A Microsoft Word Template for University of Guelph Theses (and Other Documents!)



 

Why Do You Need a Template?

Graduate students at the University of Guelph who are required to submit a thesis must follow formatting requirements specified by Graduate Program Services. You can write your thesis in any word processor. You can even type it on a typewriter! The template provided on this web site is for people who are using Microsoft Word to write their thesis. The template is designed to make a difficult job (writing a thesis) a lot less onerous.

The template contains all the major elements of a thesis, formatted and laid out per University of Guelph regulations. More importantly, it's designed around Word's "styles" so that you can  concentrate on what's really important: reporting your research findings in a clear and coherent fashion in a thesis.

Downloading and Using the Template

Click here to download the template. It is a Word document file (rather than a Word "template"). Save the file to your local hard drive and start editing. Note that the template includes dummy paragraphs with the various kinds of heading and caption styles; if you delete these, you'll have to re-create the tables and lists that are incorporated in the template.

To see the styles in action, download a sample thesis created using the template. Every style in the template is used in the sample thesis; click on any piece of text to see which style is used for a particular piece of text.



Note, I use Word 2003 in Windows. I don't know whether or not the template will work on a Mac, but it should. University of Guelph faculty, staff and students have access to inexpensive versiosn of Microsoft Word (for Mac and Windows), available from the Computing and Communications Services Software Distribution site. The free OpenOffice suite is another option; it offers a free word process that is compatible with Microsoft Word and also uses styles. 

You need to be familiar with the basic functionality of Word for the tips (below) to make sense. There are lots of good "how to" resources  you can use if you're not familiar with Word and styles. The following is a good starting point for styles (perhaps the most important concept you should learn to use Word effectively): Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word by Charles Kenyon. If you need a list of good reasons for using styles, review Why use Microsoft Word's built-in heading styles by Shauna Kelly.

Tips for Using the Styles and the Template 

(1) The Prime Directive: (Almost) no manual formatting at the paragraph level!
(2) Manual formatting is only for words and phrases
(3) There's a style for every kind of paragraph
(4) Many ways to apply styles
(5) Watch what you paste
(6) (Almost) never use tabs or create extra space using the <Enter> key
(7) Modifying numbered lists and bullets can be a pain!
(8) Tables -- also a pain!
(9) Tables of contents can be automatic
(10) The styles stay behind
(11) Not just for theses...

(1) The Prime Directive: (Almost) no manual formatting at the paragraph level!

In Word, a "paragraph" is created whenever you press the <Enter> key. A paragraph can be an empty line, a single line of text (like a heading) or any number of sentences. Every "paragraph" in Word has a paragraph style.

There are almost no circumstances under which you should apply formatting manually to an entire paragraph. For example, you should never create headings by applying formatting to body text. Instead, if you want a chapter heading, use the Heading 1 style. Similarly, if you want to create a bulleted list, use the pre-defined paragraph style for bulleted lists (Bullet 1).

Using styles ensures consistency and makes global changes effortless. If you want to change the appearance of a paragraph, change the underlying style. The end result is a more professional looking document (all similar kinds of text -- headings, body paragraphs, etc. -- look the same), and an easier job of editing.

If you don't like my taste in fonts, line spacing, etc., as reflected in this template, then change the paragraph styles to suit your needs and tastes! For example, the template uses ragged-right 12pt TimesNewRoman throughout. If you want all text to be justified 11pt Garamond, three changes to the properties of the Normal style will adjust all the other styles in the document (and thus all the text).

(2) Manual formatting is only for words and phrases

The only time you should apply manual formatting to text is when words or sentences in a paragraph require special emphasis. Examples including italicizing text (like the title of a book or a foreign word), or turning a number into a superscript.

Note that Word provides "character" styles for this purpose, but they're more trouble than they're worth.

(3) There's a style for every kind of paragraph

The template includes paragraph styles for every conceivable purpose (headings, body text, captions, images, text in tables, references, footnotes, etc.).
  • All paragraph styles can be modified to suit your tastes.
  • If there's a style you need that I haven't included, you can create it using one of the existing styles as a departure point.
There's a complete list of the styles in the template in the next section.

(4) Many ways to apply styles

There are numerous ways to apply styles to paragraphs.
  • Click on the list of styles in the toolbar and pick one
  • Type Ctrl-Shift-S to jump into drop-down list for styles, and type the first few characters until the style you want is selected
  • Press the shortcut key assigned to the style (if there is one -- see next section)
  • Bring up the Styles and Formatting dialogue task pane and pick the style you want from the list
Note that in this template I've set up the styles so that the next logical style will appear when you press <Enter> to create a new paragraph (see tables in the next section). 

(5) Watch what you paste

When you paste text into a Word document, the hidden formatting that has been applied to that text in the source (e.g., another Word document, a web page, and Acrobat file) will be carried over. This will make a mess of your Word document. The solution is to paste unformatted text. If you're pasting from one document (e.g., an existing version of your thesis that doesn't use this template) into a new document (e.g., a version of your thesis based on this template), use Edit - Paste Special and choose Unformatted Text. An even easier solution is to install the free PureText application on your computer. It runs in the background and lets you paste "pure" (unformatted) text in any application with a single key stroke.

Two caveats:
  • If you copy a table and paste it into your Word file as unformatted text, the contents of the table will be pasted, but the table structure will be lost. Sometimes it's easier to re-create the table (perhaps pasting the contents of one cell at a time).
  • Similarly, any character- or word-level formatting in the source will be lost (e.g., italics for titles).

(6) (Almost) never use tabs or create extra space using the <Enter> key

There are very few circumstances where you need to use Tabs in your document. For example, if you want your body text paragraphs to be indented in the first line, then assign indentation to the paragraph style rather than inserting a manual tab. (Word has a "ruler" tool, but I never use it because text spacing can be controlled more effectively through style properties.)

At the same time, there are very few circumstances where you should use blank lines to create space between paragraphs. If you want a space underneath each body paragraph, then control the spacing of those paragraphs using the Normal style. In the template, I've set Normal to have a first-line indent of 0.35" and 12 pts of space (one blank line) underneath.

When is it appropriate to use a tab or empty line?
  • In the text of a footnote you may need a tab between the footnote number and the first word of footnote text.
  • Following a table, figure or box, it sometimes is easiest to create an extra space by using the <Enter> key

(7) Modifying numbered lists and bullets can be a pain!

Word's implementation of bulleted lists and numbered lists can be frustrating. If you want to change the appearance of a bulleted list or numbered list, use the Numbering menu under the Format button on the style's properties. For example, the Bullet 1 and Number List styles supplied in the template are aligned with the left-hand margin. If you want them indented, use the Bullets and Numbering dialogue box and click the Customize button -- rather than using the Paragraph dialogue box.

(8) Tables -- also a pain!

Word's implementation of tables also can be painful. For example, adjusting the width of columns can produce seemingly random results. Here are some useful tips:
  • To manage column widths more easily, you need to add a hidden option to your menu. Choose Tools - Customize from the main menu. Click on Table in the Categories, and scroll through the list of Commands looking for the entry that says "Column width". Click and drag the entry over the Table entry in the main menu. When the sub-menu for Table opens, position "Column width" where you want it and release the mouse. Next time you want to change the width of a column, use the dialogue box that will appear when you choose Table - Column Width.
  • Tables always go past the left margin when you first create them. If you want them to line up nicely, set the value in the "Indent from left" field in the Table tab of Table Properties to 0.1"
Note that in addition to paragraph styles and character styles, Word also uses table styles. I don't use them because they don't make editing text or working with tables any easier.

(9) Tables of contents can be automatic

The template includes a Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures and List of Boxes. Each table and list is linked to corresponding headings (see description for TOC 1 in the description of styles). If you use the proper paragraph styles, then generating a table of contents is as simple as right-clicking in each table or list, choosing "Update field", choosing "Update entire table" in the dialogue box, and clicking OK. If you change your headings and captions (e.g., you reword a heading), then the entry in the table or list is updated to match when you update the table.

(10) The styles stay behind

All styles are in the document. If you create a style, apply it to a paragraph, and then delete the paragraph, the style stays behind.

(11) Not just for theses...

Finally, this template was created for University of Guelph theses. However, all documents have the elements represented by the styles (i.e., headings, captions, table text, etc.). Therefore, this template can be adapted for any document. For example, if you're writing a journal article and need a different format, make a copy of the template, delete all the text and tables (use Ctrl-A to select all text and press <Del>), and then adjust the styles to suit your needs. Once you create a group of styles that you find yourself using over and over, you can save the .doc file as a Word template.

Paragraph Styles in the Template

The paragraph styles listed in the tables, below, are supplied with the template. The "Normal" style is the basic building block for all the other styles.  If you need a new style for some reason, then adapt one of these.
Word allows you to assign keyboard shortcuts to styles. Some are universal in all Word documents (e.g., Heading 1 is always Ctrl-Alt-1), while others are assigned by users and are local to the particular file (e.g., I've assigned Ctrl-Shift-1 to the Bullet 1 style). You can assign shortcuts to your favourite styles yourself using the properties for that style.

As noted above in Tip #4 (Many Ways to Apply Styles), Word automatically assigns a style to the next paragraph when you press the <Enter> key. The template has been set up with the logical next style defined (see "Next Style" column in each table). You can modify this behaviour in the properties for each style.

Heading and Caption Styles

If you use proper heading styles, then you gain two enormous benefits: (1) table of contents can be generated automatically, and (2) you can use the "Document Map" feature in Word to navigate quickly and easily through your document. The Document Map is an exceptionally powerful tool for authors. Use heading styles and learn how to use the Document Map.

Name of Style Description Shortcut Key Next Style
Heading 1 This is the building block for all heading styles. Use it  for chapter headings. All paragraphs that use this style are automatically preceded by a page break (so you don't have to insert one manually to start your chapter on a new page). Additionally, this and all heading styles is set to "keep with" the next paragraph (so your headings won't be separated from the text that follows). Ctrl-Alt-1 Normal NI
Heading 2 This style is used for main section heading level in chapters.   Ctrl-Alt-2 Normal NI
Heading 3 Style for sub-heading Ctrl-Alt-3 Normal NI
Heading 4 Style for sub-sub-heading Ctrl-Alt-4 Normal NI
Heading 1 Front Special "top-level" style for front matter (e.g., "Table of Contents", "Preface", etc.). This style exists for people who want their Heading 1 style to be numbered (e.g., 1.0 Introduction). Per University requirements, front matter headings are not numbered Normal NI
Title Use this style only for the thesis title (on the first page and on the Abstract page). Use Heading 1 for chapter headings. Single Line

Chapter and section heading styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3, and Heading 4) are inter-linked. If you want to have your headings outlined numbered (e.g., 1. Introduction, 1.1, 1.1.1, etc.), then in the properties for Heading 1, click Format, choose Numbering, click the Outline Numbered tab and pick an outlining numbering style.

Body Text Styles

Name of Style Description and Tips Shortcut Key Next Style
Normal "Normal" is the building block for many other styles, and the basic style for body paragraphs. This style is first line indented, 12 pt TimesNewRoman and double-spaced. If you update Normal, you will also update all the styles that link to Normal (e.g., Normal NI, Table Text, Reference List, etc.)
 Ctrl-Shift-N Normal
Normal NI Normal text, but not indented. Use this for the first paragraph under a section heading. Note, if you change Normal to non-indented, then you don't need this style. Normal
Bullet 1 Simple bullet style for bulleted-lists. Ctrl-Shift-1 Bullet 1
Numbered List Simple numbered list style (does not use the outline structure). Numbered lists in Word can be tricky because Word will continue numbering from the last list. If you have multiple numbered lists in your document you'll need to learn how to use the "Continue Numbering" and "Restart Numbering" functions. Numbered List
Block Quotation Use this style when you need a block quotation. The thesis regulations suggest that all text should be double-spaced, but I've ignored that here (single-space for block quotations just looks better and makes more sense!)

If you use a block quotation in the middle of a chunk of text that should be treated as one "paragraph", and you're using indented paragraphs, then use the Normal NI style for the text that follows the block quotation.		 Normal
Reference List Use this style for the entries in your Works Cited or Bibliography. It's formatted using hanging indents compatible with reference lists that go with the Author (date) style of citation. Update appropriately for bibliographies. Reference List
Single Line A style that exists only because the University's requirements for the title page require certain numbers of blank lines between text. Single Line

Table, Figure and Box Styles

Name of Style Description Shortcut Key Next Style
Table Text Basic style for text in tables. You also need to use this style behind the table. To do this, change the paragraph where you'll insert your table to Table Text before you create the table. Table Text
Table Bullet Simple bullet style for text in tables. Style is based on Table Text. Table Bullet
Table Caption Style for  table captions. You can use it above or below the table. If you use this style, you can automatically generate a separate "List of Tables". Your Table Caption paragraph should always be outside of the table (i.e., don't make it the first row) -- otherwise you can't create a list of tables automatically. Normal NI
Table Column Heading Style for the first row of a table (the table column heading). Table Column Heading
Box Text Use this style if you like to use "boxes" in your thesis. Remember, it's only  a table if it has at least two rows and two columns! If you want to create a "box", the easiest approach is to make a "table" with one row and one column, with the Box Text as the default style. Box Text
Box Bullet Simple bullet style for boxes. Style is based on Box Bullet. Box Bullet
Box Caption Style for  "box" captions. You can use it above or below the box. If you use this style, you can automatically generate a separate "List of Boxes". Your Box Caption paragraph should always be outside of the table (i.e., don't make it the first row) -- otherwise you can't create a list of boxes automatically. Normal NI
Figure Caption Style for  figure captions. You can use it above or below the figure. If you use this style, you can automatically generate a separate "List of Figures". Your Figure  Caption paragraph should always be outside of the table (i.e., don't make it the first row) -- otherwise you can't create a list of boxes automatically. Normal NI
Source I like my table and figure captions above the table/figure, with a line for the source (if appropriate) below. If that works for you, you can use this separate style for this purpose. Normal

Note: The various styles for paragraphs within table cells control the appearance and position of the text. However, the properties for the table cell, row, or column also control the position of text in a table. For example, the space that appears around text in a cell should be controlled by the table cell margins.

Table of Contents, List of Tables, etc.

Name of Style Description Shortcut Key Next Style
TOC 1 Style for Table of Contents matched to Heading 1. Also used for entries in List of Tables, List of Figures and List of Boxes (matched to Table Caption, Figure Caption and Box Caption styles, respectively). N/A
TOC 2 Style for Table of Contents matched to Heading 2 N/A
TOC 3 Style for Table of Contents matched to Heading 3 N/A
TOC 4 Style for Table of Contents matched to Heading 4 N/A

These styles are never applied by users. They are applied automatically by Word when the Table of Contents is created. You can modify the properties of these styles, but they do not normally appear in the list of styles displayed in the Styles and Formatting taskpane. To modify a table of contents style, click on one of the TOC entries, and bring up the Styles and Formatting task pane. The TOC style will appear at the top, and can be modified normally.

Miscellaneous Styles

Name of Style Description Shortcut Key Next Style
Image If you insert a graphic image, select the image and apply the Image style. Normal
Header Use this style for page headers. It's included in case you adapt this template for other purposes, but keep in mind that the University does not permit running headers on the page. Header
Footer Use this style for page footers (the part of the document that contains the page number) Footer
Footnote Text If you insert a footnote or endnote, this style will be applied automatically. (Here's one exception to the "no tabs" rule. If you insert an automatic footnote, use a tab to get the first line of text to line up with text that follows. Footnote Text

Contacting the Author

This  web site is provided as a public service to the University of Guelph community. Unfortunately, I can't help you learn how to use Word, figure out styles, etc. Therefore, please do not contact me with these kinds of issues. If you spot a bug or a problem, by all means let me know so that I can fix the web site and template. 

Alice Hovorka
Department of Geography
University of Guelph