ThesisTemplate Instructions

Simon Fraser University (SFU) Library:
Thesis Template Instructions
SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Fall 2014
Table of Contents
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................ii
Chapter 1. The Thesis Templates..............................................................................1

1.1. Introduction.............................................................................................................. 1
1.1.1. Why Use the Template?.............................................................................1
1.1.2. Reference Management Software and Citation Styles...............................2
1.2. How to Begin........................................................................................................... 2
1.2.1. Numbered & Un-numbered Templates.......................................................2
1.2.2. Downloading a Thesis Template File..........................................................3
1.2.3. Using Show/Hide ¶.....................................................................................3
1.2.4. Organization of the Thesis Templates........................................................4
1.3. What are Word Styles?............................................................................................5
1.3.1. How to See All the Styles...........................................................................6
1.3.2. A Description of the Styles Available..........................................................7
1.3.3. How to Apply a Style................................................................................10
1.3.4. How to See Which Style is Currently Applied...........................................10
1.4. The Navigation Pane / Document Map..................................................................10
1.5. Important Advice to Follow....................................................................................11
1.5.1. Requirements & Format...........................................................................11
1.5.2. Removing and Adding Section Breaks.....................................................11
1.5.3. Manual Formatting....................................................................................12
1.5.4. Redacting Personal Emails, Phone Numbers, Signatures, etc.................12
Chapter 2. Formatting the Content of Your Thesis................................................13

2.1. Using the Template File.........................................................................................13
2.1.1. Composing directly in the thesis template file...........................................13
2.1.2. Transferring text from another file.............................................................14
Using find and replace to take-out extra paragraphs, tabs, etc.............................15
2.2. The Body of Your Thesis.......................................................................................16
2.2.1. Heading Styles.........................................................................................16
“Headings” that may not be true Headings...........................................................17
2.2.2. Quotations, Lists, and Poems...................................................................18
Quotations............................................................................................................ 18
From publications........................................................................................... 18
Participant quotations.....................................................................................19
Epigram quotations.........................................................................................20
Lists...................................................................................................................... 20
Bulleted Lists.................................................................................................. 20
Numbered/Lettered Lists................................................................................21
Poems.................................................................................................................. 21
2.2.3. Stories, Narratives, Journal Entries, etc....................................................22
2.3. Including Objects (Tables, Figures, etc.) in Your Thesis........................................23
2.3.1. Captions and Notes..................................................................................23
Captions................................................................................................................ 24
Adding New Caption Labels...........................................................................25
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Re-numbering Captions after Addition, Removal, or Movement within
the Document...........................................................................................26
Notes.................................................................................................................... 26
2.3.2. Tables......................................................................................................27
Tables with captions above...................................................................................29
Adjusting the table properties...............................................................................29
Footnotes for tables.............................................................................................. 31
2.3.3. Figures.....................................................................................................32
Figures with captions below..................................................................................33
Figures with captions above.................................................................................35
Large Figures........................................................................................................ 36
Use Tables rather than Textboxes for Laying-out Text and Objects.....................37
2.3.4. Equations.................................................................................................37
2.3.5. Copyright Permissions: Including Objects that Are Not Your Own
Work.........................................................................................................38
2.4. References, Bibliography, Works Cited, etc...........................................................39
2.4.1. American Antiquity....................................................................................39
2.5. Appendix(es)......................................................................................................... 40
2.5.1. Appendix Headings..................................................................................40
2.5.2. Appendix Styles........................................................................................41
2.5.3. Including Other Documents within Your Appendices................................41
2.5.4. Supplemental Material..............................................................................42
2.6. Landscaped Pages & Sections..............................................................................42
2.7. Editing the Preliminary Pages................................................................................44
2.7.1. Removing Existing Pages that You Do Not Need.....................................44
Chapter 3. Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, etc.........................45

3.1. Table of Contents (ToC)........................................................................................45
3.2. Lists Generated from Auto-numbered Captions.....................................................46
3.2.1. List of Tables (LoT) and List of Figures (LoF)...........................................46
3.2.2. Adding Other Lists to your Preliminary Pages..........................................47
3.2.3. Placing More than One Preliminary Page List on a Page.........................48
3.3. Error Messages in the ToC, LoT, LoF, etc.............................................................49
Chapter 4. Modifying the Styles in the Template....................................................50

4.1. Changing the Font of the Document......................................................................51
4.2. Increasing/Decreasing White-Space before or after a Heading Style....................52
4.3. Changing the Fonts on Participant Quotes............................................................52
4.4. Modifying Other Styles...........................................................................................53
Chapter 5. Students/Disciplines with Unique Needs..............................................54

5.1. Ethics Approval for Human or Animal Research....................................................54
5.2. Contemporary Arts, MFAs, and Theses with Plays................................................55
5.2.1. Document Structure..................................................................................55
5.2.2. Formatting Plays.......................................................................................56
5.3. Extended Essays...................................................................................................56
5.3.1. Title Page.................................................................................................56
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Each Essay as a Chapter.....................................................................................57
Each Essay as a Part........................................................................................... 57
5.4. A Cumulative Thesis or Compilation of Articles/Papers.........................................58
5.5. Research Projects & Capstones............................................................................58
5.5.1. Non-REM Projects....................................................................................58
5.5.2. REM Projects...........................................................................................58
5.6. Undergraduate Honours Theses............................................................................59
Chapter 6. Submission and After Submission.......................................................60

6.1. Submit Your Thesis and Documentation to the Library..........................................60
6.2. After submission....................................................................................................60
Appendix A. Thesis Template: Important Licensing Information...........................61
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Chapter 1.
The Thesis Templates
1.1. Introduction
This document serves as a set of instructions for use with the SFU Library thesis
templates (http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/templates). Please ensure you
download and use the appropriate template file to compose your document, and not this
instructions document.
1.1.1. Why Use the Template?
The library’s thesis templates are designed to minimize the time spent formatting
your document, so you can focus more on writing. It also helps in converting your
document to PDF; fonts stay consistent, headings stay with paragraphs that follow them,
and the Table of Contents and preliminary page lists can be auto-generated. Generally,
the time invested in learning how to use the template ultimately saves you time.
There are a number of advantages to using the library’s templates:
• The template is set up with styles that format all the paragraphs in your
document (headings, paragraphs, block-quotes, captions, figures, tables, etc.).
• Some of the styles have “controls” built into them so they keep together
particular groups of paragraphs.
• Application of the appropriate styles to paragraphs in your document assists in
consistent formatting.
• Generating the Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, etc.
automatically transfers the headings and their respective page numbers to the
appropriate preliminary page list.
• If problems arise, they can be easily fixed with the help of the Theses Office.
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1.1.2. Reference Management Software and Citation Styles
The SFU Library’s thesis templates have been created specifically for the
formatting of theses, dissertations, extended essays, and projects created by SFU
students. However, they are not Word templates as defined by Microsoft (with a .dot
or .dotx extension). The SFU Library templates are regular document files based on
Word’s default Normal template, but with extra built-in styles that provide formatting
assistance (see 1.3. What are Word Styles?). The SFU Library Thesis Templates are
distributed as .doc files, so they are compatible with older versions of Word, with Mac &
PC, and can be used with reference management software (RefWorks, Endnote,
Mendeley, Zotero, etc.).
Citation style guides are followed by authors to format articles/chapters/books for

submitting to journals/publishers, which is subsequently changed for final publication.
The content-related requirements specified by style guides are important, and this is
what applies to your document; for example, how one cites and references publications,
using numbers and symbols instead of words (especially for data), etc.
The library thesis templates do not conform to any particular citation style; it is its
own style and meant to accommodate documents from a variety of disciplines. Thus,
there may be slight modifications from your preferred citation style required when using
the template and before submitting your document to the library.
Important:
If you would like the “look” or layout of your document altered (to you or your
supervisor’s preferences/requirements) after you have formatted your thesis
with the template, please make an appointment with the Assistant for Theses
via http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/help
1.2. How to Begin
1.2.1. Numbered & Un-numbered Templates
There are two templates available to format your document for submission to
SFU Library: numbered headings or un-numbered headings. The library recommends
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using the numbered headings template; numbered headings guide and inform your
readers to the structure of your document, and allows them to navigate more efficiently
throughout your document. Un-numbered headings are usually used for documents that
are simple or straightforward in structure; consult with your senior supervisor if you are
unsure as to the appropriate template.
1.2.2. Downloading a Thesis Template File
Visit http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/templates to download the latest

versions of the SFU Library thesis templates. As mentioned, the SFU Library Thesis
Templates are distributed as .doc files, so they are compatible with older versions of
Word, with Mac & PC. You can either leave the template as a .doc file, or re-save it in a
newer .docx Word version1 (please do not save the template as a .dot or .dotx template
file).
Some changes to the default settings within Word are recommended; this
prevents Word from changing some components automatically, giving you more control
over your document. This is however not required. The default settings instructions are
available via the templates page. Please contact the Theses Office if you have any
questions about these settings.
1.2.3. Using Show/Hide ¶
To view the structure of your document and assist in formatting, we recommend

turning on Show/Hide ¶, which allows you to view hidden/non-printing symbols,
including spaces, tabs, breaks, and paragraph markers. Turning on the hidden/non-
printing symbols can be quite helpful when “cleaning” and troubleshooting the formatting
of your document.
To turn on the hidden symbols, press the Show/Hide ¶ button, normally found
within the Paragraph section of the Home tab (depending on your version of Word).
When you do this, you will likely see the following hidden symbols dispersed throughout
your document. Click Show/Hide ¶ again to hide these symbols.
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Note. .docx applies to Word 2007 or later; doc is for Word versions 2004 or earlier.
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Table 1.1. Non-printing (Hidden) Symbols that You Can See when Show/Hide ¶
Is Turned-on
· space
→ tab
 line-break/soft-return
• hold [shift] and press [enter] to insert a line-break/soft-return within a paragraph
¶ paragraph marker
• designates the end of the paragraph
▪ indicates that a specific type of paragraph formatting has been applied
• relates to page-layout
Note. Turning on the hidden symbols allows you to see these symbols on-screen but the symbols do not
print.
1.2.4. Organization of the Thesis Templates
The thesis templates contain a framework for your document, with various
required and if applicable/optional pages. The three main sections of your document are
as follows:
• Title page (no page number; one page only; required)

• Preliminary pages (Roman numeral pagination, beginning with page ii)
o Approval page (page ii; unsigned; required)
o (Declaration of) Partial Copyright Licence (page iii; required)
o Ethics Statement (page iv; if applicable; see 5.1. Ethics Approval for Human
or Animal Research)
o Abstract & keywords (required)
o Dedication (optional); Quotation (optional); Acknowledgements (optional)
o Table of Contents (required)
o Lists of Tables (if applicable); List of Figures (if applicable)
o List of Acronyms (optional); Glossary (optional)
o Preface/Executive Summary/Introductory Image (optional)
• Main body; References; Appendix(es) (Arabic number pagination, beginning
with page 1)
These sections are all designated through the use of section breaks (as opposed to
page breaks). Please try to avoid removing the existing section breaks – doing so will
result in pagination errors. Use Show/Hide ¶ to see where the breaks are placed in the
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document, to avoid accidental deletion. If the sections breaks are deleted and you need
assistance in their re-insertion and correction of pagination, please contact the Theses
Office.
1.3. What are Word Styles?
The SFU Library thesis templates function through the use of Word styles. A
style is a set of formatting characteristics, such as font, size, spacing, etc. When you
apply a style to a paragraph, it applies the formatting designated by that style. Use of
appropriate styles ensures that formatting is applied consistently throughout your
document, and that any style changes affect document components globally. Styles will
almost always apply to an entire paragraph.
Styles can hold character and paragraph formatting. Character formatting refers
to font, font-size, bold, italics, etc. Paragraph formatting refers to indentation, line-
spacing, space before and after the paragraph, tab settings, page breaks, and keeping
designated components together on a page.
Styles ensure consistent character and paragraph formatting, supply white-

space, and control the layout of text and objects. For example, a figure may consist of
three paragraphs: the figure, the caption, and a note. As you’re editing, these
paragraphs may get separated and break across pages. When the appropriate styles in
the library’s template are applied to the caption, the figure, and the figure note, the
template will ensure all paragraphs stay together on a page.
Using the library’s thesis templates and the associated styles means that you can
focus more on writing and spend less time making the formatting and layout consistent.
Overall, the time you have invested in learning the template helps save you time.
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Important:
If the styles are applied correctly throughout your document, the natural
white-space is already built-in. You should not see any “extra” paragraph
markers (¶), meaning those that look to sit as a paragraph itself without any
text preceding it. Empty paragraph markers cause inconsistencies in spacing
between paragraphs in your document, and should be removed or “cleaned”
as necessary.
1.3.1. How to See All the Styles
In Word 2007/2010, styles are found on the Home tab, where you’ll see the
Styles section. To the right of the word Styles, you’ll see a small box with a downward-
arrow pointed to the bottom-right-corner ( ). Click this arrow to bring up the Style
Pane.
The default setting for the style pane is usually to float over your document. To
dock the style pane beside your document, double-click the top border of the style
pane, or drag the pane to the right-hand side of the screen. To see a visual preview of
each style’s formatting characteristics, click the Show Preview checkbox at the lower-
left of the style pane.
To ensure you are able to view all styles included within the thesis templates,
click Options… at the lower-right of the style pane. Ensure you are viewing All styles
and that the list is sorted Alphabetical (Figure 1 .1). This will make it much easier for
you to view and find all the styles you need to format your document.
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Figure 1.1. Changing the Style Window Style Pane Options
Your ability to view all styles will depend on your operating system (PC or Mac)
and version of Word. For example, when using a Mac you may need to use the Format
menu. In older PC Word versions, these options can be found under Format  Styles
and Formatting; Mac users only have the All Styles option, which can be found on the
Formatting  Palette or Formatting  Toolbox. Please contact the Theses Office for
additional assistance.
1.3.2. A Description of the Styles Available
The SFU Library’s thesis templates contain styles created specifically for the
formatting of theses, dissertations, extended essays, and projects created by SFU
students.
The thesis templates contain both SFU Library-designed styles and embedded
Microsoft styles. A comprehensive list of all SFU Library-designed styles found within the
latest version of the SFU Library thesis templates (released Fall 2014) can within the
Thesis Template Styles Reference List document - any style not listed within this
document is a Microsoft style; please avoid using styles that are not listed here.
The default style in Word is Normal, and is the foundation for almost all other
styles in the template.
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Heading styles are used to title the various sections of your document, and are
used throughout the preliminary, body, reference, and appendix sections. They link your
headings to your Table of Contents, and must be used in hierarchical order where
appropriate:
• Chapter 1. Heading 1
• 1.1. Heading 2 (numbered template); Heading 2 (un-numbered template)
• 1.1.1. Heading 3 (numbered template); Heading 3 (un-numbered template)
• Heading 4; Heading 5; Heading 6; and so on…
Also in the Headings style section are:
• Heading styles for the Preliminary pages

o Heading 1_Preliminary
o Heading 1_Invisible
o Heading 1_Lists_noPageBreakBefore
o Heading styles for References
o Heading 1_References; Heading 2_References; Heading 3_References
o Heading styles for Appendix(es)
o Heading 1_Appendix(es); Heading 2_Appendix(es); Heading
3_Appendix(es); Heading 4_Appendix(es)
Besides the Normal and Heading styles, the thesis templates include custom
styles designed to format elements of your document. These have been numbered
according to their purpose or section of your document, so they can be found easily in
the alpha-numerically-ordered style pane list (Table 1 .2; Table 1 .3). More information
on these styles, including when and how to use them is found within Chapter 2..
Formatting the Content of Your Thesis and the Thesis Template Styles Reference List
document.
Many styles are meant to serve as recommendations, and should be used as

deemed appropriate by the student (possibly in consultation with the Theses Office).
Some styles are already applied to elements within the templates.
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Table 1.2 Sections and Corresponding Styles Used to Format Your Thesis
Section of Document Specifically used for: Styles begin with
Title Page 1_TP_
Preliminary Pages Approval page 2_Approv_
(pages after Title Page and Abstract & keywords 2_Abstract_
before the start of the body
at p. 1, Chapter 1 / Dedication 2_Dedication
Introduction) Acknowledgements 2_Acknow_
Acronyms 2_ListOfAcronyms/Glossary/etc._Normal
Body of the document Chapter Headings Chapter 1. Heading 1
(everything from p. 1, Sub-headings, 1.1. Heading 2/Heading 2, 1.1.1. Heading
Chapter 1 / Introduction, Sub-sub headings, etc. 3/Heading 3, Heading 4, etc.
onward to the beginning of (up to 5 levels generate into the ToC)
the References
text/paragraphs Normal
3_Body_
References 5_References_
Appendix(es) 6_Append_
Note. The 3_Body_ styles can also be used in the Appendices.
Table 1.3. Styles for Objects, such as tables, figures, and equations
Specifically for the: Styles beginning with:
Captions (Titles): 7_Captions…
Tables, Figures, Images, Photos, Poems, Schemes, etc.
Content
Tables and notes 7_Table…
Figures and notes 7_Figure…
Equations 7_Equation_
Note. The 7_ styles can also be used in the Appendices.
Table 1.4. Discipline-specific, Special, or Unusual Styles Available
Styles created specifically for: Styles beginning with:

Heading 1 for Extended Essays titles or very large theses with Parts 8_
Used for plays/dramas, dialogue needs 9_
(e.g., for students from Fine Arts, Contemporary Arts, perhaps Education)
Note. If you are in need a style or styles created for your discipline’s needs, please make an appointment
with the Theses Office.
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1.3.3. How to Apply a Style
Since a style will apply to an entire paragraph, you can simply place your cursor
in the paragraph before clicking a style to apply. Though you can select the whole
paragraph, it is not necessary to do so.
1. Place your cursor in the paragraph to which you’d like to apply a style.
2. Find the appropriate style in the style pane and click on that style.
3. The paragraph will format as designated by that particular style.
Alternatively, you can select multiple paragraphs and apply a style to all of them at once.
You can click and drag to select multiple paragraphs, or:
1. Click in the first paragraph to which you’d like to apply a style.

2. Hold-down the [Shift] key.
3. Click in the last paragraph to which you’d like to apply a style.
4. You will have selected all text in between your first and last click.
1.3.4. How to See Which Style is Currently Applied
To determine the style currently applied to a paragraph, place your cursor in the
applicable paragraph, and scroll through the style pane to find the highlighted style.
Sometimes you may need to re-apply the already-selected style to correct formatting
inconsistencies or errors (including manual formatting – see 1.5.3 Manual Formatting).
1.4. The Navigation Pane / Document Map
Viewing the Navigation Pane or Document Map can assist in viewing the
overall structure, troubleshooting headings, and navigating throughout your document.
To view the Navigation Pane or Document Map:
• (PC): In the View menu, select the checkbox beside Navigation Pane (or
Document Map)
• (Mac) Select View  Document Map (or Navigation Pane).
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1.5. Important Advice to Follow
1.5.1. Requirements & Format
There are certain content and formatting requirements applicable to your thesis,
dissertation, extended essays, or project, which are set by the library. Please refer to the
Requirements & Format webpages (http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/format)
when completing sections of your document. These webpages will guide you on overall
formatting guidelines, how to complete preliminary page content, etc. Use these pages
in complement to the template, so you know how to complete certain sections.
1.5.2. Removing and Adding Section Breaks
As mentioned, sections of your document are designated through the use of

section breaks (as opposed to page breaks). There are two section breaks in the
template files - please be careful and do not remove these. The first is between the Title
Page and the Approval Page. The second marks the end of the preliminary pages and
the beginning of your body text (where the page numbers change from Roman numerals
(e.g., ii) to Arabic (e.g., 1).
Important:
Please try to avoid removing the existing section breaks – doing so will result
in pagination errors. Use Show/Hide ¶ to see the breaks and avoid
accidental deletion. If the sections breaks are deleted and you need
assistance in their re-insertion and correction of pagination, please contact
the Theses Office.
Adding section breaks to your document can also cause complications with page
numbering, margins, headers and footers, footnotes/endnotes, etc. Please ensure that
margins do not change, and pagination is continuous before and after any section
breaks.
Students who would like to include landscaped tables or images are advised to
consult with the Theses Office (and see 2.6. Landscaped Pages).
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1.5.3. Manual Formatting
Important:
Please try to avoid manually formatting over the existing styles; this can cause
inconsistencies throughout your document. If there are broad or repetitive changes you’d
like within your document (such as a different font, line spacing, etc.), it is better to
modify the styles than to manually change individual parts or paragraphs. Please see
Chapter 4.. Modifying the Styles in the Template or contact the Theses Office for
assistance in modifying styles.
There are exceptions where manually formatting is appropriate, such as when

you want just a few words to look different than the rest of the surrounding text, or one
paragraph contains special content and only need to be formatted once in a particular
way. If there are any repeating elements or paragraphs, we recommend you contact the
Theses Office; we can help you build a style that suits your document’s needs.
1.5.4. Redacting Personal Emails, Phone Numbers, Signatures, etc.
If signatures, personal phone numbers, or personal email addresses (ones that

contains part of a person’s name) are anywhere in your document, these must be
redacted. This means that the text is fully removed, and cannot be copied & pasted out
of the document. Please contact the Theses Office for assistance in redaction of
personal information.
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Chapter 2.
Formatting the Content of Your Thesis
2.1. Using the Template File
It is recommended that you try to have your document in the template sooner
than later, so you have an idea as to the final expected format for submission, and to
minimize time spent formatting at the end of your degree.
You can either begin writing in the template file directly, or you can transfer your
text from another file(s). You can also do a combination of writing in the template and
copying and pasting from other documents into the template.
Important:
For assistance in formatting the content of your thesis, please review this
Thesis Template Instructions document, the Thesis Template Styles
Reference List document, attend a workshop, or book an appointment with
the Theses Office (http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/help).
2.1.1. Composing directly in the thesis template file
To begin composing directly in the thesis template file, simply select the existing
placeholder paragraph after the Chapter 1… heading, and replace it with your own text
by beginning to type. When you need to change the formatting from a regular (Normal)
paragraph to a new chapter or type of element, simply apply the styles as appropriate
(see the following sections).
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2.1.2. Transferring text from another file
You can transfer your document text into the thesis template from another file or
files. You however need to be careful, as bringing over text from other documents can
cause issues in formatting consistency. Please ensure you apply the Normal style to all
transferred text immediately, through one of two methods:
1. Select all the text in the file in which you wrote your content
(the text which you’d like to include in your thesis file).
2. Copy the original text.
3. Paste it into your thesis file as appropriate.
4. Select all the newly pasted text and apply the Normal style.
5. “Clean” extra characters, spaces etc. from your text, and apply
additional styles as outlined in these instructions.
OR
1. Select all the text in the file in which you wrote your content
(the text which you’d like to include in your thesis file).
2. Apply the Normal style to the original text.
3. Copy the original text.
4. Paste it into your thesis file as appropriate.
5. “Clean” extra characters, spaces etc. from your text, and apply
additional styles as outlined in these instructions.
Applying Normal to all text will eliminate much of the formatting from the previous
document, leaving you with a clean foundation to begin building the remainder of your
thesis document.
You may notice that sometimes not everything within a paragraph will change to
the selected style; the formatting from the previous documents persist. If this happens,
you may need to select the “stubborn” part of the paragraph, and re-apply the style to
only the selected text.
Important:
To reduce the possibility of formatting inconsistencies, it is strongly
recommended that text be transferred into the template once, and you
continue to write and edit directly in the thesis template file.
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Using find and replace to take-out extra paragraphs, tabs, etc.
Either before or after having brought your text in from another document(s), you
may find that you have empty paragraph markers (¶) and [Tab]s (→) that need to be
edited out of your text. (Turn on Show/Hide ¶ to see these hidden/non-printing symbols
(see 1.2.3. Using Show/Hide ¶). You can either do this manually, or through a
find/replace on your entire document. To do the latter:
1. From the Home tab, click Replace (in the Editing section)
o The Find and Replace dialog box will appear
2. Put your cursor in the Find What field.
3. At the lower-left of the dialog box, click More  Special
4. From here, you can select hidden/non-printing symbols to Find, and
then Replace.
o For example, to remove all empty paragraph markers, you could search for
two Paragraph Marks in a row (so you see ^p^p in the Find What field).
Then place your cursor in the Replace field, and again use More > >,
Special to select one Paragraph Mark (^p).
o Another example would be to remove all manual tabs from the beginning of
your paragraphs (a first-line indentation is already built in to the Normal
style). In the Find What field, search for a Paragraph Mark and then a Tab
Character (so you see ^p^t). Replace this combination with a Paragraph
Mark.(^p).
o There are various other combinations you could use to “clean” your
document – please contact the Theses Office for assistance if you think any
examples not listed here may apply to you
5. Click Find Next, Replace, Find Next, Replace, etc., to check and
replace these one at a time
You can also click Replace repeatedly to change the formatting one-by-one. If you are
confident in your find and replace, you can choose Replace All.
2.2. The Body of Your Thesis
2.2.1. Heading Styles
The heading styles are connected to the Table of Contents (ToC) styles (Table 2
.5), and will link to generate your ToC (see 3.1. Table of Contents (ToC) for information
15
about updating your ToC). If you’d like to change the look of the heading styles, please
see Chapter 4.. Modifying the Styles in the Template, or make an appointment with the
Theses Office.
Table 2.5. Heading Styles to Apply in the Body of Your Thesis

Headings and Sub-headings Style to Apply Becomes in ToC
Chapter Headings Chapter 1. Heading 1 ToC 1
Sub-headings 1.1. Heading 2 ToC 2
[numbered template]
Heading 2
[un-numbered template]
Sub-sub-headings 1.1.1. Heading 3 ToC 3
[numbered template]
Heading 3
[un-numbered template]
Sub-sub-sub-headings Heading 4 ToC 4
Sub-sub-sub-sub-headings Heading 5 ToC 5
Though 5 heading levels are usually sufficient, there are extra heading styles that can be
used if necessary (Heading 6, Heading 7, Heading 8, and Heading 9). Only up to 5
heading levels will appear in your ToC.
Chapter headings will auto-number according to their placement in your

document; please do not number your chapters manually. If you have long chapter titles,
it’s recommended you move the chapter title beneath the chapter number, by holding
[Shift] and pressing [Enter] to insert a line-break/soft-return within a paragraph. So the
chapter title would be entered and typed as follows:
Chapter #. [Shift+Enter] [Shift+Enter] Title of Chapter
Rather than choosing heading styles according to their look, you must use the
heading levels hierarchically. This means you cannot “skip” levels, and they must follow
a logical order; please see Table 2 .6 for an example).
Table 2.6. Using Heading Styles Sequentially Your Thesis

Chapters Model of the Order of Heading Styles
Chapter 1. start with the chapter’s heading, H1 H2
apply the Chapter 1. Heading 1 style and H2 H3
16
Chapters Model of the Order of Heading Styles
move through the heading styles H3 H4
as a logical sequence H4
then on to the next chapter H2
H2 H3
H3
Chapter 2. H1 H2 H3
H3
H2 H3 H4
H4
H3 H4
H3
H2
Chapter 3….and so on… H1 H2 H3
“Headings” that may not be true Headings
Sometimes, you may want to have a “heading” to designate a new section within
a chapter or sub/sub/sub-heading, but its significance does not justify use of the
appropriate heading styles (and associated display in your Table of Contents).
You can use the 3_Body_FlushLeft_Bold or 3_Body_FlushLeft_Italic styles for

this purpose. They align left & stylize the Normal style, and subsequently do not appear
in your Table of Contents.
2.2.2. Quotations, Lists, and Poems
For elements within the body of your thesis that can appear singly or as multiples
within a series (quotations, bulleted/numbered/lettered lists, poem verses, etc.), we have
created couplets of styles for use. These couplets provide variation in the white-space
found below each paragraph.
3_Body..._MultipleParas styles should be applied to all paragraph elements in a

series, except for the last one in a list. 3_Body…_SingleOrLast styles should be applied
to paragraphs that are either only one paragraph (single) OR the last one within a series.
17
For example, a single block-quote with citation would use the
3_Body_Quote_SingleOrLast style; this ensures the spacing above and
below the quote is consistent.
This couplet of styles can be found and used similarly with quotations, lists, and poem
verses. Applying the couplet of styles as appropriate ensure that multiple elements
within a series stay close together, and that consistent white-space is found above and
below the single or series element as a whole.
Quotations
Important:
Consult your relevant citation style guide and/or liaison librarian for
assistance in correct citation and quotation usage.
From publications
Generally, quotations within paragraphs “have quotation marks around them but,
when there is a quote within the quotation, ‘the original quotation-marks are changed to
single-quotes’” (J. Wolfe, personal communication, June 15 2011). Block-quotations are
generally used for quotations of 40 words or more.
This is an example of what a 3-paragraph block-quote would look like.

The 3_Body_Quote_MultipleParas style is applied to the first two
paragraphs, and the 3_Body_Quote_SingleOrLast style is applied to the
last paragraph. The latter is also the style that is used for a single or 1-
paragraph block-quotation.
Most often, a block-quote is a continuation of the paragraph that precedes

it. The text before a block-quote ends with either a period [.] or a colon [:].
It does not have quotation-marks around it, but it may have quotation-
marks within it – that is, if those quotation marks are in the original work
that is being quoted. You would replicate those quotation marks just as
they were in the original source.
Please note that the punctuation at the end of a block-quotation (period,

question-mark, etc.) comes directly after the quote, followed by the
citation or footnote (as shown in this fictitious example). In this example,
the period is not placed after the citation because the citation is not a part
of the quote. (Wolfe, 2011, p. 2)
18
If the paragraph following a block-quote is considered a continuation of the same
paragraph (that is the first-line should not be indented), apply the 3_Body_FlushLeft
style, as in this example.
Participant quotations
Generally, if quotes are from participants/interviewees, the font is changed to one

different from the written body text. Two methods of displaying such quotations have
been included in the thesis templates: a block-quote style and a hanging-indent style. An
example and explanation of the block-quote style is as follows.
These two paragraphs are for participant quotations that would appear
as a block-quotation. As with other 3_Body styles, the
3_Body_QuoteSubject_MultipleParas style is applied to all paragraphs
in a series with the exception of the last paragraph. (T17)
3_Body_QuoteSubject_SingleOrLast is the style that is applied to the

last in of a series of block-quote paragraphs, or when a participant’s
quote paragraph appears on its own. (P12)
You can also use an interview-style or hanging-indent display, which is explained

as you read through this example:
Joanie: You can start by applying the

3_Body_QuoteSubject_HangingMultipleParas style to the
paragraph, typing the participant’s name with a colon
followed by a [Tab], then the participant’s statement. Press
[Enter] at the end of the paragraph, and continue typing a
rest of the series in the same way (Name, Colon, [Tab],
Statement, [Enter]).
Interviewee: When the name is long, use a space rather than a [Tab]
after the colon (as in this example).
Joanie: For the last paragraph, apply the
3_Body_QuoteSubject_HangingSingleOrLast style. Or you
may type them all, then apply the styles as appropriate.
If you want to change the font of participant quotes, you can do so by modifying
the 3_Body_QuoteSubject_toChangeFontALL style; ask the Theses Office for
assistance if necessary.
19
Epigram quotations
Some disciplines include epigrams at the beginning of chapters, which are brief
and interesting or memorable quotations. We have included an italicized style for use
with these. You can manually de-italicize the citation if desired, as in this example:
It’s not so much what we do that matters, it’s who we are while we’re
doing it. (Wolfe, 1996)
If you wish to leave the citation italicized, that is fine.
Lists
Bulleted Lists
Apply the 3_Body_Bullet_MultipleParas style to all the bullets, then the

3_Body_Bullet_SingleOrLast style to the last one in a series.
• When bulleted paragraphs are desired;

• Apply the 3_Body_Bullet_MultipleParas style to all paragraphs you would like
bulleted and;
• For the last paragraph only, apply the 3_Body_Bullet_SingleOrLast style.
For second-level bullets or sub-bullets within bulleted lists, you can use the
3_Body_Bullet_Level2_MultipleParas and 3_Body_Bullet_Level2_SingleOrLast styles as
appropriate.
Numbered/Lettered Lists
Word’s auto-numbered lists and paragraphs can be difficult to set-up correctly,

especially if you have multiple types of lists within your document. Lists can re-number
or continue as unintended, so we recommend manually numbering/lettering lists within
your document.
1. When numbered paragraphs are desired;

2. Rather than using Word’s auto-numbering;
3. Type the number/letter, [punctuation], [Tab], and the text;
4. Apply the 3_Body_List-Manual_MultipleParas style to all numbered
styles.
20
5. For the last numbered paragraph only, apply the 3_Body_List-
Manual_SingleOrLast style.
Take care to ensure the numbering is consistent and continuous/restarting on all lists,
where appropriate.
Poems
The verses within a poem are formatted using the 3_Body_Verse_MultipleParas

and 3_Body_Verse_SingleOrLast styles. Each line of a verse is separated with a line-
break/soft-return (press [Shift]+[Enter]).
Poem captions can be inserted to generate a List of Poems in the preliminary

pages; see Adding New Caption Labels and 3.2.2. Adding Other Lists to your
Preliminary Pages for more information.
Poem 2.1. The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
If you’d like the poem to be further left-indented, you can also use the
3_Body_VerseIndented_MultipleParas and 3_Body_VerseIndented_SingleOrLast styles.
21
Poem 2.2. Roses are red…
Roses are red

Violets are blue
Sugar is sweet
and so are you.
If you are in need of assistance with formatting your poems, please make an
appointment with the Theses Office.
2.2.3. Stories, Narratives, Journal Entries, etc.
For stories, narratives, journal entries, etc., you can use the
3_Body_FlushLeft_Italic style. Story captions can be inserted to generate a List of
Stories in the preliminary pages; see Adding New Caption Labels and 3.2.2. Adding
Other Lists to your Preliminary Pages for more information.
22
2.3. Including Objects (Tables, Figures, etc.) in Your Thesis
You may include objects in your thesis, dissertation, extended essays, or project,
such as tables and figures. You may also include images/photos, schemes, equations,
poems, stories, etc. to enhance your work.
• Tables are completely text-based – they contain text and/or text and data, and
they are treated differently than figures.
• Figures may have text and data, though they always contain a graphical
component (e.g., charts, graphs, images, or text in a table layout with arrows
that are used to show a relationship/connection between groups or columns).
If you have poems and/or stories, follow the instructions for Tables. If you have images,
photos, schemes, etc., follow the instructions for Figures.
Please refer to the following directions and the Thesis Template Styles
Reference List document for information about the application of appropriate object
styles.
Important:
In order for your object(s) to meet SFU Library formatting guidelines, they
must fall within the textual margins of the document; this usually means that
objects and their associated captions/notes cannot be any wider than 6” on a
portrait page or 9” on a landscape page. Please contact the Theses Office for
additional assistance in formatting your objects.
2.3.1. Captions and Notes
Generally, table captions appear above tables and figure captions appear below
figures; this is the default the template employs. However, provided you keep caption
placement consistent across all instances of an object, you may place your captions to
your preference. Instructions for formatting tables/figures, their captions, and their notes
have been included below according to what your preference in their layout might be.
23
Captions
In order for your captions to link to the preliminary page Lists and be styled
appropriately, all caption labels and numbers must be inserted via the (PC) References
 Insert Caption or (Mac) Insert  Caption menu. This will produce auto-numbering
captions according to selected label; manually inserting or typing the captions labels and
numbers will not provide the link and subsequent generation into your preliminary page
Lists (see 3.2. Lists Generated from Auto-numbered Captions for information about
updating your Lists). Unlike the Heading styles, the caption styles do not create a link
between the caption and the preliminary page Lists; they are used purely for styling.
To insert a caption:
1. Place your cursor in a new paragraph placed where you’d like to

insert the caption.
2. Enter the (PC) References  Insert Caption or (Mac) Insert 
Caption menu to view the Caption dialog box (see Figure 2 .2).
Figure 2.2. The PC view of the Caption dialog box
3. Select the appropriate Label (Table, Figure, etc.)

4. Determine if you want to include chapter numbers in your caption
numbering (Table 1.1 instead of Table 1, for example). Click
Numbering… in the Caption dialog box to add/remove chapter
numbers.
o The library recommends including Heading 1 chapter numbers with a
period separator, to be consistent with the heading styles (see Figure 2 .
3). Click OK when your settings are complete.
24
Figure 2.3. Add/Remove Chapter Numbers from your Captions
5. Ensure the caption is appearing as desired in the Caption dialog box.

Click OK.
6. The caption will appear with an auto-numbered label; editing the
caption number will break the link, so please avoid doing so.
o If the caption number is accidentally deleted, simply re-insert the caption.
7. After inserting each caption label and number, type a [period], and a
[Tab] – this will ensure that all the entries line-up within the text, as
well as within the preliminary page Lists.
8. Type the title of your caption. Please note that all text within the
caption paragraph will link to the respective preliminary page List.
9. Apply the appropriate style to your caption, based on its placement to
your object, and if there is an additional note present; application of
the appropriate style will ensure appropriate spacing between, above,
and below the elements of your object. The styles primarily used for
captions have been named to be intuitive to their purpose1:
o 7_Captions_aboveTablesFigures
o 7_Captions_belowFigures_noNoteAfter
o 7_Captions_belowFigures_withNoteAfter
Adding New Caption Labels
To insert a label for an object that is not already found within the Caption dialog
box, perform the following:
1. Place your cursor in a new paragraph placed where you’d like to

insert the caption.
1
The captions are designed to be bolded & left-aligned on the page; if you’d like to adjust
the style of your captions, please see Chapter 4.. Modifying the Styles in the Template or
contact the Theses Office for assistance.
25
2. Enter the (PC) References  Insert Caption or (Mac) Insert 
Caption menu to view the Caption dialog box (see Figure 2 .2).
3. Click New Label and type in the label required, such as Image,
Scheme, Poem, Photo, Story, etc. (see Figure 2 .4). Click OK.
Figure 2.4. Creating a New Caption Label (e.g., for Schemes)
4. Follow the caption instructions as directed in Captions.
Re-numbering Captions after Addition, Removal, or Movement within the

Document
If you need to add, remove, or move around captions in your document, you may
notice that the caption numbers do not properly adjust their numbering. If you see this,
please do the following:
1. Select all the body text containing the captions.

2. Press [F9] OR right-click anywhere in the selection and choose
Update Field.
3. Regenerate your preliminary page Lists (see 3.2. Lists Generated
from Auto-numbered Captions for information about updating your
Lists).
If this doesn’t work, save the document and reopen it again, then regenerate the lists.
Notes
If you have additional information about your object, such as descriptive or

source information, you can add this information as a Note. This is a separate paragraph
that will not appear in your preliminary page Lists. Notes usually appear below figure
captions or tables.
26
2.3.2. Tables
To incorporate tables within the body of your thesis document, formatting is

necessary to ensure all document requirements (margins, font size, etc.) are consistent
and acceptable.
The 7_TableRow_Normal style is applied to the entire table to begin formatting.

Once this style has been applied, you can select specific cells in columns and, based
upon what format is needed, apply the appropriate style(s). See the Thesis Template
Styles Reference List document for more information about table styles. Place your
cursor in one of the cells and scroll up/down the style pane to see the styles that are
applied to the text in Table 2 .7 and Table 2 .8.
Table 2.7. Sample table
Institution:
C=College; Experience in
Length of
UI=Teaching Gender teaching and/or
Participants Interview
University (M / F) instructional
(minutes)
RU= Research development (yes)
University
1 C M 27 49
2 UI F 22 51
3 RU M 18 55
4 RU M 06 52
5 C F 19 60
6 C F 25 50
7 RU F 10 48
8 UI F 19 61
9 UI F 20 67
10 C F 17 43
Note. Adapted from Women in Transition: Exploring Women's Movement through the Neutral Zone, by B.
Sweeney, in press, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Adler School of Professional
Psychology. Copyright 2011 by B. Sweeney. Adapted with permission.
27
Table 2.8. A Sample Table: Participation Rates
Helping Hindering
Wish List Items
Critical Incidents Critical Incidents
(n=49)
(n=104) (n=70)
Participants Participants Participants
Incident Incident Incident
(n=7) (n=7) (n=7)
Category n % n n % n n % n
Support from Family/Friends 7 100 20 6 86 15 5 71 10
Personal Resources/ 7 100 34 6 86 19 2 29 6
Coping Skills
Access to Resources 5 71 11 2 29 2 4 57 5
Community Support 4 57 7 3 43 15 6 86 14
Time Alone to Reflect 2 29 5 1 14 2 1 14 1
Lack of Clarity 0 0 0 2 43 3 1 14 1
Education Regarding 1 14 1 1 14 1 2 29 3
Transition Process
Note. Adapted from Women in Transition: Exploring Women's Movement through the Neutral Zone, by B.
Sweeney, in press, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada: Adler School of Professional
Psychology. Copyright 2011 by B. Sweeney. Adapted with permission.
You can either insert a table directly from Word, or transfer a table from another
Word or Excel document. When copying tables in from another document the formatting
may look as undesired; select the table and apply the 7_TableRow_Normal style to
correct many of the errors and begin fine-tuning the formatting of your table.
Once the content is in the document, appropriate styles and formatting can be
applied. There are styles for each element of a table, including 1) the caption; 2) the
table itself; and 3) any notes pertaining to the table (additional descriptions, source
information, etc.)
28
Tables with captions above
Insert a paragraph and place your cursor where your table caption will be:
1. Insert a Table caption as directed in Captions. Generally, table

captions appear above tables. Your caption should have content such
as Table #/.#[Tab]Title of Table.
2. Apply the 7_Captions_aboveTablesFigures style to the caption’s
paragraph.
The table should be in a new paragraph below the caption:
1. Once your table content is present in your document, you can begin
formatting your table. Select the entire table, and apply the
7_TableRow_Normal style.
2. From this point, your can apply additional styles to the table cells,
rows, and columns (as described above).
3. We recommend removing all vertical borders from a table, and only
presenting horizontal borders at the top/bottom of the overall table
and header row (if applicable). Additional borders can be added at the
discretion of the student, in order to ensure appropriate and accurate
display of information.
• Please see the following examples and consult with the Theses Office for
additional assistance.
A table note could be placed in another paragraph below the table:
1. If you have a note for your table, insert a new paragraph below the
table, and apply the 7_TableNote_FlushLeft or
7_TableNote_HangingIndent style.
• If you want to insert multiple notes on new lines within the note paragraph,
use a line-break/soft-return (press [Shift]+[Enter]).
Adjusting the table properties
Table Properties can be adjusted to format your table to improve readability and
ensure all library regulations are met. This should be done after all the appropriate styles
have been applied to the table.
The following settings are recommended for alteration to your tables, where
applicable. Please contact the Theses Office for assistance in modification of Table
Properties.
29
1. Right‐click within the table and select Table Properties (see Figure
2 .5). Or, select the table, and within the Layout tab of the Table
Tools menu, select Properties.
Figure 2.5. The Table Properties dialog box
2. Within the Table tab:

o Ensure the Preferred width is no larger than 6”
o Ensure Text wrapping is None
If your table is long and breaks over one page:
o Within the Row tab, uncheck Allow row to break across pages. Click
OK. This will ensure that no rows within your table break across pages.
2. Select the table’s header row(s). Right‐click within the table and
select Table Properties (see Figure 2 .5). Or, select the table, and
within the Layout tab of the Table Tools menu, select Properties.
30
• Within the Row tab, check Repeat as header row at the top of each
page. Click OK. This will place a repeating header at the top of each page
for which your table spans.
If you are having trouble fitting your table within the margins of your document, you can
manually decrease the font to Arial Narrow 10pt. Additionally you can modify the
spacing within the table as follows:
2. Within the Table tab, choose Options…
3. Change the Left and Right default cell margins to 0.02” (see Figure 2
.6).
Figure 2.6. The Table Options dialog box
Footnotes for tables
Footnotes for tables are usually inserted manually using either a letter or asterix
for the footnote’s reference. Use the 7_TableNote_FlushLeft style to format the
paragraph. Use a superscripted letter (a, b, etc.) or asterisks (*, **, and/or ***) to begin the
note. If a table note is required as well, the footnotes appear first (see Table 2 .9 for an
example).
31
Table 2.9. A Sample Table: With Fictitious Categories, Variables, and Data
PSYC 100a PSYC 102b
Subject Areas Psychopathic Male Sociopathic Female PSYC 201
M SD N M SD N
Cognitive 1.036(56) 1.456(78) 1.768(57) 6.80(50) 7.890(20) 7.543(69) 1.456(78)
Behavioural 1.456(78) 7.890(20) 6.890(50) .890(20) 7.543(69) .89(50) 7.543(69)
Theory & Methods 7.53(69) 6.890(50) 1.456(78) 7.543(69) 6.890(50) 1.456(78) 6.890(50)
Social & Developmental 6.890(50) 7.54(69) 7.890(20) 6.890(50) 1.456(78) 7.890(20) 7.890(20)
a
PSYC 100 must be taken first;
b
PSYC 102 is taken after credit is earned for PSYC 100.
Note. Adapted from Smith, 2010.
2.3.3. Figures
There are styles for each element of a figure, including 1) the caption; 2) the
figure itself; and 3) any notes pertaining to the figure (additional descriptions, source
information, etc.). Application of the appropriate styles will ensure that all elements of a
figure (figure, caption, note if applicable) stay together on the same page. Although
figure captions generally appear below figures, they can be placed above if that is your
preference – please be consistent in their placement throughout your document.
Please note that the instructions for figures can also be applied to images,
graphs, charts, etc. Ensure the figure text wrapping/position is set as In Line with Text.
It is strongly recommended that figures are inserted as static JPEG or PNG images (no
larger than 300 dpi), to minimize the file size of your document and prevent elements of
the image from shifting during editing or conversion to PDF.
32
Figures with captions below
Insert a paragraph and place your cursor where your figure will be:
1. Insert your figure through the Insert menu or another method.

2. Select the figure, and apply the 7_Figure_withNoteOrCaptionAfter
style – this will ensure the figure is centred and has appropriate white-
space above and below.
• If using a Mac, you may need to instead place your cursor within the figure
paragraph, and apply the 7_Figure_withNoteOrCaptionAfter style.
The caption should be in a new paragraph below the figure:
1. Insert a Figure caption as directed in Captions. Your caption should

have content such as Figure #/.#[Tab]Title of Figure.
2. Based on whether you have an additional note below your caption,
apply the 7_Captions_belowFigures_noNoteAfter or
7_Captions_belowFigures_withNoteAfter style to the caption
paragraph.
Figure 2.7. Sample Figure followed by a Caption
33
A figure note could be placed in another paragraph below the figure caption:
1. If you have a note for your figure, insert a new paragraph below the
figure, and apply the 7_FigureNote_FlushLeft or
7_FigureNote_HangingIndent style.
Figure 2.8. Sample Figure followed by a Caption and a Note

Note. Photo from Microsoft Word.
If you want to include your figure caption and note together, you can apply the
7_Captions_belowFigures_includesNote style to the caption’s paragraph – this text is
un-bolded so would stand out less and take up less space.
34
Figures with captions above
Insert a paragraph and place your cursor where your figure caption will be:
1. Insert a Figure caption as directed in Captions. Your caption should

have content such as Figure #/.#[Tab]Title of Figure.
2. Apply the 7_Captions_aboveTablesFigures style to the caption
paragraph.
The figure should be in a new paragraph below the caption:
1. Insert your figure through the Insert menu or another method.

2. Based on whether you have an additional note below your figure,
select the figure, and apply the 7_Figure_noNoteOrCaptionAfter or
7_Figure_withNoteOrCaptionAfter style – this will ensure the figure is
centred and has appropriate white-space above and below.
• If using a Mac, you may need to instead place your cursor within the figure
paragraph, and apply the 7_Figure_noNoteOrCaptionAfter or
7_Figure_withNoteOrCaptionAfter style.
Figure 2.9. Sample with Caption followed by the Figure
35
A figure note could be placed in another paragraph below the figure:
1. If you have a note for your figure, insert a new paragraph below the
figure, and apply the 7_FigureNote_FlushLeft or
7_FigureNote_HangingIndent style.
Figure 2.10. Sample with Caption followed by the Figure and a Note
Note. Photo from Microsoft Word.
Large Figures
When a figure is large and there is difficulty fitting it on one page, you can use
the 7_Captions_belowFigures_noSpaceAfter or 7_FigureNote_noSpaceAfter styles (as
applicable). These styles have minimal white-space below the paragraph, which
provides additional space for the figure.
36
Use Tables rather than Textboxes for Laying-out Text and Objects
It is recommended to use tables rather than textboxes when you wish to lay out
objects in your document side-by-side. Tables provide advantages to textboxes,
especially in controlling layout and applying styles.
For example, if you’d like to have 3 pictures arranged horizontally with one
caption, you can insert a 3x1 table, and place the images within each cell (see Figure
2 .11). Ensure the borders are removed so they are not visible when published.
a b c
Figure 2.11. Example of Three Images in a Table: One Row
Note. Photos J. Wolfe, 2012.
You can also merge cells to create layouts within your table as desired. Please
contact the Theses Office for any assistance in lay out and arrangement of your figures.
2.3.4. Equations
Important:
To use the Equation Editor in Word, you must save this document in your
version of Word (if you haven’t already).
Two equation styles have been included, the 7_Equation_Centred and

7_Equation_LeftTabRight. The former centres the equation, while the latter indents the
equation to align with the paragraphs. If you have an equation number (usually in
brackets), insert the equation, press [Tab] to move your cursor to the right margin, and
then type the equation number.
X=Y+Z (1)
37
If using the 7_Equation_Centred style, you must also press [Tab] before the
equation (otherwise the entire paragraph will centre, as opposed to just the equation).
Please see the example below as demonstration, and use Show/Hide ¶ to see how it
has been written:
X=Y+Z (1)
2.3.5. Copyright Permissions: Including Objects that Are Not Your

Own Work
Your thesis, dissertation, extended essays, or project differs from a normal class
paper in that it will be published digitally on the web; it is thus not acceptable to only cite
the source of copyrighted material. Therefore, if your document incorporates any objects
(figures, images, photos, maps, diagrams, etc.) not created by you, copyright permission
must be obtained from the copyright-holder of those works to use their content.
Further, if you have previously published any of the content in your document
through another publisher, you must review the author agreement and determine if it is
acceptable for you to re-publish this work in your thesis, dissertation, extended essays,
or project.
Permission can be in the form of a webpage, an e-mail, letter, etc. All copyright
permissions are submitted as PDFs files with your thesis.
Important:
Please contact the Copyright at SFU Office and see http://copyright.sfu.ca
for information on how to obtain copyright permissions.
2.4. References, Bibliography, Works Cited, etc.
Your document should be able to stand on its own without the appendices.
Therefore, the references must appear directly after the body text 2 and before the
appendices. Typically, References is used as a heading when only referencing works
2
There are two exceptions to this rule in the case of Extended Essays and A Cumulative
Thesis or Compilation of Articles/Papers - please see Chapter 5.. Students/Disciplines with
Unique Needs for more information.
38
cited. When referencing works cited and works consulted, Bibliography is the overall
heading. Consult with your Senior Supervisor if you’re unsure.
With the exception of the American Antiquity, references for all citation styles are
formatted with a hanging-indent (APA, Chicago, MLA, IEEE, etc.). You can apply the
5_References_Normal style to these paragraphs.
If you’d like to categorize your references, bibliography, or works cited, you can
use the Heading 2_References and Heading 3_References styles on the title of each
category.
2.4.1. American Antiquity
If using the American Antiquity citation style, place each author and each
respective publication in a separate paragraph.
• Apply the 5_References_AmerAntiq_Authors to the paragraphs with the

author(s) names in them.
• Apply the 5_References_AmerAntiq_Years to subsequent paragraph(s) for the
same authors (paragraphs that begin with the years).
The author’s paragraph style is set to stay with the paragraphs that follow. Some
examples of American Antiquity references utilizing these styles are as follows:
Braidwood, Robert J.
1937 Mounds in the Plain of Antioch: An Archaeological Survey. The University of
Chicago Press, Chicago.
Van Zeist, Willem and W. Waterbolk-van Rooijen

1985 The palaeobotany of Tell Bouqras, eastern Syria. Paléorient 11:131-147.
1992 Two interesting floral finds from third millennium B.C. Tell Hammam et-
Turkman, northern Syria. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 1:157-161.
Van Zeist, W. and H. Woldring

1980 Holocene Vegetation and Climate of Northwestern Syria. Palaeohistoria
22:111-125.
39
2.5. Appendix(es)
Important:
A reminder that if signatures, personal phone numbers, or personal email
addresses (ones that contains part of a person’s name) are anywhere in your
document, these must be redacted. This means that the text is fully removed,
and cannot be copied & pasted out of the document. Please contact the
Theses Office for assistance in redaction of personal information.
2.5.1. Appendix Headings
Appendices should be included within your thesis, dissertation, extended essays

or project document, and come after the references/bibliography/works cited. If you are
unsure about whether content should be included in the body text or in an appendix,
consult with your senior supervisor.
If you have more than one appendix, you would letter each accordingly (i.e.,
Appendix A, Appendix B, etc.). Write your appendix headings in the same manner as
your chapter headings (with or without line-breaks/soft-returns; see 2.2.1. Heading
Styles).
The Heading 1_Appendix(es) style is for the main headings of appendices, while
Heading 2_Appendix(es) and Heading 3_Appendix(es) can be used for sub-headings
within each appendix.
2.5.2. Appendix Styles
The 6_Append_Normal style is the base style for appendices, which are non-
indented and single-spaced paragraphs. You can use other 6_Append_ or 3_Body_
styles to format your appendix contents, as well as the 7_ object styles.
Objects in appendices should not appear in your preliminary page Lists; these
are reserved for body objects. Thus, appendix caption labels and numbers should be
typed in manually (e.g., Table A.1., Table A.2., etc.), and not inserted through the
Insert  Caption menu.
40
2.5.3. Including Other Documents within Your Appendices
If you have content from other documents that you’d like to include as
appendices, you can either:
1. Transfer the text and re-format using the template styles as

necessary, or
2. Convert the documents into images and insert them into your
document, one image per page.
Consult with the Theses Office if necessary, and determine which method would be best
for your content. Keep in mind that text converted into images cannot be searched or
copied and pasted, and may not be as clear to read as transferred text. However,
sometimes content cannot be easily formatted for a Word document, so as long as the
content is readable, converting to an image is another option.
The recommended instructions to convert a Word or PDF file to images are as

follows. If you don’t have access to programs that can create high resolution PDFs and
images, Adobe Acrobat and Photoshop are available on computers at the various SFU
Library campuses.
1. If your document is a Word file, convert it a high or standard quality

PDF document.
2. If you have Photoshop, open the PDF in this program. Change the
dpi/resolution to 300. Save the file as a high quality JPEG.
o If you don’t have Photoshop, open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat, and convert
the PDF to a high quality JPEG. Choose File  Save As  Image 
JPEG.
3. The result will be high quality JPEG(s) for each page of the PDF. If
necessary, use an image editor to rotate or crop the margins off each
image, and Save.
4. Within your thesis, dissertation, extended essays, or project Word
document, insert each JPEG as a page within the appropriate
appendix in the intended order. Choose Insert  Picture, navigate to
the picture, select it, and press Insert.
5. If necessary, adjust the size of the image so the maximum width is no
larger than 6”. Apply the 7_Figure_noNoteOrCaptionAfter style to
each image.
Please contact the Theses Office for any assistance in the transfer, insertion, or
formatting of other documents for inclusion within your appendix(es).
41
2.5.4. Supplemental Material
If you have material that cannot be included within your document (data, audio,
video, non-standard documents, etc.), you can upload supplemental material files to
your library record. Please refer to the Requirements & Format webpages
(http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/format) for guidelines on file format and file size,
or contact the Theses Office for more information.
If you are including supplemental material in your submission, you must also
include an appendix within your original document, which contains an overall description
of the subject matter, credits, and file name(s). This assists in “linking” your document to
any additional supplementary material, as well as providing further information and
context about the file(s).
2.6. Landscaped Pages & Sections
Your thesis may include objects that are difficult to contain on a portrait page.
Using landscaped pages and sections in your thesis, dissertation, extended essays or
project is acceptable, but can cause issues in overall formatting (margins, pagination,
etc.). Some Mac users have also found that documents with landscaped section breaks
are separated into multiple documents when converting their documents to PDFs.
Further, if you wish to have your document printed and bound for personal or
departmental copies, landscaped pages could result in anomalies (such as page
numbers appearing on right-hand margins).
The Theses Office may be able to assist you in adjusting your objects to fit on a
portrait page – please book an appointment with us for assistance. However, if this isn’t
possible and you wish to include landscaped pages or sections in your document, you
must ensure that all requirements and regulations are consistent and continuous.
Important:
It is strongly advised you consult with the Theses Office for guidance and
assistance in the use of landscape pages or sections.
42
If you’d like to avoid inserting landscaped pages and sections in your document,
you can convert the necessary object(s) into images, rotate them, and insert them into
your document. The result will be a rotated landscaped object as an image on a portrait
page. The recommended instructions for this are as follows:
1. Use the Landscaped Tables/Pages template

(http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/templates) to format your
object(s) according to the SFU Library guidelines.
2. Convert the document to a high or standard quality PDF document.
3. If you have Photoshop, open the PDF in this program. Change the
dpi/resolution to 300. Save the file as a high quality JPEG.
o If you don’t have Photoshop, open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat, and convert
the PDF to a high quality JPEG. Choose File  Save As  Image 
JPEG.
4. The result will be high quality JPEG(s) for each page of the PDF. If
necessary, use an image editor to rotate or crop the margins off each
image, and Save.
5. Within your thesis, dissertation, extended essays, or project Word
document, insert each JPEG as a page within the appropriate
appendix in the intended order. Choose Insert  Picture, navigate to
the picture, select it, and press Insert.
6. If necessary, adjust the size of the image so the maximum width is no
larger than 6”. Apply the 7_Figure_noNoteOrCaptionAfter style to
each image.
Please contact the Theses Office for any assistance in the formatting or conversion of
landscaped pages or sections.
2.7. Editing the Preliminary Pages
A number of required and if applicable/optional preliminary pages containing

placeholder text have been included in the thesis templates. Please refer to the
Requirements & Format webpages (http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/format)
when completing these pages of your document.
43
2.7.1. Removing Existing Pages that You Do Not Need
The template has a number of headings and lists in the preliminary pages that
you may not need. It is recommended that you leave these in the template until you’re
certain the pages will not be required or used. When removing a page, turn on the
hidden/non-printing symbols first, so you can see what you are deleting and do not
delete any section breaks by accident (see 1.2.3. Using Show/Hide ¶ and 1.5.2.
Removing and Adding Section Breaks). Then simply delete the paragraphs/text and
ensure no blank page(s) is left behind.
44
Chapter 3.
Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, etc.
The SFU Library thesis templates contain a Table of Contents (ToC), List of
Tables (LoT), and List of Figures (LoF). While a ToC is required, the LoT and LoF are
optional and only necessary if you have tables or figures within the body of your
document. You can also add additional Lists (List of Schemes, List of Poems, etc.) to
your preliminary pages; see 3.2.2. Adding Other Lists to your Preliminary Pages or
contact the Theses Office for assistance.
The Table of Contents and all Lists will auto-generate, but only when directed –
each will always display a “snapshot” of your document when you last updated the
respective list(s). You must remember to update your ToC and Lists to reflect any
changes that might have occurred throughout your document during modification, and
ensure pagination is accurate. It is good practice to get in the habit of updating your ToC
and all Lists, as even minor changes can cause elements in your document to shift.
3.1. Table of Contents (ToC)
By using the appropriate styles, the thesis templates will assist in generation of
the Table of Contents. To update your Table of Contents:
1. Place your cursor anywhere within the ToC so it becomes fully

highlighted in gray.
2. (PC) Right-click or (Mac) Ctrl+click anywhere in the gray-highlighted
area to bring up a manu.
3. Select Update Field and, if an additional choice appears, select
Update Entire Table.
4. Your ToC will generate based on the headings and their page
numbers as currently reflected in your document.
45
Please note that there is a minor glitch in Table of Contents within the templates,
whereby the page number for References heading does not right-align after
regeneration. This must be corrected manually before final PDF generation and
submission to the library. To correct the issue:
1. Place your cursor to the left of the page number, and press [Tab] until
you see the page number align at the right margin
OR
1. Select the References entry line and apply the ToC_RefsOrBiblio

style.
There are additional styling options you can apply to your Table of Contents after
regeneration and before final PDF generation. For example, you can style your
appendix(es) entries as follows:
1. Place your cursor to before the “A” in the first Appendix and press
[Enter] twice
o This provides some additional space between the References entry and the
Appendix(es).
2. Apply the ToC_Appendix(es) style to each of the main Appendix
entries.
• This is used to adjust the alignment of the appendix(es) titles.
If you’ve structured your Extended Essays with parts, you can select the line-entry for
each Essay and apply the ToC 1_PartsOrEssayTitles style; this will make the essay
titles more prominent.
3.2. Lists Generated from Auto-numbered Captions
3.2.1. List of Tables (LoT) and List of Figures (LoF)
In order for the thesis templates to assist in generation of the List of Tables, List
of Figures, etc., captions must be linked through the Insert  Caption functionality (see
2.3.1. Captions and Notes).
46
Once auto-numbered captions are inserted with the appropriate label(s), you can
update your Lists as follows (each List must be updated individually):
1. Place your cursor anywhere within the List so it becomes fully

highlighted in gray.
2. (PC) Right-click or (Mac) Ctrl+click anywhere in the gray-highlighted
area to bring up a manu.
3. Select Update Field and, if an additional choice appears, select
Update Entire Table.
4. Your ToC will generate based on the headings and their page
numbers as currently reflected in your document.
If your List isn't generating, check that your captions are inserted correctly with
the correct label. If you’re still having issues, try re-inserting the caption, or contact the
Theses Office for assistance.
3.2.2. Adding Other Lists to your Preliminary Pages
Though a LoT and LoF are the most common, you can also include Lists for
schemes, poems, etc. Follow the directions in Adding New Caption Labels to create a
new label that will link to a new preliminary page list.
To insert a new preliminary page list:
1. Place your cursor in a new paragraph, where you’d like to insert your
new List. It should be in the same section as the other Lists (if
applicable), following the Table of Contents.
OR
1. Place your cursor just before the “L” in the List of Acronyms. Press
[Enter] and place your cursor in the new empty paragraph marker
Then,
2. Type the appropriate heading (e.g., List of Schemes, List of Poems,

etc.). Apply the Heading 1_Preliminary style to the new heading.
3. Press [Enter] to create a new paragraph below the new list heading.
In the Word menu, select References  Insert Table of Figures.
4. In the Table of Figures dialog box (see Figure 3 .12), select the
appropriate Caption label from the General section. Press OK.
47
Figure 3.12. The Insert Table of Figures dialog box
5. Your new list should appear, and be ready for use.
If you’re having any difficulty adding new lists to your preliminary pages, please contact
the Theses Office.
3.2.3. Placing More than One Preliminary Page List on a Page
If your preliminary page lists are short, you could fit them all on one page.
Currently, the Heading1_Preliminary style is applied to all preliminary page headings,
which automatically places a page break before the heading. For a second list to appear
on the same page as the list preceding it, apply the Heading
1_Lists_noPageBreakBefore style to the second list’s heading. The second list will then
appear directly after the generated list prior to it.
48
3.3. Error Messages in the ToC, LoT, LoF, etc.
If you see a message such as “Error Bookmark Not Defined,” simply update your
ToC, LoT, LoF, etc. The error should disappear and the ToC/list should reflect the
current headings and pagination of your document.
If you’re having difficulty updating your ToC or a list, you can try to re-insert the
ToC/list and update again. Or, you can open a new template, copy & paste the relevant
page back into your own document, and update again.
If you’re having issues with your ToC or any lists, please contact the Theses
Office.
49
Chapter 4.
Modifying the Styles in the Template
Important:
The best time to do this is during the 2nd or 3rd month of each semester.
If you have been advised by the Theses Office or are comfortable modifying
Word styles on your own, you can modify the styles to alter the formatting of your
document. Although this method of formatting is advised (as opposed to manual
formatting), modification of styles can cause global and potentially unintentional effects
to your document. For example, most styles are based on the Normal style. Therefore,
changing the Normal style’s font or paragraph formatting will have an effect on (almost)
every other style.
It is strongly advised you consult with the Theses Office before any major
changes are performed to the Word styles.
Important:
Before changing fonts, etc., first be sure you are adhering to the Overall
Layout and Specifications at http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/format.
4.1. Changing the Font of the Document
Studies have shown that sans-serif fonts are better for reading on-screen and so,
with the move to digital-only submissions, Arial has been chosen as the default font. This
is mainly because not only is it clear, it takes up less space than other fonts.
50
However, some have a strong preference for another font; this is changed
through modification of the Normal style. Other cross-platform sans-serif fonts are also
acceptable; the size chosen should be the same physical size as Arial 11pt (e.g.
Tahoma 11pt, Verdana 11pt, Calibri 13pt). If you have a strong preference to use a serif
font in your document (e.g. Times New Roman), please contact the Theses Office.
To modify the font of your document:
1. Be sure Show/Hide ¶ and your Style Pane are visible (see 1.2.3.
Using Show/Hide ¶ and 1.3.1. How to See All the Styles)
2. Select one whole paragraph that has the Normal style applied to it,
including the paragraph marker.
3. Change to the preferred font and size to one mentioned above.
4. In the Style Pane, locate the Normal style. Right-click the Normal
style, and select Update Normal to Match Selection.
OR
1. Locate the Normal style in your Style Pane (see 1.3.1. How to See All
the Styles).
2. Right-click the Normal style, and select Modify…
3. In the Modify Style dialog box, change the font and font size in the
Formatting section. Press OK.
This will change the font in almost every style in the whole document. The exception
would be the table styles, which are by default set to Arial Narrow. Consult with the
Theses Office for an appropriate font size for your table styles.
4.2. Increasing/Decreasing White-Space before or after a

Heading Style
You may want to increase or decrease the default amount of white-space before
or after a heading style. To do so:
1. Be sure Show/Hide ¶ and your Style Pane are visible (see 1.2.3.
Using Show/Hide ¶ and 1.3.1. How to See All the Styles)
2. Select the text and paragraph marker that has the specific heading
style applied to it that you wish altered.
51
3. On the Home tab in the Paragraph section, click the small box with a
downward-arrow pointed to the bottom-right-corner ( ).
4. In the Paragraph dialog box, in the Spacing section, adjust the
Before: and After: values. Click OK. Ensure the white-space around
the heading is appearing as desired.
5. In the Style Pane, locate the specific heading style (applied to the
paragraph for which you just changed the paragraph spacing).
6. Right-click the specific heading style and select Update [Stylename]
to Match Selection.
OR
1. Locate the specific heading style in your Style Pane (see 1.3.1. How
to See All the Styles).
2. Right-click the style, and select Modify…
3. At the lower-left of the Modify Style dialog box, select Format 
Paragraph.
4. In the Paragraph dialog box, in the Spacing section, adjust the
Before: and After: values. Click OK twice. Ensure the white-space
around the heading is appearing as desired.
This will change the paragraph formatting for every paragraph in the document which
has that style applied to it.
4.3. Changing the Fonts on Participant Quotes
As mentioned, using a different font makes participant quotes stand-out from the
usual publication quote (see Participant quotations). However, some may prefer to
change these to italics or perhaps another font or font-size. You can perform a change
on all participant quote styles or for either the hanging-indent or block-quote style by
selecting the appropriate style, and modifying it by one of two methods. Please see 4.1.
Changing the Font of the Document for instructions on how to do this.
• Modify the 3_Body_QuoteSubject_toChangeFont_ALL style to change the font

on ALL subject-quote styles. (Note that this works only if you haven’t already
changed one of the subject-quote styles.)
• Modify the 3_Body_QuoteSubject_SingleOrLast style to change only the font
of both subject block-quote styles.
• Modify the 3_Body_QuoteSubject_HangingSingleOrLast style to change the
font on only both subject interview/hanging-indent styles.
52
Because the “MultipleParas” styles are based on the “SingleOrLast” style, changing the
SingleOrLast style changes both styles.
4.4. Modifying Other Styles
If you’re interested in modifying other aspects of your document not listed here, it
is strongly advised you consult the Theses Office before doing so. This way, we can
work with you to ensure the document suits your needs, while meeting the SFU Library
requirements.
Important:
The best time to do this is during the 2nd or 3rd month of each semester.
53
Chapter 5.
Students/Disciplines with Unique Needs
Important:
If you or your discipline has any specific preferences or requirements and the
following still leaves questions in your mind, please make an appointment
online via http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/help and the Thesis Office
will be glad to help you.
5.1. Ethics Approval for Human or Animal Research
If your thesis involves any work with humans or animals, you are required to
obtain Ethics Approval. Ethics approval for human research is granted through the SFU
Office of Research Ethics. Ethics approval for animal research is granted through the
University Animal Care Committee.
A PDF copy of your ethics approval is required when you submit your thesis to
the library. In addition, the Ethics Statement must appear on page iv of your thesis,
immediately after the (Declaration of) Partial Copyright Licence.
Important:
The Ethics Statement should already be included in your template as page iv.
Please ensure you remove this page if you did not require ethics approval
(your abstract becomes page iv).
If you need to add the Ethics Statement to your thesis, do as follows:
1. Open the Ethics Statement

(http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/regulations), Select All, and
Copy.
2. In your thesis document, place your cursor immediately before the "A"
of the "Abstract" heading on your abstract's page.
54
3. Paste the Ethics Statement into your thesis
4. Once pasted into your thesis, click in the Ethics Statement heading
and ensure the Heading 1_Preliminary style is applied
5. Regenerate the Table of Contents - the Ethics Statement should
appear as page iv.
5.2. Contemporary Arts, MFAs, and Theses with Plays
5.2.1. Document Structure
Please consult with your senior supervisor and view previous theses from your
department (http://summit.sfu.ca/) to view the variation in document format. The
structure will likely depend on whether you are including video/audio files, images,
and/or a play in your document.
The heading styles you will likely use for the sections of your document are as
follows:
• Chapter 1 is your Defence/Artist’s Statement (apply the Chapter 1. Heading 1

style)
• Chapter 2 would include project documentation, that is, the play, the gallery
installation. (Chapter 1. Heading 1 style)
• Some students preferred to include their references like a chapter rather than
in the essay included in the appendix. The logic is that the references applied
to all of their work. (Heading 1_References style)
• Apply Heading 1_Appendix(es) style to each appendix heading:
o Each thesis includes an appendix containing the research/background
essay. This section would include the references for this essay. It is best to
include references that are cited in this essay as part of this appendix,
rather than as previously mentioned. Other Heading Styles used in this
appendix are Heading 2_Appendix(es), Heading 3_Appendix(es)
o If you are including other appendices (e.g., a video), each appendix would
be lettered. The last appendix is reserved for video or audio file(s) and
related information (see 2.5.4. Supplemental Material).
55
5.2.2. Formatting Plays
The 9_ styles are designed for plays/dramas, dialogue needs, etc. Some
examples of the uses and formatting of the styles are as follows:
Characters: Type character’s name, [Tab] and description.

Apply the 9_Plays_CharacterList style to the paragraphs.
For a play’s introduction, use the 9_Plays_Introduction style.

[Name]: For the script/dialogues, type the character’s name, [Tab], and the
dialogue. Apply the 9_Play_ScriptDialogue_HangingIndent style.
If you wish specific text to start on the next line, insert a line-break [Shift]
+[Enter].
Stage directions use the 9_Plays_StageDirections style.
There is also a stage direction Interjection style for when direction needs
to be inserted within a single character’s dialogue. For such situations,
use the 9_Plays_StageDirections_Interjection style.
A centred style (9_Plays_TheEnd) can be used for ending the play with
THE END.
5.3. Extended Essays
Extended Essays are submitted for some Master’s degrees and usually are
comprised of two unconnected essays. There is no overall introduction and conclusion to
the document.
5.3.1. Title Page
Type each essay title in its own paragraph at the top of the page (each in its own
paragraph), with and in its own paragraph between them.
• Apply the 1_TP_TitleExtEssaysONLY style to each title paragraph

• Apply the 1_TP_TitleExtEssays_”and” style to the and paragraph
• Ensure your title page reads “Extended Essays Submitted in Partial...” where
appropriate.
56
Though for the most part the two essays can be formatted as directed in these
instructions, you may choose one of two document structures.
Each Essay as a Chapter
Simply use the template as described in these instructions. Both essay’s titles
have the Chapter 1. Heading 1 style applied, with sub-headings styled with 1.1. Heading
2/Heading 2, 1.1.1. Heading 3/Heading 3, etc. (see 2.2.1. Heading Styles). You can use
all other styles as directed in these instructions.
Each Essay as a Part
This structure places the title of each essay on its own page, followed by the sub-
headings and main body text. For each essay:
1. Type your essay title, for example:

Part 1: [Shift]+[Enter] Title of the Essay
2. Apply the 8_Heading 1_PartsOrEssayTitles style to the essay title.
This style centres the essay title on the page both vertically and
horizontally.
3. Apply the Chapter 1. Heading 1 style for each “chapter” in each of
your essays (e.g., Introduction, Literature Review, Method, Results,
Discussion), 1.1. Heading 2/Heading 2 for major headings, 1.1.1.
Heading 3/Heading 3 for sub-headings, etc.
4. Use all other styles as directed in these instructions.
If you’d like to make the essay title more prominent in your ToC, before final PDF
generation and submission to the library you can select each select the line-entry for
each Essay and apply the ToC 1_PartsOrEssayTitles style.
5.4. A Cumulative Thesis or Compilation of Articles/Papers
Masters or doctorate students writing a thesis that includes a number of

articles/papers must include both an overall introduction and conclusion that connect the
articles.
57
Simply use the template as described in these instructions. The Introduction,

each of the article titles, and the conclusion would all have the Chapter 1. Heading 1
style applied to them, and then main sub-headings, the 1.1. Heading 2/Heading 2 style,
and so on. If you don’t want your overall Introduction and Conclusion to be numbered,
apply the Heading 1_References style to the titles.
Tables and Figures are best appearing shortly after they are introduced in the
text. However some prefer to have them after the text in each chapter, following the
References for that chapter.
5.5. Research Projects & Capstones
5.5.1. Non-REM Projects
Masters students submitting a research project or capstone should apply Chapter

1. Heading 1 style to each chapter heading, the 1.1. Heading 2/Heading 2 style to the
main sub-headings, and so on. Use all other styles as directed in these instructions.
5.5.2. REM Projects
If you are a School of Resource & Environmental Management (REM) student,

you must add the report number to your title page and approval page.
58
Title Page
1. Ensure your title page reads “Research Project Submitted in Partial

Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Resource
Management” where appropriate.
2. At the end of the above statement, press [Enter] to create a new
paragraph beneath it.
3. Type in your report number in the format of: Report No. ####
4. Apply the 1_TP_REMstudentsOnly_ReportNo style to that paragraph.
Approval Page
1. Insert a row between the Title row and the Examining Committee row.
2. Type “Report No.:” in the first (left) column.
3. Type in your report number (Report No. ####) in the right column.
4. Apply the 2_Approval_REMstudentsOnly_Report### style to the right
column’s text.
5.6. Undergraduate Honours Theses
Undergraduate honours theses differ from graduate theses in that they are
processed through the SFU Library Theses Office. You are however still welcome to use
the SFU Library thesis templates to format your document. Some recommended
adjustments are as follows; please contact the Theses Office for consultation:
• Edit the Title Page as required, e.g., take out previous degree line and
“Honours Thesis Submitted.... Bachelor of _____”.
• Remove the Approval Page.
You can also consult with your supervisor to determine if your honours thesis is a
candidate for submission through the SFU Library’s Institutional Research Repository,
Summit (http://summit.sfu.ca/).
59
Chapter 6.
Submission and After Submission
6.1. Submit Your Thesis and Documentation to the Library
You must have your thesis, dissertation, extended essays, or project submitted
online to the Thesis Registration System within 3-weeks of the date on your Supervisor
Revision Memo OR by the end-of-semester deadline date/time—whichever happens
first (http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/submission/deadlines). To be eligible for an
early completion refund, your document must be submitted by the deadline date/time at
the end of the first month of the semester.
Important:
For further information about requirements for submission, please see
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/submission/online-registration for a
step-by-step guide and information about required supporting documentation.
6.2. After submission
Your thesis, dissertation, extended essays, or project is considered submitted to

the library & your graduation will proceed as long as you have submitted online to the
Thesis Registration System by the appropriate deadline date/time.
After submission, your thesis enters processing stages, which can take up to 4-6
weeks to complete – the completion of the processing stages does not have to occur
before the submission deadlines, and does not delay graduation. For more information
about what happens after you submit to the Library, please see
http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/after-submission.
60
Appendix A.
Thesis Template: Important Licensing Information
Please read this licensing information and remove this appendix or replace it
with your own appendix before converting your thesis to PDF and submitting
it to the Library.
The styles found within this document have been modified from those created by
Joanie Wolfe, in accordance with CC BY-NC 2.5 CA. The Intellectual Property present in
SFU’s template-based file belong to Joanie Wolfe and are licensed via Creative
Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.5 Canada (CC BY-NC 2.5 CA)
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/ca/).
When text from this document is copied and pasted to other documents it will
retain the unique styles from the template. If you plan to use some, or all, of your thesis
for commercial purposes, you must first release your text from the styles.
To release your text from being governed by this licence agreement:
1. select the text;

2. apply the Normal style;
3. copy the text;
4. open a new blank document;
5. paste that text into the new document; and
6. after doing so, check the Style Window/Pane/Panel/Toolbox to be
sure that the styles that begin with numbers are not present.
Following the above steps will ensure that you are respecting this licence agreement.
The 6 steps above are also in the Document Properties, so you can locate
them again at a later date.
61

ThesisTemplate Instructions

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ThesisTemplate Instructions

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Simon Fraser University (SFU) Library:

Thesis Template Instructions

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

Chapter 1. The Thesis Templates..............................................................................1

Chapter 2. Formatting the Content of Your Thesis................................................13

Chapter 3. Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures, etc.........................45

Chapter 4. Modifying the Styles in the Template....................................................50

Chapter 5. Students/Disciplines with Unique Needs..............................................54

Chapter 6. Submission and After Submission.......................................................60

The Thesis Templates

1.1.1. Why Use the Template?

There are a number of advantages to using the library’s templates:

Citation style guides are followed by authors to format articles/chapters/books for

1.2. How to Begin

1.2.1. Numbered & Un-numbered Templates

1.2.2. Downloading a Thesis Template File

Visit http://www.lib.sfu.ca/help/writing/thesis/templates to download the latest

1.2.3. Using Show/Hide ¶

To view the structure of your document and assist in formatting, we recommend

1.2.4. Organization of the Thesis Templates

• Title page (no page number; one page only; required)

1.3. What are Word Styles?

Styles ensure consistent character and paragraph formatting, supply white-

1.3.1. How to See All the Styles

1.3.2. A Description of the Styles Available

Also in the Headings style section are:

• Heading styles for the Preliminary pages

Many styles are meant to serve as recommendations, and should be used as

Table 1.4. Discipline-specific, Special, or Unusual Styles Available

Styles created specifically for: Styles beginning with:

1. Click in the first paragraph to which you’d like to apply a style.

1.3.4. How to See Which Style is Currently Applied

1.4. The Navigation Pane / Document Map

1.5.1. Requirements & Format

1.5.2. Removing and Adding Section Breaks

As mentioned, sections of your document are designated through the use of

There are exceptions where manually formatting is appropriate, such as when

1.5.4. Redacting Personal Emails, Phone Numbers, Signatures, etc.

If signatures, personal phone numbers, or personal email addresses (ones that

Formatting the Content of Your Thesis

2.1. Using the Template File

2.1.1. Composing directly in the thesis template file

2.2. The Body of Your Thesis

2.2.1. Heading Styles

Table 2.5. Heading Styles to Apply in the Body of Your Thesis

Chapter headings will auto-number according to their placement in your

Chapter #. [Shift+Enter] [Shift+Enter] Title of Chapter

Table 2.6. Using Heading Styles Sequentially Your Thesis

“Headings” that may not be true Headings

You can use the 3_Body_FlushLeft_Bold or 3_Body_FlushLeft_Italic styles for

2.2.2. Quotations, Lists, and Poems

3_Body..._MultipleParas styles should be applied to all paragraph elements in a

This is an example of what a 3-paragraph block-quote would look like.

Most often, a block-quote is a continuation of the paragraph that precedes

Please note that the punctuation at the end of a block-quotation (period,

Generally, if quotes are from participants/interviewees, the font is changed to one

3_Body_QuoteSubject_SingleOrLast is the style that is applied to the

You can also use an interview-style or hanging-indent display, which is explained

Joanie: You can start by applying the

If you wish to leave the citation italicized, that is fine.

Apply the 3_Body_Bullet_MultipleParas style to all the bullets, then the

• When bulleted paragraphs are desired;

Word’s auto-numbered lists and paragraphs can be difficult to set-up correctly,