◆ In short
The table of contents goes after the title page and the dedication, if there is one, and before the introduction, numbered in Roman numerals. It lists the introduction, the chapters with their sections, the conclusions, the bibliography and any appendices and acknowledgements, each with its page number. Use three levels at most (1, 1.1, 1.1.1) and never type it by hand: Word builds it from References → Table of Contents using headings styled Heading 1, 2 and 3, and it updates with one click. Below are ready-made examples for a bachelor's literature-review thesis, an experimental master's thesis and the usual structures by subject.
Where the table of contents goes and what it contains
The parts of a thesis almost always come in this order:
- Title page
- Dedication (optional)
- Table of contents
- List of figures and tables (if there are many)
- Introduction
- Chapters
- Conclusions
- Bibliography (and any list of websites)
- Appendices
- Acknowledgements
The table of contents includes every part from the introduction onwards. The title page and dedication do not: they come first and have no page number. The acknowledgements go in if they sit at the end with their own heading; some put them before the bibliography, others after, and both are accepted.
In Italian, the Word command is called Sommario, and Italian supervisors may ask for an indice: for a thesis they mean the same thing, the table of contents.
Example: bachelor's literature-review thesis
A literature-review thesis collects and compares what has already been written on a topic. Three chapters are enough, often with two or three sections each. Here is a table of contents for a thesis on digital communication in small businesses:
- Introduction — 1
- 1. Corporate communication — 5
- 1.1 From advertising to relationship marketing — 5
- 1.2 The role of digital channels — 12
- 2. Small Italian businesses and digital — 19
- 2.1 The state of the sector — 19
- 2.2 Tools and investment — 26
- 2.3 The most common obstacles — 31
- 3. Comparing strategies — 37
- 3.1 Social networks and websites — 37
- 3.2 Three case studies — 43
- Conclusions — 51
- Bibliography — 55
- Acknowledgements — 59
The introduction and conclusions have no chapter number: they open and close the thesis, but are not part of the 1, 2, 3 numbering.
Example: experimental master's thesis
An experimental thesis presents your own research: an experiment, a survey, a data analysis. The table of contents follows the research from question to results, and usually has more chapters and a third level where needed:
- Introduction — 1
- 1. State of the art — 7
- 1.1 Previous research — 7
- 1.2 Open questions — 18
- 2. Aims and hypotheses — 25
- 3. Materials and methods — 31
- 3.1 The sample — 31
- 3.2 Measurement tools — 36
- 3.2.1 The questionnaire — 36
- 3.2.2 Validation — 41
- 3.3 Statistical analysis — 45
- 4. Results — 51
- 4.1 Descriptive statistics — 51
- 4.2 Testing the hypotheses — 60
- 5. Discussion — 71
- 5.1 Comparison with the literature — 71
- 5.2 Limitations of the study — 78
- Conclusions — 83
- Bibliography — 87
- Appendix A. The questionnaire — 97
- Acknowledgements — 103
Chapter 2 has no sections: that is fine if it is short. What you should not do is a chapter with a single section, a 1.1 without a 1.2.
The usual structure by subject
Chapter titles change from thesis to thesis, but many subjects share a recognisable skeleton. Use it as a starting point and check it with your supervisor.
Law
Chapters often in Roman numeralsIntroduction · Chapter I: historical and legal background · Chapter II: current law · Chapter III: case law · Conclusions · Bibliography (sometimes with a table of cases).
Economics and management
Theory, then the caseIntroduction · 1. Theoretical framework · 2. The industry or market · 3. The company case · 4. Analysis and proposals · Conclusions · Bibliography.
Health sciences and psychology
Introduction, methods, results, discussionIntroduction · 1. Background · 2. Aims · 3. Materials and methods · 4. Results · 5. Discussion · Conclusions · References · Annexes.
Engineering and computer science
From problem to testingIntroduction · 1. State of the art · 2. Requirements · 3. Design · 4. Implementation · 5. Testing and results · Conclusions and future work · Bibliography.
Humanities
By theme or in chronological orderIntroduction · 1-3 chapters by author, period or theme · Conclusions · Bibliography (often split into primary and secondary sources).
How many levels and how to number them
- Three levels at most: chapter (1), section (1.1), subsection (1.1.1). Beyond that readers lose their way, and a 1.1.1.1 is a sign the chapter needs splitting.
- Decimal numbering is the clearest. In law and some humanities subjects chapters are often numbered in Roman numerals (Chapter I, II, III): follow your department.
- Never a section on its own: if there is a 2.1 there must be at least a 2.2. If a chapter covers a single topic, it needs no sections.
- Short, meaningful titles: “2.3 The most common obstacles” says more than “2.3 Analysis”. The table of contents is the first page the examiners actually read.
- One or two pages of contents are enough for almost every thesis. If you need more, you are probably listing too many levels.
How to make an automatic table of contents in Word
- Give every heading its style: Heading 1 for chapters (and for the introduction, conclusions and bibliography), Heading 2 for sections, Heading 3 for subsections. They are under Home → Styles.
- Put the cursor on the contents page and go to References → Table of Contents, then pick an automatic layout or Custom Table of Contents to choose how many levels to show.
- Every time you change something: right-click the table → Update field → Update entire table. Always do it before exporting the PDF.
For the contents to be numbered in Roman numerals and the introduction to start at page 1, the front pages must sit in a separate section with its own numbering: the guide to thesis page numbers explains how, step by step. Or start from the free Word template, which already has the table of contents, sections and numbering set up.
In LibreOffice the command is Insert → Table of Contents and Index, and it works the same way with the Heading styles.
The most common mistakes
Outdated table of contents
Your supervisor's last corrections move the pages, and the contents still say 47 where there is now 49. Always update it as the very last step, before the PDF.
Table of contents typed by hand
With dots and numbers typed in by hand it lasts ten minutes: the first edit makes it wrong. Always use the automatic one.
Headings without a style
A heading made bold and bigger by hand is not a heading to Word, and it does not appear in the contents. Apply Heading 1, 2 or 3.
Title page and dedication in the contents
It happens when they use the Heading 1 style. Give them a normal style, or remove that level from the table.
Page numbers that do not match
If the contents say the introduction is on page 1 but the PDF shows 5, the front pages are missing their separate section.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the table of contents go in a thesis?
After the title page and the dedication, if there is one, and before the introduction. A list of figures or tables, if you have one, goes right after it.
Should the table of contents page be numbered?
Usually yes, in lower-case Roman numerals (i, ii, iii), like the other pages before the introduction. Arabic numbering starts at 1 with the introduction.
Do the dedication and acknowledgements go in the contents?
The dedication does not. The acknowledgements do, if they are at the end of the thesis with their own heading.
Is there a difference between “indice” and “sommario”?
In a thesis, none: in Italian Word the command that builds the table of contents is called Sommario. In publishing a sommario is sometimes the short version, with chapters only.
Is it the same for a shorter paper?
Yes, with fewer levels: chapters and one level of sections are often enough. The automatic table of contents is still the way to go.
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