How long should a degree thesis be?

There is no universal rule; it varies by university and type of degree. As a guide: bachelor's thesis 50-80 pages, master's 100-180 pages, doctorate 200-400 pages. Quality counts more than quantity: a well-done 60-page bachelor's thesis is worth more than a repetitive 120-page one. Check your degree programme's regulations for minimum and maximum limits.

Should it be printed double-sided or single-sided?

It depends on the candidate's choice and the regulations. Double-sided saves paper (a thinner, lighter thesis, lower printing cost) and is now the most common choice. Single-sided is used for theses with many full-page images or for aesthetic preference. For a hardcover-bound thesis, double-sided is almost always standard.

How do you number pages professionally?

Canonical scheme: title page with no number (or a hidden number), table of contents + preface + acknowledgements in lowercase Roman numbering (i, ii, iii, iv), body of the thesis from the introduction to the bibliography in Arabic numbering (1, 2, 3...). In Word you use separate sections (Layout → Breaks → Section, Next Page); in LaTeX you use \pagenumbering{roman} and \pagenumbering{arabic}.

Which font is best for the thesis?

For the humanities and social sciences: Garamond (12 pt), Palatino (11 pt), Times New Roman (12 pt) — classic serifs that give a published-book air. For the sciences: also Computer Modern (LaTeX default), Helvetica, Arial (12 pt) — accepted, more modern sans-serifs. Avoid novelty fonts (Comic Sans, Lobster, script fonts): the thesis is an academic document, not a poster.

How many chapters should a thesis have?

Classic scheme: introduction + 3-5 chapters + conclusions + bibliography. A bachelor's thesis often has 3 leaner chapters, a master's 4-6 more substantial ones. It's not the number of chapters that counts, but the argumentative coherence: each chapter must have its own specific theme and a logical progression from the previous ones.

How do you handle citations and the bibliography?

Choose a citation style among: APA (most widespread in Italy for social sciences, economics, psychology), Chicago (humanities, history), MLA (literature, modern languages), IEEE (engineering, computer science), Harvard (economics, business). Use a reference management tool: Zotero (free), Mendeley (free), EndNote (paid). You import the references once and apply them automatically throughout the thesis.

Can I use colour charts and tables?

Yes, but with two cautions. First: make sure they're readable even when printed in black and white (for informal copies). Use patterns, hatching or different densities in addition to colours. Second: every chart/table must have numbering (Figure 2.3, Table 4.1), a caption and a source ("Own elaboration on ISTAT 2024 data"). Official hardcover-bound copies are always printed in colour.

How do I make an automatic table of contents in Word?

Use the Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 styles, applying them to your chapters and sections. Then go to References → Table of Contents → choose a layout. The table generates automatically, and with right-click → "Update Table" → "Update entire table" you regenerate it every time you change headings or reorder content. The same mechanism applies to the list of figures and the list of tables.

Should I keep the file in Word or convert it to PDF for printing?

Always PDF for printing. A Word file can render differently from computer to computer (fonts change, images shift, the table of contents breaks). The PDF is a fixed 'photograph' of the document: what you see is exactly what the printer will see. In Word: File → Save As → PDF type, with the "Standard (publishing online and printing)" option.

◆ Thesis guides

How to format your degree thesis: the complete guide

Complete guide to formatting your degree thesis: margins, fonts, table of contents, citations, bibliography, cover. 2026 best practices.

GUUG · June 2026

◆ In short

Values considered standard by most Italian universities (always check your university's regulations and set everything before you write):

Format: A4 (21 × 29.7 cm)
Margins: left 3.5 cm (for binding), right 2.5 cm, top 3 cm, bottom 2.5-3 cm
Body font: Times New Roman, Garamond or Palatino, 12 pt
Line spacing: 1.5 (single in footnotes)
Alignment: justified with hyphenation

Why formatting your thesis well truly matters

Formatting a thesis is not a cosmetic operation. It is what decides whether the committee reads your thesis with pleasure or with effort, whether your supervisor corrects only the substance or gets distracted fixing margins, whether the printed copy looks like a published book or a supermarket flyer.

As a copy shop specialised in thesis printing, we see over a thousand theses a year go by. The difference between a well-formatted thesis and a badly formatted one is not perfection: it is consistency. Margins always the same, the same font throughout, constant line spacing, headings with the same hierarchy across every chapter. A consistent thesis signals seriousness; a messy one signals "in a rush to be done".

This guide is the technical checklist we apply when a client asks us for professional formatting in Rome: if you prefer to do it yourself, this page has all the parameters to set before you start writing. If you'd rather delegate and focus only on the content, write to us and we'll take care of it.

The 8 parameters to set before you write

These are the values most Italian universities consider standard. Always check your university's regulations, because some may require variations (e.g. mandatory double spacing, a specific font). Set everything BEFORE writing the first paragraph: changing margins with 200 pages already written is painful.

Page format

A4 (21 × 29.7 cm)

The standard format accepted by all Italian universities. Never use US Letter or A5 for the official thesis.

Left margin

3.5 cm

Wider than the right because it goes under the binding. For a hardcover-bound thesis, allow up to 4 cm.

Right margin

2.5 cm

The readable "outer" margin. If the thesis is laid out double-sided, alternate the left/right margin between even and odd pages.

⬆ Top margin

3 cm

The space for the header (chapter title or university name). If you don't use a header, reduce it to 2.5 cm.

⬇ Bottom margin

2.5-3 cm

Space for the footer with the page number. If you have very long footnotes, widen it to 3.5 cm.

Body font

Times New Roman, Garamond or Palatino, 12 pt

A classic serif font. Sans-serif (Calibri, Arial) is accepted but less traditional for the humanities.

Line spacing

1.5 (single for footnotes)

1.5 spacing is the standard everywhere. Double (2.0) is used only if the regulations require it. Footnotes in single spacing.

↔ Text alignment

Justified with hyphenation

Justified text gives the look of a published book. Turn on automatic hyphenation (Word: Layout → Hyphenation → Automatic) to avoid gaps between words.

Heading hierarchy

The heading hierarchy is what makes the difference between a thesis you can "navigate" easily and one where the reader gets lost. Use four levels at most: after H4 the reader can no longer tell them apart. In Word, set them with the "Heading 1", "Heading 2", "Heading 3", "Heading 4" styles: any change is applied automatically to every heading at the same level.

Chapter title

H1 · 18 pt bold, small caps, centred, new page

CHAPTER 1 — THE HISTORICAL EVOLUTION

Main section

H2 · 14 pt bold, left-aligned, 18 pt spacing above

1.1 The origins of the phenomenon

Subsection

H3 · 12 pt bold, left-aligned, 12 pt spacing above

1.1.1 The European context

Sub-subsection

H4 · 12 pt italic, left-aligned (use only if truly needed)

1.1.1.1 The French case

The automatic table of contents: the most important thing many get wrong

If you remember only one thing from this guide, remember this: NEVER type the table of contents by hand. Never. Not "Chapter 1 — Introduction …………… p. 3" typed manually with dot leaders, nor the list of chapters copied at the top. It works that way for ten minutes only: then you move a paragraph, add a figure, reformat a heading, and the table of contents becomes wrong.

In Word: apply the "Heading 1", "Heading 2" styles to your chapters and sections (Home → Styles). Then go to References → Table of Contents → choose a layout. The contents generate in 3 seconds. When you change something, right-click the table → "Update field" → "Update entire table".

In LaTeX: \tableofcontents at the top of the document, and LaTeX generates it automatically at compile time. The same goes for \listoffigures and \listoftables: a list of figures and a list of tables for free.

The moment you'll appreciate this choice is the evening before submission at the registrar's office: you change three headings for your supervisor's last suggestions, press "update table", close the file. Without it, that would have been two hours of precision work across 180 pages.

Page numbering: the canonical scheme

The most professional scheme, accepted at all Italian universities, is the two-numbering system:

Front matter (lowercase Roman numerals, i, ii, iii, iv):

Title page — no visible number (it is the hidden page i)
Dedication (optional) — no number
Acknowledgements — from page ii
Table of contents — continues the Roman numbering
List of figures / tables (optional)

Body of the thesis (Arabic numerals, 1, 2, 3...):

Introduction — page 1
Chapters 1, 2, 3...
Conclusions
Bibliography
Appendices (optional)

In Word: you need to set up two separate "sections" (Layout → Breaks → Section, Next Page). Then in each section: Insert → Page Numbers → Format → choose Roman or Arabic + "Start at 1". It sounds complicated but it's 5 minutes: once done properly, you never touch it again. In LaTeX, \frontmatter and \mainmatter do it all for you.

Word, LaTeX or InDesign: which to choose

The right tool depends on the kind of thesis you are writing. There is no "best" in absolute terms: there is the one right for your case.

Microsoft Word

✓Universal standard, everyone knows it
✓Easy-to-set automatic table of contents
✓Smooth collaboration (comments, track changes)
✓Native PDF export
–Less precise layout for long theses
–Bibliography requires a plugin (Mendeley/Zotero)
–Complex mathematical formulas are hard

Best for
Humanities, social, economics and law theses up to 250 pages.

LaTeX

✓Automatic professional typesetting
✓Perfect mathematical formulas
✓Native bibliography with BibTeX
✓Identical output everywhere (no rendering shift)
–Steep learning curve (1-2 weeks)
–Visual tweaks are not immediate
–Collaboration is hard if others use Word

Best for
Scientific theses (engineering, mathematics, physics), doctorates, publications.

Adobe InDesign

✓Absolute typographic control
✓Editorial, printed-book quality result
✓Advanced image and graphics handling
–Paid licence ~€ 25/month
–Steep curve, not really a thesis tool
–Overkill for 99% of theses

Best for
Graphic design, design and architecture theses with a strong visual component (portfolio).

8 formatting mistakes to avoid

Mistakes we see arriving at the printer almost every week. Most take a few minutes to fix if caught in time, hours if discovered the evening before submission.

⚠︎ Left margin too narrow

A left margin of 2-2.5 cm = when the thesis is bound, the text disappears into the fold. Always 3.5 cm minimum for a hardcover, 3 cm for thermal binding. It's the most frequent mistake we see arriving at the printer.

⚠︎ Table of contents typed by hand

Manually updating "Chapter 3 ........... p. 47" is suicide: every text change breaks the correspondence. ALWAYS use the automatic table of contents (Word: References → Table of Contents, LaTeX: \tableofcontents). It updates in 2 clicks before final printing.

⚠︎ Page number on the title page

The number "1" printed at the bottom of the title page is ugly. Set up separate sections: title page + table of contents in Roman numbering (i, ii, iii) or with no number, body of the thesis in Arabic numbering (1, 2, 3) starting from the introduction.

⚠︎ Different fonts for headings and body

Using Times New Roman for the body and Calibri for the headings is inconsistent. Either use two fonts with a clear system (e.g. Garamond for the body + Optima for the headings, a classic pairing), or keep everything in the same family.

⚠︎ Double spaces between words

A typewriter legacy: a double space after the full stop. In digital typography it is WRONG. A single space after every punctuation mark. Use Find/Replace to search " " (two spaces) → " " (one) and fix it all at once.

⚠︎ Images without numbering and caption

Every figure, table or chart must have sequential numbering ("Figure 1.1, Figure 1.2...") and a descriptive caption below it. Word: "References → Insert Caption". It also lets you generate the list of figures automatically.

⚠︎ Footnotes treated as normal text

Footnotes go in 10 pt, single spacing, the same font as the body. You often see 12 pt footnotes at 1.5 spacing: they take up half the page. Set the "Footnote Text" style in Word (View → Styles) and apply it to all of them.

⚠︎ Bibliography with mixed styles

Half the bibliography in APA style, half in Chicago style, a few custom citations in between. Choose ONE style (APA is the most widespread in Italy) and use it for every entry. Tools like Zotero or Mendeley do it automatically.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a degree thesis be?: There is no universal rule; it varies by university and type of degree. As a guide: bachelor's thesis 50-80 pages, master's 100-180 pages, doctorate 200-400 pages. Quality counts more than quantity: a well-done 60-page bachelor's thesis is worth more than a repetitive 120-page one. Check your degree programme's regulations for minimum and maximum limits.
Should it be printed double-sided or single-sided?: It depends on the candidate's choice and the regulations. Double-sided saves paper (a thinner, lighter thesis, lower printing cost) and is now the most common choice. Single-sided is used for theses with many full-page images or for aesthetic preference. For a hardcover-bound thesis, double-sided is almost always standard.
How do you number pages professionally?: Canonical scheme: title page with no number (or a hidden number), table of contents + preface + acknowledgements in lowercase Roman numbering (i, ii, iii, iv), body of the thesis from the introduction to the bibliography in Arabic numbering (1, 2, 3...). In Word you use separate sections (Layout → Breaks → Section, Next Page); in LaTeX you use \pagenumbering{roman} and \pagenumbering{arabic}.
Which font is best for the thesis?: For the humanities and social sciences: Garamond (12 pt), Palatino (11 pt), Times New Roman (12 pt) — classic serifs that give a published-book air. For the sciences: also Computer Modern (LaTeX default), Helvetica, Arial (12 pt) — accepted, more modern sans-serifs. Avoid novelty fonts (Comic Sans, Lobster, script fonts): the thesis is an academic document, not a poster.
How many chapters should a thesis have?: Classic scheme: introduction + 3-5 chapters + conclusions + bibliography. A bachelor's thesis often has 3 leaner chapters, a master's 4-6 more substantial ones. It's not the number of chapters that counts, but the argumentative coherence: each chapter must have its own specific theme and a logical progression from the previous ones.
How do you handle citations and the bibliography?: Choose a citation style among: APA (most widespread in Italy for social sciences, economics, psychology), Chicago (humanities, history), MLA (literature, modern languages), IEEE (engineering, computer science), Harvard (economics, business). Use a reference management tool: Zotero (free), Mendeley (free), EndNote (paid). You import the references once and apply them automatically throughout the thesis.
Can I use colour charts and tables?: Yes, but with two cautions. First: make sure they're readable even when printed in black and white (for informal copies). Use patterns, hatching or different densities in addition to colours. Second: every chart/table must have numbering (Figure 2.3, Table 4.1), a caption and a source ("Own elaboration on ISTAT 2024 data"). Official hardcover-bound copies are always printed in colour.
How do I make an automatic table of contents in Word?: Use the Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3 styles, applying them to your chapters and sections. Then go to References → Table of Contents → choose a layout. The table generates automatically, and with right-click → "Update Table" → "Update entire table" you regenerate it every time you change headings or reorder content. The same mechanism applies to the list of figures and the list of tables.
Should I keep the file in Word or convert it to PDF for printing?: Always PDF for printing. A Word file can render differently from computer to computer (fonts change, images shift, the table of contents breaks). The PDF is a fixed 'photograph' of the document: what you see is exactly what the printer will see. In Word: File → Save As → PDF type, with the "Standard (publishing online and printing)" option.

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