By When it comes to writing a thesis, formatting is essential just like the content itself. Most institutes have strict guidelines for margins, headings, and citations. Well, getting them right in traditional word processors can be a time-consuming struggle. That’s where LaTeX comes in.
Now you must be wondering what it is? Well, it is a high-quality typesetting system that excels in producing structured documents like a thesis. Moreover, it offers precision control over every element of your document, ensuring that your final submission is clean and properly formatted.
If you are new to LaTeX and wondering how to format your thesis using it, this blog is for you. Here we will walk you through the tips for formatting a thesis using this format.
Step-By-Step Guide for Formatting a Thesis In LaTex
Set Up Your LaTeX
First things first, if you want to write your thesis in LaTeX, you need two things: A LaTeX distribution and a text editor. Furthermore, there are two setups that you really need to follow. They include:
1. Offline Setup
Here is how you need to install a LaTeX distribution:
- MiKTeX for Windows
- MacTex for Mac
- Tex Live for Linux
Moreover, choose an editor like TeXstudio, TeXMaker, or CS Code with LaTeX extensions.
2. Online SteUp
For this, make sure to use Overleaf, a cloud-based editor. It is beginner-friendly, requires no installation, and allows real-time collaboration.
Basic Structure of A Thesis In LaTeX
Now, let’s understand the basic structure of a Thesis in LaTeX. It usually includes:
\documentclass[12pt]{report}
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{amsmath, amssymb}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{hyperref}
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{geometry}
\usepackage{natbib}
\geometry{a4paper, margin=1in}
\setstretch{1.5}
\title{Your Thesis Title}
\author{Your Name}
\date{Month Year}
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\begin{abstract}
Your abstract text goes here.
\end{abstract}
\tableofcontents
\listoftables
\listoffigures
\chapter{Introduction}
Your introduction content…
\chapter{Literature Review}
Your literature review…
% More chapters…
\bibliographystyle{plainnat}
\bibliography{references}
\appendix
\chapter{Appendix A}
\end{document}
This setup includes the essential parts like Title, Abstract, Table of Contents, Chapters, References and Appendices. We know understanding this coding and structure might be challenging. Hence, you can consider seeking guidance from the dissertation formatting service. They have a team of qualified professionals who will help you break down the structure and understand it clearly.
Create a Title Page
Many institutes have a different layout for the title page. Instead of using \maketitle, you can customise it using the titlepage code, which usually includes:
\begin{titlepage}
\centering
{\Huge\bfseries Your Thesis Title \par}
\vspace{2cm}
{\Large Your Full Name \par}
\vfill
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements\\
for the degree of \textit{Master of Science}\\
In the Department of Your Department\\
Your University Name\\
\vspace{1cm}
Month, Year
\end{titlepage}
Add Chapters and Sections
Now you need to organise your thesis and create different chapters and sections using LaTeX. Here are the following commands that you need to consider:
- \chapter{Chapter Title}
- \section{Section Title}
- \subsection{Subsection Title}
Moreover, if there are some sections where you don’t want numbered headings, use the code:
\chapter*{Acknowledgements}
\addcontentsline{toc}{chapter}{Acknowledgements}
Thus, this way you can ensure that your content appears in the Table of Contents.
Insert Tables and Lists
Next, insert tables and lists. Hence, for this, you need to use the tabular environment. Here is how it should look:
\begin{table}[h]
\centering
\begin{tabular}{|l|c|r|}
\hline
Left & Center & Right \\
\hline
Item 1 & Item 2 & Item 3 \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Example Table}
\label{tab:example}
\end{table}
Moreover, you can refer to this table elsewhere using the \ref{tab: example}
Now, for the list, you should:
\begin{itemize}
\item First point
\item Second point
\end{itemize}
Furthermore, for numbered list,s you should:
\begin{enumerate}
\item First item
\item Second item
\end{enumerate}
Add Citations and References
Citations are the essential part of your thesis. Welle LaTeX allows you to manage your references using BibTeX. For this, you should create a .bib file (e.g, references.bib) with entries like this:
@book{lamport1994,
author = {Leslie Lamport},
title = {LaTeX: A Document Preparation System},
year = {1994},
publisher = {Addison-Wesley}
}
Furthermore, in your main .tex file, cite it using:
\citet{lamport1994} discusses how LaTeX works.
Additionally, add these lines before \end{document}:
\bibliographystyle{plainnat}
\bibliography{references}
Also, you need to compile using the sequence like:
pdflatex → bibtex → pdflatex → pdflatex
Thus, this way you can ensure that the references and the bibliography appear correctly in your thesis.
Add an Appendix
The next step is to include the supplementary material, such as questionnaires, proofs, or raw data. Thus, for this use:
\appendix
\chapter{Questionnaire Used in the Study}
Moreover, each of the chapters will be labeled alphabetically, like A, B, and C.
Customise Line Spacing and Margins
When writing the thesis, remember that it requires 1.5 or double spacing. Hence, use the setspace package like:
\usepackage{setspace}
\onehalfspacing % or \doublespacing
Moreover, you can set margins using the geometry package.
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
Additionally, you can customise the top, bottom, left, and right margins individually as needed.
Split Content into Files
For a cleaner workflow, make sure to break your thesis into multiple files. Furthermore, for example: N
- tex (contains the structure)
- tex, chapter2.tex, etc.
Additionally, make sure to include them in main.tex using:
\input{chapter1}
\input{chapter2}
Compile and Review
Phew! Here comes the last step. Now that everything is in place, you need to compile your document multiple times to check cross-references. Furthermore, check for overall boxes and warnings. Moreover, review the spacing and alignment. Make sure that the Table of Contents, List of Figures, and Bibliography are all accurate and properly styled. Additionally, if you are facing any troubles, consider seeking guidance from the professionals and ask them to write my thesis for me. This way, you can easily submit a thesis formatted in LaTeX without any worries. Also, it will save you time.
Conclusion
That brings us to the end of the guide! Formatting the thesis in LaTeX might look challenging, but once you get the hang of it, you won’t have to worry about anything. From the title page to adding chapters, inserting tables, etc, make sure to pay attention to the environment very well. Once you have done formatting, edit and review before making the final submission.
