGRAPHY” or “REFERENCES” at the top of the page in all capitals. Use “Bibliography” for Chicago style, “References” for APA or CSE.

Spacing: Use hanging indentation (first line of each entry flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5 inch). Double-space between entries and maintain double-spacing within entries.

Multiple Bibliographies: If your thesis includes multiple chapters that stand alone (common in some PhD programs), you may include separate bibliographies for each chapter, provided this approach is approved by your department.

Appendices

Appendices provide supplementary material that supports your thesis but may not fit naturally into the main text.

Numbering: Label appendices as “Appendix A,” “Appendix B,” etc., in the order they appear. If you have only one appendix, simply title it “APPENDIX.”

Page Numbering: Continue Arabic numeral page numbering from the body text through appendices without resetting.

Content: Include relevant supplementary materials such as raw data, detailed calculations, survey instruments, interview transcripts, or extended literature reviews that would interrupt the main narrative if included in the body.

References: Reference appendices in the body text (e.g., “see Appendix A”) and include them in your table of contents.

Formatting: Apply the same formatting rules (margins, font, spacing, headings) to appendices as you do to the main body of your thesis.

Electronic Submission Requirements

University of Toronto requires electronic submission of all theses through the library’s institutional repository.

File Format: Submit your thesis as a PDF file. Ensure all fonts are embedded in your PDF to prevent display issues when the file is accessed.

File Naming: Follow your university’s guidelines for file naming, typically including your name, degree level, and year (e.g., “LastName_FirstName_MA_2026.pdf”).

File Size: Keep your PDF file size reasonable (under 100MB). Compress images if necessary without significantly reducing quality.

Metadata: Add descriptive metadata to your PDF including your name, thesis title, degree, program, and year. This helps with searchability and preservation.

Submission Deadline: Submit your thesis by the published deadline for your term. Check the library website for specific dates.

Embargo Period: If you need an embargo period to protect unpublished research, request this during submission. The standard period is typically 6 months to 2 years.

Tips for Formatting in Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is the most common tool for thesis preparation. These tips will help you efficiently format your thesis according to Toronto requirements.

Use Styles: Define custom styles for each heading level and body text before beginning your thesis. This ensures consistency and makes it easy to update formatting globally.

Create Section Breaks: Use Section Breaks to separate front matter (Roman numerals) from body text (Arabic numerals). Go to Page Layout > Breaks > Section Break (Next Page).

Set Up Headers and Footers: Use different headers/footers for different sections. For example, have page numbers in lowercase Roman numerals in front matter and Arabic numerals in body text.

Manage Page Breaks: Use Ctrl+Enter to insert a manual page break before each chapter to ensure chapter headings start on new pages.

Double-Check Margins: Before finalizing, verify margins in Page Layout > Margins > Custom Margins to ensure they meet Toronto’s requirements exactly.

Use the Navigation Pane: View > Navigation Pane shows your document structure and allows quick jumps between sections.

Automate Table of Contents: Use References > Table of Contents to generate your table of contents automatically. Update it after all editing is complete.

Related Resources and Tools

GenText provides comprehensive tools to help you format your thesis correctly and generate citations in any required style.

GenText Citation Generator: Our platform supports Chicago Manual of Style, APA, MLA, and CSE citation formats. Generate accurate citations in seconds and build your bibliography automatically.

Word Formatting Tutorials: Learn detailed Word formatting techniques with our guides:

• How to Format a Thesis in Word
• How to Create and Update a Table of Contents
• How to Add and Format Page Numbers Across Sections
• How to Create Custom Heading Styles

Related Formatting Guides: Browse other university thesis formatting guides to see how different institutions approach similar requirements. Many formatting principles are universal, though specific details vary.

Conclusion

Formatting your University of Toronto thesis correctly demonstrates attention to detail and respect for academic conventions. While the specific requirements may seem extensive, breaking them down into components makes the process manageable. Use Word’s built-in formatting tools, create custom styles early in your writing process, and refer back to this guide frequently to maintain consistency throughout your thesis.

For current information on thesis submission and formatting requirements, consult the University of Toronto Library’s thesis submission guidelines or contact your department’s graduate office. Department-specific requirements may supersede general university guidelines, so always verify with your advisor and program.

With proper formatting, your thesis will present your research in the best possible light, meet institutional requirements, and contribute to your university’s scholarly record.