Layout rules
Thesis margins and line spacing in Word
Margins and line spacing look simple, but thesis documents often contain mixed styles from copied chapters, templates, tables, captions, and footnotes. A final check needs to inspect the whole file, not only one paragraph.
Common thesis layout rules
- Body text uses the required font, often Times New Roman.
- Body text is usually 12pt unless the university guide says otherwise.
- Main paragraphs often use 1.5 line spacing and justified alignment.
- Footnotes, captions, tables, and bibliography may use different spacing.
- Margins can differ between left and right sides for binding or printing.
Why one Word style is not enough
A thesis usually contains many paragraph types: headings, captions, lists, quotes, footnotes, bibliography, annexes, and table cells. Applying one body style everywhere can damage captions or references. A safe repair applies rules by content type.
Final checks
- Inspect body paragraphs across multiple chapters.
- Check footnotes separately from body text.
- Confirm captions and table text still fit on the page.
- Export PDF and compare page count, page breaks, and headings.