Dissertation Table of Contents

Every department will have guidelines for the Dissertation Contents Page. What we will provide here is a general format that is common to most institutions, but you are urged to check departmental guidelines carefully before finalizing it. While the table of contents is not considered a difficult part of writing your dissertation, still it is tedious and must be completely accurate. In general, most institutions will require the following:

1. The title “Table of Contents” centered in the middle of the page.
2. Everything that is inserted prior to the table of contents page is not included in the table of contents. (e.g., committee approval signature page, acknowledgements, etc.)
3. Everything that is inserted after the table of contents page must be included in the page
4. Pagination for the table of contents page and everything after it before Chapter 1, is number with lower case Roman Numerals.
5. Arabic numbers begin with chapter 1 and continue all the way through until the “References” Pages
6. Use leaders (lines of periods) from the entry to the page number
7. Spacing between entries differs by institution. Be certain to check on this.
8. Sections of each chapter should be listed, indented, below that chapter title, with related page numbers.
9. You only list the beginning page number of each entry.

Below you will find a dissertation contents page example which you can review. It should help you understand tips listed above.

One Final Note: It is critical that your page number entries are accurate. Check and re-check them at least three times before you have the work bound!

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES #

LIST OF FIGURES #

CHAPTER

        1.  TITLE OF THE FIRST CHAPTER  1

                        First Level Subhead for the First Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the First Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the First Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the First Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the First Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the First Chapter #

        2.  TITLE OF THE SECOND CHAPTER #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Second Chapter #

        3.  TITLE OF THE THIRD CHAPTER #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Third Chapter #

        4.  TITLE OF THE FOURTH CHAPTER #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fourth Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fourth Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fourth Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fourth Chapter #

        5.  TITLE OF THE FIFTH CHAPTER #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fifth Chapter  #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fifth Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fifth Chapter #

                        First Level Subhead for the Fifth Chapter #

APPENDICES #

        A.  TITLE OF FIRST APPENDIX #

        B.  TITLE OF SECOND APPENDIX #

        C.  TITLE OF THIRD APPENDIX #

REFERENCES