Format your scientific paper in just a few steps

In order to score points with a bachelor’s thesis, master’s thesis, diploma thesis or doctoral dissertation, very specific formatting is prescribed. Even the brightest minds sometimes despair of setting the correct page numbering or margins in Word. Aren’t there a few tricks in Microsoft Office 365 Home or Microsoft Word for formatting your academic work without risking a nervous breakdown? Yes, there are – and we’ll show you what they are.

Which areas do you need to format for a scientific paper?

Depending on the university, it is possible that there are very specific requirements as to how the formatting in Word should look. Therefore, it is helpful to find out exactly what the university’s requirements are before formatting the document for the academic paper. In general, however, you must always keep these points in mind when formatting a scientific paper:

  • Font and font size
  • Line spacing
  • Page margins
  • Page numbering
  • Cover page

With formatting in Word, it’s basically quite easy – if you know how!

Formatting font and font size

If you want to format a scientific paper, you should make sure to choose a consistent, easy-to-read font. Usually, the sometimes somewhat old-fashioned serif font Times New Roman or the modern sans-serif Arial are used. For body text, the font should be used in 12 point, for headings 14 point.

Choose the correct line spacing

The texts are formatted as justified text, i.e. flush on the left and right so that nothing flutters at the edges. As a rule, the line spacing is 1.5; only for footnotes can a single line spacing be chosen. Remember the margins Especially in justified type, it is important that the margins – the space between the letters and the edge of the page – are large enough, because this makes reading easier. Before starting to write, the document should be set up so that the following margins are pre-formulated:

  • top and bottom margins 2 to 2.5 cm each
  • left margin 3 to 3.5 cm
  • right margin 2 to 2.5 cm

Format academic paper and set page numbering

First things first: Neither the cover page nor the table of contents are given a page number (pagination). Depending on how the bachelor’s or doctoral thesis, etc. is structured, pagination will therefore only start from the third page or from the page on which the introduction is written. The page number is set in the formatting in the middle of the footer or right-justified. In order to start page numbering only from page 3 when formatting in Word, a few steps are necessary:

  • a section break is inserted on page 2
  • the footer must not be linked to the previous one
  • now start with the command „Format page numbers“ from 1

How to make the cover page work

Pretty much every university requires a cover sheet for academic papers. It contains the most important key data and should give the examiners a quick overview of the formal aspects of the work. In a way, it’s like the cover of a book: it has to make a good first impression! The cover sheet must include the following information:

  • Type of thesis (Bachelor’s thesis, Master’s thesis, doctoral thesis, etc.)
  • the title and possibly a subtitle of the academic paper
  • Name of the university, if possible also the logo in very good print quality
  • The name of the author of the thesis and his/her matriculation number
  • the author’s contact details
  • the names of the persons who supervised the author during his or her work
  • if available, the name of the second corrector
  • Name of the degree programme or department
  • Date of submission

Tip: How to structure a Bachelor's or Master's thesis

With these forms of academic work, the correct outline is crucial if you want to achieve a good grade. Usually, the outline looks like this:

  • Cover page
  • Abstract (preface/introduction)
  • Table of contents
  • List of images used (if available)
  • List of tables used (if available)
  • List of abbreviations
  • Continuous text divided into
  • Introduction
  • theoretical framework
  • Methodology
  • Results
  • Conclusion
  • List of literature used
  • Appendices, if any
  • Affidavit

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