Masters Thesis Template Instructions PDF

Master’s Thesis
Template Guide
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Information Technology Services
Faculty of Graduate Studies

Telephone (519) 253-3000 ext. 2104
www.uwindsor.ca/grad
gradst@uwindsor.ca

Telephone: (519) 253-3000 ext. 4440
www.uwindsor.ca/its/cls
HelpDesk@uwindsor.ca
Master Thesis Template Guide Faculty of Graduate Studies
Table of Contents
About the Master Thesis Template ................................................................................................. 1

Show/Hide button ........................................................................................................................... 1
Undo Button .................................................................................................................................... 1
Saving The Template ...................................................................................................................... 2
Viewing Hidden files .................................................................................................................. 2
Saving to your Computer ............................................................................................................ 3
Opening The Template ................................................................................................................... 4
Thesis Template – Master’s Dialouge Box ..................................................................................... 5
Typing Text (Recommended) ......................................................................................................... 8
Pasting Text .................................................................................................................................... 9
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................... 10
Update the Table of Contents. .................................................................................................. 10
List of Tables and/or Figures ........................................................................................................ 11
Captioning Tables ..................................................................................................................... 11
Insert List of Tables .................................................................................................................. 12
Captioning Figures .................................................................................................................... 13
Insert List of Figures ................................................................................................................. 13
Moving a Table and/or figure ....................................................................................................... 15
Updating the List of Tables and/List of Figures ........................................................................... 15
Update the Table of Contents. .................................................................................................. 15
Add Topic(s) to a Section on a New Page .................................................................................... 16
(Add an Appendix) ................................................................................................................... 16
Add Topic(s) to a Section Without Beginning a New Page ......................................................... 17
(Add sub-topic(s) to a section).................................................................................................. 17
Remove Section(s) ........................................................................................................................ 18
(Section listed that is not required) ........................................................................................... 18
Remove Sub Topic(s) ................................................................................................................... 18
(Sub-Topic(s) listed that is (are) not required) ......................................................................... 18
Adding Optional Pages that have been deleted............................................................................. 19
Line Numbering ............................................................................................................................ 20
Abstract Word Count .................................................................................................................... 21
Appendix ....................................................................................................................................... 22
Appendix A – Adding additional Committee members to the Approval page ......................... 22
Appendix B – Modifying the Table of Contents ...................................................................... 23
Pilot ii
ABOUT THE MASTER THESIS TEMPLATE

This template was designed by Information Technology Services using Microsoft Word 2003
with the intention to assist graduate students in formatting their thesis according to the format
requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies. Detailed information about the current format
requirements is available from the Faculty of Graduate Studies web-site at
www.uwindsor.ca/grad
This document template is general in nature and may not suit your specific needs. It is assumed
that the user has a working knowledge of word processing using Microsoft Word. Training
workshops are provided for Microsoft Word. Please check www.uwindsor.ca/its/cls for the time
and location of workshops. Training for the Master Thesis Template will take place on a
periodically scheduled basis. Please check with your Graduate Secretary for available
workshops. For technical questions about the template please read the instructions carefully
before you call the Help Desk at extension 4440 or e-mail helpdesk@uwindsor.ca.
SHOW/HIDE BUTTON
By pressing the on the Standard Toolbar you will be able to view paragraph marks, page
breaks and other formatting marks. It is recommended that the show/hide button be activated
when working with this template. Although the page may seem cluttered at first, you will
develop a sense of what to look for when modifying this document.
UNDO BUTTON
If you perform an action with unexpected results, click the Undo button to undo your
previous action. Keep clicking the undo button until your document has been set to a previous
state that has eliminated any “anomalies”.
Note: As with all valuable files, constantly backup your data on a reliable storage
medium.
1
SAVING THE TEMPLATE

VIEWING HIDDEN FILES
Before saving the template to your computer, you will need to make sure that you can see all of
the hidden files to save it to the correct location.
1. Click on the Start button and go to the Control Panel

2. Double click Folder Options.
3. Choose the View Tab.
4. Select the Show Hidden Files
and Folders tab.
2
of Graduate Studies and Research
SAVING TO YOUR COMPUTER

1. Click on the Major Thesis Template file and select Save.
2. Select the All Files option in the Save as type: drop down box.
3. Choose the location to save the template to:

a. If your operating system is Windows 98, save the template file to the following
path: C:\Windows\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Templates.
b. If you are using Windows 2000 or Windows XP, save the template file to the
following path: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application
Data\Microsoft\Templates.
4. Under file name make sure it states master thesis.dot. Click on Save.
5. Do not open the document at this point. You will open it in MS Word!
3
OPENING THE TEMPLATE

1. Open Microsoft Word
2. Select FileÆNew
3. In the task pane on the right side of the screen select the
Templates…from computer option.
4. Select the Master Thesis Template listed under the

general tab. If you do not see the template or receive a
permissions error, please save the template to your
computer again making sure all steps are followed
exactly.
1. If you receive the following message select
Enable Macros. You will not be able to use the
template if you do not select “Enable
macros”.
IF THE DIALOG BOX DOES NOT DISPLAY WHEN YOU FIRST OPEN THE
TEMPLATE:
If this form does not display you will have to change the macro security settings for
Word.
¾ Close the document.
¾ Click Tools>Select Security and set the macro security setting to medium.
¾ When you have used the form and entered the required information it is
recommended to change the Macro security settings back to high
4
THESIS TEMPLATE – MASTER’S DIALOUGE BOX

When the template is initially opened, you will see a dialogue box with three tabs. Each page
allows you to enter different information (e.g., your name, thesis title, etc.) in an easy to use
form. You do not need to fill out all the information in the dialogue box at this time; however, it
is recommended that you fill in all available information as it will be used to populate all
necessary fields in your thesis. Any information that you enter on this form can be changed or
deleted later. If you are not populating the form with your own information, you should leave
the defaults and not delete. This will allow you to see what needs to be added later.
1. The first section you will see is the Personal information section.
a. Within the Thesis Title, you may want a carriage return within the title. If you
simply hit the ‘Enter’ key, it will bring you the next input area. To create a
carriage return, press the ‘Ctrl’ key in combination with the ‘Enter’ key to place a
carriage return within the input box.
5
b. Also found on the personal information is your defense Date Information. A

dialog box has been created in order to choose your defense date directly from a
calendar. It will place the date in the proper format.
2. Click on Next to go to the Thesis Committee Members Page.

a. When adding in the information for the Approval page, make note of the format
required for the individuals’ names.
b. Please see the appendix for instructions for adding additional committee members
to your Approval page after completing the form.
6
3. Click on next to go to the Optional Pages.

In addition, on the dialogue form you can choose whether you wish to add the
following optional pages: a dedication page, acknowledgement page, list of tables
page, and list of figures page. If you are unsure whether you wish to include these
pages, it is advisable that you add them as it is much easier to remove these pages
than to try to add them later.
After you have finished entering all relevant information in the dialogue box, press
the Submit Information button to submit the information you have entered. This
action will close the dialogue form and open the thesis document.
If you decide not to use the dialogue form, press the Skip Form button. This action
will close the dialogue box and open the thesis document. You will then have to
manually add all required data (e.g. your name, thesis title, department, etc.) in all
relevant positions in your thesis document.
Note: After you submit the dialogue form and when the document is opened these optional pages
will appear in the Table of Contents even if you did not choose to add them to your thesis. To
remove these pages from the Table of Contents, update the Table of Contents using the process
outlined on page 10 of this guide.
Pilot 1
7
TYPING TEXT (RECOMMENDED)

After the thesis document is opened you can type text for the various sections of your thesis:
1. Open the thesis document and press F11. This will bring you to the abstract first and the
sections that follow. If you would like to edit your title page or Approval page, please
simply place your cursor there or use the home key with the
Ctrl key on your keyboard to go to the beginning of the
document.
2. Ensure the bracketed area is now highlighted in black.
Note: Text contained within the highlighted area will be replaced when you enter your text
3. Type in your data.
4. Press F11 to advance to the next text input area. You will be advanced in this manner
until you reach the end.
8
PASTING TEXT
If you have already started writing sections of your thesis you can copy and paste these sections
into the template:
1. Copy the data from the original source document.
2. Select the appropriate bracketed area on your thesis template
document using F11 and ensure that it is now highlighted in black
(not including the paragraph mark at the end)
3. Click EditÆ Paste Special
Note 1: You may have to click the double arrows from the menu drop-down to view the
Paste Special selection
Note 2: Text contained within the highlighted area will be replaced when you paste-
special your text.
4. Click the Unformatted Text option.
o The Unformatted Text option will remove all original formatting and paste the text as
Times New Roman size 12. You will have to re-apply any required formatting such
as italics or bold.
5. Click OK.
6. Press F11 to advance to the next text input area.
9
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Table of Contents is auto generated based on information entered into the document. Do
not make any manual changes to the Table of Contents.
UPDATE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.

1. Click once anywhere in the body of the Table of Contents (not on the Table of Contents
heading). The Table of Contents items now appear shaded in light gray.
Click in the body
of the Table of
contents
2. Press the F9 key or right click and choose Update Field.

3. Select to update the page numbers only or update the entire table of contents option.
4. Click OK.
Note: All changes that need to be made with in the table of contents should be done in the
headings. For instance if you want to number your sub-topics, this could be done in the
main body of document, not in the table of contents. The table of contents would then need
to be updated (entire table). If you need to modify the font, indenting etc., please refer to
the Appendix.
10
LIST OF TABLES AND/OR FIGURES

If you use tables and/or figures in your thesis, a List of Tables and/or List of Figures can be
automated to work in a similar fashion to the Table of Contents. To make use of this feature you
will have to:
1. Caption your tables and/or figures.
2. Insert a table and/or figure reference in the List of Tables and/or List of Figures page.
CAPTIONING TABLES
1. Select the first table in your document.
• Click once on the table and select TableÆSelectÆTable.
2. Click InsertÆReferenceÆCaption (or
right click on the table and select caption
from the menu).
3. Insert an appropriate table description in
the Caption Text box.
4. From the Label drop down box select
Table.
5. Please refer to your department as to the
proper format for the position of the
caption.
6. Click OK.
7. Continue this process for the remainder
of your tables.
11
INSERT LIST OF TABLES

After captioning your tables you are ready to create a List of Tables page. Place the cursor
before the Section break in the List of Tables page.
1. Click Insert ÆReferenceÆIndex and Tables
2. Click the Table of Figures Tab

3. Deselect the Use hyperlinks instead of page numbers.
4. Choose the Table Caption label from the Caption label drop down list.
5. Click OK.
12
CAPTIONING FIGURES
1. Select the first figure in your document.
2. Click InsertÆReferenceÆCaption (or right click on the figure and Click caption from the
menu).
3. Insert an appropriate caption in the Caption Text box.
4. From the Label drop down box select Figure.
5. Please refer to your department as to the proper format for the position of the caption.
6. Click OK.
7. Continue this process for the remainder of the figures.
INSERT LIST OF FIGURES

After captioning your figures you are ready to create a List of Figures page.
1. Place the cursor before the Section break in the Figures List page.
2. Click Insert ÆReferenceÆIndex and Tables.

3. Click the Table of Figures Tab
4. Deselect the Use hyperlinks instead of page
numbers.
13
5. Choose the Figure option from the Caption label drop down list.
6. Click OK
14
MOVING A TABLE AND/OR FIGURE

1. Delete the caption from the table/figure you wish to move.
2. Cut and Paste the table/figure as required.

3. Apply a new caption to the table/figure.
4. Update the List of Tables and/or List of Figures page using the F9 key.
UPDATING THE LIST OF TABLES AND/LIST OF FIGURES

UPDATE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.
1. Click once anywhere in the body of the List of Tables or List of Figures page (not on the
heading). The List of Tables or Figures items will be now appear shaded in light gray.
2. Press the F9 key.
3. Select to update the page numbers only or update the entire table of contents option.
4. Click OK.
15
ADD TOPIC(S) TO A SECTION ON A NEW PAGE

(ADD AN APPENDIX)
Note: It is recommended to add more topics and or sub-topic than you believe you will need. It
is easier to remove unused topics and/or subtopics than try to add them after you have
added text to all the empty text holders that were originally available.
1. Turn on the Show/Hide button.

2. Click once immediately before the Page or Section Break.
3. Click Insert Æ BreakÆPage Break. Page break is the default selection.
4. Copy and Paste the title data from another sub-section title before the Page/Section break
on the new page and change the Appendix letter as appropriate.
16
ADD TOPIC(S) TO A SECTION WITHOUT BEGINNING A NEW

PAGE
(ADD SUB-TOPIC(S) TO A SECTION)
1. Use the Macro Button in the toolbar or
2. Turn on the Show/Hide button .

3. Copy a blank Sub-topic and a Type or Paste Text placeholder.
4. Click at the location you wish to insert the copied Sub-topic and text place holder before
the section break (circled area).
5. Paste the information and update as appropriate.
6. Update the Table of Contents using the process outlined on page 10 of this guide.
17
REMOVE SECTION(S)
(SECTION LISTED THAT IS NOT REQUIRED)
2. Highlight from the beginning of the section up to and including the section break.
3. Press the delete button on the keyboard.

REMOVE SUB TOPIC(S)

(SUB-TOPIC(S) LISTED THAT IS (ARE) NOT REQUIRED)
2. Highlight from the beginning of the section up to but not including any page or section
breaks.
3. Press the delete button on the keyboard.
18
ADDING OPTIONAL PAGES THAT HAVE BEEN DELETED

If you do choose to not include some of the optional pages (Dedication, Acknowledgement, List
of Tables, and List of Figures) but decide afterwards to add them, please use the following steps.
1. Start a new section in the appropriate location by clicking InsertÆBreakÆSectionÆNew

Page.
2. Click on the style “Heading 1”using the style drop down box using the following table as
a guide. Verify that the Main body of that page is using the appropriate style as well.
3. Type the appropriate page heading.

4. Update the Table of Contents using the process
outlined on page 10 of this guide.
Optional Page After Before Page

Page
Dedication Abstract Acknowledgments
Acknowledgement Dedication Table of Contents
List of Tables Table of Table of Figures

Contents
List of Figures List of Chapter 1

Tables
19
LINE NUMBERING
Each line can be numbered within a document. In large documents this may ease the peer
editing process.
1. Choose File ÆPage Setup.
2. In the "Page Setup" dialog box, click on the "Layout" tab.
3. Select “Whole Document” from the Apply to: options.
4. Click the Line Numbers button

5. Select Add line numbering check box from the Line
Numbers dialogue box.
6. Within the numbering section, select the appropriate
option to restart the numbering on each page, each
section or simply create continuous numbering
through the document.
7. Click OK.
To turn off line numbering repeat steps 1-6 and deselect the
Add line numbering check box.
20
ABSTRACT WORD COUNT

Since there is a limit on the number of words that appear in the abstract (maximum 150 words
for Master’s thesis), you will want to determine the number of words found in the section. This
is accomplished by using the word count function of Word.
1. Open the Word Count Toolbar.
ViewÆToolbarsÆWord Count
2. The Word Count Toolbar will appear.
3. Select the text of the abstract (or other area) to

determine the word count of that specific area.
Click the Recount button. The number of words
will be displayed.
4. This can also be used to determine other items
such as character count (with or without
spaces), line counts, paragraph count and the
number of 2 pages within the document.
21
APPENDIX
APPENDIX A – ADDING ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO THE
APPROVAL PAGE
If you have additional committee members that must be added, please use the following steps.
1. Select a Committee Member that most already exists. Select and copy it (right click,
copy or Edit>Copy or Ctrl+C).
2. Place the cursor at the end of the last entry and hit Enter on the keyboard. Paste the
copied selection. The following should be the result
3. Remove the extra carriage return inserted in step 2.
22
APPENDIX B – MODIFYING THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

If you need to make changes to the table of contents, this must be done within the Index and
Tables dialogue box. Please do this only when absolutely necessary as it will change the defaults
and may cause other formatting problems.
1. Click on the current Table of Contents so that it is highlighted
2. Go to InsertÆReferenceÆIndex and Tables. A dialogue box will appear. Click on

Table of Contents if it is not already chosen.
3. If you have created additional styles that you would like included in the table of contents
click on Options. Give that style a TOC level and click on OK. This should probably not
be necessary.
23
4. To modify how a particular TOC level

appears in the Table of Contents, click on
Modify (on the Index and Tables dialogue
box). Choose the style which you want to
modify select it and click on the Modify
button.
5. You may modify using

the shortcut icons or a
dialogue box. To access
the different dialogue
boxes, click on the
Format button.
6. Click on OK when
complete.
24

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Master’s Thesis

Faculty of Graduate Studies

Information Technology Services

About the Master Thesis Template ................................................................................................. 1

ABOUT THE MASTER THESIS TEMPLATE

SAVING THE TEMPLATE

1. Click on the Start button and go to the Control Panel

of Graduate Studies and Research

SAVING TO YOUR COMPUTER

3. Choose the location to save the template to:

OPENING THE TEMPLATE

4. Select the Master Thesis Template listed under the

THESIS TEMPLATE – MASTER’S DIALOUGE BOX

b. Also found on the personal information is your defense Date Information. A

2. Click on Next to go to the Thesis Committee Members Page.

3. Click on next to go to the Optional Pages.

TYPING TEXT (RECOMMENDED)

UPDATE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS.

2. Press the F9 key or right click and choose Update Field.

LIST OF TABLES AND/OR FIGURES

INSERT LIST OF TABLES

1. Click Insert ÆReferenceÆIndex and Tables

2. Click the Table of Figures Tab

INSERT LIST OF FIGURES

2. Click Insert ÆReferenceÆIndex and Tables.

MOVING A TABLE AND/OR FIGURE

2. Cut and Paste the table/figure as required.

UPDATING THE LIST OF TABLES AND/LIST OF FIGURES

ADD TOPIC(S) TO A SECTION ON A NEW PAGE

1. Turn on the Show/Hide button.

3. Click Insert Æ BreakÆPage Break. Page break is the default selection.

ADD TOPIC(S) TO A SECTION WITHOUT BEGINNING A NEW

1. Use the Macro Button in the toolbar or

2. Turn on the Show/Hide button .

3. Press the delete button on the keyboard.

REMOVE SUB TOPIC(S)

ADDING OPTIONAL PAGES THAT HAVE BEEN DELETED

1. Start a new section in the appropriate location by clicking InsertÆBreakÆSectionÆNew

3. Type the appropriate page heading.

Optional Page After Before Page

Dedication Abstract Acknowledgments

Acknowledgement Dedication Table of Contents

List of Tables Table of Table of Figures

List of Figures List of Chapter 1

4. Click the Line Numbers button

ABSTRACT WORD COUNT

2. The Word Count Toolbar will appear.

3. Select the text of the abstract (or other area) to

3. Remove the extra carriage return inserted in step 2.

APPENDIX B – MODIFYING THE TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Click on the current Table of Contents so that it is highlighted

2. Go to InsertÆReferenceÆIndex and Tables. A dialogue box will appear. Click on

4. To modify how a particular TOC level

5. You may modify using

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